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Spirit possession

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Spirit possession is a concept of paranormal, supernatural and/or superstitious belief in which spirits, gods, daemons, demons, animas, or other disincarnate entities may take control of a human body, resulting in noticeable changes in behaviour. The concept of spiritual possession exists in Christianity and other contemporary religions and can also be seen in the mythology and folklore of many cultures.

Possession in Anthroposophy

According to Anthroposophy, spiritual possession is when ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies etc.) control the mind (emotions, thoughts) and intellect (decision making ability) of a person. As a result, they also control the person’s actions. Anthroposophy holds that spiritual possession is a contemporary phenomenon, and that people with a physical illnesses or a weak minds are more likely to be attacked and possessed by ghosts. They state that up to 30% of the world's population may be possessed by ghosts. In cases of spirit possession, the person often experiences cases of being hot and hurting all over as if being stabbed. Most victims of spirit possession don't remember anything that happens to them while possessed by the (souls,spirits, deity, gods, demons, animals,) or other disinacarnate entities. In other cases the possessed indivdual can at times stop breathing while possessed, this is sometimes called black energy the entities use to possess the indivdual. Being affected by ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies, etc.) is when the physical, mental, intellectual or spiritual functioning of a person or any combination thereof is affected or altered by the ghosts entirely through the use of their black energy. There is no direct control by the ghosts over the mind and intellect of the affected person. The ghost has not succeeded in merging with the person’s consciousness in any form. Through this black energy, they can affect the person in many ways, such as giving him a skin rash, or leave scars or maks on the skin, induce negative thinking or cloud his intellect which cannot be attributed to any known cause. In a way, this is indirect control over the person. Affecting a person with black energy can be understood as something like the effect of a poisonous gas present in the room. It can affect the person at various levels. However the ghost affects that aspect of the person, which is most conducive to achieving its objective; either of troubling that person, fulfilling its own desire or preventing spiritual practice etc.

Possession in Demonolatry

Some individuals who practice demonolatry invoke the demons, taking their spirit by invitation into themselves as part of worship.

In fiction

Spiritual possession, especially malign, has been a favorite theme of fictional works, especially in horror novels and films. The novel and film The Exorcist may be the best-known examples of the latter. A version of benign possession is Deadman, a ghostly superhero who uses his possession ability in the cause of justice. Jericho, a member of the Teen Titans, could also take possession of someone else's body through eye contact (and was able to control their motor skills, and sometimes speech). Powerful Fictional telepaths of the Marvel Universe particularly X-Men characters such as Jean Grey and Professor X can possess other bodies.

Similarly, the animated hero Danny Phantom (half-ghost) and other ghosts in the series can 'overshadow' human beings, so-called presumably to avoid sounding occultic. Ino Yamanaka from Naruto uses Mind Body Switch Technique which transfers her own spirit to someone else's.

Frank E. Peretti's books This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness deal heavily in demonic possession and spiritual warfare from an Abrahamic religious standpoint.

Spiritual possession, though not necessarily malign, also appears as a secondary theme in The Dune Chronicles, a series of novels written by Frank Herbert. The video game Geist's primary game mechanic revolves around possessing people, animals and objects in order to progress.

In fantasy literature, the term channelling is sometimes used in other ways, particularly to describe a person's ability to draw on some form of magical power. For example, the Wheel of Time series uses the term extensively (although it is by no means the only work to do so).

In the animated series South Park, Kenny was killed off for a year in Kenny Dies. Eric Cartman then drunk his ashes thinking it was chocolate milk and became possessed by Kenny. Chef and Cartman's mom took him to Chef's Parents who exorcised Kenny.

In the manga and anime series Shaman King, shamans team up with ghosts and spirits to achieve their goals. The greatest dreams of a shaman is to become the Shaman King, who is able to contact the Great Spirit (the spirit that every soul will eventually go back to) in order to be the savior of the world. Various magical and religious terms are spread through out the story but they merge into something explainable by the time the main plot arrives.

Often in the manga and anime Card Captor Sakura, characters are possessed by spirits, some examples include Rita by The Sword Clow Card, and Sakura herself in the movie by its main antagonist.

In Lois Duncan's Stranger With My Face, Laurie is taught to project her soul from her body. Her sister Lea ends up taking over Laurie's body by projecting her soul.

In the video game Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Princess Peach is possessed by the final boss, Shadow Queen. However, Mario and his friends defeat her and bring the princess to normal.

In the video game The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Princess Zelda is possesed for the first part of the final battle. She is returned to normal after Link defeats her.

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Tom Riddle (a younger Voldemort) possesses Ginny Weasley through his Horcrux diary, where he stores part of his soul, and makes her open the Chamber of Secrets and harm Muggle-borns.

In the action cartoon Dragonball Z, the wizard Babidi is able to possess Vegeta by taking control of the evil tendencies within Vegeta's heart.

Also, in Pokemon Battle Frontier, Ash touches a stone ball in an ancient temple, and is posessed by the spirit imprisoned inside, the King of Pokelantis.

See also

Related ideas:

References

spermatism

Notes

  • Clarke, S. (2006): "What is spiritual possession", SSRF
  • Heindel, Max, The Web of Destiny (Chapter I - Part III: "The Dweller on the Threshold"--Earth-Bound Spirits, Part IV: The "Sin Body"--Possession by Self-Made Deamons--Elementals, Part V: Obsession of Man and of Animals), ISBN 0-911274-17-0, www
  • Klimo, John (1987). Channeling: Investigations on Receiving Information from Paranormal Sources. St. Martins Press. ISBN 0-87477-431-4.
  • Lang, Andrew (1900) Demoniacal Possession, The Making of Religion, (Chapter VII), Longmans, Green, and C°, London, New York and Bombay, 1900, pp. 128-146.
  • Peck, M. Scott, (1985) People of the Lie ISBN 0684848597

External links



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