Witch Psych

Have you ever heard of a tulpa? Wikipedia, though I always hesitate to use it as a resource, describes a tulpa well: “A tulpa is a materialized being or thought-form, typically in human shape, that is created through spiritual practice and intense concentration” (Tulpa, 2025). It takes the idea of an imaginary friend to a different plane of existence. The tulpa is a concept that extends across Buddhism, Psychology, and the Paranormal, which is right up my alley.

Origins of Tulpas

Our modern concept of the tulpa is way different from its Tibetan origins. On discussion forums, I’d describe the tulpa as a spirit guide created through the power of the mind. A teacher figure, essentially, though I am sure there is much more profound spiritual and religious significance than I am aware of. However, finding resources on it wasn’t easy. It appears that the idea of a tulpa underwent a significant transformation through cultural exchange between the East and West, as evidenced by Alexandra David-Néel’s 1929 book Magic and Mystery in Tibet (Gershon, 2024).

Theosophy and Its Application

Theosophy is the idea that “…there is a deeper spiritual reality and that direct contact with that reality can be established through intuition, meditation, revelation, or some other state transcending normal human consciousness” (Melton, 2025). Essentially, through the concept of theosophy, a tulpa could be thought into existence. If one were a child, this may be where an invisible friend comes from. 

Are Tulpas Bad or Good?

Well, that depends on the person who creates them. There aren’t really any solid sources I could find that dictate their alignment. However, that paranormal and psychology connection is strong. It seems that if there is an underlying problem in your subconscious, then it will manifest in your tulpa. Some horror stories exist in a Frankenstein’s monster sort of fashion. There are too many of them on Reddit to count.

References

Gershon, L. (2024 February 6). Where tulpas come from. https://daily.jstor.org/where-tulpas-come-from/

Melton, J.G. (2025, May 9). Theosophy. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/theosophy

Mikles, N. L., & Laycock, J. P. (2015). Tracking the Tulpa: Exploring the “Tibetan” Origins of a Contemporary Paranormal Idea. Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions, 19(1), 87–97. https://doi.org/10.1525/nr.2015.19.1.87

Tulpa. (2025 August 11). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulpa#:~:text=A%20tulpa%20is%20a%20materialized,an%20important%20belief%20in%20Theosophy