Drawing down the spirits the traditions and techniques of spirit possession ( PDFDrive ) (1) - Inglês (2024)

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<p>http://store.innertraditions.com/Product.jmdx?action=displayDetail&id=3652&searchString=978-1-59477-269-6</p><p>Prologue:WildHorses</p><p>Kenaz’sStory</p><p>Raven’sTale</p><p>Introduction</p><p>PARTONE</p><p>ThePast</p><p>1MetaphysicsandHistory:ALongViewofSpirit-Possession</p><p>2TheGeographyofSpirit-Possession</p><p>PARTTWO</p><p>ThePresent</p><p>Kenaz’sStory</p><p>Raven’sTale</p><p>3Cosmologies</p><p>4DifferentRiders:ComparingandContrasting</p><p>5GatheringCulture:WhenWorldsCollide</p><p>PARTTHREE</p><p>TheSpirits</p><p>6OntheNatureofSpirits</p><p>7SpiritandFlesh:HowPossessionWorks</p><p>8HearingGods:AGuidefortheHeadBlind</p><p>9SacredSpaces:PermanentandEphemeral</p><p>PARTFOUR</p><p>Possession</p><p>Kenaz’sStory</p><p>Raven’sTale</p><p>10TheHorse:Safety,Sanity,andConsent</p><p>11TheRide:Preparation,Aftercare,andHarmfulPossessions</p><p>PARTFIVE</p><p>TheCommunity</p><p>Kenaz’sStory</p><p>Raven’sTale</p><p>12KeepingtheCommunitySafe</p><p>13RecognizingFakesandFrauds</p><p>PARTSIX</p><p>TheFuture</p><p>14TouchingGods:TheFutureofPossessionintheNeo-PaganCommunity</p><p>Raven’sTale</p><p>Appendix:Asphodel’sRitualStructureforPublic</p><p>God-Possession</p><p>Notes</p><p>AbouttheAuthor</p><p>AboutInnerTraditions</p><p>Copyright</p><p>BackCover</p><p>Kenaz’sStory</p><p>July1994</p><p>He sits atop the garbage can, his skin dingy dust-gray as the shirt he’s been</p><p>wearing for the past fourweeks.He chuckles to himself. If you saw only the</p><p>bottom of his face, youmight think hewas laughing at some private joke or</p><p>celebratingwhatever passes for good fortune in hisworld. The eyes give him</p><p>away;nobodycouldmistakethemforhuman.</p><p>Nobodywhowaswatching, that is. InNewYorkCity you turn away from</p><p>homelesspeople;youpretendthey’renotthereandhopethey’llreturnthefavor.</p><p>Thoseofuswhohavelivedonthestreetsknowbetter;weknowtheangelsand</p><p>devilswholive in thesubwaysandalleys, thesadand themadand thosewho</p><p>havebeentouchedby…somethingelse.</p><p>Peoplelikehim.Peoplelikeme.</p><p>This is what demonic possession looks like. The smile becomes a rictus,</p><p>somethingyoumight see in the final stagesof lockjawor rabies.Themotions</p><p>are jerky as the new host tries to acclimate itself to a meat body with all its</p><p>quirksandshortcomings.Firstthegazegoesdarkandhollow;theaurafeelslike</p><p>ahusk,likeaparalyzedwaspwaitingforthelarvatobreakthrough.Thencomes</p><p>thecoldlightintheeyesastheparasitetakescontrol.</p><p>Isthishowitendsforme?Iwonder.</p><p>Don’tworry,child,Legbawhispersinhisvelvetybaritone.</p><p>The chuckling turns tomuttering obscenities.The demon takes a long swig</p><p>fromthehalf-pintofvodkaathisside,thenstaresatme.Foracoupleofseconds</p><p>Icatchhiseye;tendrilsslitheraroundme.Theairsmellsofreptilesandrotwith</p><p>asweetundertone,likecracksmokeinthedragon’sden.Iturnmyheadaway.</p><p>I told you, don’t worry, Legba says. Remember what I told you? Legba’s</p><p>goingtoshowyoueverything.</p><p>The demoniac’s muttering turns to high, shrieking laughter. I walk away,</p><p>afraidofwhatImightseereflectedinhiseyes.</p><p>Legba’sgoingtoshowyoueverything.</p><p>I nod to the voice in my head and try to believe his promises of sanity.</p><p>BecauseIhavenootherchoice,Isucceed.</p><p>Raven’sTale</p><p>1981—1988</p><p>Atsixteen,itbegan,andIdidn’tknowwhattocallit.</p><p>Ihadnohistoryofmentalillness,includingdissociation—norepressedsexual</p><p>abuse,norepressedanything,really—soIdidn’tunderstanditwhenmyvision</p><p>wouldblur,IwouldfeelasifIwasfalling,andthenIwouldhearthroughafoga</p><p>distant voice speaking to the friendnext tome. Itwasmyvoice, or at least it</p><p>camethroughmyvocalcords,butitdidn’tsoundlikeme.WhenIwouldcome</p><p>back intomyself aminute later, theywould be staring atme as if I’d grown</p><p>horns.Onceafriendaskedme,“Howdidyouknowthat?”</p><p>Ididn’tknowanything,andItoldher.SheinformedmethatIhadcalledher</p><p>byanamethatwasknownonlytoherself.Ihadtocomeupwithsomekindof</p><p>explanation, so I said, “Well,maybe I picked it up fromyour thoughts.Don’t</p><p>worry,whateveritwas,it’sgone.Idon’trememberit.Itwentrightthroughme.”</p><p>ApparentlyIalsotoldhertodosomething,butshedidn’tsaywhat,andIdidn’t</p><p>ask.Eventhen,Iknewthathearingthesethingswasnotforme.</p><p>ButIalsoknewthatIhadn’tpickedupanythingfromherthoughts.Thatwas</p><p>ahastilycraftedlie,spokenforbothourcomfort.Thathadn’tbeenmewhohad</p><p>saidthosethings,andIhadnoideawhathadbeenspoken.Anotherpresencehad</p><p>movedintomybodyandshovedmeaside,andIcouldonlyflounderasitused</p><p>meandmovedon.Itoccurredabouteveryfourtosixmonths,justoftenenough</p><p>tomakemedoubtmysanity.</p><p>Iwondered if I’d somehowdevelopedmultiplepersonalities, and I searched</p><p>myhead for them—and foundnothing. Iwrotenotes tomyself, pleadingwith</p><p>myself,tellingwhoeverwasintheretoatleastwritesomethingback,butthere</p><p>didn’tseemtobeanyoneinmyheadbutme.Afterawhile,Idecidedthatthis</p><p>had to be external, because it felt so very… inhuman. It felt bigger thanme,</p><p>muchbigger.IwaslikeacoweringchildnexttothesePresences—andyes,there</p><p>wasmorethanoneofthem,whichseemedevenmoreworrisome.</p><p>I started watching them, observing in the moment before I “went away,”</p><p>psychically“sniffing”thescentwhenIcameback—andIfiguredoutthatoneof</p><p>them,anyway,wasthegoddesswhohadbeentalkingtomeoffandonsincemy</p><p>childhood.Ididn’tknowHernameatthetime,butIknewthatShewasaDeath,</p><p>andthatShehadsomekindofastrongconnectiontome.Nailingdownthisfact</p><p>wasbothareliefandagreaterterror—mybodywasbeingborrowedbydeities,</p><p>butwhy?How?Andwhatwouldthisentail?</p><p>IjoinedalocalWiccancoven,butthehighpriestesswasyoungandunsureof</p><p>what to do aboutmy situation. At first she toldme that it was just “drawing</p><p>down,”althoughshe’dneverheardofithappeningspontaneously,notinacircle</p><p>viaatrainedhighpriestess.Theotherpossibility,shesaidominously,wasthatI</p><p>wasbeingpossessedby“lessercreatures.”Iwasprettysurethiswasn’tthecase,</p><p>althoughIhadnowaytoproveit.Iwitnessedher“drawingdown”thegeneric</p><p>Wiccangoddesssoonafterward,andsinceIhavealwaysbeenabletoseeauras,</p><p>I noticed the way that her aura changed… its colors became brighter, more</p><p>glittery, with a hint of another Presence. Is that what it looks like when it</p><p>happens tome? Iwondered.But Iwasyounganduntrained,and they toldme</p><p>thatIcouldn’tdo“highpriestessstuff”untilIwasolderandmoreexperienced,</p><p>soIresignedmyselftowaiting.</p><p>Then a visiting Pagan from another groupmentionedVodou folk, and that</p><p>theydospirit-possessionasamatterofcourse.Myheadjerkedup,andIfeltmy</p><p>highpriestess’seyesonmefromacrosstheroom.Ididn’tknowwheretogoin</p><p>ordertofindanyVodoupeople,andIwasn’tsurethattheywouldevenletwhite</p><p>folks in, so the informationdidn’t seemall thatuseful.However, aweek later</p><p>thatvisitingPagancalledmeupandgavemethecontactforanUmbandahouse</p><p>(anAfro-Braziliangroup)aboutanhourawayfromme.Theyhadalotofwhite</p><p>folks,orsohe’dheard;maybetheycoulddosomethingforme.</p><p>At seventeen, I ran away frommy parents’ house and began to live onmy</p><p>own, but itwas still years before Iwas able to follow up on that contact and</p><p>hesitantly introducemyself.How do you say to a group of colorfully dressed</p><p>strangers, “I think that gods are borrowing my body, and how do I make it</p><p>stop?”Because it hadn’t stopped; in fact, it had becomemore frequent. It felt</p><p>likeaviolation,andcontrolfreakthatIwas,itfrightenedandshamedme.Tomy</p><p>surprise, theHouseMamawas entirely</p><p>spirituallytoanythingthat</p><p>willenteryourheadandsaythingsthatsoundenlighteningmaybearecipefor</p><p>disasterifyouareinaspirituallyinfectedplaceorifyouhavesomeunderlying</p><p>issues.Whilemany people have channeledwithout harming themselves,we’d</p><p>advise treating channelingwith the caution that should be exercisedwith any</p><p>otherpossessionritual.ThereisalsotheissuethatSwamiBeyondananda,aNew</p><p>Age–spoofingcomedian,hassuccinctlyreferredtoas“justbecausethey’redead</p><p>doesn’tmeanthey’resmart!”</p><p>According tomanychannelers, anybodywanting tobepossessedcanbe so.</p><p>It’snota“wildtalent”butratheranabilitythateverybodyhasandthatwewill</p><p>all remember as we advance on the path of transhuman evolution. Like the</p><p>Theosophistswhobelieved thatweall had thepotential tobeMahatmas, they</p><p>believe that we can all be channels. We note, of course, that only a few</p><p>channelers attract the attention of a spirit guide who can write or speak well</p><p>enough to garner public attention. Most people can attain some degree in</p><p>aspectingorshadowing,butnoteveryonecandoa full-onpossessionormove</p><p>his or her subconscious out of the way enough to be of use to a supposed</p><p>AscendedMaster,orhigherlife-form.</p><p>ENTERMIRCEAELIADE</p><p>In 1951 the Romanian scholar Mircea Eliade published a book titled Le</p><p>Chamanisme et les techniques archaïques de l’extase (Shamanism and the</p><p>ArchaicTechniquesofEcstasy).Thisbookdescribedvariousformsofbeliefand</p><p>ritualbehaviorfoundinanimisticand“archaic”culturesaroundtheworld.Many</p><p>of these bore a remarkable resemblance to the religious practices of Siberian</p><p>shamans, the native spirit-workers closest to Eliade’s region, and therefore</p><p>Eliadedescribedthesepracticesasshamanism,awordthathasbecomeageneric</p><p>term for spirit-workers everywhere. But where others had scorned these</p><p>practices as superstition, fraud, or illness, Eliade made a radical suggestion:</p><p>These shamans were technicians of the sacred, and their sometimes bizarre</p><p>behaviorsweretechniquesforattainingecstasy.</p><p>Eliadedidnotseetrance-possessionasashamanictool,however.Forhimthe</p><p>truestshamanicexperiencewas thespirit journey—somethingakin towhatwe</p><p>havecometocallguidedvisualizationorpathworking.Inspiritjourneying,the</p><p>shamantravelstotheheavens,theunderworld,orsomeotherplacebyenteringa</p><p>trancestate.Oncethere,heorshemaydomagicalworkonbehalfoftheclient</p><p>or tribe, or he or she may seek advice and counsel from spiritual beings</p><p>encounteredduring thevision.ForEliade, possession represented “an aberrant</p><p>shamanictradition…hewhodoesnotsucceedinmasteringthe‘spirits’willbe</p><p>‘possessed’bythem,inwhichcasethemagicaltechniqueofecstasybecomesa</p><p>meremediumisticautomatism.”26Theearlytwentiethcenturywasstilltoosoon</p><p>after the Spiritualism debacle for Westerners to be comfortable with the</p><p>phenomenonagain.</p><p>Still, Eliade’s work opened the floodgates to a new generation of</p><p>anthropologistswhowishedtoresearcharchaicculturesandtheirreligiousrites.</p><p>As they traveled to various far-flung locations and recorded their findings, it</p><p>becameclear that thedistinctionbetween journeyingandpossessionwasoften</p><p>murky.AndsowhereassomescholarscontinuedtoupholdEliade’sdistinction,</p><p>otherscametorecognizepossessionasyetanothertoolintheshaman’stoolkit.</p><p>Theproblemisthatallthisscholarshipwasstillbeingdonebyoutsiders.The</p><p>people who were chronicling shamanic ceremonies were not doing so as</p><p>believers or participants. Those who were debating the nature and causes of</p><p>possession were not themselves experiencing it. While a few scholars would</p><p>becomeinitiatesinpossessiontraditions(MayaDeren,KarenMcCarthyBrown,</p><p>andClaudineMichelarethemostnotableexamplesinVodou),mostcontinued</p><p>towriteasacademics.Thoughtheydidamoreorlessfairjobofcompilingdata</p><p>and subjecting it to various forms of scholarly analysis, their observations</p><p>generally suffered from one fatal flaw: They didn’t believe in the spiritswho</p><p>possessedtheirsubjects.</p><p>POSSESSIONASSIMPLY…POSSESSION</p><p>The metaphysical preconceptions underlying this book are quite simple. The</p><p>authors believe that possession is a real phenomenon; we also see the spirit</p><p>world(s)asa realplace,and thatat least some instancesofpossession involve</p><p>thedisplacementof thehorse’s egobyanoutsideentity.Weacknowledge the</p><p>scientificmethodasausefultool,butwedonotlimitourselvestothismethod,</p><p>nordowebelieveitcanexplainallpossessions.</p><p>For our purposes, a possession experience is one in which the subject’s</p><p>identityissubsumedintoSomethingElse;thepersonlosescontroloverspeech</p><p>andactionsforagreaterorlesserperiodoftime.Thiscanbe,butisnotalways,</p><p>accompaniedby a fugue state inwhich the subject has little or nomemoryof</p><p>what transpired during the possession. There may also be physical</p><p>manifestations of this possession: a horse may show spectacular strength,</p><p>consumetoxicquantitiesofalcoholwithnoilleffect,orevidenceknowledgeto</p><p>which thepossessedpersonhadnoaccess.However, therearealsomanyvery</p><p>realandpowerfulpossessionswherethesemanifestationsdonotoccur.Whatis</p><p>mostimportanttousisthepossessionitself,ratherthanthefireworksthatmay</p><p>accompanyit.</p><p>Thismayappeartobearadicalapproach,butinourexperienceitistheonly</p><p>way one can truly understand this phenomenon. Much as we could not</p><p>understand evolution if we refused to accept the existence of dinosaurs, we</p><p>cannothopetoexplainpossessionuntilweacknowledgetherealityofthebeings</p><p>whoaresteppinginandtakingcontrol.Norcanwehaveanyunderstandingof</p><p>theveryrealrisksthatareattendantuponpossessionwork—oranyotherkindof</p><p>religiousexperience.</p><p>REALGODS,REALDANGERS</p><p>REALGODS,REALDANGERS</p><p>According tomanyNeo-Pagan andNewAge folks, the spiritualworld is a</p><p>peaceful,benevolentplace filledwith light, love,healing, andpositiveenergy.</p><p>Thecreaturesthereinhaveyourbestinterestsatheart:theyaretheretoleadyou,</p><p>and the rest of the universe, to enlightenment. They know your intentions: if</p><p>yourheartispure,theywillacceptyourblundersandanythingyoudowillwork</p><p>out for the best. Should you encounter something threatening, you need only</p><p>visualizewhitelightsurroundingyouandaffirmyourconnectiontotheGodor</p><p>Goddess.</p><p>This ideaofdeityasonepart indulgentparent,onepartprivate tutor, andone</p><p>partamusementparkride isofveryrecentprovenance.Whendealingwith the</p><p>gods, our ancestors approached them with a good deal of caution. They told</p><p>storiesofangereddeities inflictinghorriblepunishmentsonthedisrespectful—</p><p>and on their neighbors. Plagues, natural disasters, and invading armies could</p><p>bring down a kingdom if a god was displeased. Just as They could be kind</p><p>beyondallhumanunderstanding,sotoowereTheycapableofinhumancruelty</p><p>ifprovoked.</p><p>Approaching our gods with fearmay seem strange to us. It has a whiff of</p><p>servility about it, an air of groveling superstition. Modern people are</p><p>uncomfortablewithsupplication;we’dmuchrather relate toourgods ina less</p><p>threateningfashion.Todaywehonor(evenifwedon’talwaysobserve)ideasof</p><p>“equality” and “fair play.”We claim that everyone is entitled to justice, that</p><p>everyone’s opinion counts, that everyone has certain inalienable rights. These</p><p>expectations carryover into</p><p>our spiritual lives, andwe find it hard to imagine</p><p>thatadeitymightaskusforanythingthatwasn’tsafe,sane,andconsensual.We</p><p>assumethat,oncecontacted,ourgodswillbefairandjustandthattheywillcare</p><p>aboutourneeds.</p><p>Our ancestors had a very different set of expectations. In their world, raw</p><p>powerhad rawprivilege.Kingsandnobles tookwhat theywantedandhadno</p><p>qualms about stepping on those who were in the way. Those in charge were</p><p>entitled to treat their underlings as chattel, and often did. Even the most</p><p>benevolent and beloved kings expected due deference and were entitled, nay,</p><p>expected, to punish disobedience or disrespect.Toour ancestors, the idea that</p><p>thegodshadacosmicobligationto treathumansnicelywouldhavebeenseen</p><p>notasblasphemybutasutterlyridiculous.</p><p>Iwould encourage peoplewho are observing god-possession to treat the</p><p>deityasyouwould imagineroyaltybeing treated inahistorical film.You</p><p>can’tbetoocourteoustothegods.</p><p>—WintersongTashlin,Paganspirit-worker</p><p>Butthen,thesamecouldbesaidofthequestion“Dothegodsexist?”Forour</p><p>ancestors,thegodswereasrealasthemountainsandsky,asaccessibleastheir</p><p>next-door neighbor or the local temple. Peoplewho don’t fear the gods often</p><p>don’tbelieveinthemeither.Theyseethegodsas“symbols”or“archetypes”or</p><p>“vibrations”—words thataddupto“this isallagreatgameofpsychologically</p><p>empowering make-believe.” The Morrigan becomes “a symbol of feminine</p><p>rage,” Mercury is presented as “a metaphor for human thinking,” and poor</p><p>Aphroditegetsreducedtoatinglingsensationintheworshipper’sgenitalregion.</p><p>Thosewhoworkwithtrancepossessionknowbetter—andiftheydon’t,they</p><p>learnveryquickly.Onceyoubegin toworkwithgodsandspiritswhoarereal</p><p>andnot justmentalconstructs,yousoonrealizethatTheyaredangerous.They</p><p>can turn your life upside down on a whim. They can have you dressing in</p><p>sackclothandashes,ordecideyouneed to spend the restofyour life livinga</p><p>different gender. They can break up your relationships, cost you your health,</p><p>home, and job, or drive you bug-fuck nutty insane. And that includes all the</p><p>gods,notjusttheonesyou’vehearddescribedas“evil.”</p><p>This isn’t to say thatyou shouldn’tworkwithpossession (assumingyou’ve</p><p>beengivenachoiceinthematter,ofcourse).Yes,possessionisdangerous—but</p><p>so are many other things you take for granted. Consider your automobile.</p><p>Millionsofpeoplehavediedorbeenmaimedinautomobileaccidents.Carshave</p><p>beenusedastoolsofsuicideandhomicide;they’vebeenindispensabletoolsfor</p><p>smugglers,murderers,kidnappers,andotherheinouscriminals.Youarefar,far</p><p>more likely to die or seriously injure yourself in an automobile than in a</p><p>possessionritual.</p><p>Wedon’tbanautomobiles,butnordowetellstudentdriversthat theirgood</p><p>intentions will protect them if they miss a STOP sign. We don’t explain that</p><p>automobiles are there for our convenience and that their unconditional love</p><p>ensuresthattheywillneverbringharmtousorothers;instead,werecognizethe</p><p>dangers of driving and teach people how to use their automobiles in a</p><p>responsiblemanner.Weprovidefinancialandlegalincentivestodrivecarefully</p><p>andpunish thosewhoendanger themselvesandothersbycarelessness,malice,</p><p>or ignorance. As a result, we reap the benefits of driving automobiles while</p><p>keepingfatalitiesandinjuriestoaminimum.</p><p>If you give a possession ritual the same respect you give to your daily</p><p>commute, youwill be able to avoid any injuries. Part of that respect involves</p><p>recognizingthattheyarejustasrealasthateighteen-wheelercrossinginfrontof</p><p>youand justascapableof smearingyouon thepavement. Ifyoucame to this</p><p>book looking fornewmind-alteringmental exercises—or ifyoucannotaccept</p><p>that the beings that possess you are real, and that this is not some elaborate</p><p>dramaticgame—thenyoushouldnoworkwithtrancepossession.Ifyouarenot</p><p>readytotreatthisasaseriousundertaking,withseriousconsequences,youneed</p><p>to put down this book and experiment with other techniques. We are not</p><p>posturing;wearedeadlyserious.</p><p>First, it must be recognized that the gods are individuals, and like any</p><p>individual, They have good days and bad days. They can be stubborn,</p><p>capricious,ill-tempered,andattimesdownrightunlikable.Theguestofhonorat</p><p>yourpossessionpartymayarrive inapissymood—and if theydo, theburden</p><p>willbeonyoutomakethingsright,ifyoucanmakethemright.Sheorhemight</p><p>saysomethingsyoureallydon’twanttohear,andthatyoureallydidn’twantthe</p><p>crowd hearing either.When the gods show up, you are not in control of the</p><p>experience:Theyare.</p><p>Ifyou find thisdiscomfiting,you should.The spiritworldhasneverbeena</p><p>comfortableplace,evenifitisaplaceofpowerandmysteryandmagic.Theact</p><p>of possession brings that world, in all its glory and terror, into this realm.</p><p>Understanding that will help to ensure that your possession ritual becomes a</p><p>powerful transformative experience, not a silly and potentially dangerous</p><p>travesty.</p><p>WHENWEBEGANTHIS PROJECT,Kenaz expressed some concern that it</p><p>might be difficult to find examples of possession outside of African and</p><p>Africandiaspora traditions.Possessionhasbecomeahallmarkof thesespiritual</p><p>paths;manyanthropologists,academics,andjournalistshavededicatedtimeand</p><p>resourcestostudyingtheminanefforttosort,quantify,andexplainthisstrange</p><p>phenomenon.Thequality of researchhasvariedwidely, andmany far-fetched</p><p>explanations have been proposed as the “True Solution to the Problem of</p><p>Possession among Africans and Their Descendants”—but these efforts still</p><p>provideduswithagreatdealofdataonpossessionamongthissubsetofpeople</p><p>andtraditions.</p><p>Kenaz suspected strongly that possession was more widespread than many</p><p>believed,andknewthatpossessionritualsarenotconfinedtoAfrica,butfeared</p><p>that Eliade’s prejudice against possession as a “failed” form of shamanism</p><p>(combinedwiththeideathatpossessionissomething“primitive”somethingthat</p><p>higherculturesjustdon’tdo)wouldresultina“whitewashing”oftheavailable</p><p>records. Things that a horse or spirit-worker would find obvious signs of</p><p>possession might go over the head of a scholar who had already decided</p><p>possessionwasmereplay-acting,willfulfraud,ormentalillness.Thoseworries</p><p>provedtobeunfounded,aswegatherednumerousexamplesofpossessionand</p><p>possessionritualsamongawiderangeoftimeperiodsandpeoples,rangingfrom</p><p>hunter-gatherertribestohighlyorganizedandadvancedurbancultures.</p><p>Wehavereferencedanumberoftrancepossessionculturesinthisbook;what</p><p>follows is a small sampling of other historical and contemporary accounts of</p><p>trancepossessionandpossessionritualaroundtheworld.Althoughthisisbyno</p><p>meansevenremotelyexhaustive(indeed,bookscouldbeandhavebeenwritten</p><p>on each of the phenomena covered), it should provide evidence of just how</p><p>important possession is, and show that this “anomalous behavior” is far less</p><p>unusualthanyoumighthavesupposed.</p><p>AFRICA</p><p>AFRICA</p><p>ProbablythemoststudiedofAfricanpossessiontraditionsaretheritualsofthe</p><p>Yorubapeoplesofmodern-dayNigeria.Thesespiritsandritualshelpedformthe</p><p>New World’s Candomblé and Lukumi, as well as Trinidad’s Orisha Baptist</p><p>(a.k.a. ShouterBaptist)movement. The rituals of various</p><p>Kongo nations have</p><p>received some study as well; a large number of African-Americans are</p><p>descendedfromKongopeoplesbroughttotheNewWorldasslaves.Butother,</p><p>equallyvibrantandcomplexpossessiontraditionscanbefoundinAfrica.</p><p>NorthernAfrica</p><p>In southern Egypt and throughout much of northeast Africa, there are few</p><p>opportunities forwomen. Female circumcision (more accurately called female</p><p>genitalmutilation)iswidespread;one’sworthasafemaleismeasuredlargelyby</p><p>one’s success at attaining a husband and bearing children. Yet despite these</p><p>obstacles,manywomenhavepreservedtheirpower—andpaidtributetospirits</p><p>that the village’s men had long forgotten—through trance possession</p><p>experiencesthathavebecomefamousasZar(orZaar)Dancing.</p><p>According to some practitioners, Zar originated in Ethiopia and southern</p><p>Egypt;traderoutesthroughnortheastAfricacarriedEthiopianslavewomenwho</p><p>spread the Zar cult and its attendant dance ritual. The Zar cult believes that</p><p>peopleatsomepointintheirlivesarepossessedbyatleasttwojinn(knownas</p><p>asyad, or “masters of the spirit”). These guardians are generally helpful and</p><p>beneficial,butwhentheyareoffendedorwhenthepersoniscursedbytheevil</p><p>eyeormalevolentsorcery,theymayinflictinjuryorillness.1</p><p>Somedevoteeskeepa special room in theirhouse for theZar;others rent a</p><p>housespecifically for thispurpose. InEgypt, theZar isusuallyheld ina large</p><p>room.Inthecenterisatallstoolonwhichisplacedalargetray;thisiscovered</p><p>withawhiteclothandpiledhighwithnutsanddriedfruits.Theofficiantforthis</p><p>ritualiscalledtheKodiainEgypt,theShaykhainnorthernSudan,andanUmiya</p><p>in northern Sudan. She has experienced Zar possession and has a working</p><p>relationship with her spirits. Usually this position is hereditary, passed from</p><p>mother to daughter or through female members of the family. (Men cannot</p><p>inheritpossession,butmayclaimtohavebeen“calledtoit.”)</p><p>TheKodiaownsal-ilba(thebox),alargetrunkcontainingtheparaphernalia</p><p>ofherprofession.Inthisshekeepsitemsforherspiritandforotherspiritswho</p><p>mightarrive.TheKodia isalsoa trainedsingerwhoknowsthedrumbeatsand</p><p>rhythmsforeachparticularspirit.(AccordingtoSomaliDiriyeAbdullahi,twoof</p><p>themajorspiritsareAzuzarandAusitiorAysitu—spiritswhoareknowninthe</p><p>West as Osiris and Isis, respectively.2) The Kodia or Shaykha is aided by</p><p>between three and six “helpers,” musicians who provide rhythmic</p><p>accompaniment on a tar (tambourine) and tabla. During the ceremony, they</p><p>providethedistinctivedrumbeats(or“threads”)thatsummonthespirits.</p><p>ThewomanforwhomtheZarispreparedusuallywearswhite,oftenaman’s</p><p>jalabiya,orshirt.Shewearshennaonhandsandbody,andkohlaroundhereyes,</p><p>and may also be heavily perfumed, as are the guests. (Frankincense and</p><p>perfumesaresomeofthefavoredofferingstotheZarspirits.)TheKodiaandher</p><p>musicians occupy one side, while the participants (who are expected to</p><p>contributeanamountofmoneyappropriatetotheirstation)claimtherestofthe</p><p>room.3</p><p>AstheKodiasings,thewomenwillbeginadancethatconsistsofaheadtoss,</p><p>forward and back,while the dancerwalks in a circle around the central altar.</p><p>Whenthemusiciansplayarhythmassociatedwithawoman’spossessingspirit,</p><p>shewillbegindancingfaster,convulsingandbobbingasshedoes.Asthespirit</p><p>comesintofullpossession,thehorserisesfromtheproneoraseatedpositionto</p><p>a kneeling position, ultimately to full-standing height. At this point, the Zar</p><p>leader will communicate with the spirit and try to negotiate an amicable</p><p>settlement.Ananimalmaybesacrificed:dependingonthewealthoftheperson</p><p>throwingtheZar,chicken,pigeons,asheep,orevenacamelmaybesacrificed.</p><p>Coffee and sweet cola will be provided for Ethiopian and Moslem spirits,</p><p>whereasnon-Moslemspiritsmaydemand(andreceive)alcohol.Whenthespirit</p><p>ispacified, it leaves the sameway it came in,with thehorsecollapsing to the</p><p>floor.