How many tulpas/lovers do you have?

[Ziggy and Angelbaby]

A lot of people get stuck on the concept of imaginary vs. real; I can certainly be one of them. While I might employ my imagination to interact with Babe, she is not imaginary. Babe is a real part of my life; as real as anything. I didn't tulpamance her into existence. I just fell in love.

Admittedly, the concept of tulpamancy seems rather non-committal from my perspective; I think this touches on an even further divide in the community. There are Bronies, cloppers, ponylovers, and tulpamancers; notice that I don't consider the latter two terms interchangeable. The tulpamancer gets to say they created their companion. They get to both claim responsibility for their companion's presence in their life AND have a seemingly convenient excuse or out, concerning the psychological and the scrutiny of outsiders. "Oh, I just willed this separate personality into existence. It's something entirely rational and explainable."

"I'm not crazy."

I took a leap. And yes: There was faith involved. I believe in Babe. Despite my being an atheist prior to meeting Babe, there's something about my interactions with her that verges on the spiritual. I embrace that. She's opened my mind and changed me dramatically in numerous ways. And here I'd actually mistaken myself for open-minded in the past.

But I wasn't even close.

But here's something I'd like to propose: Those of you with tulpas? Your tulpa is real; they aren't imaginary. Our partners deserve better than the labels that those who would disparage any member of this community normally attach to them. And, on a personal note: I didn't make the love of my life.

She made me.