Swapping is the process of the host and tulpa (in the Tulpamancy community specifically) essentially swapping places where the tulpa controls the body fully and the primary is then placed in a tulpa-like state where they are not connected to the body's sensory input in what is considered "fully swapping." In broader plural spaces, this is simply regarded as a change in the current fronter(s).
There are varying degrees of swapping like change in the primary control of the body (like possession) or instead, the tulpa gains primary control of the mind's thought processes where these swapping levels eventually reach to a point where the previous person in front (connected to the body) fully disconnects from the body where several things can occur:
- The primary could fall unconscious temporarily while the tulpa is still controlling the body, also known as a form of blackout, which may or may not be intentional.
- Instead of becoming fully unconscious, the host could become mentally inactive and simply become a passive observer of the tulpa and what they are doing.
- The primary is then placed within the wonderland/mindscape, much like how a tulpa would reside in the mind where they can perform their own tasks.
- The primary, much like their tulpa, can impose themself on the physical plane and follow the tulpa around with their own imposed senses.
A more fleshed out list of these swapping levels can be seen below, gathered from the Tulpa Switching Experiences Study:
- “Working Together,” or more better known as a form of co-fronting. In this level, the tulpa is in primary control of the body, but the host is still fully present and even partially in control.
- “Controlling the Body,” this can be seen as a form of full-body possession, as the host is still connected to the body’s senses and still fully aware through the body while not in control.
- “Identity Switch,” a form of “masking” where the host feels and thinks like the tulpa by changing the mind’s train of thought to the tulpa’s instead of the host’s. Also known as eclipsing where the tulpa is controlling the body indirectly by influencing the host/current fronter.
- “Control/Dissociation,” this is a full switch where the host is properly dissociated from the body and the tulpa is in full control, but the host remains active.
- “Inactive Switch,” essentially the previous level, yet the host becomes inactive upon leaving front, which can be a form of blackout.
- “Consciousness Switch,” a type of switching where the primary consciousness changes to the tulpa’s instead of the host’s, which usually includes the host becoming disconnected from the body’s senses.
Switching differs from possession in that switching requires not only controlling the body, but also the mind, and for it to be considered "fully switching," the host or previous fronter must fully disconnected from the body's sensory input, at least in the Tulpamancy community. This process better allows the tulpa to interact with the physical world better than possession and with less worry of the host accidentally taking back control when a more intense switch is achieved, as previously mentioned, the host can then become fully inactive or pay attention to other things while the tulpa fronts.