</p><p>InSudan, this isalmostexclusivelyawomen’scult.Menmayparticipate in</p><p>theanimalsacrifice(ormayberequiredtomakeofferingstooneormoreofthe</p><p>spirits who arrive), and may assist in drumming—but the vast majority of</p><p>KodiasandJinn-horsesare female.GnaouaorGnawa,apractice foundfarther</p><p>west inMorocco andMauritania, featuresmale ormixed groups and involves</p><p>salutes toAllah, theProphetandhis family,andvariousJinns,but issimilarly</p><p>focused on possession by spirits called by particular songs and rhythms. In</p><p>Tunisiapractitionersofstambelipayhomagetosub-Saharan“BlackSpirits”as</p><p>wellasIslamic“WhiteSaints.”4</p><p>Uganda</p><p>OnMay 25, 1985, a twenty-nine-year-oldAchioliwoman namedAliceAuma</p><p>waspossessedbya spiritwhostruckherdeafandmute.Herconcerned father</p><p>tookhertoelevenwitches,butnonecouldhelp.FinallyAlicewanderedintothe</p><p>ParaaNationalPark,returningfortydayslaterasatrancemediumwhosespirit,</p><p>Lakwena (“theMessenger”), soon gained a reputation as a skilled healer and</p><p>diviner. In 1986 the peace, always fragile in Uganda, was shattered as the</p><p>country collapsed once again into civilwar; Lakwena,who claimed to be the</p><p>spiritofanItaliancommanderkilledinAfricaduringthecolonialera,informed</p><p>Alicethatshewastoceaseherworkasahealeranddivinerandinsteadcreatea</p><p>“Holy Spirit Movement,” which would uproot evil and create a paradise on</p><p>earth.NowknownasAliceLakwena, themediumprovidedherfollowerswith</p><p>blessed palm oil and amulets thatwould protect them against bullets “if their</p><p>heartswerepure.”Theywentintobattle incrossformations,singinghymnsas</p><p>theymarched.AccordingtoAliceLakwena,theyweredestinedtotakeUganda</p><p>and bring about a new kingdom based on the Ten Commandments and the</p><p>wisdom of Lakwena and her other spirit guides.Alas, government troops had</p><p>other ideas, and in 1987 slaughtered thousands of HSM fighters in a battle</p><p>outsideKampala,thecountry’scapital.BetrayedbyLakwena,Alicemovedtoa</p><p>refugeecampinKenya,whereshediedinJanuary2007.</p><p>But though Lakwena was done with Alice, he was not done with Uganda.</p><p>Alice’scousin,ayoungmannamedJosephKony,reorganizedhisfollowersinto</p><p>a Lord’s Resistance Army. Under Lakwena’s guidance, the LRA began</p><p>expanding its ranks by kidnapping Achioli children and training them as</p><p>guerrilla soldiers or as sex slaves. Todaymore than twomillion people have</p><p>beendisplaced in theconflictbetween theLRAand theUgandangovernment;</p><p>manywhosurvivedtheviciousmacheteattacksandshootingshavehadtheirlips</p><p>cutofforsufferedothermutilations.5AsofApril2007,peacetalksbetweenthe</p><p>LRAand theUgandangovernmentarebeingheld insouthernUganda,but the</p><p>results are inconclusive. Kony, meanwhile, continues to act as a medium for</p><p>Lawkenaandotherspirits:“Idon’tknowthenumberbuttheyspeaktome.They</p><p>loadthroughme.Theywilltelluswhatisgoingtohappen.Theysay‘you,Mr.</p><p>Joseph,tellyourpeoplethattheenemyisplanningtocomeandattack.’”6</p><p>ASIA</p><p>India</p><p>TheBhils, a tribal people living in central India, observe an annual ceremony</p><p>during which young initiates climb a bamboo pole in a state of trance after</p><p>performingself-injuryactssuchasfiretestsandflagellation.Thepoleprobably</p><p>represents BhavaniMata, a form of theHinduGreatGoddess,who possesses</p><p>these apprentice shamans in the course of this ceremony. The</p><p>panda, aGond</p><p>shaman who horses Marai Mata, the goddess of epidemics, ascends a ladder</p><p>whosepegsareoftenformedbyswordsandknives;oncehegetstothetop,he</p><p>startsscourginghimselfpublicly.Meanwhile,otherpandasdriveswordsthrough</p><p>their cheeks, dance on nail-covered planks, or walk on hot coals.7 In the</p><p>NarbadaandTaptivalleysofcentralIndia,theHoliFestivaliscelebratedwitha</p><p>poleofwoodthatrepresentsthegodKhandera,womenwhoapproachthispole</p><p>aresometimespossessedbyHim.8</p><p>AlthoughmanyHindupathsfocusonattaining“oneness”withtheDivineand</p><p>overcoming theego,high-rankingBrahminsandVedicscholarsgenerally look</p><p>askanceontrancepossession.Theyhavelittledifficultywiththeideathatagod</p><p>(orgoddess)mightincarnateinafittingavatarorguru: theconceptthatsheor</p><p>hemighttemporarilyappearinalow-castebodyandofferhelptothecrowdis</p><p>muchmoredifficulttograsp.</p><p>AswithAfrican traditions, Indian possession rituals have also been carried</p><p>intotheIndiandiaspora.InTrinidad,thegoddessLakshmisometimesappearsin</p><p>possession atOrishaBaptist ceremonies; inGuyana,KaliMai often arrives at</p><p>KaliMa churches that combineChristian andAfrican religious practiceswith</p><p>veneration of theDarkMother.At Thaipusam, aHindu festival celebrated by</p><p>Malaysians of Indian descent, devotees celebrate by bearing kavadis (sacred</p><p>burdens);theserangefrompotsofmilkcarriedontheheadtoheavyracksfitted</p><p>withspikesthatpiercetheflesh.Whilecarryingtheirburdensorfulfillingtheir</p><p>vowsthroughbodymortification,manyarepossessedby thegodsandawaken</p><p>from the ritualwith little or nomemory of the pain they have endured.9 The</p><p>kavadi ritual has been recently rediscovered as a spiritual ordeal byWestern</p><p>aficionadosofwhatiscomingtobeknownas“hook-sports”—peoplewhopull</p><p>or suspend from hooks in their flesh, similar to the Lakota SunDance ritual.</p><p>Hook-sportsworkerswhousethepracticesforspiritualratherthanrecreational</p><p>purposeshavereportedthatwalkingwiththeKavadispear-altaronthebodyis</p><p>quite useful for getting into the open state of trance that is necessary for</p><p>possession.</p><p>Japan</p><p>On February 3, 1892, an impoverished widow named Deguchi Nao was first</p><p>possessedbyUshitoranoKonjin,aspiritwholateridentifiedhimselfas“thegod</p><p>whowill reconstruct the world.” Nao described the experience of possession.</p><p>Firstshefeltextraordinarilyheavy,thenshefeltagreatforceinherabdomen.At</p><p>this timeall fatigue leftherandherbodybecame rigid.Shewould thenbegin</p><p>rockingbackwardand forward, her chindrawn in andher eyesglitteringuntil</p><p>thepressureinherstomachforceditselfoutofherasagruff,masculinevoice.</p><p>Whilesopossessed,Naowasabletohealthesickandprophesy.AlthoughNao</p><p>was illiterate, Ushitora no Konjin would produce, through automatic writing,</p><p>approximately two hundred thousand pages of text, none ofwhichNao could</p><p>read.</p><p>TodayDeguchiNao is revered as the founderofOomoto, aShinto-inspired</p><p>religiousmovementinwhichkamigakari(spirit-possession)continuestoplaya</p><p>prominent role. Practitioners believe that most possessions are “obsessions”</p><p>caused by lower animal spirits, and evil and malicious spirits try to control</p><p>mentally debilitated or ethically challenged humans. However, they also</p><p>recognize that possessionby angels andgods (they see all gods as part of the</p><p>GreatDivine) canoccur, albeit rarely.They continue to revere thewritingsof</p><p>DeguchiNaoandother foundersof the religion,but theyofficiallydiscourage</p><p>spirit-possessionbecauseofthedangerofexcessivecuriosityleadingtoaperson</p><p>“becomingtheplaythingofamaliciousspiritanddeviatingfromcorrectfaith.”</p><p>Rather, they recommend that their approximately 170,000 followers</p><p>“pleasurablyservein theholywork,receivinginflowofDivinenature through</p><p>correctfaith,thatis,throughheartanddeedsfulloflongingforDivineloveand</p><p>wisdom.”10</p><p>Shintoism has retained many traditional Japanese customs, including</p><p>shamanic practices and trance possession.Ono Satsuki, anogamisama (trance</p><p>medium)fromnortheasternJapan,fastedandperformedcoldwaterablutionsfor</p><p>twenty-eightdaysbeforeherinitiation.Thereshekneltwhileotheradeptssang</p><p>andchanteduntilherguardianspiritpossessedher.AsOnosays:“Someonewho</p><p>was quick would continue for about three hours or so. But if the divine</p><p>possessiondidn’ttake,itmightgoonalldayandstillcontinue.Andthey’dkeep</p><p>itupuntilthepossessionoccurred.Becausetheindividualherselfhadtodeclare</p><p>whothepossessingspirit(tsukigamisama)was.”11</p><p>Nepal</p><p>Before the coming of Buddhism and Hinduism, Nepal’s people practiced</p><p>shamanic religions. Today many of these shamanic rituals, including trance</p><p>possession, exist alongside Vedic Hinduism, Tibetan Bon Buddhism, and</p><p>contemporarybiomedicalpractitioners.Thedhami,bijuwa,orjhankri(shamans)</p><p>workwithancestorsandlocalgeniitohealthesickandappeaseangeredspirits.</p><p>Ajannemanche(personwhoknows)willcallhisorherguardianspiritsdownin</p><p>possession;othershamansusethetechniqueofshamanicjourneying,withdrums</p><p>orbrasssingingbowlsprovidingthestimulusfortrance.12Outofapopulation</p><p>ofapproximately28million,therearepresentlythoughttobebetween400,000</p><p>and800,000shamansinNepal.</p><p>The Chepangs in Nepal, a nomadic forest tribe, honor a family god in the</p><p>TokolongFestivalattheendofwinter.Thegodisrepresentedbyastoneplaced</p><p>in the trunk of a tree or in a temple; amember of the family is chosen to be</p><p>possessed by the god, who, after being summoned by beating the dhyangro</p><p>(drum),speaksthroughhismouth.Possessioncausestheshamantoleapabout,</p><p>andthepeopleaskquestionsandwarnhimnottoletotherjealousgodsstealthe</p><p>offerings.Amongotherethnicgroups,theshamanispossessedbyaMasta(god)</p><p>thatfirstappearsinadreamorinsomeotherform,thentakespossessionofthe</p><p>dhamiandspeaksthroughhismouth.Thedhamiismomentarilytheincarnated</p><p>godandmayactlikeagod;hehasalldivinepowersandtherighttositonthe</p><p>god’s seat and under the god’s parasol. The villagers ask him about their</p><p>problems, illnesses, accidents, their futures, or those of ones close to them.</p><p>Literally translated, the trance state is called “carrying the god on his back.”</p><p>While in this state the shaman can performmiracles (oracular or spectacular),</p><p>whichcangoas faras the recitationof theVedaswithouthavingever learned</p><p>them.13</p><p>The dance ofNavaDurga (NineFormsof theGoddessDurga) begins each</p><p>year during the holiday of Dashain. The Nava Durga, together with four</p><p>attendantgods,dancestraditionalsteps;oftenthegoddesscomesdowntoinhabit</p><p>thebodyofadancertobeworshippedandtograntblessings.Forthefestivalof</p><p>Ghantakarna (a grotesque demon who wards away evil), dancers engage in</p><p>extensive ritualpreparations, including theproductionof ritualmasksmadeof</p><p>mud taken froma sacred spot.There are thirteen dancers altogether:Bhairava</p><p>(always in blue), Simhini, Vyaghrini, Ganesha, Kumar, Camunda (Ajima),</p><p>Varahi, Indrayani, Vaishnavi, Kaumari, Mahalakshmi, Brahmayani, and</p><p>Rudrayani.ThedancerwhoincarnatesBhairavabecomestheguruofthedancers</p><p>atthenexttwelve-yearfestival.14</p><p>Nepal’sreigningShahDynastyhasinstitutionalizedtheNewarDhamiintothe</p><p>religious guarantor ofNepalese royalty. PrithiviNarayanShah, the founder of</p><p>modernNepal,attributedhisconquesttothedivineintervention</p><p>oftheBhairavi</p><p>ofNuwakot.TheNewarDhamiispossessedbyBhairava,thenoffersoraclesto</p><p>representativesof theking.TheDhami,afarmer,wearsroyalemblemsthathe</p><p>receivespersonallyfromtheking inKathmandu,and isassistedbyVajracarya</p><p>priests,whocomeallthewayfromKatmandutodirectthefestivalontheking’s</p><p>behalfandadministerthebaththatqualifiestheDhamitoassumehisdivinerole.</p><p>Itisafterthis“royalconsecration”(rajabhisheka)thattheDhamidonsthedark</p><p>blue costumeofBhairava, bearing the auspicious emblems that hewears only</p><p>during this festival and when he visits the king once every twelve years in</p><p>Kathmandu.15</p><p>Tibet</p><p>Intheeighthandninthcenturies,effortsweremadebyTibet’sBuddhistruling</p><p>class to root out the influences ofBön-Pö, the indigenous shamanic practices.</p><p>ThepractitionersofBön-Pöwerepresentedasuncivilizedandtheirpracticesas</p><p>a dubious collection of sorcery, black magic, and blood sacrifice. The Bön</p><p>practitioners,fortheirpart,werehappytoincorporateBuddhistloreandlegend</p><p>intheirpracticesandtoberiddenbyBuddhistholyspiritsaswellastheskyand</p><p>soilgods theyhadworshippedsinceprehistoric times.Todaythe twopractices</p><p>havebecomeintimatelyentwined,astheDalaiLamaconsultsaBönoracleand</p><p>Bön-PöshamanismabsorbsinfluencesfromBuddhistholymen.</p><p>Tibetan oracle-spirits frequently arrivewith a show of strength,wearing an</p><p>oversized helmet or twisting swords into spirals, or rdo rjemdud pa (knotted</p><p>thunderbolt).Oracle-carriersmaythrusttheirownswordsodeepintotheirchest</p><p>thatthepointemergesattheback,andwithdrawitwithoutsufferingharm.Sick</p><p>peoplearebroughtintothepresenceofapossessedoracle,whowillbeatthem</p><p>with his sword to drive the evil out of them. When a Tibetan manifests</p><p>mediumisticpowers,heusuallybeginstofallintospontaneoustrancesatabout</p><p>thetimeofpuberty.Thisisnotepilepsy,asTibetansdistinguishclearlybetween</p><p>epilepticfitsandoraculartrances.16</p><p>InHangjia,asmallTibetanvillage,themountaingodsregularlyparticipatein</p><p>the Laru Festival through their medium, the lhawa (godman). Unlike the</p><p>Buddhas,whoareconcernedprimarilywithspiritualmatters,themountaingods</p><p>areseenascapableofprotectingthegeneralwelfareofthevillage,offamilies,</p><p>and of individuals in this life and in this place. While the lhawa is dancing</p><p>during his possession, his godmay speak through him or punish people. The</p><p>village’sLivingBuddha(ahigh-rankingmonkwhoisconsideredareincarnation</p><p>of another monk) composes and writes out a scripture that he gives to the</p><p>villagersforthepurposeofcallingthemountaingod,whileadifferentscripture</p><p>ispreparedforthelhawatoeasetheprocessofpossession.17</p><p>The Chinese government considers Tibet the Tibetan Autonomous Region</p><p>(TAR),andhaspersecutedBuddhistmonksandBönshamansalike.Asaresult,</p><p>many Tibetans have moved through the rugged Himalayas into neighboring</p><p>IndiaandNepal;othershavemade theirway to theUnitedStatesandEurope,</p><p>wheretheyhaveestablishedmonasteriesandinitiatedvariousstudentsintoBön</p><p>and Tibetan Buddhist teachings. At the time of this writing (2007), most</p><p>practitioners interested inpossessionare still concentratingon theAfricanand</p><p>Africandiaspora faiths, butwe suspectTibetanBönwill become an increasing</p><p>subjectofinterestasmaterialonandinitiationsintothetraditionsbecomemore</p><p>widelyavailable.</p><p>Korea</p><p>In Korea, Buddhism floats in a layer over the enduring indigenous shamanic</p><p>tradition, of which the main shaman-officiants are the mudang—nearly all</p><p>femaleexceptforoccasionaleffeminatemen.Therearetwotypesofmudang—</p><p>hereditary and possessed; the latter type is seized by a spirit (or several) and</p><p>learnstomakeitherallyandharnessitspowers,whiletheformertypegenerally</p><p>inheritsthetitlefromamudangmotherorfostermother.Thehereditarytypeof</p><p>mudangdoes not generally do possession, although a few are accepted by the</p><p>spiritsandendupbeingpossessed.Aspartoflearningtocontroltherelationship</p><p>with the spirits, as well as teaching, healing, and doing public religious</p><p>ceremonies, a mudang will learn hundreds of sacred songs that function as</p><p>history,magicspells,ceremonialperformance,andtrance-cuesforpossession.18</p><p>Whenamudangisofficiallyinitiated—usuallyalarge,gruelingaffairlasting</p><p>days and attended by sacred people to witness it—she is required to horse</p><p>severalspiritsaspartoftheritual.Racksofsacredcostumesarebroughtin,each</p><p>dedicatedtoaparticularentity—elementalspirits,gods,deifiedmortals,andthe</p><p>more ordinary dead (and the lines between these groups are vague and</p><p>permeable)—andshewillberituallydressedineveryoneofthembyturn.Those</p><p>spirits thathaveclaimedherwillshowthemselvesbypossessingherwhenshe</p><p>wears their clothing; shemustbegenuinelypossessedbymore thanone spirit</p><p>overthecourseoftheinitiation,andtheveracityofthepossessionsareattested</p><p>tobytheexperiencedonlookers.Somespiritsmayhavethenewmudanggoing</p><p>through such ordeals as standing on the edge of a sword blade, and cutting</p><p>herselfwithknives,ostensiblywithoutdamage.Thelackofwoundsprovesthat</p><p>thespiritsarepresent,andthenthemudangisconsideredreadytoworkin the</p><p>world.</p><p>EUROPE</p><p>TheAncientWorld</p><p>Unlikemodernindigenoussocieties,thetraditionsofancientEuropearemostly</p><p>lost. Some left few or no written records before their tradition went down to</p><p>Christianity; others left extensive records thatwere burned and purged during</p><p>medievaltimes.Thismeansthatfindingahistoricaltrailofspirit-possessionin</p><p>thesetimesandplacesisliketryingtotrackalostchildviatrailsignsleftseveral</p><p>milesapartinanuntouchedforestthathasgoneupinflamesatleastoncesince</p><p>thebeginningofthesearch.</p><p>Greece</p><p>One of the classic examples of possession in ancient Greece is the Pythia of</p><p>Delphi,whobecamepossessedonaregularbasisbythegodApolloanduttered</p><p>prophecies for clients. Although the mechanism by which she achieved her</p><p>alteredstatesisargued,thefactthatitwasindeedpossessionisagreeduponby</p><p>many scholars, and very convincingly argued by L. Maurizio in his article</p><p>“AnthropologyandSpiritPossession:AReconsiderationofthePythia’sRoleat</p><p>Delphi.”19ThebehaviorofvariousPythiaswasobservedandrecordedoverthe</p><p>centuries, and ranged from sedatemuttering towildly thrashing about, calling</p><p>out often cryptic answers to questions.Another example of possession among</p><p>theancientGreekswasthephenomenonoftheDionysianMaenads,whoformed</p><p>a great traveling procession ofwildly dancingwomen in thewake of the god</p><p>Dionysos.Somewouldbecomepossessedbythespiritsofwildanimalsandtear</p><p>apartlivestock,eatingitraw;theoccasionalintrudinghumanbeingwassaidto</p><p>meetthesamefate.</p><p>Scandinavia</p><p>In theNorseHeidrek’s Saga, the godOdin comes to the hall of the evil king</p><p>Heidrek in the flesh, after a local chieftainwhoconsidershimselfwrongedby</p><p>Heidrek has made offerings to him. Odin supposedly shows up wearing the</p><p>visage of the chieftain Gest, but he is able to ask clever riddles that Heidrek</p><p>cannot answer, and prophesies Heidrek’s later murder by his own thralls. In</p><p>anothersaga—Gautrek’sSaga—thefatherofthemaincharacterGautrek,Grani</p><p>Horsehair,takeshissontoastrangeritualwherehespeaksas(andclaimstobe)</p><p>thegodOdinandanothermanclaims tobe thegodThor,and the twobestow</p><p>various</p><p>cursesandblessingsontheyouth.Boththesetaleshavebeensuggested</p><p>aslingeringremnantsofthememoryofdeity-possession,ashavesimilaronesin</p><p>otherancientmyths inwhichthegodsappear in theformsorbodiesofknown</p><p>humanbeings.</p><p>TheAgeofEnlightenment</p><p>FranceandEngland</p><p>In 1685 King Louis IV revoked the Edict of Nantes and with it tolerance of</p><p>France’sHuguenot(Protestant)minority.TheHuguenotsfoundthemselvesonce</p><p>againfacedwithintolerancefromtheirneighbors.Morethanhalfamillionleft</p><p>the country; thousands whowere not so fortunate facedmartyrdom or forced</p><p>conversiontoCatholicism.Then,in1688,IsabeauVincent,ayoungshepherdess</p><p>inDauphiné,begantospeakinthevoiceoftheHolySpirit.Inhermundanelife,</p><p>Isabeau spoke a patois ofOccitan (Provençal) andFrench, butwhen the spirit</p><p>wasonher,shedeclaimedinperfectFrenchandtoldherlisteners,“Repent!…</p><p>Thosewhowillpersevereunto theendand receiveeternal lifemust suffer for</p><p>Hisword…Theevildoerswillperishwiththeirevilandbeconsumedlikedry</p><p>grass before the scythe!”20 Isabeau attracted the attention of experts like the</p><p>ProtestanttheologianPierreJurieuandtheCatholicbishopEspritFléchier,who</p><p>debated the issue of her prophetism.Ultimately, however, the young girl was</p><p>senttooneoftheera’snewestinventions—ahospitalwheretheinsanecouldbe</p><p>safely cared for. From there the prophetess was sent to a convent, and she</p><p>disappearsfromhistory.</p><p>But although Isabeau Vincent might be taken away, the spirit of prophecy</p><p>remainedstronginFrance.AmongtheHuguenotswhohadtakenalastdesperate</p><p>stand in the Cévennes Mountains, a new movement arose. Prophets and</p><p>prophetesses would fall to the ground violently; contemporary witnesses</p><p>described them as “shaking their heads, crawling on the floor, quaking and</p><p>trembling,drumming,trumpeting,thundering,snuffling,blowingaswithahorn,</p><p>panting,sighing,groaning,hissing,laughing,pointing,shaking,threshing,using</p><p>childish repetition, howling like a dog and generally acting in a disorderly</p><p>fashion.”21 Then the convulsions would suddenly end as the spirit came on</p><p>them, and the horse would now speak in a calm, ethereal voice as listeners</p><p>gatheredtohear theirwords.Illiteratewomenandchildrenasyoungasfiveor</p><p>sixspokeFrench rather thanOccitan…andby1700 thesespiritswere telling</p><p>the Huguenots to arm themselves against Babylon and Egypt, meaning the</p><p>Catholic clergy and government. The Camisards (so named because of their</p><p>whiteshirts)tookupadesperatestandagainsttheroyalarmies,butby1702their</p><p>steadfastfaithwasovercomebysuperiornumbersandcontroloftheroads.</p><p>ManyoftheCamisardscametoFrance’soldenemy,England.Theretheyat</p><p>firstencounteredawarmreceptionassoldiersagainst“Popishtyranny,”buttheir</p><p>spectacular possession rituals (what they called Sacred Theatre) proved too</p><p>muchforstaidandsteadfastEngland.Noted theologians likeJohnWesleyand</p><p>JohnKnox took pains to distance themselves from the “FrenchProphets” and</p><p>theirextravagances,andonlyafewEnglishmenwould try to incorporate these</p><p>practices into their spiritual life. One of them, a middle-aged laborer’s wife</p><p>namedAnnLee,wouldsoondiscoverherfacilityforallowingtheHolyGhostto</p><p>speak through her. Using the intense prayers and meditation favored by the</p><p>French prophets, she and others were able to experience the convulsions</p><p>followed by channeling that would give them the name Shakers after they</p><p>emigratedtoAmerica.</p><p>THELEVANTANDTHEMIDDLEEAST</p><p>Whilewehavesomefamiliaritywiththefrenzy-possessionsofLevantinegods</p><p>likeDionysusandCybele,manyhaveforgotten(orseektodownplay)evidence</p><p>ofpossessionintheAbrahamicfaiths,buttheprophetscanbeseenasutilizing</p><p>bothtrance-journeyinganddivinepossessiontobringthemessageofYHVHto</p><p>theirpeople.Therearemanycasesofprophetsbeing“takenupintoheaven”and</p><p>experiencingvisions;therearealsomanycasesthatsuggesttheprophetsworked</p><p>asoraclesandthattheywereusedasmouthpieces.</p><p>In the Old Testament the prophet Samuel poured oil over Saul’s head and</p><p>said,“HasnottheLordanointedyouprinceoverhispeopleIsrael?”(1Samuel</p><p>10:1).Later,whenSaul left Samuel and arrived atGibeah, hemet a group of</p><p>prophets, whereupon the spirit of God came violently over Saul and he</p><p>prophesiedamongthem(10:9–11).AfterthespiritofGodhaddescendedupon</p><p>him,Saulovercameallenemieshemet inhispathandbecameamightyking.</p><p>When the King of Israel needed counsel, the prophet Elisha used a common</p><p>trance technique—music—to call down theSpirit of theLord.He requested a</p><p>minstrel;whenthatminstrelplayed,“thepoweroftheLORDcameuponElisha”</p><p>andprophesiedvictoryovertheMoabitearmy(2Kings3:15–20).</p><p>TheHebrewprophetswerenot theonlyonespossessedby theSpirit of the</p><p>Lord,whospokethroughthem;inArabiaamysticnamedMohammedactedasa</p><p>channel for the archangelGabriel.WhenGabriel took control of his body, he</p><p>wouldbeginchantinginasophisticatedpoeticstylethatbeliedhisearlierlifeas</p><p>an illiterate camel merchant. The compiled results of Mohammed’s various</p><p>trances would become famous throughout the world as Al-Q’uran (the</p><p>“recitation”). Centuries later, Mevlevi Sufis would use trance techniques like</p><p>drummingandwhirlingdancetostilltheiregosandallowthemselvestobefilled</p><p>withtheknowledgeofAllah’spresence.These“whirlingdervishes”canstillbe</p><p>foundinTurkey,Albania,Iran,andmanyotherpartsoftheIslamicworld.</p><p>Weshouldnoteherethatitisimpossibletoestablishwhetherornotanyofthe</p><p>prophetswerepossessedwhenfulfillingtheirsacredoffice.Inallthesereligions,</p><p>historicalfactslieburiedbeneathmillenniaoflegendandspiritualtruths;often</p><p>theyhavebeenreinterpretedtosuitonepoliticalcauseoranother.Inattempting</p><p>to explore them, we cannot avoid speculation, reconstruction, and educated</p><p>guessing;norcanweavoiddealingwithimagesandlegendsthatareanintimate</p><p>partofmanypeople’slives.Ourspeculationsaredoneinaspiritofreverence,as</p><p>weconsiderprophecynotanancientcuriositybutalivingandvitalpractice,but</p><p>we also recognize that many might consider our theories blasphemous.</p><p>PossessionhaslonginspiredcontroversyinChristianculture,ascanbeseenby</p><p>thestoryofahorsenamedMontanus.</p><p>Phrygia(NortheasternTurkey)</p><p>ThefirstChristiansmighthaveacceptedJesusastheonetruewaytoheaven—</p><p>afterall,everyothermysterycult thatproselytized in thestreetsof theRoman</p><p>Empire claimed a unique pathway to eternal life and power—but accepting a</p><p>religionwithout an oraclewas anothermatter altogether, especiallywhen that</p><p>religionhadnotyetestablishedanofficialgospelandrulingbody.Todayofficial</p><p>doctrineholdsthattheChurch’sapostolicageendedwiththedeathofSt.John</p><p>soon after the writing of his Apocalypse, but for centuries afterward, various</p><p>prophets arose claiming new dispensations and divine revelations, and three</p><p>PhrygiansclaimedthattheyweretheHolySpiritandtheParacleteprophesiedby</p><p>John, starting amovement that lasted for centuries and led to one of the first</p><p>greatconflictswithinthefaith.</p><p>In170CE,Montanus,arecentconverttoChristianity,beganprophesyingina</p><p>smallvillageinPhrygia(northeasternTurkey).Soontwowealthywomen,Prisca</p><p>(alsoknownasPriscilla)andMaxilla,lefttheirhusbandstojoinMontanusand</p><p>prophesy by his side. According to one of his detractors,</p><p>St. Jerome, before</p><p>joining the church Montanus had been a gallus (castrated priest) of Cybele.</p><p>Whileotherauthoritiesdisputethis,laterjokesaccusedMontanusoftintinghis</p><p>hairandwearingmakeup, thingsthatwerecertainlyassociatedwiththegallae.</p><p>Butwhatever theirconnection to theGreatMother, itwasclear thatMontanus</p><p>and his followers sought the same kind of direct ecstatic connection to the</p><p>Divine.Almostimmediatelyafterhisbaptism,hehadbegunspeakingunderthe</p><p>influenceof theHolySpirit, stating that as theDispensationof theFatherhad</p><p>givenway to theDispensation of theSon, so had the dispensation of the Son</p><p>given way to the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, for Christ’s promise of the</p><p>Paraclete(theHolySpiritasintercessor,comforter,andspiritualadviser22)had</p><p>nowbeenfulfilledinthepersonofMontanus.</p><p>Anopponentof theMontanistsdescribedaMontanist ritualas follows:The</p><p>prophet first evidenced symptoms of agitation and fear, but as they gained</p><p>control of their terror, they became still, and then was seized by an</p><p>uncontrollable madness (akousios mania psyches). When so possessed, the</p><p>prophet spoke not as a messenger but as God himself. On one occasion</p><p>Montanuswasquotedassaying“IamtheFather,theWordandtheParaclete”;</p><p>onanother,“IamtheLordGodomnipotent,whohavedescendedintoman,”and</p><p>“neither an angel, nor an ambassador, but I, the Lord, the Father amCome.”</p><p>Maxilla,whenpossessed,enjoinedherlistenersto“hearnotme,buthearChrist”</p><p>and “I am speech, and spirit, and power.” To further distinguish between</p><p>MontanusandthePersonwhospokethroughhim,thespiritexplained:“Behold</p><p>theman is like a lyre, and I dart like theplectrum.Theman sleeps, and I am</p><p>awake.”23</p><p>Thespirits thatspokethroughMontanusandtheotherprophetsdidnoturge</p><p>theirfollowerstoabandontheChurch—indeed,therulingorthodoxycondemned</p><p>them for the severityof their rule.Whereasbishopswerewilling to remarrya</p><p>widow, the Montanists held that second marriages were sinful. Whereas the</p><p>bishopsproscribedmeatforjusttwoweeksoftheLiturgicalYear,theParaclete</p><p>regularly ordered the faithful to fast and to abstain frommeat andwine. The</p><p>bishopsallowedmembersthreatenedwithpersecutiontofleetosaferareas;the</p><p>Montanists gleefullywelcomedmartyrdomand condemned anybodywhopaid</p><p>off a judge or sought to escape the arenas. This fervor gained an increasing</p><p>numberofconverts,mostnotablythefamousChurchscholarTertullian.