Are you exploring Vampyrism for the first time? Read this.

Is this your first time exploring vampyrism? Do yourself a favor and read all of this before you go any further!

If this is the first time you’re exploring the nightside and diving into the world of modern vampyrism, the Vampyre Community, or the VC for short…you may have asked yourself before, “What exactly is a real Vampyre?” To be able to fully explain vampyrism to you, it would take a lifetime. But for now… this is the cliffnotes version. Vampyres are not the same as what cinema portrays vampires to be in the media. We don’t burst into flames and fall to ash in the sunlight. We can consume garlic, we don’t have to sleep in coffins. A stake to the heart may kill us, but in the bleed out from a chest wound kind of way.

Vampire vs. Vampyre – What’s the difference?

You may notice me jumping between using “y” and “i” in the spelling of Vampyre and vampire. This is done purposely. Many people use the spelling “Vampyre” to differentiate between modern Vampyres aka “Human Living Vampyres” and the mythical vampire. For the sake of this post, as well as basically everything on this website or anything that I write, I stick to these spellings. It’s just to keep a standard of separation in my spaces.

Is this universal? No, not at all. In face, you’ll find many older “real vampire” websites that shit on people who utilize the “Vampyre” spelling. It is what it is, and it’s clearly something we don’t give a damn about here.

Alright, So, what’s a Real Vampyre then?

A real Vampyre is a person who believes themselves to have an intrinsic vampyric nature. This nature manifests in several ways. The most common idea is that they have a higher turnover rate of human living energy than your typical person. This higher turnover rate causes a person to require a third party source of energy to supplement the fact that their pranic metabolism is burning off energy quicker than it can be generated. In order to maintain a healthy level of energy to support homeostasis, Vampyres need to rely on outside sources for pranic energy. A “real” or “living” Vampyre supports this need through a series of different psychic and/or physical/physiological abilities to gain the necessary pranic energy to thrive. Another idea is that our soul mirrors the vampyre archetype. That we have a deep intrinsic vampire spirit within us that is always there, but comes out due to different circumstances and stimuli.

Most modern Vampyres are normal people, but they have within them a set of qualities and conditions that create the vampyric phenomenon. Vampyres are beings of this world who have a commonality of gifts and disadvantages among their lives and it makes them unique, but otherwise still human. A Vampyre is a being with a remarkable ability to absorb, channel, transform, and manipulate life force energy. This capacity for handling life force energy is a gift, among many gifts and traits that are characteristic of being a vampyre.

Okay wait a second… What is life force energy?

Life force energy is the subtle energy that radiates off of all living things. Most vampyre teachings tell you that what vampyres feed on is pranic energy, or Prana (ki, chi, etc.). While this is true, Prana comes from many other sources other than human sources. Whether or not it counts towards someone’s vampyric nature to sustain themselves off of non-human prana is a highly debated topic since all people, human or vampyre alike require a healthy relationship with pranic energy. Despite that debate, every living creature creates and uses subtle energy to live and survive. Prana is the vital force that empowers our existence.  It is believed by many that Vampyres burn through their pranic energy at a higher or faster rate than mundane individuals. The Vampyre’s evolved state of consciousness causes us to burn through our energy. If left unregulated or malnourished a vampyre may feel a myriad of side effects from it.

Do Vampyres Actually Drink Blood?

This is the question that always seems to be on everyone’s mind regarding real vampyrism… “Do vampyres actually drink blood?” The short answer is “Yes.” The longer version is “Some, but not all of them….” Vampyres are a unique bunch and nothing is black and white when it comes to vampyrism. Due to the nature of vampiric folklore, literature, and media portrayal, the average human associates vampyres with maniacal predators biting at the necks of unsuspecting victims. This is simply not the case. Vampyres come in many forms and types. Some drink blood, some don’t. No method is more valid or right than the other. One thing that remains common in every vampire/vampyre story is that outside sustenance from a living entity is needed for survival. This rings true in both real modern vampyrism and the distant tales of vampires from legend. To be fair, the majority of real vampyres do not drink blood, sanguinarian vampyres are the least common.

Vampyric Awakening

Awakening is when a Vampyre has the onset of symptoms from their vampyric nature coming to light. It’s almost like a vampyric puberty. It happens for everyone differently. Some younger, some older. While many of us have great similarities in our stories, no two awakening stories are exactly the same.

As soon as a Vampyre becomes aware of their true nature, they can choose to begin seriously working on themselves to transform their nature into something less destructive and chaotic and nurture it into something beautiful and enlightening. Once they’re able to learn to control their capacity for handling energy, they can become extraordinary practitioners of anything they put their minds to. A Vampyre’s innate ability to capture and hold the attention of others makes a vampyre a great leader or teacher. Vampyres are not here to incessantly kill and drain people for sport and pleasure. We are put here with a dark gift. A talent that has come to be over many generations. It is not destructive by nature, only by choice. The “psychic vampire” everyone knows to be a negative destructive being, can become a much more structured and skilled practitioner as they move through time and study. They can become powerful and constructive members of the community with some dedication and study. Once you come to terms with what you are, you can begin to practice vampyrism in an enlightened and more well informed manner.

Awakening doesn’t just happen once, either. You will have multiple awakenings along your journey.

The Journey of the Vampyre

A person who believes themselves to potentially be a real Vampyre has a long and difficult road ahead of them. You should always explore all of your options before deciding you are definitely a Vampyre. If you’re having physical symptoms you should always seek medical advice in a smart way that won’t make you look crazy. Waltzing into a doctors office and proclaiming that you think you’re a Vampyre may not produce the most desirable outcome. Nobody can really tell you if you are or are not a vampyre over the internet. One may be able to tell in person but there isn’t a checklist way to go through and say for certain if you are or are not, unfortunately. It’s a process of self discovery and self mastery above all else.

Being self aware and maintaining control of yourself at all times is absolutely paramount as a Vampyre. You need to always keep yourself in check and become accountable for taking care of yourself by any means necessary to survive. What we are is not a choice and ignoring our needs only leads to our own self destruction. Maintaining good Vampyric health is just as important as maintaining your physical and spiritual health. Not taking care of yourself could have detrimental effects to your life, your relationships, your health, your everything. It can become that serious if you let it. Take heed to the lessons you’re taught. Practice them repeatedly, and often. The knowledge you gain will carry with you throughout your lifetime.