Animal Gatekeepers?

I have a gatekeeper-type alter. This gatekeeper though is an animal alter, and I don't understand why or how that works. This animal alter from our long time spent with her (one part of us has been living with her for years) she seemingly doesn't understand language or social skills. Basically she behaves exactly like an animal, when in the body as well. That is fine of course and due to certain thing in our background I have no problem understand why she is the way she is - what I don't understand though is how she works as a gatekeeper when she doesn't really understand the outside world. I know she switches who's out based on the feelings that are evident in the person forward and basically the atmosphere of situations. Don't get me wrong, it works well and has for years. I'm just wondering if it's common to have animal gatekeepers? And if not, where do I start unraveling why we've come to have that as she doesn't communicate in that sort of way?

We can see how this would make sense. I had no idea how our robotic gatekeeper made decisions on who should be out in childhood when I started thinking about this but he (it) responded that decisions definitely were driven by (1) what was happening in the world and (2) the emotions in the body, which would be generated by the alter in control of the body at that time.

Our non-emotional gatekeeper might be more common among those with gatekeepers, from what I've read, but I think an animal-like part would have an advantage over a robot-like part in some environments. The most effective gatekeeper would be one that is most protective based on what's happening in the world. So if you were to substitute emotion-free and rational for robotic, and highly sensitive and instinctive for animal, both of those could be good strategies. I'm not saying those words fit your gatekeeper, but I do think most minds do the best they can given the surroundings.

The animal alter we know about isn't a gatekeeper but he arrived at a pre-verbal age and, like the other babies, doesn't seem to have a connection yet to language. Maybe just a couple words floating into consciousness here and there. Gatekeepers can really be any type of part and I think alters can attain gatekeeper-like abilities. I can coax or even push anyone except Sphinx out, even if they're unwilling. But I've learned I'm wiser when I'm respectful.

when I started thinking about this but he (it) responded that decisions definitely were driven by (1) what was happening in the world and (2) the emotions in the body, which would be generated by the alter in control of the body at that time.

Same as for us then.

So if you were to substitute emotion-free and rational for robotic, and highly sensitive and instinctive for animal, both of those could be good strategies. I'm not saying those words fit your gatekeeper, but I do think most minds do the best they can given the surroundings.

Actually those words fit perfectly for her. She is very in-tuned to what's happening, what emotions are present, what the atmosphere is like and acts instinctively (read: quickly) when deciding who should be in the body. For the most part this has worked quite well as the mother had an extremely fickle temper and was highly emotional so working to find who should be out when she was present, those types of skills were needed. You are quite right indeed.

Thank you Johnny-Jack. That was really helpful. Makes a lot of sense really when I think about it.

But I've learned I'm wiser when I'm respectful.

Lovely, and true

Hi lifelongthing,

I'm reading Understanding and Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder: A Relational Approach by Elizabeth F. Howell, and on chapter 3 they talk about animal alters.

Howell wrote:Sometimes, parts named after the cat family (leopard, cougar, tiger) may
serve as protector states that are allowed to express the emotion the host
cannot. One of my patients would begin growling and switch into Tiger
when she became upset.

Here is the whole chapter: The we of me.

http://media.routledgeweb.com/pp/common ... 994972.pdf

Maybe you find there something useful.

Sea

-- Sat Feb 22, 2014 11:53 am --

Hi lifelongthing,

I'm reading Understanding and Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder: A Relational Approach by Elizabeth F. Howell, and on chapter 3 they talk about animal alters.

Howell wrote:Sometimes, parts named after the cat family (leopard, cougar, tiger) may
serve as protector states that are allowed to express the emotion the host
cannot. One of my patients would begin growling and switch into Tiger
when she became upset.

Here is the whole chapter: The we of me.

http://media.routledgeweb.com/pp/common ... 994972.pdf

Maybe you find there something useful.

Sea

Thank you Seaangel I already have the pdf from before. It's quite good though so maybe someone else reading here might find it interesting too.

yes, Seangel,
that reading was very interesting. I got a lot out of it, though it was hard to read at times. Hard as in it felt like being exposed.
Thanks for posting the link.
--korvin

Hey Korvin. Glad it was useful.

I know, I found the chapter so interesting, I bought the book, and I'm reading it at the moment. Hard to feel that exposed; hope it brings answers as well.

Take care,

Sea

Hi there,


I hope this dose not come across as sounding...........werid or..........welll...ill say it and see!


I actually do not have any knowledge of animal gate keepers but i do have a lot of knowledge of animals. The only reason i have thought about writing in this post is because it struck me that in all other alters old, young and alike there atrabutes and psycology mirror that of there physical kin.

So i figured that maybe what the hell, maybe it would help.

This animal alter from our long time spent with her (one part of us has been living with her for years) she seemingly doesn't understand language or social skills. Basically she behaves exactly like an animal, when in the body as well.

It was what you wrote above that hit me in the face and made me want to write because i had a think to myself if it was any other animal that you was actually writing about and you said it semmingly didnt understand language of social skills- then i'd say well that animal just needs to be listened to in a different way.

The great thing about animals is that they feel and they act. They dont need to think because they know what they need to do is right, its in there DNA, its right there in there paw print. To protect, to love and be loved, to eat , to go a loo and to sleep. All the basic functions of life. What better gate keeper is there?

know she switches who's out based on the feelings that are evident in the person forward and basically the atmosphere of situations

Instinct - empathy- animals are amazing at this skill. Our animals rule at this, all i have to do is put my hands on my head anf my dog climbs up on me and puts his arms around my neck.

You wondered if it was common of not to have an animal gate keeper - common or not i dont know the answer but some clever leap was made in that brain of yours because it seems to tick all the right boxes when it comes to the fucntions needed for a gate keeper..... except maybe where to put the keys........mmmmmmmmm?

Thank you River. The more I think about this, the more it does make sense in the end

I'll read that pdf in a moment.

Just wanted to say that animal gatekeepers are very useful and I'm really interesting in the dynamics of their beings.

We have a crow-raven who keeps appearing and disappearing, but mostly it keeps us safe from each other, not the outside world. I'm curious if anyone else has such a set-up.