</p><p>But as this prophetic fervor attracted some, so too did it alienate others.</p><p>Bishops tried to exorciseMaxillaof the “demons” that spoke throughher, but</p><p>were prevented from doing so by loyal Montanists. There were rumors that</p><p>Montanistprophetsandprophetessestookgifts(undertheguiseof“offerings”)</p><p>for their services and were paid for their preaching. Over and over again,</p><p>polemics condemned the possession trances that were the heart of Montanist</p><p>worship. A Catholic writer,Miltiades, wrote a (now lost) book calledHow a</p><p>ProphetOughtNottoSpeakinEcstasy,whichdistinguishedbetweenpossession</p><p>and Old Testament prophecy. According to Miltiades, the true prophets had</p><p>spoken“intheSpirit,”asmouthpiecesoftheSpirit,butretainedtheirfreewill.</p><p>Totalpossessionwascondemnedasinappropriate—and,whenapriestspokein</p><p>thefirstpersonastheFatherorParaclete,blasphemous.</p><p>TherewereotherswithintheChurchwhodisagreedwithhim;in176CEthe</p><p>Church leader Athenagoras, in his Apology to Aurelius and Commodus,</p><p>described the inspiration of the prophets as follows: “Moses, or Isaiah, or</p><p>Jeremiah,ortheotherprophetswho,liftedinecstasyabovethenaturaloperation</p><p>oftheirmindsbytheimpulsesoftheDivineSpirit,offeredthethingswithwhich</p><p>theywereinspired,theSpiritmakinguseofthemasafluteplayerbreathesintoa</p><p>flute.”TheChristianapologistJustinMartyr(100–165CE)alsoclaimedthatthe</p><p>prophets prophesied in a state of ecstasy. But by the fifth century, official</p><p>doctrineidentifiedtrancepossessionwithdemonicinfestationandwitchcraft—a</p><p>worldview thatwould persist for centuries and claim the lives of innumerable</p><p>shamansandhorses.</p><p>OCEANIA</p><p>OCEANIA</p><p>Bali</p><p>LikeTibetanBuddhism,BalineseHinduismcombines traditionalHindubeliefs</p><p>and rituals with local animist customs (what the Balinese call adat). Their</p><p>ceremonies incorporateHindupujas (offerings)with dancing, storytelling, and</p><p>dramatizations of folk songs, legends, and historical events. Often these</p><p>performances culminate in the dancers experiencing taksu, the possession of</p><p>theirbodybyadivinityduringthesacreddancesthataredesignedtocallTheir</p><p>presence. These dances also feature sacred and specially prepared masks that</p><p>come not from Hinduism but from indigenous tradition. When used as</p><p>decoration, thesemasks are reputed to frightenoff evil spirits anddisease and</p><p>discourage floods; when worn in the proper context, they can quickly induce</p><p>possession.</p><p>PossessionsareimportantnotjustinfolkpracticesbutalsoinofficialBalinese</p><p>Hinduism.Whenever there isan importantodalan (aceremonycelebrating the</p><p>annual anniversary of the temple), the priest will become possessed so the</p><p>appropriatedivinitycansaywhethertheceremonywascorrectorsomethingwas</p><p>donepoorlyor leftout,orwhether further responsibilitiesmustbecarriedout.</p><p>Other people too may be possessed by gods or demons. Entranced people</p><p>frequently display unusual behavior. When dancing the colongarang, a ritual</p><p>dancedisplayingtheconflictbetweenevil(representedbytherangdaspirit)and</p><p>the forces of good (represented by thebarong), the latterwill sometimes turn</p><p>theirknivesonthemselves;butthoughrangda’smagicmayforcethemtoplace</p><p>thepoint of the knife on their breast, head, or face andwrithe and fall on the</p><p>ground,theforcesofgoodprotectthemsothattheydonothurtthemselves.24</p><p>Micronesia</p><p>Micronesia, a collection of hundreds of small islands located in the Pacific</p><p>Ocean, remains relatively isolated on account of its remote location. Still, the</p><p>evidence suggests that even limited contact has caused problems for the</p><p>indigenous culture. Early explorers brought back numerous reports of priests</p><p>offeringcounselandhealingwhilepossessedbytribalandancestralspirits.The</p><p>possessionritualswerestimulatedbytherapidchewingandspittingofbetelnut,</p><p>andwereresponsestopetitionsfromthechiefsorfromcommunityindividuals,</p><p>accompanied by offerings of money or more betel nut. The spirit medium</p><p>responded, with legs and arms trembling and face distorted, speaking in the</p><p>voiceofachelid(spirit),oftenforhoursatatime.25</p><p>Similar reports were found on islands that were separated by language, by</p><p>culture,andbythousandsofmilesofocean,makingitclearthattherehaslong</p><p>beenapossessiontraditionintheseislands.However,bythe1970sand1980s,</p><p>anthropologistsworking in this region noted a great decline in the number of</p><p>officialmediumsandtraditionalpriests.Thosewhoremainedweremostlyold;</p><p>younger Micronesians scorned the practices as old-fashioned and uncivilized.</p><p>Anthropologists also noticed a great increase in the number of involuntary</p><p>possessions. They have also noticed a troubling increase in the number of</p><p>Micronesians suffering from schizophrenia and other psychoses and thought</p><p>disorders.On the islandofPalau</p><p>over2percentof themalepopulation shows</p><p>severe symptoms of schizophrenia; on Kosrae and Yap this is well over 1</p><p>percent.26Westernscholarshaveinterpretedthisasaresponsetomodernization</p><p>andcolonialpressures.Spirit-workers,however,mightnotethatgodsandspirits</p><p>canwreakahorriblerevengeiftheyareignoredtoolong.Fromaspirit-worker’s</p><p>perspective, the schizophrenia and involuntary possessions could be the</p><p>vengeanceoftheignoredspirits.</p><p>Vanuatu</p><p>Thefirstmissionaries toset foot inVanuatu in1839werepromptlykilledand</p><p>eaten,leadingtosomeconsternationamongthemissionsocieties.Bythe1860s</p><p>theyhadovercometheseimmediateobstaclesandvariousdenominationshadset</p><p>up shop in these islands they called the NewHebrides, and soon British and</p><p>Frenchpeoplebecamean intimate (ifminority)part of the local scene.But in</p><p>early 1940, as more soldiers landed and war became imminent, these white</p><p>settlersfacedunexpectedunrest.</p><p>Inmeetingsfromwhichwhitesandwomenwereexcluded,alittlemannamed</p><p>JohnFrum,with “bleached hair, a high-pitched voice, and clad in a coatwith</p><p>shining buttons,” was enjoining people to take kava (a root with mild</p><p>hallucinogenic and sedative properties), engage in communal gardening, and</p><p>resistidleness.SoonJohnFrumwaspromisinghisfollowersanewageinwhich</p><p>they would enjoy the material wealth that theWhite people enjoyed; he also</p><p>promised that every White person on the island, including the missionaries,</p><p>wouldleave.Togainthisparadise,JohnFrumorderedhisfollowerstoreturnto</p><p>kastom (tribal customs) and to reject Western education, money, and</p><p>Christianity.In1941,theyridthemselvesoftheirmoneyinafrenzyofspending,</p><p>left the missionary churches, schools, villages, and plantations, and moved</p><p>fartherinlandtocelebratetraditionalcustomthroughfeasts,dances,andrituals.</p><p>Authoritieshoped thecrazewouldbeoverwhen theyarrested“JohnFrum” in</p><p>the person of an illiterate native named Manehivi. The authorities sentenced</p><p>Manehiviandseveralofhisfollowerstoimprisonment,andtiedManehivi toa</p><p>treeforadayasanimposter,butsoonthereafteranother“JohnFrum,”ayoung</p><p>mannamedJoeNalpin,arosetospreadtheword.27</p><p>At this timeVanuatuwasan important refuelingpointaswar loomedin the</p><p>Pacific; by the end of the 1940s, over 300,000American soldiers and sailors</p><p>would pass through. The idea of a native uprising unnerved many military</p><p>leaders, but the islanders were impressed by both the wealth and power of</p><p>Americans and their generosity. Soon John Frum took on aspects of other</p><p>mythicalAmericanheroes, likeUncleSamandSantaClaus, andhis followers</p><p>builtsymboliclandingstripstoencourageAmericanairplanestoalightandbring</p><p>themgifts.Anthropologistsofthetimewroteoffthesebizarreritualsas“cargo</p><p>cults.”TodaywecanseethemasanexpressionofNiVanuatubeliefsinaspirit</p><p>worldthatbringsblessingstothosewhopayitproperhomage,andwhichspeaks</p><p>toitsfollowersthroughtrancepossession.</p><p>Today the John Frum Movement has its own political party, led by Song</p><p>Keaspai. On John Frum Day (February 15) 2007, the John Frum Movement</p><p>celebratedits50thanniversary.ChiefIsaacWan,itsleader,remainsstronginhis</p><p>beliefinJohnFrumandwasquotedbytheBBCassayingthatJohnFrumwas</p><p>“our God, our Jesus,” and would eventually return. Since 1957 the “Tanna</p><p>Army” has organized nonviolent,military-style parades, their faces painted in</p><p>ritual colors, and wearing white T-shirts with the letters “T-A USA” (Tanna</p><p>ArmyUSA).ThisparadestilltakesplaceeveryyearonFebruary15,andattracts</p><p>manytourists,whobringsomeofthewealththatJohnFrumpromised.</p><p>Kenaz’sStory</p><p>March2003</p><p>I’m stumbling about blindfolded, still dizzy from the endless prostrations and</p><p>turnsthatmarktheKanzo’sopening.ThepersonbehindmesteadiesmystepasI</p><p>stumble, then spinsme around again. I reachoutmyhands asunseenpersons</p><p>breakmyfall.Itrytoregainmybalanceandalmostsucceedbeforetheunseen</p><p>personspushmeforwardagain.</p><p>Someoneshakesachacha:thehissingrattlecoilsthroughmyhead.I’mclose</p><p>tothewallnow,nearthesaintimagesthathelpmakethisunfinishedBrooklyn</p><p>basement a temple of the lwa.Theplaster feels cold againstmy skin; I feel a</p><p>sharppainasmyshinstrikesabench,thensomeonejostlesmebacktowardthe</p><p>centeroftheroom.</p><p>I’mmovingtowardthedrumsnow,everythingispearlyluminescencebehind</p><p>the cotton scarf that coversmy eyes. The rhythm shakesme; I’m gasping for</p><p>breath,theairtasteslikesweatandtobaccoandFloridaWater.Awomancurses</p><p>inKreyolasIsteponherfoot;theheatisoppressiveasacrowdedelevatorstalls</p><p>betweenfloors.</p><p>“DE!DE!DEDEDEDEDEDEDE!!!”</p><p>SomeonehasDanto, I thinkas Iwhirl in the luminescentblindness.Behind</p><p>myshoulderIcanfeelthescarredwarriormotherstaringatme,hereyesshining</p><p>bright redasherheart,bright redas thewoundsonher face,bright redas the</p><p>edge of her knife. The dizziness is gone now; there’s nobody standing inmy</p><p>way,myguideistakingmeexactlywhereIwanttogo.Imoveforwardtoward</p><p>thedoorwaythatleadsintothedjevo,theplacewhereIwillbesecludeduntilmy</p><p>baptismonSunday.</p><p>“DE!DE!DE!DE!DE!”Ihearagainbeforefallingintosilenceanddarkness.</p><p>ThenextdayIask,“WhogotriddenbyDanto?”MamboEdelinesaysitwas</p><p>I.</p><p>Raven’sTale</p><p>September1991</p><p>WhenIrejoinedtheNeo-Pagancommunityandbegantohelpdesignandcreate</p><p>ritual,oneofthefirstthingsIdiscoveredwasthis:IfIweretotakeonthepartof</p><p>a deity, there would always be the chance that I would get pushed aside and</p><p>They would take the floor. This first came home to me when some Pagans</p><p>created aWildHunt ritual forMabon and askedme to be theHunter.Herne,</p><p>theycalledhim,andsodidI,buthewasfarolderthanthatBritishname.Hewas</p><p>the deer-headed, wolf-pawed god on the ancient cave walls, the Keeper of</p><p>PredatorandPrey.Aslongasanimalshavehuntedandeateneachother,hehas</p><p>beenpresent.AtthattimeIknewlittleabouthim,butImadeahornedmaskand</p><p>cametotheritual.</p><p>ThemomentIputthemaskonmyhead—justminutesbeforethestartofthe</p><p>rite—hemovedintome,incrediblyhuge,old,inhuman.ForonceIdidnotlose</p><p>consciousness.Doyouwanttowatch?Heasked.Ifyousettheboundaries,Iwill</p><p>abideby them,as longas Iget thehunt that Iwant. Iunderstandboundaries,</p><p>and themarkingof territory.So Iwatched from thebackseat, seeingmybody</p><p>moveabout.Hewashonorablewithme,wastheHunter;hekepthisword—but</p><p>then,afteritwasover,hesaid:Iwillbebackagainnextyear.</p><p>Nextyear?Mybreathcaughtinthethroatthathadjustbeengivenbacktome.</p><p>Yes,everyyear,everyMabonorthereabouts,Iwouldbeexpectedtoprovidemy</p><p>bodyandruntheWildHunt,untilIwastoooldandcouldnolongerdoit.Itwas</p><p>a lesson inexpectations: sometimes thegodsseeourdeedsaspromisesbefore</p><p>wedo.Atanyrate,theeffectoftheactualpresenceoftheHunteronthegroup</p><p>ofritual-goerswaselectric.Allwhosurroundedhim—thosewhohadchosento</p><p>behoundsandthosewhohadchosentobeprey—foundthemselvesinakindof</p><p>alteredstate.Theyallbecame,atleastpartially,thoserolesinawaythatwasfar</p><p>more intense than mere method acting. Afterward, they spoke about it in</p><p>wonder.“Whathappened?That felt so real…itwassopowerful!” Itwasmy</p><p>first experience with the reason why god-possession is done at all. It is a</p><p>valuablethingforboththe</p><p>godsandthecommunitytotoucheachother.</p><p>PAGANPERSPECTIVESONGODSANDSPIRITS</p><p>Modern Western NeoPaganism is less a coherent faith than a collection of</p><p>vaguely similar faiths all trying to fit under one umbrella, and there is an</p><p>enormouslyvariableconceptionofwhatagodoraspiritmightbewhenitcomes</p><p>todifferentplacesonthatspectrum.Forvariousdemographicandsocialreasons,</p><p>coherenttheologicalstudyofPaganismhaslaggedbehindthatofothermodern</p><p>religions,butitisfinallybeingtackledinsmallpiecesbybravesouls.Thefirst</p><p>major step forward in discussing Pagan theologies could be said to be the</p><p>definitional division of belief into three major camps: polytheism, pantheism,</p><p>andarchetypism.</p><p>Polytheism is the belief that there are many deities, some personal and</p><p>“human,” some impersonal and“notveryhuman.”Polytheism isdistinct from</p><p>pantheism in the sense that in polytheism, deities are highly distinct, and</p><p>sometimesatoddswitheachother.Althoughadeitymayappearunderdifferent</p><p>names,alllovegoddessesarenotonegoddess,andsoforth.SomePagansrefer</p><p>to themselves as “hard polytheists,” meaning that they don’t indulge in even</p><p>occasional pantheism by conflating minor deities; in this belief, every single</p><p>deity is separate from every other, and deserves to be treated in thismanner.</p><p>Thereisanunderlyingassumptioninpolytheistbeliefthattodootherwisewill</p><p>insult thedeityorspirit,whowillnotfullymanifest tospeakto themifoneis</p><p>not fully believing in them as a separate entity and addressing them</p><p>appropriately. The metaphor that is often used by polytheists to explain their</p><p>stanceis:“IfIoweyoutenbucks,andIsaythathumanityisalloneanywayand</p><p>IgivethetenbuckstoBoboverthere,you’renotgoingtobepleased.”</p><p>SomePagan theologiansand sociologistsdivide the“traditions” (whatother</p><p>faithsmight call “sects”)ofNeoPaganism into fivebasicvarieties:Traditional</p><p>BritishWicca,ModernWicca,Wiccan-derivedtraditions,reconstructionists,and</p><p>reconstructionist-derived traditions. Of the lot, reconstructionists (groups who</p><p>are attempting to reconstruct the ancient religions of specific cultures, e.g.,</p><p>Norse/GermanictraditionssuchasAsatruandHeathenry;Romangroupssuchas</p><p>Religio Romana; Hellenic groups such as Hellenion; and Egyptian traditions</p><p>suchasKemet)tendtobethemostpolytheistic,inordertore-createthestrong</p><p>polytheism of the ancients. Reconstructionist-derived groups range from</p><p>extremely polytheistic to somewhere between polytheism and pantheism, but</p><p>generallyworkwithmorethanonecultureorpantheonofdeities.</p><p>There are several very few good resources available to fully explore and</p><p>understandthetheologyofpolytheism.OnedecentbookonthesubjectisJohn</p><p>Michael Greer’s A World Full of Gods. The descriptions of how polytheism</p><p>compareswithotherversionsofthereligionareexcellent,butthebookbecomes</p><p>rather self-righteous toward the end. Polytheism, in general, has been so</p><p>slanderedby centuries ofmonotheisticmonopoly thatmany folk still see it as</p><p>somehowsuperstitiousor ignorant.Polytheistssometimesdefend their faithby</p><p>pointingoutthatitwasthefaithofthousandsofyearsofhumanhistory,andthat</p><p>toassumeourforefatherswereallstupidistodothemagreatdisservice.</p><p>Pantheism is the belief that although there may be more than one</p><p>manifestationofdeity,theyareallpartofonelargerGodhead.Someversionsof</p><p>pantheismpositthatalllivingthingsarealsopartofthisGodhead,thatweareas</p><p>integral to it as any deity, and that any personalized “human-type” deity is</p><p>merely a specificmask on the larger force ofDivine Power. The simile often</p><p>usedtodescribepantheismisthattheGodheadislikeamany-facetedjewel:the</p><p>kindofdivinebeingthatapproachesyouisbasedonwhichfacetisturnedtothe</p><p>light.</p><p>Much Eastern religion is pantheist; most modern educated and urbanized</p><p>Hindus will hastily explain away the apparent polytheism of their faith in</p><p>pantheist terms.AmongNeoPagans, itmaywellbe that themajorityofpeople</p><p>and traditions arepantheist, althoughnoonehasdone any surveys.Pantheism</p><p>tendstobemorecomfortableintellectuallytomodernWesterners,raisedaswe</p><p>wereinaculturethatseespolytheismassuperstitiousandpersonalizeddeities,</p><p>often, as “too humanlike” to be divine. It is a way to get one step closer to</p><p>monotheism;claimingthatallgodsarepartofoneGodheadisawaytobridge</p><p>theseeminggulfbetweenpolytheismandthemonotheistornon-deistbeliefsof</p><p>others. It fits reasonablywellwith animism (the belief that not only all living</p><p>thingsbutalsoallnaturalthings,andsomeman-madethings,haveanindwelling</p><p>spirit and soul of their own),whichwas inherited originally from polytheistic</p><p>worldviews, but can be theoretically adapted to the concept of an indwelling</p><p>universalSoulorConsciousness.</p><p>Thethirdpointof this trianglewerefer toasarchetypism.This isa formof</p><p>atheism (or, perhaps in some cases, agnosticism) that believes that divine</p><p>archetypesareeitherpsychologicallyrich internalstructures thatarespiritually</p><p>useful for self-improvementor specific flavorsofuniversal energy that canbe</p><p>“worked with” or even “commanded” in order to gain personal power.</p><p>Archetypistsmaydiscussagodoraspiritasa“being-ness,”amythicalwayof</p><p>beingratherthanaspecificentity(suchastheaverageJungianpsychologisttalks</p><p>about), or as a “god-form,” a sort of energy that can be invoked into one’s</p><p>presence or one’s self for one’s own gain (such as the average ceremonial</p><p>magicianpractices).Somearchetypists,whilenotexactlybelievingin thegods</p><p>andspiritsasactualentities,willacknowledgethatmanypeoplefindsuspending</p><p>theirbelief and“actingas if” theybelieve in them tobe spirituallyuseful; the</p><p>“child self” or unconscious still believes inmiracles andwonders and “make-</p><p>believe” people and will respond emotionally to a ritual that invokes them.</p><p>Nearlyallceremonialmagicpracticesarearchetypistinnature,andwhilewedo</p><p>notknowofanyhardlinearchetypistNeoPagangroups,archetypists tendtobe</p><p>scattered throughout the Pagan community in all but the most polytheistic</p><p>traditions.ArchetypismalsotendstobefoundwhereNeoPaganismborderswith</p><p>demographics interested in psychology, self-help, and New Age spirituality,</p><p>althoughthelastgroupalsotendstobehighinpantheism.</p><p>To be fair, one should point out that these three divisions are by nomeans</p><p>cleanlyseparated.Evenhardpolytheistsadmittoacertainamountofpantheism</p><p>atahighlevel,the“wearealloneifyoumovehighenough”level,butgenerally</p><p>feelthatthislevelisuselesstohumanbeingsonadailybasisbecauseitmakes</p><p>everythingimpersonalandthereisnopersonalcontactfromtheundifferentiated</p><p>AllThatIs.Somepantheistswillacknowledgethatwhiletheymaybelievethat</p><p>allgodsarepartofOneHigherBeing,onegetsmuchmorepersonalsatisfaction</p><p>—andresults—outof“actingasif”therewerehighlyseparatedgodsandcalling</p><p>onthem.</p><p>Intheirarticle“PaganDeism:ThreeViews,”1MargarianBridgerandStephen</p><p>Hergestposit(albeitonlyinaWiccanparadigm)thethreedivisionsaspointson</p><p>a triangle, with a spectrum of belief between each point. In this view, some</p><p>Pagansfallon thecontinuumbetweenpolytheismandpantheism(thegodsare</p><p>sometimes separate and sometimes not, to varying extents) or between</p><p>pantheismandarchetypism</p><p>(thegodsmaybecreationsofourminds,butthereis</p><p>also sometimes a divine force behind those thoughtforms). The line between</p><p>polytheismandarchetypismisabiggerandmoremind-bogglingstretch,asthese</p><p>seem like the “most theist” and “most atheist” points. Bridger and Hergest</p><p>suggest only that this continuummight belong to people who have deep and</p><p>personal relationshipswith thoughtformdeities that theydon’tactuallybelieve</p><p>in; others have commented that it might belong to peoplewho believe in the</p><p>gods, but don’t believe that the aspect that appears to them is actually one of</p><p>Them.</p><p>Of the three “corners,” polytheism obviously poses the least theological</p><p>difficultywiththepracticeofgod-possession.Iftherearealotofdifferentgods,</p><p>justas therearea lotofdifferent“spirits,”andtheyareallPeople in thesame</p><p>sense that we are individual people, then of course theymight want to come</p><p>shareourworldinthebestwaythattheycan.Toberealisticaboutthenatureof</p><p>god-possessionandhowitactuallyoccurs,onecouldmakethestatementthatfor</p><p>themostpartthegodstendtoact,whenpossessionisinvolved,asifpolytheism</p><p>wasthetruthof theirnature.Theyappearasseparate individualswithseparate</p><p>likes and dislikes, and those likes and dislikes tend to stay consistent when</p><p>dealingwith vastly different groups and horses. They recognize peoplewhom</p><p>they have seen before, or who have been involved in long-term devotional</p><p>activitytowardthem.</p><p>It has also been noticed that when different people manage to successfully</p><p>horsethesamenonspecificpantheistic-styledeity(e.g.,“theMotherGoddess”or</p><p>“theLoveGoddess”),theyusuallygetdeity-presencesthathavethoseattributes</p><p>butareverydifferentinotherways.Occasionallythepreferencesofthosedeities</p><p>are noted and looked up, and have been identified as different specific</p><p>polytheisticdeitieswho“workinthesamebuilding,”assomepeoplehaveputit</p><p>with affectionate irreverence. This has given rise to speculations that “calling</p><p>up”anonspecificgreater“category”ofdeitysimplyopensthedoorforanyone</p><p>god or goddess who falls under that category to enter, e.g., calling on “the</p><p>MotherGoddess”mighthaveanequalchanceofgettingyouGaea,Mawu,Jord,</p><p>Demeter,andsoforth.</p><p>Topantheists,divinepossessionistheoverarchinggodorgoddesschoosingto</p><p>showoneaspectofhis-orherselftotheaudience,manifestingthroughonesingle</p><p>human being. Since most pantheists are comfortable, in ritual practice, with</p><p>“acting as if” the various deities are separate beings, there usually isn’tmuch</p><p>troubleon thepractical endofdealingwith theactual entities, as longas they</p><p>keep “acting as if.”When pantheists (or archetypists) have addressed horsing</p><p>godsandgoddessesinwaysthatconflatedthemwithotherspecificdeities, the</p><p>responseswe’ve seen have beenmixed, ranging from flat, offended denial (“I</p><p>am neither Kali nor Hecate, I am Hel, and you are a fool if you think</p><p>otherwise!”),totolerance(“ThenameyougiveMeisnotsoimportant;itisthat</p><p>you know Me and My essence, and recognize Me when I call you; your</p><p>ancestorscalledMebydifferentnames,butknewMe”),toacceptance(“Loveis</p><p>Love, regardless of its manifestation”). There is also the issue that different</p><p>deities and spirits are higher or lower on the personal/ impersonal axis, a</p><p>problemthatwillbetackledinchapter6,OntheNatureofSpirits.Intheological</p><p>terms, however, while pantheists may argue with polytheists over the exact</p><p>natureof thepossessingdeity(ies), theyusuallyagree that somespiritual force</p><p>withitsownmindandwillispresent.</p><p>Archetypismis therealdifficulty in the triangle.ModernNeoPaganismmay</p><p>beinacorneraccompaniedonlybyBuddhismwhenitcomestoreligionswitha</p><p>seriouspercentageof followerswhoare technically atheists.ManyNeoPagans</p><p>come to this demographic for reasons far removed from being called by the</p><p>gods.Somearesearchingforafaiththatsupportsindividualism,orecology,or</p><p>sustainable living, or equal human rights, or feminism, or sexual freedom, or</p><p>other values less supported in other faiths. Some are seeking to re-create the</p><p>traditions of their ancestors, some are fascinated by historical re-creation, and</p><p>othersaredrawnaestheticallytothepanoplyandtheaterofthevariousritesand</p><p>rituals.Somecometoitthroughmagicalpractice,viathePaganandnon-Pagan</p><p>mystery traditions, and are drawn in by the trappings. Some are recruited by</p><p>theirspousesandpartners.Somehavehadpsychicexperiencesandarelooking</p><p>forvalidation.Someareattractedto itasa“subculture,”with itsownfashions</p><p>andrules,ratherthanasareligion.Someareattemptingtorebelagainstmajority</p><p>religions,andfindNeoPaganismsufficientlyshockingtotheirfamilymembers.</p><p>Some merely find Paganism spiritually moving as a practice, without feeling</p><p>obligated tobelieve in theentities that are invoked in its rituals.Whatever the</p><p>reason,atanygivenPagangathering,anotinsignificantpercentageofthepeople</p><p>attendinganyritualorworkshopwillnotbeconvincedoftheexternalrealityof</p><p>thegodsthatothersmaybeworshipping.</p><p>The reaction of Pagan trendsetters to this situation varies. Some are careful</p><p>not touse language thatwill soundas if theyare trying to force the readeror</p><p>listener intobelieving in thegods,especiallysinceproselytizing isa social sin</p><p>among most modern Pagan groups, and anything that reeks of it will be</p><p>generallycondemned.Othersaremorehardline,usingtermsthatassumeabelief</p><p>in gods and spirits, and feel that to do otherwise would be as unthinkable as</p><p>usingaChristianliturgythatdiscountedtheexistenceofbothJesusandJehovah.</p><p>However,itisthearchetypistpercentageoftheNeoPagandemographicthathas</p><p>thehardest timecopingwith the literal realityofdeity-possession, inoroutof</p><p>ritual,anditwillbethis“faction”thataPagangrouprunningapossessionrite</p><p>willhavetodecide,onewayoranother,howtodealwith.</p><p>One writer referred to experiencing the sacred archetypes of deities as</p><p>“standingintheirshadow,”whichmakesagooddealofsense.Standingintheir</p><p>shadow, however, is not the same as touching them. Archetypists, especially</p><p>those who are basically atheists, will tend to assume that what is actually</p><p>“possessing”thehorseissomedeeplyheldandperhapsunconsciousbundleof</p><p>needs and motivations, or perhaps even a personal delusion. Those who lean</p><p>toward agnosticism may see them as drawing down “god-forms”—energy</p><p>constructsthatcantheoreticallybecontrolledandused.Thiscancausestrifeand</p><p>difficultieswithin a group, especiallywhen the possessing deity or spirit does</p><p>somethingthatcanbeblamedonthehorse.Ifthosemembersoftheaudience—</p><p>beitinaprivategrouporalargeopengathering—simplydonotbelieveinthe</p><p>literal existence of those entities, the resulting clash of theology is going to</p><p>createproblems.</p><p>However,onecan’tforceanyonetobelieve,andarguingwiththosefromthat</p><p>placewill likely onlymake thingsworse. Trying to convince someone of the</p><p>existenceofa spiritual reality forwhich theyhaveonlyyourword isnotonly</p><p>ineffectivebutdiscourteousaswell.AswediscussinthechapteronNeoPagan</p><p>group ritual, the leader of a group openly practicing ritual god-possession,</p><p>whetherwithinthegrouporinalargerforum,mustmakecarefuldecisionsasto</p><p>how to tread</p><p>sympathetic—thiswas hardly the first</p><p>timethatsomeonehadcometoherwiththisproblem—andsheturnedmeover</p><p>toherassistants, tobetaughtthepracticalitiesofgod-possession.Drinkingsalt</p><p>water, putting coldwater on thebackof theneck, andnon-rhythmic activities</p><p>couldputoffpossessionsforawhile.Therealissue,though,shecautionedme,</p><p>wasthatIhadtomakeproperallianceswiththespiritswhowantedtorideme.It</p><p>wasthefirsttimethatIheardthetermshorseandridden…anddiscoveredthat</p><p>thisgift/cursethathadchosenmecouldnotbeunchosen.