Thank you for this beautiful essay, it really dives into all the depths and corners of this archetype. Somehow I had to smile at the mention "the chaotic soup of self". I guess we're often trying to present ourselves as a nice 3-star meal with neatly separate and well digestible portions, but in truth, we're a stew and we don't recognise half the ingredients! :) I am both fascinated and frightened by the cimera and by the shapeshifter for a while, they feel fragmented and unstable, yet they also hold a quiet power: the power to hold many truths at the same time.
Thank you for this beautiful essay, it really dives into all the depths and corners of this archetype. Somehow I had to smile at the mention "the chaotic soup of self". I guess we're often trying to present ourselves as a nice 3-star meal with neatly separate and well digestible portions, but in truth, we're a stew and we don't recognise half the ingredients! :) I am both fascinated and frightened by the cimera and by the shapeshifter for a while, they feel fragmented and unstable, yet they also hold a quiet power: the power to hold many truths at the same time.
what a glorious journey this has been and what a beautiful way to complete the cycle! I truly loved it! Thank you!
Love this, wish I could share my AI generated Chimera - an Osprey with a wolf's head!