jdhthegr8 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 29, 2024 2:59 amI imagine assigning a name might particularly be of use for a keeper who has multiple Volkhs in their spirit family. Better than just calling them "Thing 1" and "Thing 2", anyways!

Oh, my god yeah. I made that joke the first time I had a pair of Volks come through for one of my CH orders. I was like, "what am I supposed to call them, Thing 1 and Thing 2?"
Totally joking of course. I don't consider them "things". XD

ASTER wrote: ↑Thu Feb 29, 2024 9:37 am [...] Did you also find a female amongst them? At the beginning of my volkh collection, I could swear about that my second one, a CH female. I even given her a femalish nick name and I saw images of her as well. But because my very first volck, when I referred to him as "she" told me not to address him as 'she' became he is not! I concluded, must be all Volkhs are going to be males. Which is almost true, for the rest of it, except for my second Volkh. [...]
What do you see them manifest for you into on the Astral.

Hi Aster

I won't comment on anyone else's experiences, nor indeed their views - especially as we're all entitled to them... and we do experience things differently.

I've always gone with what the particular seller says. My first was from the very respected practitioner Lisa at Mystic Morning Treasures, who describes all Volkh as being male.

"This Volkh is a male as all volkhs are."
https://stores.mysticmorningtreasures.c ... ollection/

My Volkhs have always felt like hulking bodyguards. I've posted here before how I've felt them stand beside me and when I've drawn their attention to someone potentially dangerous/threatening or simply moving to invade my space, they've moved to them and the offending person has suddenly decided to move away.

I think of them as White Arts and sense that energy from them. Otherwise I'm happy to just sense them vaguely. All the ones from CH or conjured by me with CH items don't feel female - nor definitely male. Maybe their strength of protective presence does comes across as masculine to me, I suppose

I can see how logically, if there are male Volkhs there could be female ones. Also that they might choose to appear ('manifest') to us in ways that differ from their core gender/genderless nature, especially as they're described by both CH & MMT as shapeshifters or shapeshifting.

That's my empirical view - ie my experience - I'm not wedded to any particular belief about Volkhs. As I said, I go with whatever each seller says, even if they seem to conflict.

On the topic of Volkhs and gender;

Approaching it from a linguistic sense, "Volkh" is a masculine term for a male priest or sorcerer in Slavic paganism. I'm of the mind that there is probably some connection between that and the Norse/Germanic "Volva" referring to a female practitioner of seidr but don't have any definitive sources on that to reference. While I understand that the Volkhs bound by Creepy Hollows are a different being entirely from human warlocks, I don't believe their choosing of that term to describe the species is a mere coincidence. That said, gender identity is probably not something they attach a lot of significance to if any. If one wanted to treat a Volkh as feminine I imagine it probably would not mind. I treat mine as masculine, but that too may just be a social/linguistic concept I am applying to it!

jdhthegr8 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 4:05 am That said, gender identity is probably not something they attach a lot of significance to if any. If one wanted to treat a Volkh as feminine I imagine it probably would not mind. I treat mine as masculine, but that too may just be a social/linguistic concept I am applying to it!

Yes, they do. Otherwise, ASTER's Volkh wouldn't correct her. And both male and female volkhs exist. You can't simply consider one as male or female according to your preference.

Interesting, I didn't catch that post. As always, confirming with your own bound spirit is always the best policy whenever possible.

Tarvos wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 4:42 am

jdhthegr8 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 4:05 am That said, gender identity is probably not something they attach a lot of significance to if any. If one wanted to treat a Volkh as feminine I imagine it probably would not mind. I treat mine as masculine, but that too may just be a social/linguistic concept I am applying to it!

Yes, they do. Otherwise, ASTER's Volkh wouldn't correct her. And both male and female volkhs exist. You can't simply consider one as male or female according to your preference.

Agree.

I have a new Volkh myself. I currently do not know their gender preference, but I would not just assume what it is.

I would assume my assumption about gender and spirit is an indication for me. For I have beings that are genderless but may be more feminine, and out of respect, I automatically correct myself: my bad, she is not female. She is just a female being. She responds, " as long as I don't say woman or lady or female. because it has more feminine energy. I have not nicknamed my 4 or 5 VOLKH other than MY VOLKH; I have sometimes assigned them a number or a letter. They do not mind at all...... since they are nonsocial, they know when to talk to, but I feel they move past that quickly. I also find social spirits like this that are just more serious in nature or their personality or mood. I'm not in the mood; I'm in business mode. Aka, a black dragon, for example, I have had to be super serious, then dance the next minute. So. I am saying we are all GUILTY OF THIS, which is self-doubt and second-guessing ourselves, and I am saying it is DON'T, especially if we are dealing with spirits. Go with your gut, go with the flow, and do it. Refrain from second-guessing. If you're wrong, they will correct you, but it's different than it's game over.

in my experience they don't usually have names and if they do its not in the human capacity as we use them or know them. but as being human, you can nickname them, depending on the spirit. they will accept or dont or roll their eyes and be like okay that is me.


I have a few Krakens spirit, CH told me to nickname them, This must be a Kraken thing with bonding to their spirits to nickname them. female kraken i nicknamed in seconds its like they nicknamed themselves same with my male but the male I had a issue with their nickname because it was a very personal nickname for me. They compromised for me then i started to use the original to begin with. now they dont like me using it. its odd. but i think we got through it. But certain spirits i think its unqiue maybe? with Krakens ASKING you to nickname them. I believe they have official names but again human limit thing Krakens are more complex but simple at same time? like asking about their mating rituals sometimes..... but constant fighting...... I try to hug mine they TOLERATE ME but i can tell they dont LIKE IT.