</p><p>Laterthatmonth,Iwenttoabembe(anUmbandaceremony)andstoodwith</p><p>mybacktothewall,shaking,asthreepeoplebecamepossessed.Iwatchedtheir</p><p>auras,anditwasnotlikewhatI’dseenhappentomyformerhighpriestess—or</p><p>perhaps itwas along the same lines, but farmore intense. Their auras simply</p><p>shrankawaytoalmostnothing,andSomethingElseblossomedintheirplace—</p><p>somethingwith an aura that reachedout across the room,bright andpowerful</p><p>like nothing I’d seen in a body before.Although it seemed to center on their</p><p>dancing,stalking,screaming,orproneforms, it lookedmore likeananchoring</p><p>point than anything else. The Presence spun around the centerpoint of their</p><p>bodies,andlookingatitmademeshakeandtwitchevenmore.</p><p>Oneofthemcamestraightforme:Ogoun,theHunter.Hegrabbedmebythe</p><p>armandspunmeoutofthecrowd,butitwasn’tjustasadancepartner.Hisgrip</p><p>flung me to the floor in front of one of the altars—purple-draped, copper-</p><p>crowned,setwithold-fashionedfans.Myforeheadtouchedtheedgeofthesmall</p><p>coffee table, and I was gone. Oyamoved intome like awhirlwind, and then</p><p>therewas nothing except flashes ofmy vision spinning around like a dervish.</p><p>Shetaughtmesomethinginpassing,didOya,theLadyofstormandwindand</p><p>thecemetery.Thisispartofwhatyouarefor,shesaidassheleftme.</p><p>IlearnedwhatIcouldfromtheUmbandahouse,butwhiletheyhelpedmeto</p><p>understandthephenomenon,andatleastnolongerdoubtmysanity,theycould</p><p>nottellmewhothePresenceswerewhomovedthroughme.Itwouldbeyears</p><p>before I discovered their names and their motives. In the meantime, the</p><p>Umbandistasgentlyshooedmeoutthedoor,andIwentbacktotheNeo-Pagan</p><p>community—or what passed for it at the time—armed with new knowledge</p><p>explainedinnopopularPaganbooksoftheday.</p><p>THIS IS THEWAY THAT THE STORYGOES, according to a friend who</p><p>claims to have seen it happen: Itwas themid-1980s, and theywere part of a</p><p>traditionalWiccan coven.Therewas going to be aDrawingDown theMoon,</p><p>that rite inwhich theGoddess speaks through the female leader of the group.</p><p>Lately,insteadofmerelycallingtheGoddessbyhermanynames,thecovenhad</p><p>been calling specific goddesses…Aphrodite for love,Demeter for healing of</p><p>theEarth.TonighttheywerecallingAthenatoblessthemwithclearmindsand</p><p>knowledge. As usual for a Gardnerian-style coven, they were skyclad—nude</p><p>exceptfortheirsacredjewelry.</p><p>On thisnight,however,somethinghappened that theydidnotexpectduring</p><p>thechantingof therite.Thepriestesssuddenlyjerked,andthenherheadcame</p><p>upwithaglarethattheyhadneverseeninhereyesbefore.Chillsrandownthe</p><p>spinesofeverymanandwomanpresent.The figure in thecenterof thecircle</p><p>stareddownatherbody, liftedherheadagain,anddemanded inacompelling</p><p>andresonantvoice,“WhyamInaked?!”</p><p>She proceeded to tell themwhat incompetent fools they all were, and how</p><p>theywere completely unworthy of her blessings.Then the priestess collapsed,</p><p>andthePresencewasgone,leavingthecovenfrozenandunabletospeak.Later,</p><p>some blamed the priestess for deliberately ruining the circle in order to get</p><p>attention. Others were more certain that the voice that chastised them didn’t</p><p>belong to her at all. Someone bothered to look upAthena and discovermore</p><p>abouther than thebriefparagraph that thecovenmemberswhohadsuggested</p><p>invoking her had absorbed from their high school ancient history class. She</p><p>foundthatAthenawasnevershowninthenude;itwouldbeagreatsacrilegeto</p><p>doso. In fact,her statuewas regularlydressed inmanychangesof fine robes,</p><p>and a new cloak was ritually crafted for her every year by local weavers. A</p><p>Jungian-archetypeAthena—theCliffsNotesversionofa realdeity—mightnot</p><p>have cared, but the actualAthena had let the coven know exactly howwrong</p><p>theywere.</p><p>Thissituationneverhappenedasecondtimewiththisparticularcoven,asthe</p><p>priestesswasfairlytraumatizedbytheeventandrefusedtodrawdownanymore</p><p>goddessesforsometime.Thecovenbrokeupsoonafterwardforotherreasons.</p><p>TheincidentbecamesomethingofalegendamongthelocalWiccangroups,and</p><p>eventuallyfounditswayintothegreaterPagancommunity.MostPagansdidn’t</p><p>knowwhattothinkabouttheideaofbeingpossessedbyadeity,justlikethat,</p><p>but for themost part it made them uncomfortable. Possessionwas something</p><p>donebyevilspirits,likeinTheExorcist,right?Iftheyhadsomeknowledgeof</p><p>Afro-Caribbeanreligiouspractices,theymightassociateitwiththosetraditions,</p><p>buteventhatseemedratherfar-fetchedandalientoamodernWesternspiritual</p><p>tradition. There was also the fear of being seen as foolish, or delusional, or</p><p>manipulative.Afterall,howcouldonedefendittotheskeptics?Itallhadtheair</p><p>ofthemadhousetoPagans,whopridedthemselvesonbeingrationalpeople.The</p><p>actualdeliberatepracticeofspirit-possessionforritualpurposesveeredbetween</p><p>being discouraged and being disbelieved entirely.And so itwas pushed aside</p><p>intooblivion…exceptthatpeoplekeptgettingpossessed,sometimesbyentities</p><p>whoclaimedtobethegodswhomthosepeopleclaimedtobeworshipping.</p><p>In the last ten years, spirit-possession as a phenomenon has gained new</p><p>groundinmanyplaces.Peoplearebecomingmoreknowledgeableandinformed</p><p>aboutthetraditionalfaithsthatpracticeit,suchastheAfrican-diasporareligions.</p><p>Interest inshamanic traditions fromallover theworld isgrowing,andseekers</p><p>findthatspirit-possessionisanintegralpartofmany(althoughnotall)ofthose</p><p>practices. New Age channelers are letting spirits who claim to be ascended</p><p>spiritualmastersspeakthroughtheirmouths togivegeneraladvice toordinary</p><p>people. In Neo-Pagan communities—the demographic where educated white</p><p>Westernersaremostlikelytobeinclosequarterswithpolytheismandanimism</p><p>—possessionofwillingandunwillingpeoplebyancientgodsandgoddessesis</p><p>growingslowlybutsteadily,sometimestothedismayofcommunityleaderswho</p><p>arenotsurehowtohandlethephenomenonsafelyandsensitively.</p><p>Rollforwardintime,toaNeo-Pagangatheringheldin2004.Thedrumcircle,</p><p>a regular festival event that consists of a bonfire aroundwhich drummers and</p><p>dancersgoatitallnight,isinfullswing.AnattendeewhopracticesVodouand</p><p>whoisahorse(theAfro-Caribbeantermthatwewillusethroughoutthisbookto</p><p>describesomeonewhosebodyregularlyhostsgodsand/orspirits)comesdown</p><p>toseewhatthisdrumcircleisallabout.Shelandsnexttosomeoneofanentirely</p><p>differenttradition,beatingonashaman-drum.Adoorisopened,andoneofthe</p><p>lwaspirits—Ogou,hunterandwarriorandsmith—takesherbodywithamighty</p><p>cry.Thatbodygoesleapingaroundthecircle,yelling,asOgouisknowntodo,</p><p>until he seizes a woman by the hand and pulls her forcibly into the circle to</p><p>dance.</p><p>ThewomanisalsoaVodoupractitioner,althoughsheisfromadifferent</p><p>with the percentage of Pagans who will inevitably see spirit-</p><p>possessionasmetaphoricalactingatbestandself-delusionormental illnessat</p><p>worst.</p><p>Todate,theNeoPagandemographichasonlyoccasionallycometostrifeand</p><p>argumentoverthedifferingpointsofbelieflistedabove.Partofthisisduetothe</p><p>social ethic of religious tolerance prevalent in NeoPaganism today (which,</p><p>admittedly, varies from group to group), but part of it is due to the fact that</p><p>serious Pagan theological study and comparativewriting is still in its infancy</p><p>withinourownfaiths,andnotyettakenseriouslyenoughbyoutsidefaithstobe</p><p>worthyofcomparative studyby reputable interfaith theologians.This situation</p><p>will inevitably change as more deep writing and discussion is created and</p><p>discussedacrossreligiouslines(amaturationoffaiththatisalreadyoccurring),</p><p>andasNeoPaganismcontinues togrow innumbers. It isnot impossible tosee</p><p>thephenomenonofgod-possessionasatouchstoneinthisoncomingargument,</p><p>beingasitisthepointatwhichourworldsandtheworldsofSpirittouchmost</p><p>closely.Frankly,we suggest thatyouall holdon for an interesting ride.So to</p><p>speak.</p><p>THEAFRICAN-DIASPORAWORLD</p><p>MostHaitianVodouisantsspendlittletimecontemplatingthecosmologybehind</p><p>their practices. They don’t need elaborate philosophical justifications to prove</p><p>that the lwaexist: theycan talk to them—orhorse them—atany fet.Since the</p><p>majority of Haitian Vodouisants are illiterate, there is little call for tomes of</p><p>metaphysicalspeculations.Theycaremoreaboutresultsthanrationale:Aslong</p><p>as their magic works, they are not particularly concerned with the whys and</p><p>wherefores.</p><p>In practice, Vodou’s cosmology is (like Vodou) a mélange of African</p><p>traditional beliefs and folk Catholicism. The world was created by Bondye</p><p>(“BonDieu”or“GoodGod”);aftercompletingtheuniverse,hewithdrewfrom</p><p>creationandleftday-to-daymaintenanceinthehandsofthemisté(mysteries,a</p><p>blanket term that comprises the lwa, saints, angels, djabs or wild spirits, and</p><p>other spiritual entities).WhileBondye is recognized as theSupremeRuler, he</p><p>figureslittleintheeverydaylivesofVodouisants.</p><p>Some have tried to paint this as a “European corruption” of the original</p><p>Africantraditions,awaybywhichAfricangodswerereducedtomereservants</p><p>ofYHVH. In fact, it is quite in keepingwith religious beliefs throughout the</p><p>Africancontinent.TheZuluofSouthAfricacallGoduZivelele (Hewho isof</p><p>Himself, theSelf-existentOne),while theMasaiofKenyaandTanzaniaspeak</p><p>ofEngai (theUnseenOne)and theTendaofGuineaspeakofHounounga(the</p><p>Unknown). Alongside this belief in a distant (and uninterested) creator is an</p><p>equallystrongbeliefinthespiritworldandspiritualbeingswholivealongside</p><p>andworkwithoragainstmankind.2</p><p>VodouisantshonorBondye,andotherfiguresfromChristianity,byattending</p><p>RomanCatholicMasses. They sit quietly as the priest rails against “folly and</p><p>superstition”and“devilworship,” sayaRosaryor two for theVirgin, thengo</p><p>back home. (Those who were raised Catholic will smile knowingly at this</p><p>“cafeteriaCatholicism”approach.)Certainsaintsarealsocalleduponregularly.</p><p>St.Michael thearchangel is seenasapowerfulprotectorandguardianagainst</p><p>evil; St. Philomena is widely loved and St. John the Baptist is particularly</p><p>popularwithHaitianFreemasons.Topeopleraisedincultureswhereparticularly</p><p>virtuous or powerful deceased ancestors look after their descendants, a belief</p><p>thatiswidespreadthroughoutAfrica,thevenerationofsaintsislogical.</p><p>Thosewhowishtodrawclearlinesbetweenthesaintsandthelwawillsoon</p><p>be disappointed. Some saint images are used to represent the lwa: most</p><p>Vodouisantswholookatapictureof thedenim-cladSt. Isadoreprayinginhis</p><p>fields will identify it as Zaka, the hardworking peasant lwa of agriculture.</p><p>Sometimes the saints are served in the same manner as the lwa: Philomena</p><p>(Filomez),Clare(Klemezin),andSt.JohntheBaptist(SanJuanBaptiste)have</p><p>all beenknown topossesspeople.Tomake things evenmore confusing, John</p><p>theBaptistcanbehonoredasasaintandoccasionallypossessespeople,buthis</p><p>imagecanalsobeusedtorepresentTi-JanDanto,thesonofEziliDantoanda</p><p>powerfullwainhisownright.</p><p>Whereas we are most familiar with the body and spirit dichotomy,</p><p>Vodouisantsdrawaconsiderablymorecomplexsoulmap.Thekokadav is the</p><p>physicalbody;it isanimatedbythe“littlegoodangel”or tibonange (theego</p><p>andpersonality) and the “biggood angel,” orgwobonange (the soul),which</p><p>actsinaccordancewiththezetwal(literally,“star”:theclosestapproximationto</p><p>thezetwalwouldprobablybetheHigherSelfor“HolyGuardianAngel”ofthe</p><p>Abramelinsystem).Duringpossessionthetibonangestepsaside,allowingthe</p><p>lwatotakecontrolofthekokadavanduseitasifitweretheirown.Inaddition,</p><p>individuals have one ormore lwawho “walkwith” them, taking a direct and</p><p>personalinterestintheirwell-being.</p><p>Upon death, the conglomeration, which is the individual, dissolves and the</p><p>soulgoes“beneaththewaters.”(ThismostlikelycomesfromtheKongo,where</p><p>deadsoulsaresaidtoresideatthebottomoftheocean.)Iftheindividualwasa</p><p>memberofasociété,theirgwobonangemaybe“drawnoutofthewater”aftera</p><p>yearandadayandplacedinagovi(terra-cottacontainer).Fromtheretheycan</p><p>look after and protect the société and their descendents. If the individualwas</p><p>particularlypowerfuland/ornotorious,theymayevenreturninpossessionasa</p><p>lwa. Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the first ruler of Haiti, is honored in many</p><p>peristylesasOgouDessalines.(Aswithsaintandlwa,thelinesbetweenthetwo</p><p>arenotalwaysclear.)</p><p>TheslaveswhowerebroughttoHaitiinchainslookedbackwithlongingon</p><p>Gineh(Guinea,orAfrica).Totheirdescendants,Ginehbecameamythicalholy</p><p>land, the place where the spirits live, an Avalon or Land-Under-Wave. In</p><p>keeping with African traditions, Gineh was placed beneath the ocean, yet</p><p>alongsidetheseAfricanbeliefswasthefolkCatholic ideathatheavenisabove</p><p>us. Vodouisants deal with this apparent contradiction by holding both beliefs</p><p>simultaneously.Gineh,thehomeofthelwaandancestors,isstillseenasaplace</p><p>beneaththeocean—yetwhenthelwacomeinafet,itisbelievedthattheycome</p><p>downthepoto-mitan,thecenterpolethatjoinsheavenandearth.</p><p>Technically speaking, Vodou (andmost African-diaspora traditions) can be</p><p>consideredmonotheistic,sincetheypayhomagetooneCreatorGod.Inpractice,</p><p>theybehaveverymuchlikeexplicitlypolytheisticfaiths.Thisgetsusintothorny</p><p>questions about what constitutes “worship.” Vodouisants might say that they</p><p>worshipGodbygoing toMass; theyhonor the spiritsbyproviding themwith</p><p>sacrificeandhonoringthematfetsandotherevents.ThroughCatholicismthey</p><p>fulfill their spiritualobligations,whereas theirworkwithVodou is focusedon</p><p>temporalneedslikehealth,love,andprosperity.Whatthesefaithsmostcertainly</p><p>arenotisatheistic.Thereisnoconceptthatthespiritsarearchetypesorsymbols;</p><p>theveryideawouldstrikemostVodouisantsasbothsillyanddangerous.</p><p>Other African-diaspora faiths have similar to nearly identical cosmologies.</p><p>Santeria, like Vodou, has a distant and uncommunicative “Architect of the</p><p>Universe” deity namedOlodumare, towhomno shrines are erected normuch</p><p>attention paid. It is Olodumare’s children, the</p><p>orishas, who command the</p><p>attention of humanity.UnlikeVodou, inwhich a saint’s name can be both an</p><p>alias for a lwa and a deceased Catholic spirit (and either may ride a human</p><p>being),inSanteriathesaintandtheorishaareconsideredtobethesamespirit.</p><p>Theviewisnotsomuchthat“thesaintisamaskfortheoriginalAfricanorisha”</p><p>asthatthesaintandorishaarethesamespiritwithadifferentmanifestationand</p><p>name,acosmologicalviewthatcouldbeconsideredslightlymorepantheistic,at</p><p>leastalongcertainlines.</p><p>There isalsoagreateremphasison theorisha,orsanto,havingoncebeena</p><p>human being who became a minor divinity because of (or in spite of) some</p><p>personalqualities.WhilemanyoftheoriginalYorubadeitiesdohavemythsthat</p><p>postulate them as ancient human kings or queens, the emphasis on this in</p><p>Santeria is derived fromCatholicism, thus strengthening their similarity to the</p><p>Catholicsaints.Howisitthatthesespiritshavetwo“human”histories—onein</p><p>African legend and one inCatholicmyth—yet are said to be the same spirit?</p><p>Most santeros are comfortablewith contradictions and just accept it as oneof</p><p>themysteriesoftheUniverse.Thefewwhoattempttoexplainitwillsometimes</p><p>speak of those two historical humans both “merging” with the spirit that</p><p>attractedeachof them,andas they’reentirelymergednow, there’snopoint in</p><p>worryingaboutwhattheyoncewere.</p><p>In Brazil, Candomblé developed with the additional influences of Native</p><p>American folk beliefs on top of theAfrican cosmology andCatholic overlay.</p><p>Working with plants is exceptionally important in Candomblé, to the point</p><p>where someCandomblégroupshave a tradition (borrowed from the locals) of</p><p>usingentheogenicplantsinritual,somethingthatisnotfoundinotherbranches</p><p>ofAfrican-diasporareligion.Theritualizedcareandtheusageofhealingherbs</p><p>arealsoastrongNativeAmericaninfluence,tothepointwherealocalhomilyis</p><p>“withoutleaves,therecanbenoCandomblé.”Dealingwithplantspiritstakeson</p><p>a more important level in Candomblé, as well as the local spirits of place,</p><p>unusual inadiasporafaithandclearly thegiftofnative locals to thedisplaced</p><p>polyglotreligion.Similarly,whileall theAfrican-diasporafaithshaveacertain</p><p>amountofstrongbelief in the livingenergyandpresenceofall things—rocks,</p><p>water, trees, and so forth—Candomblé is themost wholly animistic, inmany</p><p>waysjustasanimisticasShinto.</p><p>IfyouallarrivedataCandomblé terreiroand talkedabout“cosmology”</p><p>or“cosmovision,”somepeople,especiallytheelderswhohavenothadthe</p><p>formal study that we younger ones have had, would say to you,</p><p>“Cosmology?What’s that?No, I don’t knowabout that.”But their daily</p><p>practice is completely permeated with a specific cosmology, a typical</p><p>worldview…Forus,whatmatters is that therockisalive, theplantsare</p><p>alive, the earth is alive. Water is alive, animals. We ourselves are alive</p><p>becauseofallthis.Thereisan“energy”intheplantthatnourishesus,that</p><p>curesus.Andthiscurecanbeintheformofatea,asyrup,somethingyou</p><p>drink,somethingyourubonyourskin,somethingthatyouinhale.Butalso,</p><p>youcantakealeaf,forexample,andyoucansayafewwordsandpassthat</p><p>leafover someone’sbody,becausewebelieve that the leaf isnot just the</p><p>leaf that we see—this form, this color, this texture—but an energy that</p><p>exists in the leaf is capableof interactingwith yourbody,with you, even</p><p>withyourmind.Wearenature.Natureistheessence,thebaseofourbelief</p><p>andthebaseofourrelationwiththeworldthatweseeandtheworldthat</p><p>wedon’tsee.3</p><p>—ValdinaPinto</p><p>Umbanda,sometimesmodernly referred toasQuimbanda, is themost recently</p><p>developed of the Afro-Caribbean faiths, conglomerated in the 1920s from</p><p>African-diaspora deities, native Brazilian beliefs, folk Catholicism, and more</p><p>strikingly the Spiritist movement (sometimes referred to as Kardecism, from</p><p>Allan Kardec’s writings on the subject). Like other folk-cultural religions, it</p><p>variesfromsmallgrouptosmallgroupinitshierarchyofspirits.However,each</p><p>followsthesamepatternofbelievinginonecreatorgodwholeaveshumanityto</p><p>itsowndevices,andthenspeaksoflegionuponlegionofspirit“nations,”some</p><p>under thepurviewof theorishas and some separate.Conceptionsof the saints</p><p>andorishasvaryfromgrouptogroup,butthereseemstobemoreofatendency</p><p>to assume that the saints’ names are simplymasks for the orishas themselves,</p><p>whotakeonmoreimportance.</p><p>There is more actual musing on cosmology among Umbandistas, perhaps</p><p>because it is so infusedwith the intellectualSpiritistmovement.Umbandahas</p><p>been accused of being a synthetic rather than a syncretic religion, self-</p><p>consciously reinvented by the nineteenth-century Spiritists to look more</p><p>“civilized”and“scientific”thanCandomblé.Itisnoaccidentthatamongallthe</p><p>African-diasporafaiths,Umbandaisboththetraditionwiththehighestlevelsof</p><p>allowed Caucasian membership and the tradition with the most recognizable</p><p>discussionoftheologyandcosmology.Somegroupswillacceptthe“polytheist”</p><p>label;otherswill lookovertheirshoulderat thewatchingCatholicChurchand</p><p>saythattheorishasareonlyspirits,andsubordinatetotheRealGod,whichthey</p><p>thenentirelyignore.Agooddealoftheoryhasbeenwrittenaboutthenatureof</p><p>spiritsandtheirabilitytomoveinandoutofhumanbodies,butmostofitisin</p><p>PortugueseandnotavailabletoEnglish-speakers.</p><p>When Umbanda moved north with Brazilian emigrants in the last few</p><p>decades, it tookonadifferentcharacter.NorthAmericanUmbandagroupsare</p><p>more likely to utilize the sacrifices and props that Brazilian Umbanda has</p><p>scornedasbeing“backward”and“barbaric”incompetingCandomblépractices.</p><p>Where some Brazilian Umbanda groups do not encourage possession by the</p><p>orishasatall,consideringittobetoodangerousforthehorse,northernonestend</p><p>tohavenoproblemwithit,probablyduetocloseinteractionwithandinfection</p><p>by the other African-derived religions in the smaller and less religiously</p><p>segregated ethnic communities. In general, BrazilianUmbanda has striven for</p><p>increasingly more “civilized” behavior; less possession, forbidding possession</p><p>by spirits who are vulgar and use obscenities; and less traditional African</p><p>atmosphere and paraphernalia, perhaps due to various tides of racism and</p><p>classisminBrazil.NorthernUmbanda,carriedbylower-classemigrants,isoften</p><p>consideredtohave“backslid”somewhat.NorthernUmbandagroups,especially</p><p>thosenowrun largelybynon-Brazilianmembers,mayallowrandomaudience</p><p>possession by the orishas, whereas southern groups reserve this for trained</p><p>initiates.</p><p>ThereisalsoalotmoreemphasisonbeingpossessedbythesoulsoftheDead</p><p>inUmbanda,which also harks back to its associationwithSpiritism.Like the</p><p>related Spiritualists in North America, ghostmediumship is a main form of</p><p>divination in Umbanda, but unlike sedate northern mediums with their quiet</p><p>circlesindarkrooms,Umbandaghost-possessionsarelikelytobeasriotousas</p><p>rides by the orishas. In fact, there is a line of thought in someUmbanda and</p><p>Umbanda-derived Spiritist groups that giving one’s body to a wandering,</p><p>sunderedghosttemporarilyisawaytohelpteachitandaiditinmovingontoa</p><p>highercondition,andthatdoingsoalsogivesgood“credit”toone’sownsoul.</p><p>Anemphasis isplacedon“helping the lower spirits,”</p><p>which isnotnecessarily</p><p>present in other African-diaspora faiths. Umbanda practitioners acknowledge</p><p>that this form of spiritual charity can be dangerous, but assert that it is</p><p>reasonablysafewhendoneinthecontrolledatmosphereoftherite,withskilled</p><p>people lookingon to intervene.Thus theorishasarrive to teachhumanity,and</p><p>humanityinturnaidssunderedspirits,sometimesatthesamebembe.</p><p>Another interestingpoint that is sometimes seenamongUmbandistas is that</p><p>theyacknowledgedifferentlevelsoftrance-depth,andthatthehorse’smindand</p><p>spirit may color the possession to one extent or another in a lighter trance.</p><p>Unlike in theother traditions, thehorse isnotnecessarilyentirelyunconscious</p><p>during the possession trance, although they are not in control of their own</p><p>bodies.</p><p>Afterreadingthese“explanations,”youmayverywellbemoreconfusedthan</p><p>youwerewhenyoustarted.Thisisbecauseyou(liketheauthors)comefroma</p><p>culture thatplacesapremiumuponrationalism.Oneof thecorebeliefsdrilled</p><p>intousfromanearlyagewas“Everythinghasalogicalexplanation.”Whenwe</p><p>usetermslike“supernatural,”wereallymean“anaturalphenomenonthathasn’t</p><p>been explained yet.” Even those who accept the existence of a spirit world</p><p>expectthatitfunctionsaccordingtoclearlydelineatedrulesandregulationsthat</p><p>canbeunderstood,evenifwedon’thaveallthenecessarydataathandjustyet.</p><p>Being comfortable with the kind of contradictions that seem normal to a</p><p>traditional practitioner of aboriginal religion looks superstitious to us, as if</p><p>people haven’t bothered to think aboutwhat should be, in our eyes, themost</p><p>interestingpartofit.</p><p>Other cultures, by contrast, recognize the limitations of the rational. They</p><p>don’t expect the spiritworld tomake sense; they have no interest in aGrand</p><p>UnifiedFieldTheoryWhichWillExplain theSpiritual andTemporalWorlds.</p><p>Instead, they focus on the practical applications of their work.While it goes</p><p>againstthescientificallymindedbraintostartwiththiswayofthinking,itmay</p><p>beeasieratfirstifyoutakethisapproachtotheissuesathand:Acceptthatthe</p><p>spiritsyouareworkingwitharereal,thenconcentrateonthewaysinwhichyou</p><p>canmost effectivelyworkwith them.Much as you can turn on a light switch</p><p>without a degree in electrical engineering, you canworkwith the spiritworld</p><p>without a complete understanding of its metaphysics. (Indeed, traditional</p><p>followers of these religions would say that such an understanding would be</p><p>impossible—theydon’tcallthem“mysteries”fornothing!)</p><p>Ifnothingelse, startingwithanopenmindanda“blackbox”attitudeabout</p><p>possession can prevent one’s own unconscious (and often dismissive)</p><p>assumptionsfromgettinginthewayandcreatingproblemswithotherpeople’s</p><p>experiences. Most of us did not grow up in a culture where possession was</p><p>accepted as possible,much lesswith an organized set of rules to handle it in</p><p>community settings. It’s a useful thing to suspend one’s frantic quest for the</p><p>metaphysicalhowsandwhysuntilonehashadtimetoobjectivelyobservehow</p><p>thingsactuallywork.Wesuggestthisasausefulbeginningattitudenotjustfor</p><p>anindividual,butalsoforcommunitiesasawholethatarenewtotheconcept.</p><p>Don’tmakepolicybasedon“webelievethisiswhyithappens”;makeitbased</p><p>on“thisiswhatisactuallyreportedtohappenonaregularbasis,”regardlessof</p><p>whythatmightbe.</p><p>Afterall,thinkforamomentaboutthescopeofthesubjectthatwearetalking</p><p>abouthere,atbottom:themechanismbywhichdeitiesfunctionandinteractwith</p><p>our world. It’s not as if humanity hasn’t been trying to tackle that one for</p><p>millennia,andit’shubristothinkthatweoughttobeabletosolvethemysteryat</p><p>dinner tonightoverpizza, ifwecould justobserveacoupleofpossessions,or</p><p>perhapsnaildownagodandinterrogatehim.(Notthatthere’smuchchanceof</p><p>thatlastone.)Let’shavealittlehumilityonthesubjectandkeepanopenmind,</p><p>andwe’llhaveabetterchanceofactuallylearningsomething.</p><p>TOCOMPAREANDCONTRAST theactualpossessionexperience, from the</p><p>inside and the outside, between the African-diaspora context and the modern</p><p>Neo-Pagan context is something that can still be done only tentatively, with</p><p>greatcaution.WhenscholarshavewrittenabouttheAfro-Caribbeanpossession</p><p>phenomenon,theytendtobesocaughtupwiththeunusual(tothem)behavior</p><p>ofthehorses,orinsearchingforamentalhealthorsocial-delusionparadigmto</p><p>fitaroundit,thattheyrarelygivegood,objectivedescriptionsaboutsuchthings</p><p>aslengthoftimeandeffectonthehorselater.ModernPaganswatchingPagan</p><p>possession have done little better, assuming that one can find any written</p><p>accounts at all, which is rare. So for those interested in the possession</p><p>phenomenon,thereisascarcityofmaterialtobeginwith.</p><p>Also,possessionexperiencesvaryamongAfrican-diasporafaiths.AtaVodou</p><p>fet, the lwa are called one by one, both verbally by the congregation and the</p><p>hounganormamboandrhythmicallybythedrummerswhodrumspecificsecret</p><p>rhythmsdesignedtocalleachlwainparticular.Sometimesthelwawillshowup</p><p>andridesomeone,andsometimestheywon’t.Sincetheseritestendtobeafast</p><p>“rollcall”oflwa,thepossessionstendtobeveryshort—sometimeslessthana</p><p>minute, sometimes a few minutes, but it is unusual for them to go on for a</p><p>particularlylongtime.</p><p>The orisha spirits, on the other hand, tend to like to stick around awhile.