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Introduction

Note that this is only one guide, and it is not the law of the land. You should try as many guides as possible and make your own method out of them—something that works for you. This is an introspective experience, after all, so it's good to make it as unique to you as possible.

Chances are that anyone reading this page already has a clear idea of what a tulpa is, but for those who don't know: a tulpa is an autonomous consciousness created in your mind, and is in control of their opinions, feelings, and movements—a separate person in the same head as you. They are capable of thinking on their own, and can communicate with their host (creator). A tulpa often has a form—an imaginary body that they identify with. With hard work and dedication, you will be able to impose the tulpa onto your senses, meaning that you'll be able to interact with them just as you would anyone else. The tulpa will also be capable of things like possession, where they are able to take control of your body to interact with your environment. Keep in mind that this shouldn't be done to create your perfect anime waifu—a tulpa is a person, and deserves as much respect as anyone else.

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What is forcing?

Two of the most common questions that you'll find in this community are, "What is forcing?" and "What is the difference between active and passive forcing?". Forcing is doing anything that contributes to the development of a tulpa, regardless of how involved it may be. Active forcing is where a dedicated amount of time is set away for the host to focus solely on the tulpa—concentrating hard and avoiding any distractions. Passive forcing is where you're working on your tulpa, but not exclusively; a host could be talking to their tulpa or visualizing them as they're doing something else. Giving any attention to your tulpa whatsoever in these stages is beneficial, and it is important to start building the habit of talking to your tulpa as soon as possible. Keep in mind that any step you're at with forcing can be done alongside another. For example, you can narrate while you're visualizing, and visualize while you're working on your tulpa's personality.

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Introductory Session

Something that is often recommended to people who are just starting the creation of their own tulpa is an introductory session. It isn't a very hard thing to do and it's entirely optional, but it may be beneficial by forming something of an early bond with the tulpa and giving you an idea of what narration will be like. This step can also get you in the habit of seeing your tulpa as a person, which will help you out a lot later on. It gets the general "essence" of your tulpa in your mind, so it may be easier to direct your thoughts towards them, in the future.

Generally, the host will sit down in a comfortable position, in an environment where there's not a lot of distractions, and they'll start to introduce themselves to their tulpa. A form and name aren't necessary for this step, but keep in mind that you need to direct your thoughts/speech to your tulpa, as you would with anyone else. Tell your tulpa a little bit about yourself—your name, occupation, hobbies, likes and dislikes, and so on. Keep in mind that you can always share more about yourself later, so don't limit it to just this session. Some hosts like to go over the general creation process as well, explaining what steps they will be taking and what creation goals they have in mind.

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Narration

As shown in the introductory step above, narration is the act of talking to your tulpa, and it is often considered the most important step in tulpa creation. You can either narrate in your head or out loud; it doesn't really matter. It's wise to already have an idea of what you tulpa will be like in your mind, as you'll be directing your thoughts towards its "essence". If you don't have a name or form in mind, it might be a good idea to create one now, even if it's just a placeholder.

You can narrate to your tulpa about anything you'd like—be it the latest movie you've seen, what's going on at work, or any past experiences you've had. It doesn't matter whether the thoughts you're directing to your tulpa are positive or negative; any narration is productive. This means that you can rant to your tulpa about things that are stressing you out during your day, and it won't affect the creation process negatively. Keep in mind that, if you want, you could always read to your tulpa. Also, it is a good idea for you to refer to the body as "our body" or "the body" rather than "my body", because it enforces that the tulpa is there and is like you.

Some people have problems when it comes to remembering that they're supposed to be narrating. To counter this, set up something that can remind you throughout your day. For example, you could tie a string around your finger or set your tulpa's form as a wallpaper—anything that can catch your attention and bring you back into focus.

You should always be trying your hardest to look out for responses. Ask your tulpa what they think of what you're talking about, or what's going on around you. Any question will do as long as it's meant for your tulpa and encourages them to try and reply to you.

How long will you be doing this? Well, you keep on narrating until your tulpa talks; the actual time that it takes varies from person to person, but as long as you keep at it, you'll progress much faster. Once your tulpa is able to talk to you, you can have full-on conversations with them just as you would any other person, and you'll know that you can move on from this step.



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Personality

This step is where you'll be defining the personality of your tulpa. Keep in mind that this step is optional; you can skip this entirely and still have a fully-developed tulpa at some point. Some would even go as far as to <i>suggest</i> skipping this, as there's a good chance that the personality of your tulpa will deviate from what traits you put in. However, since you're still providing the attention needed for a tulpa to thrive and grow, it may be a very good thing for you to do.

The first thing to do is gather a good number of personality traits. It doesn't matter how many traits you choose; you'll be the one to decide how much work you put into this step, after all. Examples of personality traits are 'decisive', 'honest', 'stubborn', etc. Keep in mind that you should not force your tulpa into a role. These traits are here to suggest to your tulpa what they should be.

Once you have a good list of traits set up, you can get to work. Sit down and explain the traits to your tulpa. Define them; show how a trait would affect their perception of different events, their likes and dislikes, their hobbies, and so on. It's very important to have a good idea as to how these traits will manifest. Keep on reinforcing these traits until you have a good idea of the personality in your head; it's not required that you memorize every little thing about each trait. Keep in mind that the point of personality work is to get a full idea of what your tulpa will be like.

Another thing that you could use for personality is symbolism, which is something that is unique to each host. An example of this would be visualizing a cauldron in your mind, and having each trait liquefied in little bottles. As you're explaining the traits, or giving your tulpa a rough idea of them, pour them into the cauldron, and allow them to mix into one. This is only one way you can do it; there are many other ways to represent your tulpa's personality. Just keep in mind that you should do whatever works best for you.


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Visualization

This step is where you'll be imagining your tulpa's form in your mind—visualizing it until you are able to 'see' it, and recall it with ease. If you daydream often, this is likely to be easier for you, since you already have a lot of experience with vizualisation. It will still take time to perfect, however, so don't be discouraged if you can't get your tulpa's form right on the first try. It's like any other skill: it's not going to be perfect on the first go, but you'll get better and better with it as you practice.

Assuming that you've already chosen a form for your tulpa, or they're vocal and independent enough to where they were able to choose one on their own, sit down in an environment where there are little to no distractions, and close your eyes. Try and visualize your tulpa to the best of your ability. Some people like to use a wonderland—a setting that you create with your imagination. It's not required that you have one; you could simply use a black void. Again, it's about whatever you're comfortable with.

It might be a good idea to visualize your tulpa in chunks—meaning that you have one session dedicated to visualizing the face in full detail, another for the torso, arms, and so on. You don't have to do this, though; there are plenty of people who have visualized their tulpa all at once and have received the same results. You can also create a voice for you tulpa, as well as a scent and taste, if desired. When it comes to imaginary senses, there's always room for improvement, so feel free to do this at any time.


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Closing

You'll find that this a very interesting experience—one that can be both beneficial and introspective. Your tulpa will become more mature, and adjust to the world as time goes on. Try not to compare your progress to others; everyone goes at their own pace!