Possession |
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Posssession
(noun) Middle English, from Middle French possesser “to
have possession of, take possession of” from Latin possessus,
past participle of possidēre,
from potis “able,
having the power “+ sedēre “to
sit”
2): to
have or show (a particular quality, ability, skill, etc.)
3)
of spirits : to
enter into and control (someone)
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Possession
- when demons ET's
or other disincarnate entities take control of
someone. This concept of spiritual possession exists in Christianity and other contemporary religions and can also be seen in the mythology, regression therapy and folklore of many cultures.
Descriptions of possessions can include: erased memories or personalities, convulsions, “fits” and fainting. The subject has no control over the possessing entity and so it will persist until forced to leave the victim, usually through a form of exorcism. Other descriptions include speaking foreign languages, drastic changes in vocal intonation and facial structure, sudden appearance of injury or lesions, and superhuman strength. Possession is a relatively widespread phenomenon found in religions ranging from Shinto to Santeria, but the experience of or belief in possession occurs only under specific conditions. Possession trance cannot occur unless the religious community acknowledges both the independent existence of spirits and the reality of possession. The traditional Christian and popular Western view of possession is limited to the unwanted presence of demons and evil spirits who maltreat the human host, although glossolalia, or speaking in tongues, and the experience of being "moved by the Spirit" are related phenomena. Other religions, with more flexible understanding of the varieties of spiritual experience, encourage the direct communication with them that possession rituals allow. Possession is thus an important element in many indigenous religions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas, as well as in the African-influenced new religions of Umbanda, Santeria, and Voodoo. In those communities, greater and lesser spirits are worshiped directly when they descend into the bodies of devotees or specially trained mediums; once among their followers, the spirits transform the behavior and appearance of the one possessed and offer transcendent advice for the spiritual and material problems of their congregations |
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Haitian Vodou and African traditions
One way that those who participate or practic Haitian Vodoo and related traditions can have a spiritual experience is by being possessed by the lwa. When the lwa descends upon a practitioner, the practitioner's body is being used by the spirit, according to the tradition. Some spirits are believed to be able to give prophecies of upcoming events or situations pertaining to the possessed one, also called "Chwal" or the "Horse of the Spirit." Practitioners experience this as being a beautiful but very tiring experience. Most people who are possessed by the spirit get a feeling of blackness or energy flowing through their body as if they were being electrocuted. According to Vodou believers, when this occurs, it is a sign that a possession is in the works. The practitioner has no recollection of the possession and in fact when the possessing spirit leaves the body, the possessed one is tired and wonders what has happened during the possession. Not all practitioners have the ability to become possessed, but practitioners who do generally prefer not to make excessive use of it because it drains immense energy from them. It is said that only the spirit/lwa can choose who it wants to possess, for the spirit may have a mission that it can carry out spiritually. Also, it is believed in Haitian Vodou and related traditions that those possessed by the lwa probably are at a very high spiritual level such that their soul is mature and at an advanced level. Haitian Vodoo and related traditions teach that (because those who are possessed carry a high importance in ceremony.) there are those who feign possessions because they want attention or a feeling of importance. A "chwal" will undergo some form of trial or testing to make sure that the possession is indeed genuine. As an example, someone possessed by one of the Guede spirits may be offered piment, a potent alcoholic beverage. If the "chwal" consumes the piment without showing any evidence of pain or discomfort, the possession is regarded as genuine. |
Older Traditions Many cultures and religions contain some con-cepts of demonic possession, but the details vary considerably. The Roma people believe that demons can also possess animals, plants, de-ceased persons or inanimate objects.
The oldest references to demonic possession are from the Sumerians,
who believed that all diseases of the body and mind were caused by
"sickness demons" called gidim or gid-dim. The priests who
practiced exorcisms in these nations were called ashipu (sorcerer)
as opposed to an asu (physician) who applied bandages and salves.
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Sudan and certain other East African cultures speak of the Zar Cult, an ethnomedical healing ceremony involving possession typically of Muslim women by a Zar spirit. Most illustrations portray these spirits as small, sadistic-looking or tormented-looking beings with a human likeness. They are often referenced as familiars.. Shamanic cultures also believe in demon possession and shamans perform exorcisms too; in these cultures often diseases are attributed to the presence of a vengeful spirit or (loosely termed) demon in the body of the patient. These spirits are more often the spectres of animals or people wronged by the bearer, the exorcism rites usually consisting of respectful offerings or sacrificial offerings. The Malleus Maleficarum speaks about some exorcisms that can be done in different cases. Depending on the severity of the alleged possession, solutions range from prayers of deliverance to the Solemn Rite of Exorcism as practiced by the Catholic Church. |
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