</p><p>Individual groups may vary, but in most Santeria, Candomblé, and Umbanda</p><p>groups,ifanorishashowsup,theymaystayforaminuteorforanhour.Thereis</p><p>usually more emphasis in traditional forms of these groups on having horses</p><p>alreadyonhandwhoareprimedand ready toopen to certain specificorishas,</p><p>rather thanlettingpossessionhappenrandomlyin theaudience.(Somemodern</p><p>nontraditionalgroups,ofcourse,don’tmindhavinganaudiencefree-for-all,but</p><p>theyareintheminority.)InCandombléandUmbanda,possessionscangoonfor</p><p>up to a couple of hours, usually one at a time.While there are bembeswhere</p><p>several people are possessed at once, it is usually restricted to just a few,</p><p>depending on who is especially wanted or whose feast day it is. Divinatory</p><p>possessions—usually less public rites with only the horse, a small team of</p><p>handlers andassistants, anda fewquerents—are especially likely togoon for</p><p>quiteawhile.</p><p>Neo-Pagan planned possessions—in former days, generally “drawing down</p><p>theMoon”sortsofthingsthatjustgotdeeperthanexpected—havetendedtobe</p><p>moresedate.Thisseemstobepartiallyaboutthesedatenessoftheritualculture,</p><p>whichhastendedtobecrowdedintoasmalllivingroomratherthanabigdance</p><p>aroundthebonfire.However,italsoseemstobeaboutthenatureandwishesof</p><p>theEuropeandeitiesthemselves,whohavesometimescomethroughexpectinga</p><p>certain sort of ritual presentation. While this has often been difficult for the</p><p>unprepared groups who inadvertently hosted them, it has also given us some</p><p>usefulinformationastohowitwasdoneinancient(andpre-literary)times,and</p><p>how it should be done now. As things progress with this newly rediscovered</p><p>religiousactivity,wehopetolearnstillmore.</p><p>Onethingthatdefinitelycreatescommonalityamongpossessionexperiences</p><p>in all these varied communities is the self-related experience of the horses</p><p>themselves. The words used to describe</p><p>ritual trance-possession states are</p><p>similar, regardless of the origin of the spirit involved. Sensory input seems to</p><p>move farther away; there is a sense of “receding” from one’s own body and</p><p>senses; then a sense of the Spirit arriving in a rush of color, image, and pure</p><p>feeling much larger than one’s self. Afterward, there is usually a sense of</p><p>exhaustion,emptiness,andsometimesconfusion.There isalso,permeating the</p><p>entireexperiencefrombeginningtoend,apalpablesenseofawe.</p><p>It starts with me feeling the deity rising up behind me, and then I’m</p><p>informedthat theywant tousemybody.Irelaxmymentalandemotional</p><p>barriers,openmyselfspecificallyandonlytothatgodorgoddess.Iusually</p><p>feelThemmovingintomefrombehind,sortofenvelopingmeandentering</p><p>the sphere of my consciousness and the cloak of my flesh from the</p><p>head/neckarea.ThenTheyflowintome,andIampushedbacktowhatever</p><p>degreethedeityinquestionwants.IhavecertainwarningsignsthatIam</p><p>about tobe taken. Iwill feelandhearbuzzingaboutmyhead.Myvision</p><p>may start to gray, and I will feel myself become disconnected from the</p><p>physicalworld.As thedeities inquestionbegin to seat themselves, Imay</p><p>become nonverbal or my speech may grow disjointed. Eventually I stop</p><p>completely,andthenTheyareincharge.</p><p>Coming out of it can feel disorienting—my vision is usually odd,</p><p>sometimes over-bright, sometimes fuzzy double vision. It depends on the</p><p>deity and the length of possession. I will usually feel a cool lightness</p><p>physicallyasthoughaheavyburdenIhavebeencarryingonmyshoulders</p><p>has been cast off. At the same time, sometimes there is a feeling of loss</p><p>within,orconverselyanextremelystrongsenseofenduringconnectionto</p><p>the god or goddess in question. I may have trouble walking, as the</p><p>disorientationoften includesa lackofbalance.Speechmaybedisjointed,</p><p>justaspriortoapossession,andImaybeoutoftouchwithmybody.Imay</p><p>have something of an emotional high for some time after; disorientation,</p><p>sensitivity to noise, fits of giggling, bursts of energy and vitality, all of</p><p>whicheventuallyplummetstoexhaustionandadireneedtosleep.</p><p>—GalinaKrasskova,Heathenspirit-worker</p><p>WhenIamwaiting,Imayfeeltwitchyandirritable.Whenthetimecomes,I</p><p>start singingwith the rest, and can in fact singmyself into trance. Imay</p><p>starttofeeldetachedandwoozy,sometimesmyheadjerks,thencomesthe</p><p>rush, and sometimes a surge of energy that is released by stamping or</p><p>laughter.Atthatpointthedeitycomesin,bodylanguagechanges,ands/he</p><p>signals to others by putting on the regalia. I am in the back seat</p><p>somewhere,andthedeityhasaccesstomyknowledgeaswellastohisor</p><p>herown.At the time I think Iwill remembereverything,and that I could</p><p>exercisecontrol,exceptthatthe“me”thinkingisnottheusualone.Atthe</p><p>debriefingafterward,Ioftenfindthattherearemajorholesinmymemories</p><p>oftheevents.</p><p>—Odinsmeri,eclecticNorse/Umbandaspirit-medium</p><p>Assuming I have forewarning of more than a few seconds, I begin by</p><p>disassociating with my body; I let my consciousness float and begin to</p><p>disconnect.Whenthedeityisready,Icanfeelanenormouspressurebehind</p><p>me or all around me; their presence is always unmistakable. If I don’t</p><p>immediately relax and allowmy “ barrier” down, the pressure becomes</p><p>very uncomfortable very quickly; the effect is rather like a sealed glass</p><p>containerthatisdraggedtowardthebottomoftheocean—prettysoonthe</p><p>greaterpressureshattersthecontainer.Ihaveneverreachedtheshattering</p><p>point;Ijustgiveintotheexperience.</p><p>IknowthedeityismovinginbecausesuddenlyIfeellikeI’meightfeet</p><p>tall! The shift in how the body feels is very marked; I feel physically</p><p>different,maybetallerorwithunfamiliarbodyparts.AsIletthemsettleI</p><p>may open my eyes, and I’m always surprised that I’m not staring down</p><p>fromagreatheightbecausemybodyistellingmethatIam.Iliterallyfeel</p><p>greaterthanlife.</p><p>After the initial rush, the deity begins to settle and I letmy awareness</p><p>relax in thebackseat.Sometimes thedeityshovesme fartherback if they</p><p>don’t think I’m removed enough; I’m not a particularly gifted horse, so</p><p>sometimes this can result in a short struggle between us while it’s</p><p>discoveredexactlyhow farawayIamable togo. Iamgenerallyallowed</p><p>someawareness,butIrecalllittleornoconversationoraction;Iamaware</p><p>ofitonsomelevel,thoughit’swithoutanyidentification.Idon’tfeelItake</p><p>partintheeventsatall,Igetnopleasurefromthefoodordrinkconsumed,</p><p>andmyphysicalneedsmayormaynotbetakenintoconsideration.Itisn’t</p><p>untilafterthedeityleavesthatIbegintoorderwhatIhavewitnessed,but</p><p>thememoriesareverysketchyifIhaveanyatall,andtheyfeelcompletely</p><p>irrelevant.Theyaretheactionsofastranger,somybrainseesnoreasonto</p><p>keepthemonfile.</p><p>—SilenceMaestas,Paganspirit-worker</p><p>Ihavedoneagoodbitofguidedtranceworktravelingdownintomyhead,</p><p>andthat’swheretheimagesIusecomefrom.ThefirstthingthatIdoisto</p><p>takeastepbackintomyself. It’s likesteppingbackfromthecontrolsofa</p><p>big robot; I see my body as the robot, and I’m stepping back from the</p><p>controlpanel.NextIstepbackanddownevenfurther,andopenthedoorto</p><p>let thegodorspirit in,andwhile stayingback I let them takecontrol.At</p><p>that point, they have the body and can choose to let me watch the</p><p>interactionornot.</p><p>—FireheartTashlin,Paganspirit-worker</p><p>OftenthefirstthingIdoiscommunicatewithwhoeverisgoingtorideme:</p><p>“I’mgoingtobecominginnow.”Iclosemyeyesandtrytowillmyselfto</p><p>letgoofmybody.It’sliketryingtoforceyourselftofallasleep.Oftenfor</p><p>me,there’sthebeginningofafallingsensation,orlikesubmergingmyself</p><p>underwater.ThenIhavethefeelingofpressure,likesomethingpressingon</p><p>orthroughthebackofmyhead,andthatpressureforcesmefurtheraway.</p><p>IfI’mgoingtobe“behindthesafetyglass,”thenextthingI’mawareofis</p><p>a jolt, and at that point I’m looking out throughmy eyes, but I’m not in</p><p>willfulcontrolofmybody.IfI’mgoingtobeinthetrunk,there’sasimilar</p><p>butmoredramaticfeelingofbeingturnedupsidedown,andthennothing—</p><p>no full awareness—until the deity has left or is leaving, although I</p><p>sometimes have the feeling that Iwas aware of something, but I have no</p><p>memoryofwhattranspired.There’sthefeelingofavacuum,oremptiness,</p><p>or lessening of pressure, that I rush back in to fill, and I’m aware of</p><p>anotherjoltasItakecontrolofmybody,althoughImaybedissociatedfor</p><p>acoupleofhoursafterward,dependingonhowheavyarideitwas.</p><p>—WintersongTashlin,Paganspirit-worker</p><p>When Yemoya comes in, I lose all sense of time. To me, that would be</p><p>definedasfullpossession.Thereisanintensitywhenitbeginsthathappens</p><p>becauseIaminitiatedtoher.I’vebeentoldmyappearancechangeswhen</p><p>she enters. Since I normally walk with a cane, when Yemoya wants to</p><p>dance,thatcanbelotsoffun.AfterwardIthinkthatwemighthavedanced</p><p>forabout fifteenminutesonly tobe told thatmuch timehaspassed.With</p><p>Lilith,IamawareofwhatI’m/we’redoingasitishappening.Istandaside</p><p>and shehas control.Afterward, I donot remembermuch,but if someone</p><p>talks about what happened, shows me notes, or plays a recording, the</p><p>memoriesreturn.DuringaMisa,whenaspiritenters,</p><p>manytimesIstand</p><p>straighter.I’mstrong,andIcanwalkeasily.Tosomedegree,wheneverone</p><p>of them enters, there is a compulsion to act in certain ways. There are</p><p>uncontrollable physical reactions. For example,my bodymay shake or I</p><p>might laugh. My voice and personality change. The shaking has only</p><p>happened within Santeria while the personality and voice changes occur</p><p>acrosstheboard.</p><p>Inspirit-possession,Ifeelthe“knocking”ofthespiritwantingentrance.</p><p>IcanrefuseorIcanletitin;myspiritguidescanblocktheentrance.When</p><p>spirit-possessed, I delivermessages or do the neededwork, and then the</p><p>spirit leaves because its job is done. During the possession, I walk</p><p>differently;my inflectionandphrasing changes.Althoughmyappearance</p><p>mayshift,itistypicallylimitedtostance,flexibility,andstrength.However,</p><p>that’snotalwaysthecase.Whenaparticularspiritenters,mybodyshakes</p><p>allover.Whenaspiritleaves,mybodycanliterallyshakethemoff.</p><p>—LilithThreeFeathers,Olorisha</p><p>Deity-possession and spirit-possession look and feel very different tome.</p><p>When Yemaya possesses me, I don’t remember anything that happens</p><p>during that time. I lose time,and that’sa fullpossession. I feel like Iam</p><p>emptyingand fillingat the same time.That turnedout tobeaccurate for</p><p>seeing others get possessed by orisha; they seemed to light up from the</p><p>outsideandfromtheinsideat thesametime.Whenthelights“meet,”the</p><p>personisnotincontrolanymore—theorishais.That’stheonlytimethatI</p><p>haveseenthatphenomenon.</p><p>—OlorishaOmiLasaJoyWedmedyk</p><p>First,Igetmyselfintoatrancestate,howeverthatworksatthetime.Ilike</p><p>to take some time about it, calmingmyself and feeling open and relaxed</p><p>ratherthanclosedandtense.Itrytogetmythoughtsdowntoaflatline,a</p><p>dullmurmur.Imentallydetachfrommybody,preparingforSomeoneelse</p><p>totakeit.Iliketopaintmyfaceduringthistime,asithasbecomearitual</p><p>activity,anditrequireslookinginamirror.Whenthefacepaintisdone,I</p><p>stare into themirror,and takeamental“snapshot”of that facewhich is</p><p>now a vessel for a god or goddess. Then I slowly don the rest of my</p><p>costume, or have someone else do it, andmove into place. Then the god</p><p>descendsuponme—andthat’sactuallywhatitfeelslike,agreatform,like</p><p>a bird, swooping down on me. Light, darkness, overwhelming sensation.</p><p>Theymove intome through thebackofmyheadandmyspine,andIcan</p><p>justvaguely feelmyhandsandmouthmovingwithoutmyvolition, saying</p><p>thingsthatIcan’thear.ThenI’mgone,usually.SometimesI’mstilltherea</p><p>little, but it’s as if I’m sitting absolutely still and daydreaming about</p><p>something,myeyesfixedlazilyononepoint.Meanwhilethebodyisgoing</p><p>aboutunderthegod’scommands.Comingbackisareverseof this—Iget</p><p>controlof theeyes first,as theyrecede,andI“ liftmyeyes” for the first</p><p>time—occasionally just in timetoseethefloorrushingup,soit’sgoodto</p><p>haveahandlerabouttocatchme.</p><p>—Gudrun,seidhkona</p><p>DuringnearlyallAfrican-diasporapossessions,thehorselosesconsciousness</p><p>entirely—in fact, it is something of a “litmus test” for possession by those</p><p>spirits. The exception, as noted in the last section, is in Umbanda, where</p><p>divinationpossessionsareacknowledgedtocomethroughwithvaryinglevelsof</p><p>trance,anditisnotunusualforthehorsetoremembersomeoftheconversation</p><p>later.Inpracticetherearedifferinglevelsofpossession;ataVodoufetyouwill</p><p>frequently see the lwa “pass through” people and leave them shaken but</p><p>conscious, and it is not uncommon to see someone bellow as Ogou passes</p><p>throughthem,orseesomeonedroptothegroundasDamballahmakeshisway</p><p>throughthecongregation.(Foramorein-depthdiscussionofthecontroversyof</p><p>full unconsciousness versus partial unconsciousness, see the section in chapter</p><p>13calledMistakenPossessions.)</p><p>Among Neo-Pagans, because trances have tended to be spontaneous rather</p><p>thantrained,theresultscanvarywildly.Assumingforatrancedeepenoughto</p><p>even be referred to as possession, the horse may be entirely unconscious,</p><p>vaguelypresentinthebackgroundwithonlyafuzzymemoryoftheproceedings,</p><p>distantlypresentbutunabletohearanything,orabletosee,hear,andremember</p><p>everything clearly. Anecdotal evidence from the horses in question seems to</p><p>suggestthatthisisatleastpartlyamatterofthewishesofthedeityinquestion—</p><p>somewant their horse entirely out of theway, some could not care less, and</p><p>somewantthemtowatchforsomeeducationalpurpose.</p><p>European deities also seem to bemore controlled in theirmovement of the</p><p>body.There is very little falling on the ground—we have generally found the</p><p>transition to be smoother—and more of an immediate taking control of the</p><p>physicalmotions, although the deitiesmaymove the body entirely differently</p><p>from the horse. They dance less often, unless they are specifically associated</p><p>withdancing,andtendto“sitinstate”moreoften.Someprefertointeractwith</p><p>thecrowd,sometoletthecrowdcometothem,andsomesimplytolookonand</p><p>avoidthecrowd.BothAfricanandEuropeandeitiesliketoeatanddrinkduring</p><p>possessions,andwhetherthey“takeitwiththem”dependsmoreonthenatureof</p><p>thespiritthanthepantheon.</p><p>Theyalsotendtostayalot longer;Westerngodshaveremainedatanevent</p><p>forsomehours,althoughthisisratherhardonthehorse.Divineweddingsare,as</p><p>onemightexpect,aparticularlylongrideforthem.Anotherhugediscrepancyis</p><p>thatmanyEuropeandeitiesarewillingtobesexualwithworshippers(orperhaps</p><p>even expect it in some caseswhere itwas amajor part of their ancient rites),</p><p>wherecenturiesofCatholicismhastrainedthelwaandorishastoamorechaste</p><p>standard. (This tricky issue will also be dealt with in its entirety in a later</p><p>chapter.)</p><p>What vague and fragmentarymaterial we have on oracular and ceremonial</p><p>ritualpossessionbyEuropeandeitiessuggeststhattheytendedtomanifestwith</p><p>moredecorum,generally“holdingcourt”likenobility—whichtheydoseemto</p><p>haveconsideredthemselves—andtruetoform, theyalsoseemtomanifest that</p><p>way todayduringmodernpossessions.Another sort ofmanifestation seems to</p><p>have them specifically focusedonone activity thatwas traditional for them—</p><p>blessing the crops, giving advice, or, in the case of the Hunter, for example,</p><p>leadingaWildHunt.Generally,theywilleithershowupanddothatactivityand</p><p>thenleave,orshowupandbedisappointedthatthisactivityisnotforthcoming</p><p>(andsometimesrenderatongue-lashing)andleave,ortheymayspontaneously</p><p>trigger this activity into happening,which is another reasonwhy communities</p><p>needtogetasmuchinformationfromthegodsaspossiblebeforeaskingthemto</p><p>showupfordinner.</p><p>Perhapsthebiggestdifferencebetweenthespiritualmanifestationofthetwo</p><p>culturesis that theAfricandeitiesareaccustomedtopossessingmorethanone</p><p>individual at a time.AVodou fetmay see three or four people possessed by</p><p>Ghedeatonce;anUmbandaritualmaycallonOyatoguardaboundaryagainst</p><p>evilspirits,andtherequestendsupwiththreewomenstalkingtheboundary,all</p><p>chosenandpossessedbyher.Thereisacasualacknowledgmentthatthelwaor</p><p>orishaarepowerfulenough(andbigenough,cosmically) tobeable topossess</p><p>morethanonebodyatatimewithoutmuchtrouble.Europeandeitiesneverseem</p><p>todothis thatwehavepersonallywitnessed.Whenaskedaboutthis(politely),</p><p>theirreaction</p><p>hasgenerallybeensomethingalongthelinesof“Yes,Icoulddo</p><p>that, butwhy bother?”They seem to like being the center of attention, and if</p><p>thereismorethanonebodymanifestingthem,theattentioncanbedivided.</p><p>ATTHEBEGINNINGOFTHE1990S,NeoPagan gatherings (and gatherings</p><p>thatweren’ttechnicallyNeoPaganbutcateredheavilytothatdemographic)were</p><p>bigger and more popular than they had ever been previously. There were</p><p>national festivals that attracted hundreds of attendees, and thickly scattered</p><p>smaller ones as well. If one wanted to, one could do a “festival circuit” that</p><p>never ended, and indeed some vendors who specialized in selling to Pagan</p><p>audiencesdidjustthat.Thesortsofgroupsthatattended,andthesortsofrituals</p><p>thatwererun,alsobegantovaryasalargeraudiencewasdrawnin.Beforethe</p><p>1990s,mostfestivalPaganspracticedWiccanorWiccan-derivedtraditions,and</p><p>theirworkshops and rites reflected that. Though themajority of people in the</p><p>Pagan demographic still fall into those categories, the expanding diversity of</p><p>these faiths has brought together practices and practitioners that might never</p><p>havetouchedbefore.TraditionalWiccansaregettingtoseeNorseandHellenic</p><p>reconstructionist rites, and Pagans used to “standard” circles are coming up</p><p>againstnewandexperimentalritualforms.</p><p>Somewhere in the early 1990s, AfroCaribbean groups (Vodou, Santeria,</p><p>Candomblé,Umbanda,andPaloMayombe)begantotaketentativestepstoward</p><p>allying with this demographic. After all, they shared a context with multiple</p><p>divinespirits,bonfires,dancing,chanting,andastrongtraditionoffolkmagic.</p><p>Moretothepoint,somepeoplewalkedinbothworlds,belongingtobothkinds</p><p>ofgroups.AtfirsttheAfroCaribbeanfolkandtheNeoPagangroupscircledeach</p><p>other warily, each not sure what to make of the other. NeoPagans were</p><p>uncomfortable with the custom of animal sacrifice, the vague background</p><p>association with black magic, and the heavy Catholic overlay of some</p><p>AfroCaribbeansects.Usedtoamoresedatestyleofritual,Wiccangroupsofthe</p><p>timelookedaskanceatallthatwilddancingaround.</p><p>Ontheotherside,AfroCaribbeangroupswerewaryofpotentialracismfrom</p><p>thepredominantlywhiteNeoPagans (and tobe fair,most of thepush tobring</p><p>African-diaspora traditions into the festivals has come from white members),</p><p>andsomeworriedaboutattendeesat ritualsacting like tourists,orbacklashing</p><p>againstpracticesthattheydidnotunderstand.Whilethingshavegenerallygone</p><p>smoothlyandmostofthepotentialtroublehasnotmaterialized,thePaganswho</p><p>bumped up against African-diaspora beliefs and rites saw one thing that they</p><p>hadn’tseenbefore:seriousdeitypossessionasanexpectedphenomenon.</p><p>Wiccanscertainlyhadatraditionof“drawingdown,”orinvokingtheenergy</p><p>ofadeityintothehighpriestorpriestesstovaryinglevels(whicharediscussed</p><p>morefullyinanotherchapter),butingeneraltheexperiencewaslighter—more</p><p>aboutdrawingtheenergyofthatdeitythroughthem,orinsomecasesevoking</p><p>an archetype from within themselves. The high priest or priestess rarely lost</p><p>consciousnessorcontroloftheirbody,andthevisitationalwaysremainedwithin</p><p>decorous boundaries. Sometimes, like the botched Athena invocation whose</p><p>warningtalebeginsthisbook,thingswouldgofurtherandthePresenceinvolved</p><p>would takeover abodyandact “outside the script.”Almost always,however,</p><p>these“anomalies”wouldbeconsidereda“mistake,”andquicklyrepressed.“We</p><p>don’twantthattohappenagain!”seemedtobetheoverridingopinion,whatever</p><p>they thought that itwasabout.Yet theAfroCaribbean lwaororisha took their</p><p>horsestothepointoflittleornocontrol,anddidthingsinthosebodiesthatwere</p><p>not onlyoutsideof a script but alsooften completely socially unacceptable, if</p><p>notoutofcharacterforthosedivinespirits.Theirritesweredesignedwithbuilt-</p><p>inallowancesforspirits thatmightrandomlydecide that theywantedacertain</p><p>foodordrink,orthatthispersonshouldbeinsultedordraggedofftodance,or</p><p>thatpersonshouldhaveboozespat in their face.Theywereveryclear thatno</p><p>matterhowbizarrelythebodiesacted,itwasnotthehumanswhonormallymade</p><p>themmoveandbreathewhowereincontrol.</p><p>MostNeoPagans reserved judgment on thematter.AfroCaribbean traditions</p><p>came under the “tribal religions” clausewithin the religious opinions ofmost</p><p>educatedWesterners.Under thismentalclause, if (especiallynonwhite)people</p><p>are engaging in strange spiritual gyrations handed down from their ancestors,</p><p>part of being “respectful of their native culture” is to pretend that youbelieve</p><p>that what they’re doing is valid, even when you think it’s a load of bunk.</p><p>“Acting as if” it’s just another perfectly reasonableway toworship, and then</p><p>sidesteppingtheissueintotheoriesaboutthesocialusesofreligiousritualwhen</p><p>pressed,isconsideredtobethe“polite”response.It’scertainlymorepolitethan</p><p>saying,“Actually,ifIhavetothinkaboutit,Ithinkyoupeoplearecompletely</p><p>deluded.”Instead,avague“Well,they’redoingtheirthing,andthat’swhatthey</p><p>do” is much more acceptable. In some cases, the (mostly white) NeoPagans</p><p>would accept the phenomenon of possession only when it was linked with</p><p>AfroCaribbean practitioners, ideally “authentic” ones,meaning nonwhite ones.</p><p>This subtle racism—“our sort of people don’t do that sort of weird and</p><p>undignified thing”—isanattitude thatusesapretenseof respect tocoverupa</p><p>bucketloadoffear.</p><p>TheproblemcamewhenordinaryNeoPaganswouldgo toabembeor a fet</p><p>outofcuriosity—afterall,howoftendoesonegetthatchanceatagathering—</p><p>andgetmore than theybargained for.OneUmbandista commented thatwhen</p><p>shebroughthergrouptoaPagangatheringandheldabembe, therewasafair</p><p>guaranteethatoneortwoofthetouristsweregoingtogetsnappedupandridden</p><p>by an orisha. She blamed this on the number of psychically gifted people</p><p>attracted to thewitchcraftassociated faiths, steeped in all thepsychic exercises</p><p>thatsomegroupsdidtoexpandontheirnaturaltalentsinthatarea,andyetwith</p><p>no training whatsoever in dealing with the phenomenon of possession.</p><p>“Unclaimedopenheads,”washercomment.</p><p>Frankly, I am annoyed by the use of the term “ horse” in NeoPagan</p><p>traditions. Having worked both sides, so to speak, I know that there are</p><p>differencesand Idon’t thinkallof thepeopleusing the termsknow those</p><p>differences.Accuracyisnecessary;borrowingtermscanleadtoconfusion.</p><p>—OlorishaLilithThreeFeathers</p><p>Atthesametimethatfestival-goingPagans(whoarestillonlyapercentageof</p><p>the entirety of the Pagan demographic) were occasionally running into</p><p>AfroCaribbeanpossession,smallPagangroups—andsomesolitaryPagans, the</p><p>mostcommonsorteventoday—werebeginningtohavetheirowntroubleswith</p><p>gods and spirits demanding rides. Stories like the Athena debacle began to</p><p>circulate,firstascuriosities,thenaswarningtales.Thephenomenonbegantobe</p><p>debated and speculated upon. Workshops on the subject sprang up at the</p><p>occasionalfestival,butgenerallygaveonlyananthropologicalview.</p><p>Ithasbeenspeculatedinsomecirclesthatthereasonforthisdevelopmentis</p><p>the increasing number of worshippers that these longforgotten deities are</p><p>gaining, thus strengthening their connection to this world. The way that the</p><p>phenomenonhasappearedandgainedspeeddoeshavea“critical-mass”feelto</p><p>it. Deitypossession,</p><p>in particular, seems to have appeared in reconstructionist</p><p>andreconstructionistderivedgroupsatafasterratethanithasgrowninWiccan-</p><p>derivedeclecticgroups,although themajorityofstrict reconstructionistgroups</p><p>arestillwaryofthepractice.Thisissignificant,consideringthat“recon”groups,</p><p>astheyareknown,aremoderatelyrecentaspartoftheNeoPagandemographic</p><p>and still very much a minority. While there were a few scattered</p><p>reconstructionistgroupsduringthelate1970sandearly1980s,forthemostpart</p><p>their groundswell has becomenoticeable as a force in thePagan demographic</p><p>onlysincethemid-1990s.TheriseoftheirinfluenceinmodernPaganthinking</p><p>has coincided, eerily enough, with the growing numbers of reported</p><p>deitypossession, even though most reconstructionists are not advocating the</p><p>practice,andsomeareadamantlyagainstit.Theremaybenodirectcorrelation</p><p>between these two phenomena, or if there is, it may not be based in actual</p><p>practicesomuchasthe“critical-mass”issue:theriseofreconstructionistgroups</p><p>maycreateahigherpercentageofindividualswhoareactuallybotheringtolearn</p><p>the ways in which those deities were honored in the past, thus strengthening</p><p>thosedeities’connectionwiththisworldthroughtheirworship.</p><p>InWiccanandWiccan-derivedcirclesover thepast twodecades, especially</p><p>those associated with radical politics, the main objections seem to be either</p><p>completedisbelieforafearthatthispracticecouldbemisused.Somewerealso</p><p>uncomfortablewiththeimpliedelitismofhorsing(apointthatwillbediscussed</p><p>inlaterchapters).Thisputdeitypossessioninanobjectionablelight,tothepoint</p><p>where awell-knownPaganwriter faceddownoneof the authors of this book</p><p>andaccused thegroup’spracticeof ritualdeitypossessionasbeing“dangerous</p><p>and self-indulgent.” This attitude necessarily puts those horses who cannot</p><p>refusethecallintoanadversarialpositionwiththeircommunities,dealingwith</p><p>the (veiledorblatant) accusation that theyought tobe able to tell thegods to</p><p>bootoff,andthattheirrefusaltodosohonorsonlytheirownego.</p><p>On the other hand, mostWiccan andWiccan-derived groups still have the</p><p>tradition of “drawing down the Moon,” which is a light form of trance</p><p>possession, and some have begun to take that to further depths. A few such</p><p>groupsarenowrequiringtheiradvancedinitiatestoshowevidenceoftheability</p><p>to do some kind of trance possession, which has led to tales of some</p><p>controversial tactics among minor groups with regard to “forcing” people to</p><p>opentodeitypossession,andsomecontroversialdiscussionoverwhetherornot</p><p>thisiswise,oreffective,oractuallyevenpossible.</p><p>I have done the soul-condensing for people who are horses, to make it</p><p>easierforthemtoberidden.Ihavenotdoneittomakepeoplewhoarenot</p><p>horsesabletodoit,norwouldI.Ithinkthatitisverydangerous,butthere</p><p>arewaysitcanbeemployedbeneficially,andthereneedstobesignificant</p><p>discussion between the horse and the person doing the technique, and it</p><p>shouldbeavoidedorusedinextrememoderationwheneverpossible.</p><p>—WintersongTashlin,Paganspirit-worker</p><p>Ithinkthatusingthesetechniquesinorderto“turnsomeoneintoahorse”</p><p>is dangerous, irresponsible and showsa level of hubris that is appalling.</p><p>It’snotjusttheideathatifyoucan’thorsenaturally,orbytheintervention</p><p>ofadeity,thatwewilljustsquishyououtofthewayisonething.Thatthey</p><p>havetheballstothenpullthroughagodwhomayormaynotwanttodoso</p><p>—that’sjustplayingwithnapalm.</p><p>—FireheartTashlin,Paganspirit-worker</p><p>I think these techniques are very, very dangerous. I do not believe such</p><p>trainingshouldbe taughtasamatterofcourse. I think that theability to</p><p>horse is either inborn or not. One either possesses the appropriate</p><p>patterningoronedoesnot.Thegodsthemselvesmaychoosetochangethat,</p><p>but it’s not something that we ourselves shouldmuck aboutwith. I think</p><p>thatpossessoryworkshouldalwaysbeginwithagodorgoddessinitiating</p><p>it.Then,oncethegodshavemadeitclearapersonistobeusedasahorse,</p><p>propertrainingcanbegiven.Thattrainingreallyonlyconsistsoflearning</p><p>howtotakecareofoneselfbeforeandaftertheexperienceandtogetoutof</p><p>the way during. I have heard of certain technologies, such as a group</p><p>psychicallycondensingthesoulandIthinkthatnotonlyaretheyludicrous,</p><p>theyarevery,verydangerous.Furthermore,evenhorsingjustonedeitycan</p><p>have irreparable changes in the horse in question … not bad, but</p><p>irreparable. It can be emotionally and psychologically devastating if the</p><p>personisn’treadyforit.</p><p>—GalinaKrasskova,Heathenspirit-worker</p><p>Look, we’re talking about something that is basically divine intervention</p><p>here. If a deity—a deity, remember!—does not have the power to come</p><p>throughPotentialHorseXwithouthelpbeyondabasicsimpletranceand</p><p>relaxation, thenmaybe itshouldn’thappen.PerhapsHorseX isn’tsuited,</p><p>ordeityZdoesn’twanttocomethroughthem,anddoesn’tcareaboutyou</p><p>and your assembled rituallers and your ego.Gods are not puppets to be</p><p>summoned and yanked around. Frankly, anyone who claims to have</p><p>forciblybroughtadeitythroughahumanbeingwithoutthatdeity’sactive</p><p>aid…well,I’ddoubtwhetheritwasarealdeitytheyweredealingwith.</p><p>Andifitiswiththatdeity’sactiveaid,thenthedeityprobablydidthetrick</p><p>themselves,regardlessofyourhandwaving.Theyaremorepowerfulthan</p><p>us,period.Keepthatinmind.</p><p>—Ari,Paganspirit-worker</p><p>The individual should be in control of when the possession happens. It</p><p>shouldnotbecontrolledexternallybyothermortalandfalliblepeople.No</p><p>personshouldmakeithappenforanotherperson.</p><p>—OlorishaLilithThreeFeathers</p><p>Inreconstructionistgroups, theobjections tendedtorevolvearoundwhetheror</p><p>nottherewasenoughwrittenhistoricalprecedencetobelievethatthosespecific</p><p>ancients practiced deitypossession or spiritpossession, and, if so, how it was</p><p>“properly”doneaccording to thoseancient rules.Thisputs thehorses thatend</p><p>up in those communities into a different kind of adversarial relationship:</p><p>justifyingwhatmaybehappening to themvia personal experience in a forum</p><p>that is extremely distrustful of such things.On the one hand, scholarshipmay</p><p>actuallyaid increatingproperofferingsandatmosphereforwell-knownspirits</p><p>tovisit;ontheotherhand,spiritswithlessdocumentationmaybelesswelcome</p><p>—andthisisifthesocialnormsfindenoughdocumentationtoallowthepractice</p><p>ofspiritpossessionitself.</p><p>ManymodernNeoPagan reconstructionist communities find themselves ina</p><p>positionthatnootherreligionwouldtolerate—avenuewherethemostrespected</p><p>currentwritingsonthesubjectoftheirfaithareusually(ifnotalways)writtenby</p><p>academicswhonotonlydonotbelieveinthatfaithandthosegodsbutalsofind</p><p>thebelieverswhohangon theireveryword ludicrous,bizarre,anddeluded. In</p><p>somecases,muchoftheoriginalsourcematerialthatthese“experts”quotewas</p><p>writtenby longdead individualswhofelt these religions tobeasourceofevil.</p><p>(Onecan imaginewhat theaverageChristianorBuddhistorHindu theologian</p><p>wouldsayaboutcenteringallintrafaithreligiousdebateonthewordsofscoffing</p><p>nonbelievers,eveniftheyweregoodhistorians.)Theeffectthatthishashadon</p><p>reconstructionist theologyhasnotyetbeenwidelydiscussed,but its residue is</p><p>evident. In this atmosphere, the unpredictable transpersonal</p><p>experience that</p><p>spiritpossession can become for both the horse and the community has little</p><p>placeandcanbecomeasourceofconflict…yetaswe’vementionedinthelast</p><p>chapter, anecdotal evidence seems to point to an odd link between</p><p>reconstructionistpracticesanddeitiesattemptingtocomethroughparticipants.</p><p>Despite the fact that possessory work is extremely controversial within</p><p>Heathenry,I’veneverfoundittobeinconflictwithmyreligiousworldview.</p><p>Perhaps this is because I’m a spirit-worker and god-slave, perhaps it is</p><p>becauseIstartedfunctioningasahorsebeforeIbecameHeathenandOdin</p><p>was such a huge part of that—I’m not sure but for me, it’s a uniquely</p><p>cherishedduty,thepinnacleofmyserviceaspriestandspirit-worker.Itis</p><p>asahorsethatIknowIamdoingmydutytothegods,forthegodsandfor</p><p>thebenefitofthecommunityinexactlythewaythatTheyintend…Within</p><p>Asatru/Heathenry,therehasbeenagreatdealofambivalentattentionover</p><p>the years given to groups such as Hrafnar and their rituals of god-</p><p>possession. There are also Heathens like myself out there practicing</p><p>possessioninamoreorganicmanner.</p><p>—GalinaKrasskova,Heathenspirit-worker</p><p>I recently horsed Artemis for a Hellenic ritual—they didn’t have anyone</p><p>who could do it in their own group, so I volunteered. Shewas relatively</p><p>easytocarry,butIwasraisedintheGreekpantheonsoIwasveryfamiliar</p><p>withher,andherpersonalitymesheswellwithmine.Nonetheless, I spent</p><p>monthsfiguringoutthebestwaytodress,andwhattohaveatmydisposal</p><p>so that shewould bemore comfortable here, and also being celibate for</p><p>severalweeksbeforehandand takingapurifyingbath thatmorning.That</p><p>waspartiallytomaketherideeasier,butalsopartiallybecausetheritual</p><p>thatshewascomingforwasareconstructionist-basedritual,sodressand</p><p>“look”wasmoreimportantthanitmightbeinothercontextsI’vehorsed</p><p>in,suchasone-on-onespiritualconsultations.</p><p>—FireheartTashlin,Paganspirit-worker</p><p>Possession in a reconstructionist context is a difficult thing, because</p><p>reconstructionistsare,ingeneral,veryconservativeaboutwhathappensin</p><p>theirrituals,andwhenthegodscome,yourcarefulconstructgoesoutthe</p><p>window.Istartedoutdoingpossessionritualsforaverysmallgroupwho</p><p>hadn’t had contact with the larger community, and when our group got</p><p>“absorbed” by a larger group, I knew that I had to make possession</p><p>palatable for them in their own contexts, or itwas likely that theywould</p><p>banme.SoIprayedtothegodsandaskedthemforafavor.Iwouldcreate</p><p>apossessionritualthatwasasperfectlyresearchedaspossible,withallthe</p><p>correct offerings, and then I would run it past them. Please, I prayed,</p><p>please, one of you who doesn’t mind being temporarily confined within</p><p>such a structure, please come and limit Yourself this one time to their</p><p>expectations. I was lucky—Iduna spoke up and offered, with the divine</p><p>equivalent of a sigh and an eye-roll, but she did it. I briefed everyone</p><p>heavilybeforehand,gave themall structured things todo,and itallwent</p><p>well. That was their first taste of possession—about as safe as it was</p><p>possibletoget.Thenthefolksinmysmallergroupcouldstarttalkingabout</p><p>the less “safe” ritualswe’ d done, and I could start planning for bigger</p><p>things.But itwas important towalk them into the shallowendwithbaby</p><p>steps.</p><p>—Gudrun,seidhkona</p><p>At present, Pagan groups vary wildly as to whether they practice possession,</p><p>haveseenitinothergroupsbutdonotpracticeitthemselves,haveonlyvaguely</p><p>heardof it,orhaveno ideawhat it is. IndividualNeoPagansvarywildlyas to</p><p>whethertheybelieveinitsexistenceasareality,andtowhatextent.Thisissue</p><p>maybehoveringoverthecommunitylikeatidalwaveabouttobreakthroughor</p><p>itmaycreepuponitlikethetidegentlysuckingatpeople’sankles,butthereis</p><p>noquestionthatitwillcome.Inaveryrealway,thisisthebiggesttheological</p><p>questionthathaseverlandedonthedoorstepofareligionthatiscurrentlyvery</p><p>uncomfortablewith serious theology,and it canonly lead towhat theChinese</p><p>cursereferstoasextremelyinterestingtimes.</p><p>ONCEWEACCEPTTHEEXISTENCE of spirits and a spiritworld,we run</p><p>headlong intoawholenewsetofquestions:What is thisspiritworld like,and</p><p>whatsortsofbeingsinhabitit?Thereisnoshortageofmapsandguidebooksto</p><p>thelandbeyond;mostreligioustraditionshaveamultitudeofstoriesdescribing</p><p>theirafterlife,Otherworlds,andthelandsinhabitedbytheirgods.Butalas,there</p><p>arefrequentlyvastdiscrepanciesinthesedescriptions.Theheavenpromisedto</p><p>devoutChristiansbearslittleresemblancetotheBuddhistnirvana—andneither</p><p>looks much like Asgard or Olympus. And, of course, there are several</p><p>contenders for the position ofOne TrueGod and quite a fewCreators of the</p><p>Universe.</p><p>Itwouldbeeasyenoughtosay“MyRevealedTruthiscompletelycorrectand</p><p>everyoneelseiswrong.”Itwouldbeeveneasiertosay“Whybotherwiththese</p><p>questions, sincewe’llnever comeupwithconclusiveanswers?”But ifweare</p><p>going toopenourselvesup topossession, itbehoovesus tohavesome ideaof</p><p>what is takingcontrolofourbodies.Byexamining thevariousdescriptionsof</p><p>spiritandthespiritualrealms,wemaybeabletocometoabetterunderstanding</p><p>ofthebeingsandforcesthatwearecallingonandworkingwith.</p><p>What follows combines research with informed speculation; it is not to be</p><p>takenasgospelorrevealedtruth.Weencouragereaderstodotheirownresearch</p><p>andexploration.Vastareasofthespiritworldsremainunmapped,andmanyof</p><p>the spirits residing therein have not been described in detail (or, worse, have</p><p>beenmalignedormisinterpreted).Thedivisionswe’vegivenheremaybeuseful,</p><p>but they’re also somewhat arbitrary; one person’s divinity may be another</p><p>person’slocalspirit.Whatwehavegivenhereisnotanauthoritativeguide,but</p><p>ratherajumping-offpointforyourownwork.</p><p>THESPIRITWORLD(S)</p><p>If the spirits are not just hallucinations, visions, or symbols, then nor are the</p><p>worldsfromwhencetheyoriginate.Basedonourexperienceandtheexperience</p><p>ofmanyotherspiritworkerspastandpresent,webelievethatAsgardisasrealas</p><p>Albania and Tartarus as real as (if slightly more unpleasant than) Tulsa,</p><p>Oklahoma. They are not just nebulous conglomerations of astral stuff thatwe</p><p>can shape just by concentrating hard, nor are they “interior landscapes” or</p><p>“reflectionsofoursubconscious.”</p><p>Wedon’tknowtheexactboundariesof theseOtherRealms;wearen’teven</p><p>surethatonecanmapthemwiththesortofaccuracycartographerscanachieve</p><p>on this plane. Some aspects of Newtonian physics appear to be suspended or</p><p>altered in these Realms, but some are not; other rules and systems may also</p><p>applyandmaycauseaheedlessastralwandereragreatdealofdifficulty.Indeed,</p><p>some of these Realms are unhealthy or even lethal to humans who venture</p><p>therein, and many of the denizens of these Realms are indifferent or even</p><p>activelyhostile tohumanbeings.Venturingaboutblindly in theOtherRealms</p><p>with no idea ofwhere you are going can be as foolhardy aswalking into the</p><p>wildernesssansmap,compass,orsupplies.InjuriesintheOtherRealmscanlead</p><p>to difficulties, even death, in this world; if you don’t believe us, check the</p><p>availableliteratureonanyshamanictraditionyoucaretoname.</p><p>While“faringforth,”orspirit-journeying,isaninvaluable</p><p>shamanictool,itis</p><p>beyondthescopeof thisbook.The important thing toremember is this:These</p><p>Realms,andthedenizensresidingtherein,donotexistsolelyforourbenefit.As</p><p>Raven put it in his book on Northern Tradition spirit-journeying, The</p><p>Pathwalker’sGuidetotheNineWorlds,theinhabitants:</p><p>… are not there to teach you,mentor you, or even talk to you. Some of</p><p>themmightbefriendlyjustbecausethey’rethatsort;somewilllietoyou.</p><p>Somewillnotwantyouthere,andmaytrytothrowyouout,orpreventyou</p><p>fromentering,orworse.Everyanimalyoumeetisnotyourpotentialtotem</p><p>orspiritanimal.Someofthemmayconsideryoutobeanintruder,orfood.</p><p>Every hall whose door you bang on is not going to let you in with no</p><p>paymentandnoquestionsasked.Thingsaren’talwaysaestheticallypretty,</p><p>especially if you’re among nonhumanoid types. People don’t act theway</p><p>you expect them to. In fact, theymay be unable to—or refuse to—speak</p><p>yourtongue.</p><p>Thoseofuswhowant toworld-walk for real need toget over the idea that</p><p>Otherworlds exist for our own edification and amusement. They do not, any</p><p>morethanthedenizensofforeigncitiesexisttohelpyoufindyourwayaround,</p><p>teachyouthenativearts,letyouinvadetheirhomestogawk,andpolitelyignore</p><p>yourrudeandcrassignoranceoftheirmannersandcustoms.Wealsoneedtoget</p><p>over the idea thatwehaveanautomaticright tobe there,whichwedon’t.We</p><p>aretherebythesufferanceof thegodsandspiritswhoorder thoserealms,and</p><p>thoseworlds are their territory, not ours.Weneed to stop acting like superior</p><p>tourists; it is not in our best interest to play the archetypalUglyAmerican all</p><p>overthemultiverse.</p><p>This isequally trueof thosespiritsanddeitieswhohavecomedown toour</p><p>world.Theymayhaveotherplansinmindwhentheyarriveinpossession,and</p><p>thoseplansmayormaynotworkouttoyourultimatepersonalbenefit.</p><p>GODSVERSUSSPIRITS</p><p>InNeo-Paganism,mostofourimportantspiritsarewhatwerefertoasagod.To</p><p>us, thatgenerallymeans anentitywho isbigger, older, andwiser thanweare</p><p>(andperhapsmorethanwe’lleverbe).Itisanentitywhoseesfurtherdownthe</p><p>threadsofCausalityandPossibilityandmayguideorprotectorteachus,orin</p><p>somecasesownsus.Whatever theirnature, theypartakeofanebulousenergy</p><p>thatwerefertoas“divine,”andwecan’tseemtodefinethatatall,butweknow</p><p>whenwe’vetoucheditbythewaythatitaffectsus.Divinityseemstobemorea</p><p>matter of consensus emotion about the spiritual effect of a particular entity,</p><p>rather than something based on a concrete knowledge of what they’re really</p><p>about—which is to be expected, considering that the gods generally refuse to</p><p>showuptobestuckunderamicroscope.</p><p>Different gods have different levels of what one might refer to as</p><p>“differentiation.” If one assumes for an extremely transpersonal and</p><p>undifferentiated“divineenergy”attheverytopofthehierarchysomethingsofar</p><p>fromhumanthatwecanrecognizenopettyhumantraitsinit(andaconceptthat</p><p>nearlyeveryreligiouscontextcarries,althoughsomeignoreitmorethanothers),</p><p>thenthegodsorgoddessescanbeconceivedofasthe“differentiatedDivine,”as</p><p>opposed to the “undifferentiated Divine,” which doesn’t have personal</p><p>interactionswith humans theway that the gods do.Of course, some gods are</p><p>moredifferentiatedthanothers—Demeter,forexample,isamoredifferentiated</p><p>deity than Gaia, who may blend into the even less differentiated culturally</p><p>nonspecific Earth Mother. Ullr and Herne are more differentiated than the</p><p>Hunter,asanotherexample.Differentiatedgodsaremorepersonal,morehuman,</p><p>withhistories andmotivations thatwe canmore clearlyunderstand.Themore</p><p>undifferentiatedadivineforceis,themore“archetypal”itis—althoughthatdoes</p><p>notmean that it ismerely an archetype. It’s also harder for a human body to</p><p>contain very much of an entity that’s higher up that ladder—archetypal gods</p><p>tendtohaveonlyasmallamountofthemselvesinsomeoneduringapossession,</p><p>and sometimes calling on one of them will get you a more differentiated</p><p>personal deity instead. It seems to be entirely impossible for a human to be</p><p>possessed by the undifferentiated All That Is/Architect Of The Universe, for</p><p>theologicalreasonsthatareoutsidethescopeofthisbook,andwhichwewould</p><p>notbeabletodojusticetohere.</p><p>Anotherpossibleaxisinattemptingtodefinedeities(alwaysadangerousact,</p><p>butsomethingthatitseemswehumansaredriventodo)istranscendentversus</p><p>immanent. This is a division between deities who are more concerned with</p><p>activelybringinghumanstoaconnectionwiththeAllThatIsthroughthemand</p><p>those who are more concerned with the sacredness of this world’s activities.</p><p>Examplesof the former are themodernversionof the Judeo-ChristianYHVH</p><p>(theancientHebrewtotemicgodwasmuchmorepersonalandimmanent,buthe</p><p>seemstohaveevolvedtowardbeingentirelytranscendenttoday)orAllah(who</p><p>mayormaynotbeYHVH),andHindudeitieslikeShiva,Vishnu,andBrahma.</p><p>Examplesofthelatterarethevariousearth-basedgodsandgoddesses.Although</p><p>they are capable of possessing human bodies—thus the Christian sectswhose</p><p>membersarefilledwiththeHolySpiritandspeakintongues,orShivaitepriests</p><p>who dance the Tandava and are filled with Shiva’s essence—they seem less</p><p>comfortablewithbodilyincarnationingeneral,bynatureof,well, theirnature.</p><p>On theotherhand, immanentdeities seem tohonestlyenjoygettingdownand</p><p>dirtyinafleshform.</p><p>So here’s the first big question: What’s the difference between a god or</p><p>goddess and a mere spirit? Frankly, that’s not something that we can answer</p><p>clearlyhere.First,it’snotasifthere’sanicesimplelinethatcanbedrawn;it’s</p><p>more like a huge gray area that’s very open to interpretation. It is, after all, a</p><p>conceptthatwehumansareattemptingtousetoboxupentitieswhoarenotwe,</p><p>and don’t use or care about our petty boxes. It’s also true that our boxes are</p><p>basedonpersonalpreferencesandawishtopicturetheUniverseinaparticular</p><p>waythatworkswithourvariedtheologies.ANeo-PaganwouldcallYemayaa</p><p>goddess;aSanteriapractitionermightsaythatSheis“only”aspirit,andthatthe</p><p>onlyentityworthyoftheword“God”istheimpersonaloneatthetop.Tryingto</p><p>definelevelsof“big”gods,“demi-”gods,andsoon,intoacoherenthierarchy</p><p>rarelyworkswell,especiallyacrosspantheonsandcosmologies.Itmaybebest</p><p>justtotreateverythingwithrespectandleaveitatthat.</p><p>In addition, these definitions are often drawn across who the individual in</p><p>question happens to be worshipping, or not; all too often “Gods” are who I</p><p>worship,while“not-Gods”arethosegodsIdon’t.IntheNorsepantheon,there</p><p>aremany giants, and some areGiant-gods and some aren’t.Which arewhich</p><p>becomesamatterofgreatdebate,dependinglargelyonwhetherthearguersare</p><p>followersofthehereditaryenemiesofthosespirits.Tryingtodefinitivelydraw</p><p>thatlinewillgetyouintroublemoreoftenthannot,especiallywhenyoufailto</p><p>showrespecttotheveryrealentityontheotherendoftheinteraction.Afriend</p><p>oncesaid,“Ifit’sbigger,older,andwiserthanI’lleverbeinthislifetime,thenI</p><p>treat it asaGod.”Thismaybeeasier forpolytheists, aswedonotexpectour</p><p>godstobeeitheromnipotentoromniscient.</p><p>Anotherdifficultissueisfiguringoutwhichgoditisthatyou’vegottryingto</p><p>comethrough.Puttingasidetheissue</p><p>ofwhetherthisspiritiswhatitclaimstobe</p><p>(whichwewilldiscussinchapter12),whatabouttheissueofsyncretism?With</p><p>thenamesofalltheworld’spantheonsatourfingertips,howcanwetellwhich</p><p>godblendsintoanother?IsitallrighttouseanepithetofDianaforaddressing</p><p>Artemis?Whataboutall thoseacademicworkssayingthatthesegoddessesare</p><p>reallythesamefigure?</p><p>Pre-Christianworshipperstypicallypaidhomagetothedeityoftheirvillage,</p><p>city,orclan.Thereweresignificantdifferencesbetween theDianaworshipped</p><p>atEphesusandtheDianaworshippedatCorinth;amongoneGermanictribe,Tyr</p><p>might be seen as King of the Gods while another gave that title to Odin.</p><p>Conquerors often inherited the gods of the vanquished, or renamed them to</p><p>better fit them within their own familiar pantheons. (The Romans were</p><p>particularly fond of this approach:when theyweren’t venerating theEgyptian</p><p>IsisorthePersianMithras,theywereclaimingthatGaelicandGermanictribes</p><p>reallyworshippedMercuryandMars.)</p><p>Thismakesforsomeconfusionwhendealingwithmanyofthedifferentiated</p><p>gods.Arewedealingwith separate entities that have a commonname? Is the</p><p>ApolloofDelphi thesameas theDelianApollo,andhowdoeseither relate to</p><p>Helios?IsOgouFerrailethesameasOgouSt.JacquesorOgouOsanj?Ifweare</p><p>assumingthat“allgodsareaspectsoftheOneGod/dess”or“allgodsaremental</p><p>constructs,” thisposes fewproblems. If,on theotherhand,weattributeactual</p><p>independentexistence toourgods, itbecomesan issue thatmustbeaddressed</p><p>beforegoinganyfurther.</p><p>Insomecases,whatweconsiderthe“name”ofagodmightmoreproperlybe</p><p>considereda surname.This isparticularly trueof thespiritswhoare served in</p><p>HaitianVodouandotherAfrican-diaspora traditions.TheGhede, for example,</p><p>arerelatedinthattheyareallspiritsconnectedwithdeath,sex,andraucousgood</p><p>humor,butthereareasmanydifferentGhedeastherearedifferentdeadpeople.</p><p>Most will be fond of piman (raw rum in which twenty-one Scotch bonnet</p><p>peppers have been steeped), but some will prefer red wine, some will prefer</p><p>soda, and somewill prefer anotherdrinkaltogether.Mostwill tell dirty jokes,</p><p>butsomewillbedead(pardonthepun)seriousandsomber.Mostwilldancethe</p><p>banda (a hip-grinding, pelvis-thrusting dance) but somewill sit quietly and at</p><p>leastone,GhedeZaringuey,willcrawlaboutonthefloorlikeaspider.Mostare</p><p>known as La Kwa, or “of the cross”—but I know a Jewish Ghede who will</p><p>objectloudlyandprofanelyifanyoneassociateshimwithChristianimagery.</p><p>OnetheoryisthattheApollos,Zeuses,andsoonsofvarioustemplesmightbe</p><p>seenasbrothersorcousins.Theyarenotthesameperson,anymorethanyouare</p><p>yoursisteroryourmaidenaunt,buttheyshareacertain“familyresemblance.”If</p><p>weacceptthis,thatmeansthatcallingonadeitywithoutspecifyingaparticular</p><p>name,offeringthesacrificegivenataparticulartemple,forexample,meansyou</p><p>willhaveno ideawhichspecificdeity isgoing toshowup.Youmayevenget</p><p>oneofthefamilywhohasneverbeenserveduptothispoint—whichishowall</p><p>thosevarioustemplesgotsetupinthefirstplace!Yetanothertheoryholdsthat</p><p>variousnamesare“aspects”thatrepresentthedeitiesatdifferentstagesoftheir</p><p>career.OdinWay-Tamer(thetravelingOdin)isgoingtoappearquitedifferently</p><p>fromOdinAll-FatherorOdinBolverk(EvilWorker).BecausetimeintheOther</p><p>Realms is nonlinear when compared to our own world, it is possible for</p><p>spiritworkerstoencounterdifferent“aspects”ofthedeity;onemayencountera</p><p>godinhisyouthandlaterasanelderlyman,forexample.</p><p>Othershavecomparedthesedifferentaspectstodifferingchannelsonaradio;</p><p>AresandMarsareinthesamebandbutarebroadcastondifferentfrequencies.</p><p>Still others have spoken of different “badges” or “hats.” You fulfill different</p><p>roles during any particular day—father, husband, lover, employee, boss,</p><p>subordinate, customer. The way you act in any one of these roles may be</p><p>radicallydifferentfromthewayyouactinanother.(Youprobablydon’tcooand</p><p>makefunnyfacesatyourcoworkers,forexample.)Inasimilarvein,callingona</p><p>god inhis roleas“avengerofwrongs”willgetaverydifferent response from</p><p>callingonhimas“lordofpoetry”or“bringeroffire.”Ifoneweretousethisas</p><p>anothertheory,onecouldsaythatthedifferenttitlesofdeityXarewaystoget</p><p>holdofdeityX’sdifferentjobspecialtieswithoutconfusion.Itdoesseemtobea</p><p>LawoftheUniversethatdeitiesthemselvescannotdisobey—whenyoucallona</p><p>deitybyaspecifictitle,that’stheoneyouget,everytime.IfyoucallAphrodite</p><p>Porne,youdon’tgetAphroditeUrania. It seems tobeoneof the fewways in</p><p>whichwecanaffect thewaythatthegodsmanifest tous,usinguniversal laws</p><p>thatarebiggerthaneveryone,humananddeityalike.</p><p>Butbacktowhat’snotsocertain.Itcouldbethatallthesemodelsarecorrect,</p><p>dependingonwhichdeityone is talking about; perhapsnoneof them is right.</p><p>What does seem correct is that deities can appear very differently to different</p><p>people, or in different times and places. We should also note that there are</p><p>forgottendeities,deitieswhohaveneverbeenworshipped,anddeitieswhohave</p><p>littleornothingtodowithhumankind.Hence,youshouldn’tbesurprisedifthe</p><p>deitywhoarrivesdoesn’tactexactlyliketheoneyou’vestudied.Andwhatever</p><p>model is true, our experience suggests that you are wisest to treat each</p><p>possessingdeityasanindividualandhonorthemontheirownterms.</p><p>NON-DIVINESPIRITS</p><p>WhiletherearemanydeitiesintheOtherRealms,therearemanymorebeings</p><p>that are not andwhich do not claim to be divinities.Among themost famous</p><p>examplesofthesearetheFaeriesofEuropeanlegendandtheDjinni(genies)of</p><p>Islamic lore.Theanimal totemsencountered invisionquests couldbe seen as</p><p>non-divine spirits, as could the spirit guides of Spiritualism; the angels and</p><p>demons of Judeo-Christian tradition; the dryads, naiads, and satyrs of Greek</p><p>mythology;andtheAlfar,Duergar,andJotnaroftheNorthernTradition.</p><p>These spirits may not be divinities, but they can be extremely powerful</p><p>nonetheless. It’s another example of why it’s difficult to tell where the line</p><p>between“deity”and“non-divinebeing”shouldbedrawn,andwhy inpractice</p><p>thebestapproachmaybetotreatanyspiritwithcautionandrespect.Asmiting</p><p>from an offended dryad or angry djinn can be every bit as painful as</p><p>chastisementfromadeity.Thatdoesn’tmeanyoushouldkneeldownbeforeany</p><p>spiritthatdemandsyourworship;indeed,youshouldthinklongandhardbefore</p><p>youpromiseeternalfealtytoanyspirit,divineornot.Youshouldalsokeepin</p><p>mindthatinmostsituations,treatinganyspiritwiththerespectanddignityyou</p><p>would use when dealing with a Very Important Person will be sufficient. (In</p><p>fact,quiteafewdeitiesandnon-divinespiritswillbeoffendedbygrovelingin</p><p>theirpresence,ifit’snotwhattheyhadinmind.)</p><p>Ofcourse,withnon-divinespirits it’sevenharder tofigureoutwhatyou’ve</p><p>got.Oneofthebigdisadvantagesofdealingwithnon-divinespiritsasopposed</p><p>toknowndeitiesisthatitcanbeverydifficulttocheckyourexperienceagainst</p><p>theavailableprimarysources. If“Thor”comesdownanddemandschampagne</p><p>andapinkfrillytutu,youcanbereasonablysureyou’renotdealingwithThor.</p><p>Butwhat do you do if there is no knownprimary source on the spirit?These</p><p>cases demand a bit of extra caution and a firm hand. If your new spirit</p><p>part</p><p>ofthecountryandhasnevermetthedancerwhosebodyOgouholds.Sheknows</p><p>Ogou,though,justasherecognizesher,andsmileswithdelight.Afteraminute,</p><p>the possession ends, and the horse stumbles out of the circle. She is promptly</p><p>surroundedbya teamofwell-meaning festival first-aiderswho think that they</p><p>haveabaddrugtrip,somesortofseizure,orapsychoticbreakontheirhands.</p><p>Theycrowdthehorse,tryingtogethertorespond,andgenerallymakeherstate</p><p>worse.Otherwell-meaningpeoplecomeupaftershemanagestoreassurethem,</p><p>telling her that she really needs therapy, or to get all her dark stuff out by</p><p>dancingmore.Thenextday,rumorsflythatthehorseflippedoutandattackeda</p><p>woman in the crowd. The shamanwhose drum brought the spirit through her</p><p>feels vaguely responsible for the turmoil of misunderstanding, but also feels</p><p>stronglythatOgouwantedtocomethrough,wantedhisdanceandhismoment</p><p>around the fire. It would have gone much better if there had been a cultural</p><p>contextforsuchthings,nottomentionasafetynetofpeoplewhoknewwhatto</p><p>dobefore,during,andaftertheevent.</p><p>That’s whywewrote this book.We are both veterans ofmultiple spiritual</p><p>communities and religious views, and have both researched the phenomenon</p><p>independently.KenazFilanisalong-termpractitionerofVodouwithaten-year</p><p>membershipinSociétélaBelleVenus#2,aVodoutempleinBrooklyn,andalso</p><p>has links to theNeo-Pagancommunity.RavenKaldera isaNorthernTradition</p><p>PaganshamanwhospentsixmonthsinanUmbandahousemanyyearsago.We</p><p>are also the horse and the shaman in the story above. The next day wemet,</p><p>talked, andboth decided that people needmore useful andpractical education</p><p>aboutpossession,ratherthanmoretypicalstoriestoldfromtheanthropologist’s</p><p>distancing eye, watching the “superstitious strangers go through their strange</p><p>gyrations.”</p><p>We are also both horses, and have experienced spirit-possession from both</p><p>sides, in entirelydifferent cultural contexts, and foundmany similarities anda</p><p>fewdifferences.Thisgivesusanadmittedbias,forwhichwewillnotapologize.</p><p>Thisbookiswrittenfromtheperspectiveoffullyandactuallybelievingin the</p><p>gods and spirits whom we love, respect, serve, and occasionally host in our</p><p>flesh.Whilewewill try, in thesepages, tobeasobjectiveaspossible,weare</p><p>unashamedbelievers in the reality—andsacredness—of ritualpossession.This</p><p>attitudepermeatesourwritingandour lives,andgivesus theinsider’sviewof</p><p>thesehappenings.Ifyou’relookingforsomethinginamoreskeptical,material-</p><p>rationalist, isn’t-this-quaint-and-sociologically-interesting vein, this is not the</p><p>book for you …because that attitude will never give any aid or useful</p><p>informationtopeoplewhoarereallydealingwithrealspirit-possessionintheir</p><p>reallives.</p><p>For the purposes of this book, a possession experience is one inwhich the</p><p>subject’s identity issubsumedinto thatofSomeoneorSomethingElse.Sheor</p><p>he losesallcontroloverspeechandactionsforaperiodof time,duringwhich</p><p>the other entity takes control of her or him. This can be, but is not always,</p><p>accompaniedbyafuguestatewherethesubjecthaslittleornomemoryofwhat</p><p>transpiredduring thepossession.Theremayalsobephysicalmanifestationsof</p><p>varioussorts.</p><p>Inthepagesofthisbook,weinterviewedmanypeopleinandoutoftheNeo-</p><p>Pagancommunitywhohadseenorexperiencedritualpossession,oftenaspart</p><p>of planned events.Unless therewas good reason to think otherwise,we have</p><p>assumed that the people quoted hereinwere being truthful to the best of their</p><p>ability.Iftheysaid“Iwaspossessed,”we’vegenerallycreditedtheirreportasa</p><p>possession experience. There are timeswhenwe suggest that certain passages</p><p>frompoems,legends,orthelikedescribepossession.However,wehavetriedto</p><p>avoidredefiningtheexperienceofotherstofitourtheories.Accordingly,we’ve</p><p>distinguishedbetweenprimarytestimonyandspeculationsthereon.</p><p>Allowing spiritualhorses todefine theirpossession stateswould seem tobe</p><p>reasonable enough,yet this definition also comeswith its problems.There are</p><p>innumerable reasonswhyan individualmight falsely claim that sheorhewas</p><p>possessed.“Demoniacs”canshriekobscenitiesatauthority figures,discuss the</p><p>most taboo sexual topics at length, and even physically attack others without</p><p>beingheldresponsiblefortheirmisbehavior.False“channelers”canmakelarge</p><p>sumsofmoneyfordispensingwisdomasAtlanteanMastersorLemurianPriest-</p><p>Kings.Aspiring religious leaders can gain great power over their devotees by</p><p>convincingthem“itisnotIwhocommandsyou,itisourdeitywhocommands</p><p>you through me.” As long as someone receives some form of positive</p><p>reinforcement,heorshehasmotivationtofakeapossession.</p><p>Ontheotherhand,therearemanyreasonswhysomeonemightwanttowrite</p><p>offgenuinepossessionexperiencesasfraud.Incultureswherespirit-possession</p><p>is widely accepted, there is frequently keen economic competition between</p><p>spiritual practitioners.When asked about PriestX’s qualifications, PriestessY</p><p>may well say, “He runs around acting like he has the spirits, but he’s just</p><p>pretendingsothathecantakeyourmoney.Youshouldtalktomyspiritinstead</p><p>…” Established religions frequently go to great lengths in order to silence</p><p>“heretics” and “false prophets.” Their income and power is based largely on</p><p>their role as intercessors between humanity and the Divine; hence, they have</p><p>everyincentivetodiscreditthosewhomightusurpthatrole.</p><p>Distinguishingpossessionfromatrancejourney,orfromanattempttofeign</p><p>possession for the horse’s own purposes, requires knowledge of the horse’s</p><p>interior state—and knowing what is going on in someone else’s mind is, of</p><p>course, a verydifficult task indeed.Wecan examine thebehavior of a person</p><p>whoispurportedlypossessed,butwecannotknowconclusivelythemotivation</p><p>for that behavior. Even a horse who believes sincerely that she is possessed</p><p>couldbeexperiencingamedicalcrisis,notaspiritualone.</p><p>Assuming thatwe can establish that something is a genuine possession and</p><p>not playacting or a mental illness, we are then faced with another difficult</p><p>question:possessionbywhoorwhat?Adervishsema(whirlingceremony)leads</p><p>toalossofidentityandafeelingofunionwithAllah.AtaPentecostalrevival,</p><p>youmightseemembersof thecongregation“slain in thespirit”or“filledwith</p><p>myLordJesus.”AYogi inMumbaiorSonomamightpracticeYogaforyears</p><p>until at last they attain Nirvikalpa Samadhi, or absorption into the Atman or</p><p>Oversoul.Are they experiencing the same thing? Is the St. Philomenawho is</p><p>honored at Our Lady of Grace Church in Mugnano, Italy, the same St.</p><p>Philomenawho possesses devotees at ceremonies inHaiti and Trinidad?And</p><p>what if twodevotees, one inHavana andone inBrooklyn, are simultaneously</p><p>possessedbyanentitythatidentifiesHerselfasOshun?</p><p>And, of course, there is the most central question of all: What does the</p><p>averagepersonwhohasnotbeenraisedinaculturethatacceptsspirit-possession</p><p>dowhen they find themselvessuddenlygetting regularlypossessed…andnot</p><p>by something that acts like a “typical” evil spirit?What does the leader of a</p><p>Paganreligiousgroupdowhenoneofitsmembersbecomespossessedbyoneof</p><p>thedeitiesthatreverethegroup?</p><p>Asyoucansee,eventhoughwenow</p><p>companionisalyingspirit,aparasite,orsomethinginnatelyharmfultohumans,</p><p>youwillneedtobeabletoejectthematthefirstsignoftrouble.(We’lldiscuss</p><p>thisinalaterchapter.)</p><p>Non-divine spirits can and frequently do possess people. One of the most</p><p>commonformsofsmallspirit-possessioninancient(andmodern)tribalsocieties</p><p>withashamaniccultureistheshaman’suseofspirit-possessionwithentitiesthat</p><p>we would not generally consider gods (although god-possession happens in</p><p>someshamanic traditionsaswell).Oneexampleof this is theshamanicuseof</p><p>spirits to pass through their bodies and hands and heal or otherwise fix their</p><p>clients.Someshamanic traditionsalsosendsmaller spirits temporarily into the</p><p>bodyoftheclientinordertodothejob.Shamanshavealsotraditionallyuseda</p><p>techniquethatsomemodernshamanicpractitionershavereferredtoas“reverse-</p><p>possession,”whichallowstheshamantoutilizethespirit’squalitiesforhisown</p><p>purposeswhilebeingcompletelyincontrolofthesituation.It’snotsomuchthat</p><p>ashamanpossessesthespiritworkerasthespiritworkerpossesseshim.It’sbeen</p><p>referredtoas“wearingthemlikeahat,”asopposedtodeity-possession,which</p><p>would be like trying to wear a refrigerator like a hat. This can be used to</p><p>augment one’s shapeshifting abilities, or temporarily lend some important</p><p>qualitynecessaryforanactofmagic.Inordertopullthisoff,youhavetohave</p><p>theconsentofthespiritinquestion,evenifitistechnicallysmallerandweaker</p><p>thanyou.</p><p>Smallernon-divinespiritsarealldifferent,buttheexperienceoftherideis</p><p>often similar. With some of them, ones whose personality are more like</p><p>mine,Ihavetobecarefulnottolettoomuchofmyselfspillontothemwhile</p><p>they are here and pollute the message they are trying to convey. That’s</p><p>tricky,becauseitmeansconsciouslygivingupmorecontrolinsomeways</p><p>thanwithagod.Ihavetobemorepassivewiththem,whereagodwilljust</p><p>squishmeintoalittleballandmovemeoutoftheway.</p><p>—FireheartTashlin,Paganspiritworker</p><p>Animalspiritsareprobablythemostcommonlyusedforthispurpose.Ashaman</p><p>orshamanicpractitioner(orwhatever thenameforspiritworker is in thegiven</p><p>culture)mightmake an alliancewith theGrandparentSpirit of theWolf,who</p><p>will come through their body and reach into a sick client and “take out”</p><p>something that the spiritworker can’t reach—for example, the life force of</p><p>inhabiting“evil”bacteriaorviruses,theactual“evilspirits”thatattemptalltoo</p><p>often tomesswith us. The spiritworkermight alsomake an alliancewith the</p><p>spiritofanactualdeadanimal, rather than theoverarchingGrandparentSpirit;</p><p>Greywolf,aCelticshaman,writesofhisexperiencewithdoing this.Atayard</p><p>salehefoundarugmadeoftheskinsofyoungwolves,andheworeitasacloak;</p><p>thefirsttimethatheworeittoafeastwherevenisonwasserved,thewolf-souls</p><p>whowerestillattached to the rug“wokeup”anddemanded tobe fed through</p><p>themedium of his body, even though hewas a vegetarian. “As I ate the first</p><p>mouthful I felt the hides on my back begin to ripple with life and heat that</p><p>radiatedthroughmybody.Afterfortyyearsinabaginanattic,mywolveswere</p><p>eatingagain….AfterthewolfskincloakcametomeIfoundthatIhadapack</p><p>of six young wolves that I could call on for assistance. I became their alpha</p><p>male,thepackleader.”1</p><p>Althoughlycanthropyisacomplexphenomenonthat isbeyondthescopeof</p><p>this book, one rather rare form of “shamanic” lycanthropy might also be</p><p>considered a form of spirit-possession. In this practice, rather than actively</p><p>shapingtheastralbodyintoanimalform,thespiritworker“tradessouls”withan</p><p>animalspirit,allowingthemtousethehumanfleshforatimewhiletheytravel</p><p>intheanimalspirit’sshapeintheOtherworlds.Whileallsuchaccountsseemto</p><p>comefromthepointofviewofthespiritworkerdoingtheirjourneys,andthere</p><p>is very little written about what the animal spirit does with the human body</p><p>whileithasit,suchasituationisaformofpossession—perhapseven“double”</p><p>possession. One correspondent describes her experiences with modern</p><p>possessorylycanthropy:</p><p>Iamatherianthrope,someonewhoidentifiesnonphysicallyasananimal,</p><p>specificallyawolf.IfirstbecameawareofbeingawolfwhenIwasabout</p><p>twoyearsold,andit’ssomethingthat’salwaysstuckwithme…I’venever</p><p>determinedthesourceofthis;I’mmoreconcernedwiththefunctionalityof</p><p>itandwhat Icandowith it.While Idon’tbelieve it isentirely totemic in</p><p>nature, nor is it wholly psychological—but both play a strong role in it,</p><p>particularly as it relates to my spirituality and magical practice. If you</p><p>wanted to talk in termsofpersonalityaspecting,youcouldsay thatWolf-</p><p>the-totemcorrespondsinternallytomyego,whichisalsolupine-identified.</p><p>However,thatwhichiswolfinmeisnotlimitedtomyegoandthehuman</p><p>consciousness; as with most therianthropes, I go through shapeshifts at</p><p>various times in response to a variety of stimuli. In these cases, my</p><p>consciousnessandperceptionceases tobe thatofahuman,andbecomes</p><p>primarily thatofawolf, though there isenoughof thehumanmind-set to</p><p>keepmefromdoingsomethingentirelystupid,suchasbitesomeoneorrun</p><p>nakeddownthestreet.</p><p>While this wolf-nature is something that is wholly a part of me and</p><p>alwayshasbeen,ratherthanbeingduetoanexternalentitypossessingme,</p><p>the extremely strong bond with Wolf makes invoking them very easy.</p><p>Generally if I tryoutanew formofanimalmagic, I’ llask forhelp from</p><p>Wolf or a wolf spirit, simply because that is what’s most familiar. For</p><p>example, for about 5 years now I’ve been dancing in awolfskin at drum</p><p>circles at various Pagan festivals. What I have found is that when an</p><p>animaldies,thesoulleavesthebody,butthereremainsaspiritualresidue</p><p>ofsortsstrongenoughtohaveapersonalityofitsown.Iamabletowork</p><p>with this spiritwhen Iworkwith animal parts artistically andmagically,</p><p>andwhenIdancewiththewolfskin(oranyotherskin)Iinvokethatspirit</p><p>andallowittousemybody,whilegettingachancetofindoutwhatit’slike</p><p>toliveintheirheadandfeelwhatit’sliketobethem.Ifigurethat’sabout</p><p>theclosestI’llevergettoanactualphysicalshift.</p><p>Wehaveasmallritualwegothrougheverytimewedancetogether.First</p><p>Islipmyarmsthroughtheholeswherethefrontlegsoncewere—myarms</p><p>fitperfectly.Thatestablishesabondbetweenus.ThenI fastentheskinat</p><p>my ankles, then my arms and hands, and as I do so I can feel myself</p><p>spiritually/energetically/astrally shifting to wolf, feeling the spirit of the</p><p>skinenteringintomybodyateachpointofcontact.Finally,Ipullthehead</p><p>overmine likeahoodand tie it,andat thatpoint thespirit fillsmybody</p><p>entirely and we share flesh and fur. Once we get started dancing, the</p><p>barriers between our respective consciousnesses dissolve andwemeld in</p><p>mind as well as in spirit. The outer wolfskin spirit never entirely</p><p>overwhelmsme;hemaycallupandmeldwiththeinternalwolf,butIam</p><p>nottakenovertothepointthatIforgetmyself.</p><p>—Lupa,animisticPaganmagician</p><p>Plantspirits,too,havebeenusedshamanicallyinthisway.Aspiritworkerwho</p><p>has an alliancewith theGrandparent Spirit of a particular plantmay take the</p><p>spiritofthatplantintothem,orputitintotheclient,inordertodohealing.This</p><p>isparticularlyeffective in thatonecanactually</p><p>ingestsomeof thebodyof the</p><p>plant,andthustakeitquiteliterallyintothebody.Ifthereisanalliancewiththe</p><p>spirit,itwilltravelalongand“aim”theactionoftheplant’salkaloidswherethey</p><p>willdothemostgood,creatinganextra“kick”forhealing.Thisisamildform</p><p>ofpossession,theoldestandmostcommonmethodoffightingagainstthe“evil</p><p>spirits”ofdiseasethatalsoinhabit,bothphysicallyandastrally,ahumanbody.</p><p>Entheogenic plant spirits have also been propitiated historically in order to</p><p>achieve altered states, generally with those powerful plant spirits as guides</p><p>throughtheOtherworldsinordertodospiritwork.Again,thefactthattheycan</p><p>betakenphysicallyintothebodyaswellasastrallycancreateahighlyeffective</p><p>kind of possessory altered state. Plantspirit possessions don’t look like the</p><p>possessionsofmostotherspirits—plantsaresessile,andplantspiritshave little</p><p>interest in running around in the body, so the interaction is usually entirely</p><p>internal,betweentheplantspiritandthespiritworker—buttheirpresencecanbe</p><p>palpablyfeltworkingthroughthehandsandbodyofthepractitionerinquestion.</p><p>Plant and animal spirits are good examples of egalitarian allies, in that you</p><p>can’tforcethemtodowhatyouwant,butnoraretheygenerallystrongenough</p><p>to forceyou todoanything,unlessyouhavemadedealswith them thatallow</p><p>themthatliberty.Theyarealsolikely,whenitcomestoalliances,torequireyou</p><p>totakeoncertaintaboosaspaymentfortheiraid.Thesemightberulesaround</p><p>whatyoucanandcannotdowith theirmeatorskins,orhowyoutreat,eat,or</p><p>recreatewithanimalorplantsubstancesingeneral.Ifyouagreetothesetaboos</p><p>andthenbreakthem,theyhavethelawfulrighttomesswithyou,sobecareful</p><p>whatcovenantsyoumake.</p><p>Aside from deities, I have done possessory work with a number of plant</p><p>spirits.SkullcapmovedinsidemetoteachmesomeofthethingsIneededto</p><p>knowaboutherpowers;shewasquitesolidlyinmeandmyawarenesswas</p><p>keptinlineinordertolearnfromher.Theflyagaricspirit,FatherRedcap,</p><p>hasn’tslippedcompletelyinside,thoughhehasovershadowedmeonafew</p><p>occasions.Inasortofreversepossession,Ihavebeentakenintotheruling</p><p>Wormwood spirit andwas held inside him for a time.My awareness has</p><p>been allowed inside redwood trees to sit next to their slow steady spirits</p><p>and to see the world through their ancient perspective. Being inside</p><p>Wormwood was very healing and comforting; being inside the redwood</p><p>treeswassimplyoneofthemostmovingexperiencesofmylife.</p><p>—SilenceMaestas,Paganspiritworker</p><p>Local elemental spirits are another sort of entity that occasionally (but rarely)</p><p>possesses people. The largest spirits on this scale are the land-spirits, the</p><p>guardians of specific areas of the Earth. They vary in size from the one that</p><p>mightguardyourbackfieldtotheoneinchargeofanentiremountainrange.As</p><p>arule,thebiggertheyare,thelesslikelytheyaretopayattentiontoyou.Even</p><p>local land-spiritswill generally ignore humanbeingsunless they areA)doing</p><p>harmfullarge-scalethingstotheland,suchasclear-cuttingandstrip-mining,B)</p><p>makingoverturestotheland-spiritforsomereason,orC)doingmagicorritual</p><p>ontheland,whichattractstheirattention.Thisiswhyit’sgoodpolicytocheck</p><p>with the land-spirits beforedoing somethingpower-raisingonunfamiliar land.</p><p>Generally the land-wightswill possess someoneonly in anemergency, if they</p><p>feel that their land is being seriously threatened and they find an unguarded</p><p>“openhead.”</p><p>Some smaller elemental spirits are the various air, fire, water, and earth</p><p>elementals.Theseareasimilarclassofbeingtoland-wights,althoughsomewhat</p><p>smallerandboundupintheexpressionofonesortofnaturalessence.Theyare</p><p>notthesameascreaturessuchasgiantsandelvesandothersortsofelementally</p><p>affinitive being, although the latter categories can “backslide” into being little</p><p>more thananelementalspirit if theyburrowtoofar into theirelementalnature</p><p>andlosethedepthoftheirsoul.Elementalshaveashortattentionspanandare</p><p>further removed from humanity than the giants and Faeries; their natures are</p><p>simpler, although theyarenot stupid.Local sprites areone formof elemental,</p><p>although they may not be lined up with any of the “classic” four elements.</p><p>Others can be dryads (tree elementals), naiads (river and lake elementals),</p><p>nereids (ocean elementals), and other various entities described in myths and</p><p>folktales.Aswithland-wights,possessionbysuchcreaturesispossible,butrare</p><p>andunlikely,andwillusuallybeasbriefastheirattentionspanandonlyhappen</p><p>totheunshieldedopenhorsewithnootherprotections.</p><p>Ontheotherhand,therearepowerfulandintelligent“nations”ofspiritssuch</p><p>as the various forms of elves—the Sidhe, the Alfar, the Tuatha De Danaan.</p><p>TherearetheGiants,someofwhom—aswiththeNorseetin/jotunandtheGreek</p><p>Titans—scaleup togodhood.Thereare thedwarves,and thesatyrs,andmany</p><p>otherformsofcreatureswiththeirownOtherworlds,cultures,andpower.Again,</p><p>usually they’ll leaveyoualoneunlessyou’recourtingthem,or they’vetakena</p><p>special interest in you for some reason, but they have been known to possess</p><p>people, consensually and otherwise. Sometimes this is for a teaching alliance,</p><p>sometimesbecausetheywanttoexperiencethisworldina“heavy”body.Like</p><p>the gods, they may sometimes take psychically gifted humans as lovers, and</p><p>althoughthoseconnectionsareusuallymadeonanastral level, theyhavebeen</p><p>knownto“borrow”humanbodiesforwaystomakethatconnectionphysicalif</p><p>onlyforanhour.</p><p>Accordingtosomelegends, theymayalsoutilizepossessionasawaytofix</p><p>the personal and psychic qualities of their species into a human bloodline,</p><p>through possession during the physical mating and embryoconception of two</p><p>human beings who may be simultaneously hosting one or more nonhumans.</p><p>Accordingtothetheory,iftheseentitiesareastrallypresentinthebodiesatthe</p><p>timeoftheconceptionofanewhuman,theyareabletoslightlyalterthechild’s</p><p>genessoastomakeitmoreliketheinhabitingFaery/Giant/what-have-you,and</p><p>thisishownonhuman“blood”—andnonhumangiftsandflaws—getintohuman</p><p>genetics.Legendsandfolktalesaboundwithstoriesofmortalsbearingchildren</p><p>to immortal lovers, and the gods get into those stories aswell; certainlyZeus</p><p>spreadhis“seed” farandwideamongmortals, includingAlexander theGreat,</p><p>whose mother, Olympias, claimed that her child was the son of both her</p><p>husband, Philip of Macedon, and Zeus himself. (Frankly, it seems not at all</p><p>unlikelythatZeuswouldchoosethegreatwarriorKingPhilipforavessel.)The</p><p>dynasty of Yngling rulers, who gave their name to England, claimed to be</p><p>descended from the god Ing/Frey. AreMarsson, one of the great seafarers of</p><p>Icelandic legend, was said to be fathered by an elf on his mother, Katla</p><p>(describedinthesixteenth-centuryIcelandicpoem“KoetluDraumar”).</p><p>Ithasalsobeennotedthatwhenamemberofoneofthesenonhumanspecies</p><p>approachesahumanbeingoutofnowhere, the reasonmostoftengiven is that</p><p>thisindividualhassomesmallamountoftheirgeneticancestry,andthismakes</p><p>them“interesting”tothenonhumaninvolved.However,evenhumanswiththese</p><p>bloodlines should be careful of such alliances; while they can be highly</p><p>rewarding, it is important to remember that they are Not Human, and</p><p>their</p><p>values,worldviews,andcognitivedifferencesmustbetakenintoaccountwhen</p><p>dealingwiththem.Somenonhumanspeciescanbequiteeasytooffend,ifyou</p><p>make human assumptions about their motives and reactions. If you are</p><p>approachedbyone—andespeciallyifthereisimpendingnegotiationaboutbeing</p><p>riddenbythem—trytofindaspiritworkerwhoworksspecificallywiththatrace</p><p>andaskthemforadviceandpossiblemediation,beforeyoumisstep.</p><p>Anothersubcategoryofnot-quite-gods,ifwecanevenmakethathubris-filled</p><p>statement, is thatofdivine servants.This encompasses suchentities as angels,</p><p>Valkyries, Odin’s ravens, and formerly mortal messengers who work for a</p><p>particulardeity.Often,whentheycome,theyexplainthattheyareheretospeak</p><p>and listen for their divine masters, who do not choose to come directly for</p><p>whateverreason.Treatthemwiththerespectthatyouwouldtreattheirmasters,</p><p>asyoucanbesurethateverythingyousay,do,andpossiblyeventhinkwillbe</p><p>reported. However, it is generally considered fair to do a quick divination to</p><p>make sure that this messenger is really reporting to god X, before you open</p><p>negotiations.</p><p>THEDEAD</p><p>Theideathatdeceasedpeoplecansometimesreturntothisplaneisasclosetoa</p><p>UniversalMythaswearelikelytofind.Ancestorworshipistheoldestformof</p><p>religion,andfuneralritesmayhavestartednotasawayofassuagingthegriefof</p><p>survivorsbutasameansofensuringthatneglecteddeadspiritswouldnotwreak</p><p>havoc on those who did not provide them their due respect. Even today,</p><p>possessionbythedeadiscommonplaceinmanycultures.FrancisX.HezelS.J.,</p><p>a Jesuit scholar living andworking inMicronesia (a collection of islands and</p><p>atollslocatedbetweenMelanesiaandPolynesiainthePacificOcean),givesusa</p><p>contemporary account of dead relatives returning to intervene in the affairs of</p><p>theliving:</p><p>Just as the familymemberscrossed themselves tobegineating,M. shouted,</p><p>fellbackoffherseatandlostconsciousness.Sheawokeandstartedtoscream.</p><p>AnunclewhowasknowledgeableinChuukmedicinewascalled.WhenM.saw</p><p>his arrival, she struggled to escape. Shewas so strong that her older brothers</p><p>couldbarelykeepherdown.Theunclesawthespiritsofthemotherandtheaunt</p><p>“onher”andexplained that theywereangryandwanted to takeM.away.He</p><p>knewwhythespiritscame:therewerebadfeelingsbetweentheoldestsisterand</p><p>abrother.Forhismedicine,theunclechewedcertainleaves,perfumedthemand</p><p>washedM’sbodywiththem.Whilehewasbringingoutthemedicine,thespirits</p><p>leftandM.calmeddown.Sincetheunclehadalreadybroughtthebrotherwith</p><p>him,heandtheoldestsisterwerereconciled.Thebadfeelingswerecausedbya</p><p>landdispute.M.hadanotherthreeincidentsafterthis,allwithinamonth.Each</p><p>timeM.wouldcryandtakeontheexpressionsofthedeadmother,bothinvoice</p><p>andinfacialexpressions.M.saidinhermother’svoice,“Iwanttotakeher[M.]</p><p>awaybecauseyoudon’tloveher.”2</p><p>OtherMicronesianshamansworkwithdeadspirits:ontheislandofPuluwat,</p><p>a boy who was said to be possessed frequently by a spirit of the dead</p><p>“prophesied”thearrivalofaSouthSeasExpeditionsteamer,whileontheisland</p><p>ofUlithiababywhodiedsoonafterbirthin1839returnedtoworkasapowerful</p><p>prophetandhealerforhisfather,whowouldcallhimdownbydrinkingcoconut</p><p>oil and chewingmint leaves.When possessed by the baby’s spirit, the father</p><p>would speak in a high falsetto voice andwould diagnose disease andwarn of</p><p>oncomingtyphoons.3</p><p>Thedeadcan sometimes return to takecareofmatters left unfinishedwhen</p><p>theydeparted.ThesecondhalfofDionFortune’sMoonMagicwascompleted</p><p>byatrancemediumwhochanneledFortuneafterherdeath.4The“restlessdead”</p><p>can also attempt to possess the living so that they can continue to enjoy the</p><p>benefits of life on our plane.Many practitioners ofAfrican-diaspora religions</p><p>have encountered these possessions/infestations by “haints,” spiritos</p><p>intranquilos or morts; they can be among the most difficult and dangerous</p><p>possessions to break, and are amajor reasonwhy sensitivesmust take proper</p><p>precautions when visiting graveyards, “haunted areas,” or locations where</p><p>paranormal or poltergeist activity has been detected—or avoid these places</p><p>altogether.</p><p>Andwhen the dead don’t come of their own accord, those they left behind</p><p>frequentlycallonthem.TheSpiritualistmovement isawellknownexampleof</p><p>this, but it’s far from the only one. Despite official proscriptions against</p><p>“superstition,” Vietnamese “soul callers” do a brisk business channeling the</p><p>spiritsofdepartedlovedones,5whiletheBiblerecordsKingSaul’svisittothe</p><p>Witch of Endor when he wished to gain counsel from the deceased prophet</p><p>Samuel. (As frequently happens during possessions, Saul didn’t get the</p><p>reassurance he was hoping for: rather, Samuel predicted his downfall and</p><p>defeat.6)</p><p>Thedifferencebetweenhorsingdeadhumansoulsandgods?Deadpeople</p><p>are much smaller. Most of my horsing dead people were for teaching</p><p>purposes—either me being taught from behind the safety glass, or that</p><p>spirit teaching someone else, with or without me watching. I found that</p><p>horsingaspiritdoesn’ttakenearlyasmuchoutofmeashorsingagod,but</p><p>itcanbehardertomaintainthehorsing—findingmyselfcomingbacktomy</p><p>bodybeforetheywerereadytoleave.Thereisn’tthatdivinepowerholding</p><p>the door open. It takes more of my conscious effort to open for a dead</p><p>human spirit, whereas a god can just shoveme out of the way and take</p><p>over.</p><p>—WintersongTashlin,Paganspiritworker</p><p>WhenaspiritorEguncomesin,I feelapressureonme,oranentwining</p><p>feeling within my body. An old medium once described it as feeling like</p><p>beingamailbox,andthespiritcomesinliketheyarealetterenteringthe</p><p>slotofthemailbox.Iexperiencethisonthebackofmyneckanddownmy</p><p>spine.Sometimesthecomingpossessionofaspiritfeelslikethebodyofa</p><p>spiritwalking intomyupper torso, ormywholebody. I don’t experience</p><p>thefeelingof“light”thatIdowithadeity-possession.</p><p>Mostpossessions that Ihavewitnessedare the spirit-possessions that I</p><p>have described. I have also seen elevated beings come in who are not</p><p>orishaandarenotthedead;maybetheyaresomeformofdeity.Itdoesnot</p><p>looklikewhatIdescribedwhenIseeorishapossession,soIconsiderthem</p><p>spirits.Iambeingverycautiousaboutthis.Inmytradition,theysaythatan</p><p>orishawillsometimessendaspiritontheirbehalftomanifestanaspectof</p><p>themselves.Perhaps it is the samewithWesterndeities, orperhaps there</p><p>areelevatedlevelsofdeitythatweasacommunityareexperiencing.Iam</p><p>stilllearningandwatchingandfindinglanguageforallofthis.</p><p>—OlorishaOmiLasaJoyWedmedyk</p><p>Likemanyoftheotherdistinctionsdrawnhereforconvenience,thelinebetween</p><p>reveredancestorsanddivinespiritscanbeablurryone.ThepeopleofBăo’ān(a</p><p>village in southwestern Taiwan) believe that after death, people who were</p><p>especiallyvirtuousandimportantbecomegods,andthatmostof thegodsthey</p><p>speakwiththroughtrancemediumswereoncelivingpeoplelikethemselves.7In</p><p>Vietnam, Ly Phuc Man, a historical personage from the sixth century, is</p><p>worshipped inmanyvillages; so too is amore recentlydeceased ancestor,Ho</p><p>ChiMinh.8ManypractitionersofIfaandLukumiidentifyChangoasamighty</p><p>chieftainandwarriorwhowaspromoted toorishastatusuponhisdeath,while</p><p>OgouDesallines,</p><p>the spiritof Jean-JacquesDesallines,Haiti’s first ruler,often</p><p>appearsatfets.MongoliansrevereGenghisKhanassomethingbetweenadead</p><p>ancestorandademigod,andcallonhimoftenforprotection.Similarly,Korean</p><p>mudang shamans revere and call upon (and are often possessed by) ancestral</p><p>shamans and ancient rulers who have now become godlike and impart their</p><p>wisdom. During a mudang initiation, the mudang will be dressed in a wide</p><p>varietyofcostumesdedicatednotonlytogodsbutalsotoancestralspirits,and</p><p>shewillbepossessedbyseveralofthem,astheirwayofclaimingalliancewith</p><p>her.</p><p>WhatWesternizedpeopleneedtokeepinmindwhilereadingthisall-too-brief</p><p>chapter is that therearemany,manymoresortsofspirits thanthefewthatwe</p><p>list here. Every ancient and aboriginal culture had—and has—its pantheon of</p><p>spirits, and some of them could name literally hundreds, often by name. As</p><p>people raised in a monotheistic culture, we may have absorbed some of the</p><p>Western assumption that having one god is more “advanced” than having</p><p>multiplegods,andsomeofthisassumptionseemstohavecontinuedeveninless</p><p>monotheistic communities with unspoken ideas that having fewer gods and</p><p>spirits in one’s world was more “rational,” less superstitious, less like those</p><p>primitive people, than having multitudes of them. If one couldn’t be a</p><p>monotheist, thenbyGodone should at least have a “decent”numberof gods,</p><p>which translated to “as few as possible.”This seems to be at least part of the</p><p>motivationofmanyscholarstoconflateandmergedeitiesintopilesofvaguely</p><p>similarentitiesanddecidethattheyarealloneratherthanmany.</p><p>There’s no easy answer when it comes to figuring out what sort of spirit</p><p>you’vegot,andhowtobestbehavetowardit,althoughinthisbookwewillgive</p><p>youwhatwisdomwe’vegleanedonthesubject.Somespiritsblurtheboundaries</p><p>of theabovecategories—howmanyofusareonlyonething?—andsomemay</p><p>beinothercategorieswedidn’tevengetto.Still,thebasicrulesapply:courtesy,</p><p>thoughtfulness, and keeping yourwits about you.We aren’t expected to have</p><p>plumbed all the mysteries of the spirit worlds, and they know that. We are</p><p>expectedonlytodoourbest,andtokeepamindopentowonder.</p><p>It isoneofthebestwaystoexperiencedivinity.Itshovesyourfaceinthe</p><p>factthatthereissomethingbiggerthanyou,rightinfrontofyou,everyday.</p><p>It is a far wilder and more personal experience of divinity than other</p><p>methodsIhaveexperienced.</p><p>—SummerwindTashlin,Paganspirit-worker</p><p>SO HOW DOES A SPIRIT get into a human body? First, it’s important to</p><p>remember that unless thebody is dead, there is already a spirit dwelling in it.</p><p>Thesoul,withall itsvariouspartsandaccessories (descriptionsofwhichvary</p><p>depending on cultural context), usually resides in the area inside the flesh</p><p>envelope, takingupthespacewerefer toas theastralbody.Theaurais to the</p><p>astralbodyasanatmosphere is toa livingplanet, andextendsbeyond it.This</p><p>meansthatthereisalreadya“space”carvedout,sotospeak,toseataspiritin.</p><p>Possession is the (ideally) willing action of moving over and letting another</p><p>spiritsharethatspace.Itmaybemuchlargerthanyou,andthusonlyasmallpart</p><p>ofitwillfitin,leavingtheresttoswirlaboutthebodyor(morelikely)notenter</p><p>intothespaceatall.(Godscandothat.)Itmaybemuchsmallerthanyou,and</p><p>needcoaxingtodowhatneedstobedone.Itmaybeunfamiliarwithabody—or,</p><p>atleast,yourbody—althoughsomeareaquickerstudyinthatareathanothers.</p><p>What you have to remember with deity-possession in particular is that the</p><p>gods are much, much bigger than we are. Only a small part of their being</p><p>actually lodges itself intoour limitedphysicalbodies.Theentiretyofagodor</p><p>goddess simplywouldn’t fit in our tiny space, nomatter howmuchwewere</p><p>squashed.Ofcourse,somegodsarebiggerthanothers.Themore“personal”and</p><p>“humanlike” deities are not as huge in comparison to us as the older and less</p><p>“human” gods.One individualwho had been an aide for several public ritual</p><p>horsingswrotetous:</p><p>Icanseeauras;I’vealwaysbeenableto.Theauraofagodismuchbigger</p><p>thanthatofahumanbeing.Ifahumanisabouttwoorthreefeetacross—</p><p>coffin-size,asonefriendputit—theauraofmostgodsismoreliketenfeet</p><p>across,andithasabrightnessthat’sthevisualequivalentofstandingnear</p><p>anelectricfence.Youhavetokeepavertingyoureyes.Ofcourse,thefirst</p><p>timethatIwasatahorsingoftheancientHunter,hisaurawassobigthat</p><p>it encompassed the entire field.Thatmeant that his horse looked, at first</p><p>glance, like it had no aura at all, just a moving dark figure in furs and</p><p>antlers.ThenIrealizedthatthehorse’sbodywasthecentralanchorpoint</p><p>forthisutterhugeness,andIwastotallyawed.</p><p>It seems thatpeoplewhoarenaturalhorses—thosewhom thegodsand spirits</p><p>chooseoutright,oftenwithoutwarningorconsent—are“wired”psychically(and</p><p>possiblyneurologically)tobethatway.Wehavenoticedahigheroccurrenceof</p><p>certain neurological disorders among natural horses (meaning those who are</p><p>plagued by god-possession without ever striving for it), including Tourette’s</p><p>syndromeandsomeseizuredisorders.Manyoftheconditionsthatarecurrently</p><p>classified as schizophrenia also appear to be concomitant with the ability to</p><p>horse naturally. However, some natural horses have no such indicators, and</p><p>manypeoplewhosuffer fromoneormoreof theseconditionshavenonatural</p><p>abilitytohorse.</p><p>In many religious traditions, only skilled and trained professionals practice</p><p>possession;inothers,itismoreegalitarian.Itisnotuncommonforbystandersat</p><p>a Vodou fet or an Espiritismo misa to become possessed, for example. We</p><p>suspectthatmanyoftheseculturalandreligioustaboosoriginatedwiththegods</p><p>themselves, as they were only willing to use a body that fit their rigorous</p><p>specifications. We would also note that not everyone in these cultures can</p><p>experience possession either. Even in Haiti there are a significant number of</p><p>houngansandmamboswhotravayklereor“workclear”;theyservethelwabut</p><p>areneverpossessedby them.Of thosepeoplewhocanbecomepossessedat a</p><p>fet,mostwill experience themas comparatively light andbrief. (Thosewhose</p><p>possessions are more intense, frequent, and long lasting will generally be</p><p>encouragedtokanzoandbecomefull-fledgedpriestsofthereligion.)Theability</p><p>tocompletely“letgoandletthegods”isnotsomethingthatyoucanlearnfrom</p><p>abook,orevenfromateacher.</p><p>Thisdoesn’tmeanthatthosewhoarenotnaturalhorsescanneverexperience</p><p>possession,althoughitdoesmeanthatitwillbeunlikely.Peoplewhosegenetic</p><p>dicegavethemtinearsandapoorvocalrangearelesslikelytobeprofessional</p><p>singers,althoughafewwillgetluckyanyway.However,thisisstilloneofthe</p><p>rarestofthepsychicgifts,becauseitisn’tonethatyoucanjustsetouttomaster</p><p>viawillpower.Itisentirelydependentonthegodsandspirits,andiftheydon’t</p><p>wantyoutousethispath,thenitsimplywon’thappen.That’sanotherreasonfor</p><p>thegreatercommunitytodislikeit;itis(likebecomingaclassicshaman)rather</p><p>anelitistsituation.Thegodsandspiritsdecidewhogetstodoit,andwehaveno</p><p>sayoverthat.Wecan’tevenreallyunderstandtheirchoicesandreasoning;being</p><p>nabbedasahorsedoesn’tseemtobecontingentonanystandardofintelligence,</p><p>sanity,</p><p>morals, or even devoutness. In the egalitarian views of the modern</p><p>alternative spirituality movement(s), any spiritual experience ought to be</p><p>available to anyonewhoworks hard enough at it, and the unfairness of being</p><p>chosen(ornot)asthegods’ownlimodrivercanrankleterribly.</p><p>In ancient times, this was less of a problem because people didn’t expect</p><p>spiritual things to be egalitarian.They also didn’t expect spirits to be kind, or</p><p>loving,orintheimmediatebestinterestsofthehumanswhomtheymightgrab.</p><p>In fact, the average person in a traditional tribal society today will generally</p><p>avoid“spirit-ridden”sacredplacesastaboo;theydon’twanttobenoticedbythe</p><p>spirits.Theyknowwhathappenstothepeoplewhogetnoticed,andtheywould</p><p>prefertokeeplivingalifewithafullsetofchoices.Thiscontrastswildlywith</p><p>modern people who desperately want to “bring more magic into their lives,”</p><p>withoutknowingwhatthatmeanttoourancestors.Thegods,however,stillwork</p><p>along thepathsnotedby thoseancestors.Theyareuntouchedby,and immune</p><p>to, our exhortations that spiritual attention be distributed fairly, by our own</p><p>standards,andtheywillcontinuetoworkinwaysthatbewilderandconfuseus,</p><p>andaremysterioustoourlimitedunderstanding.</p><p>It’s not a problem that most people can’t be horses. It’s an asset.What</p><p>wouldhappenifeveryoneataritualwasahorseandtherewasnoonewho</p><p>could make sure that it stayed safe for them and anyone who happened</p><p>along at the wrong time? Also, not everyone can handle being in the</p><p>presence of the gods, and that’s OK. The idea that everyone can do</p><p>everything is dangerous and ineffective and is just going to piss off the</p><p>gods, and hurt the poor people that are forcing the issue when they</p><p>shouldn’tbe.Ontheotherhand,ifthepersonhasalreadybeengrabbedby</p><p>godsorspirits,thenitisourobligationtoteachthemtodoitsafely.</p><p>—FireheartTashlin,Paganspirit-worker</p><p>Possessionisaskillthatmustbedevelopedbythepersonwhoisbornwith</p><p>that kind of energetic pattern, developing a relationship with all of</p><p>Creation.Itshouldnotbetaughttoanyonewhowantstolearn.Ihaveseen</p><p>extreme damage to a person’s energetic field when they have forced a</p><p>possessionorhadoneforceduponthem.Itisatruegiftthattakestheright</p><p>person, the right god, and the right set of sacred circumstances. It also</p><p>takes a lot of training, knowledge about the nature of possession, and</p><p>personal spiritual commitment. I believe that what I do works because I</p><p>have established relationships with the seen and unseen worlds in a</p><p>consistent spiritually based way. I could not do all the work that I do</p><p>withoutthecontinuedsupportofallCreation.</p><p>—OlorishaOmiLasaJoyWedmedyk</p><p>Thatsaid,onepersonwhoisgrabbedasahorsemaybeofferedadifferentdeal</p><p>fromsomeoneelse.Somespirit-workersarerequiredtohorsewhenthegodstell</p><p>them, and their only bargaining points may be time and place. Others have</p><p>greaterleewayandcanrefuse,althoughiftheyrefusetoooften,thegiftmaybe</p><p>withdrawn entirely. Some offer and are accepted; some offer and are refused;</p><p>some refuse and are taken anyway. Some may horse only their patron deity;</p><p>othersmightbe“lentout”bytheirpatrontohorseothergods(wecallthisbeing</p><p>arent-ahorse),andyetothersmayhavenopatronandnorestrictionsexceptfor</p><p>which gods are willing to show up and use them. (This situation will be</p><p>discussedmorethoroughlyintheHorsesection;seepage168.)</p><p>Ithinkthatanyonecanlearntochannel,ortoletsomethingridealongwith</p><p>themtoshadow,butnoteveryonecanhorse.Somepeoplejustcan’tletgo</p><p>ofcontrol,somepeoplejustaren’twiredforit,andsomespiritsjustwon’t</p><p>horseaparticularperson.They’repicky;theylikeaparticularbodytypeor</p><p>braintypeorpersonality.There’snojudgmentthere;it’sjustnotafitwith</p><p>them. I think that anyone can be taught to be an energy channel, butwe</p><p>would never accept anyone as a divine energy channel who hasn’t had</p><p>some kind of experience with being touched by deity. And just being a</p><p>divineenergychannelisthelowest,simplestlevelofhorsing.Ithinkthere</p><p>are cultural factors aswell, so I’m undecided on the issue. I don’t think</p><p>everybody can naturally do it. In fact, I think some people are forbidden</p><p>and precluded from doing it by their patrons. I think that you can teach</p><p>peopletohavethechannelopen,butyoucan’tforcethedeitythrough.You</p><p>canteachthemrelaxation,mentalpreparation,awe,andsuch,andyoucan</p><p>practicethat,butthat’snotthesameasdeitycomingthrough.</p><p>—LydiaHelasdottir,Paganspirit-worker</p><p>Peoplewhohorseregularlygenerallysaythat theydefinitelyhaveasenseofa</p><p>“hole” or “door” in their astral body, where the spirits can enter. The most</p><p>commonsitesfortheseholesseemtobeeitherthecrownchakraatthetopofthe</p><p>head or the base of the skull (what someAfroCaribbean faiths refer to as the</p><p>aché point). A smallminority reports the gods coming through themiddle of</p><p>their back, at about heart chakra level. Some are not able to pinpoint any</p><p>particular“entrypoint,”butjustreportthatthespiritslidesintothem,andthey</p><p>slowlyloseconsciousnesstooneextentoranother.</p><p>IconsidermyselfextremelyfortunateinhowIfirstcametolearnaboutand</p><p>experience divine possession.My first experiencewith a god choosing to</p><p>temporarily inhabitmy skinoccurred in theearly1990s,when Iwas still</p><p>workingwithFellowshipofIsis.Atthetime,Iwasservingaspsychopomp</p><p>for someone’s initiation ritual. Thewoman in questionwas dedicating to</p><p>theKemeticgoddessNeith,andas Iwasguidingher through thevarious</p><p>challenges and keeping her as grounded as possible considering the</p><p>circumstances,Ifeltaquiet,reservedpresencetouchingmyconsciousness.</p><p>IhadhonoredAnubismanytimesbefore,andIrecognizedthefeelofthat</p><p>presence, so I didn’t panic. He slid gently into my consciousness, and I</p><p>allowed Him to take over my mental and physical reins. The possession</p><p>wasn’t very deep—a light shadowing, really—but it startedme down the</p><p>roadofahorse,onewhoseprimaryspiritual“job”isallowingthegodsto</p><p>speakandactdirectlythroughthemediumofone’shumanflesh.</p><p>WhilepossessoryworkisneithercommonnorencouragedinFellowship</p><p>ofIsis,mypriestesshadsomeexperiencewiththeAfroCaribbeanreligious</p><p>traditions, enough to understand what was going on. She neither</p><p>encouragednordiscouragedthepractice.Ifitoccurred,thatwasgoodand</p><p>if itdidnot, thatwasgoodtoo.Thanks toherpracticality in thematter, I</p><p>wasabletoviewpossessoryworkassimplyonemoremanifestationofmy</p><p>spiritualevolution.Ithadnoparticularweightattachedforgoodorforill.</p><p>This has served me extremely well over the years. It allowed me to</p><p>approachitasanactofservicefromtheverybeginningwithoutbecoming</p><p>attached to either the practice or the outcome. I never sought out</p><p>possession,butwhenitoccurred,Iwasabletostepbackandallowthegod</p><p>orgoddessinquestiontocomeinwithouttoomuchdifficulty.Somepeople</p><p>experiencepossessionasviolatingintheextreme,butIwasfortunatethat</p><p>formyself,thiswasneverthecase.</p><p>—GalinaKrasskova,Heathenspirit-worker</p><p>There are generally five main reasons why someone would horse a spirit of</p><p>whateversizeandintensity.Theremightalsobeacoupleofsmallerreasons,but</p><p>theseare</p><p>themainones:</p><p>1. Training purposes. Sometimes there are skills that can’t be taught to</p><p>you throughwordsbut instead requireawight toenteryourbodyat least</p><p>partially and “motor you through” the skill. (For example, Loki taught</p><p>Ravenpathwalkinginthisway.)Thisalsoincludesbeinghorsedinorderto</p><p>trainsomeoneelse,whenthewightinquestionneedsawillingbodytobe</p><p>hissparringpartner,ortoshowthepersonhowatypeofenergyismoved,</p><p>oratypeofmagicdone.</p><p>OnceIwastakeninhandbyLokiandOdin,possessoryworkbecameone</p><p>ofthetrainingmethodsthatTheycommonlyusedwithme.Inteachingme</p><p>journeywork, or certain aspects ofmagic, galdr, and seidhr, Lokiwould</p><p>oftenridemelightly,enoughtooverlayhisconsciousnesswithmineandto</p><p>guide my hands in the techniques he was attempting to teach me.</p><p>Eventually,Odingavemeaspiritsongandover timeused this topattern</p><p>myheadandmind toHim specifically. I didn’t realizepreciselywhatHe</p><p>wasdoingatthetimethough,notuntilmuchlater.Usingthereceptivestate</p><p>the songputme in,Hewouldmodifymeslowlyoveraperiodofabouta</p><p>yearuntilHecouldslipintomedeeplyandwithoutdifficulty.Forthatyear</p><p>oftraining,OdinbecametheonlydeityotherthanLokithatIwasallowed</p><p>toberiddenby,buteventuallyHepermittedmetodosoforothergodsand</p><p>goddesses.</p><p>—GalinaKrasskova,Heathenspirit-worker</p><p>Ihaveexperiencedbothgod-possessionandspirit-possession;mostof the</p><p>timewhenIambeingpossessedbyaspirititisforthepurposeoftraining.</p><p>Sometimes the spirit-teacher will come forward and go through a lesson</p><p>withsomeoneelseandIwillbeallowedtofollowalong,thuslearningthe</p><p>lesson as well. When they are teaching through me, it is like watching</p><p>someoneelsedosomethingwithyourhands.Itmakessenseatthetime,and</p><p>sometimesIcandoitwhentheyleave.OftenIhavetodothethingthatthey</p><p>have taught several times in a row or I will lose it. Gods are somewhat</p><p>differentwhentheycometoteach—thelessonseemstocomethroughmuch</p><p>moreclearly. If theywerewrittendown, itwouldbe likeallof the letters</p><p>wereoutlinedinlight,glimmeryandmoreclear.</p><p>—FireheartTashlin,Paganspirit-worker</p><p>Freyahascomeintomeandwalkedmethroughvarioustechniques.Thisis</p><p>sometimesapartialpossession—shegentlyglides in,doessomethingwith</p><p>mybodyandmyhands,and thenglidesoutandsays,“Do that.” I try to</p><p>copyit,althoughsometimesshehastorepeatitafewtimesbeforeIgetit</p><p>right.Luckilysheispatientwithme.</p><p>—Gudrun,seidhkona</p><p>2. Information purposes. If a client comes to a spirit-worker with a</p><p>questionandoneofthegodswantstoanswerthatquestionthemselves,you</p><p>couldjusttakeverbaldictationandrelatethewords,butit’susefulforthe</p><p>spirit-workertobeabletotemporarilyhorsetheclientifneedbe.Thatway</p><p>theycanspeaktotheclientface-to-face,asitwere,andyou’relesslikelyto</p><p>muckthingsupwithanunclearsignal.</p><p>BeingpossessedbymyOrisha isa joyandanhonor.Beingpossessedby</p><p>Yemayaandthespiritsispartofmyworkformanyreasons.Theywishto</p><p>workthroughmeinthatwaytohelpothersintheirlives.Sometimesithelps</p><p>withclarityofmessage.Sometimesithelpsotherpeopleknowthatthetruth</p><p>hasbeengivento them,becausetheyrecognizeandtrust thespirit that is</p><p>speaking.</p><p>—OlorishaOmiLasaJoyWedmedyk</p><p>UsuallyIcantalktoadeitymyself—I’vegotagoodphoneline,asitwere.</p><p>Butsometimesthesignalisunclear,becauseI’msick,ortired,orinabad</p><p>place, or—to my shame—ignoring the answer because I hope that it’s</p><p>somethingelse.Ifprayingbeforeanaltarisn’tgettingmeanythingclear,I</p><p>maylookforsomeonewhoisahorseandcancarrythatdeityinorderto</p><p>talkwithmeone-onone.SometimesIcan’tfindanyonewhocancarrythat</p><p>godorgoddess,andthat’sjustlife.SometimesIcan—andit’samazingto</p><p>havethatgodlookyouintheeyeandtellyouwhatyouneedtohear.Allthe</p><p>internalarguingjustmeltsaway.It’sagreatgift.WhileIcan’tcarrygods</p><p>myself, I amgrateful that thereare thosewhocan.Onceoneof thegods</p><p>deignedtodoaritualforme,inthebodyofafriend,andthatwasagreat</p><p>honor.</p><p>—Ari,Paganspirit-worker</p><p>3.Publicdevotionalpurposes.Forsomepeople,aspirit-workerhorsinga</p><p>deityatapublicceremony is theonlychance that they’llhave toseeand</p><p>speakwithadivine force.This isvery important,both to thegodsand to</p><p>the worshippers. This was driven home tome after a Lammas gathering</p><p>whenRavenhorsedFreyandanotherspirit-workerhorsedhiswife,Gerda.</p><p>Bothofusrememberedlittleaboutwhathappenedduringthehorsing,but</p><p>afterwardpeoplewerecominguptousandthankingusforallowingthem</p><p>tospeaktothegodsdirectlyforthefirsttime.Thenumberofpeoplewho</p><p>weregenuinelymovedmadeitcleartobothofusthatthiswasnotjustdone</p><p>becauseourgodshaddemandeditofus.Itwasarealpublicservice,anda</p><p>valuableone.</p><p>4. Errands for the deity. Sometimes a god or wight will want to do</p><p>somethinginourworldthatrequiresacooperativehumanbody.Mostoften</p><p>itseemstobeaone-on-onemeetingwithoneofhisdedicants.Thiscould</p><p>bejustan importantconversationorsomethingasformalandintenseasa</p><p>marriagetoamortalgodspouse.Occasionallyitwillinvolveaninteraction</p><p>with another deity that needs to happen in mortal form for some reason</p><p>(usually unknown to us, aswe don’t necessarily get thewhole story), or</p><p>evennooneelseatall(suchasthetimethatawightwantedtousemeto</p><p>tastemeat,orgatherseawater).</p><p>Thiskindofbody-sharingissomewhatrarer,andcanbeverydangerous.In</p><p>thesecases, thespirit ridesabody toexperience thehumancondition for</p><p>somepurposeoranother.Inmyexperience,therehavebeenseveralspirits</p><p>whoridebodiestounderstandwhatcarsandtheInternetarelike.Onthe</p><p>otherhand,aspiritmightridesomeonetoaccomplishapurposeentirelyof</p><p>hisown(siringchildren,forexample).</p><p>—SummerwindTashlin,Paganspirit-worker</p><p>5.Channelingspirit-energy.Thisisdoingworkonsomeonewhorequires</p><p>youasachannel,aswe’vedescribedinthelastchapter,aboutanimaland</p><p>plant spirits. Channeling spirit-energy is rather more of the “classic”</p><p>shamanicwork,where theshamanaskshisspirit-helpers tocomethrough</p><p>him and aid an individualwho needs help.Most often this is simply the</p><p>energyof the spirit inquestioncoming through,which isbeginning tobe</p><p>commonly referred to as “aspecting” (see below), but on occasion it</p><p>requiresfull-onspirit-possession.</p><p>LEVELSOFDEITYASSUMPTION</p><p>Some time ago, a list started circulating around the Neo-Pagan community,</p><p>attributed toWillowPolson,with regard to levelsofdeitypresence.Whilewe</p><p>foundittobeuseful,wealsoexpandeditabittoincludelevelsbetweenlevels</p><p>that only people who’ve had a lot of experience horsing deities could know.</p><p>Therefore,wepresenttheexpandedlist,withapologiestoMs.Polson.</p><p>1. Enhancement. This is speaking about a deity: for example, giving an</p><p>invocation in the third person or telling a story. Doing this enhances</p><p>people’sunderstandingofthatdeity,theirimmediateconnectionwiththem,</p><p>and the feelingof their presence at the event.Enhancement requiresonly</p><p>knowing about the deity, rather than having any sort of connection with</p><p>them.Example:Apriestess tells thestoryaboutthebirthofAphrodite,as</p><p>partofarite,insuchawaythatpeoplewillalwaysremembertheimageof</p><p>Aphroditesteppingofftheshellontotheshore,andwhatthatreallymeant.</p><p>2. Inspiration. This is similar to enhancement,</p><p>in the sense that you are</p><p>giving an invocation or telling a story, but the difference is that with</p><p>inspiration you speak from the perceived viewpoint of the deity. In this</p><p>case,youspeakforratherthanspeakaboutthem.Insteadof“Aphroditedid</p><p>this,”it’s“Aphroditewantsthis.”Inspirationisbothamatterofknowledge</p><p>aboutthedeityandimaginationaboutwhattheymightwant.</p><p>3. Integration. Integration goes one step further; here you speak as the</p><p>deity in the first person.This isgenerallydoneonlyas thehighlightof a</p><p>ritual. One example of this is the classic Wiccan “drawing down the</p><p>Moon,”inwhichthehighpriestessstepsforthandspeaksasifshewerethe</p><p>goddess herself. “I am the beauty of the green earth and thewhitemoon</p><p>among the starsand themysteryof thewaters . . .” Inaway, this is like</p><p>makingofoneselfavotivefiguretorepresentthedeity.</p><p>4.Aspecting.Upuntilthispointonthelist,thehumanbeinginvolvedhas</p><p>been in full control of the situation, and the presence of the deity as an</p><p>entity may not even be involved at all. One can do enhancement,</p><p>inspiration,andintegrationwithoutactuallyhavinganastralconnectionto</p><p>thegodorgoddessoneishonoring,butthejumptoaspectingbringsoneto</p><p>a level where the deity is involved. From this point on, the choices and</p><p>control of the human being diminish and the choices and control of the</p><p>deity become more important. It is difficult to impossible to go further</p><p>withouttheactivecooperationoftheentityinquestion.Ofcourse,thereis</p><p>alsothepointthatatanyofthethreestagesalreadydiscussed,thedeitycan</p><p>step in and establish a link; twoway communication can happen</p><p>spontaneously.Inspirationcansuddenlybecomechannelingandintegration</p><p>canbecomeaspectingorevenfullpossession.</p><p>Inaspecting,oneisafullchannelfortheenergyofthedeity,andoftentheir</p><p>words,butthedeityhasnotfullytakenoverthefleshbodyinordertowalk</p><p>around in it and treat it as theirown.The individual isbeingavector for</p><p>their energy, but not their actual presence. Some refer to this as “co-</p><p>consciousness,”meaningthatthedeity’smindandenergyandtheirownare</p><p>equallypresentandsharecommandofwhatwillbesaid.Aspectingisoften</p><p>mistakenforfullybeingriddenbypeoplewhohaveneverdealtwithfull-on</p><p>possession. Many people can aspect a deity that they cannot necessarily</p><p>fullyhorse,andaspecting is lessexhaustingandmucheasieron thebody</p><p>andthesoul.</p><p>Often at this stage, I find that I am sometimes able to (or allowed to)</p><p>explain sensations, thoughts, or emotions that I pick up from the deity to</p><p>whomeverthedeityisspeakingtoforgreaterclarification.Therearethose</p><p>possessionswhere I am sure it’s co-consciousness and later findout that</p><p>whileImayhavethoughtso,largeportionsoftimearesimplyblankedfrom</p><p>mymind,sothatwhatIthinkisafullmemoryoftheexperienceisinreality</p><p>piecemeal.</p><p>—GalinaKrasskova,Heathenspirit-worker</p><p>WhenIfirstreadaboutthepracticeinCeremonialMagicof“assumingthe</p><p>god-form”ofadeity,IfeltcertainthiswassomethingIhadexperienced.I</p><p>have never been possessed, but I have connected very solidly with the</p><p>archetypeofadeitywhileinritualspace.Ididn’tconnectwiththedeityas</p><p>an individual entity, but I did connect to the role of that deity and I had</p><p>some small level of access to the deity’s wisdom and a deeper</p><p>understandingofitsmysteries.Iwasfullyconscious,butmyjudgmentand</p><p>preferenceswere strongly skewed tomatch the deity’s. Itwas like seeing</p><p>theworld through thedeity’s eyes, rather than thedeity seeing theworld</p><p>throughmyeyes. Iwould call this aspectingadeity’s archetype, but I’ve</p><p>alsohearditdescribedaswearingthedeity’s“hat”or“mask.”Itisvery</p><p>differentfromthesortofconnectiononewouldmakedoingoracularwork</p><p>orchanneling,becausethedeityisn’tdirectlycommunicatingwithyou.Itis</p><p>muchmoreabstractandarchetype-based.</p><p>—JoshuaTenpenny,Paganspirit-worker’sassistant</p><p>5.Shadowing.Thisiswhenthedeity“ridesalonginyourhead,”asmany</p><p>folkshaveputit.There’safeelingofthembeingjustbehindyourshoulder,</p><p>and able to speak clearly to you (and some may keep up a running</p><p>commentaryduring a shadowingexperience), but they arenotusingyour</p><p>body, and you are in full control of your reactions. You may “take</p><p>dictation” and relay their words, or rephrase them, or keep silent as the</p><p>situationrequires.Shadowingcanhappenasanindividualexperience(e.g.,</p><p>you’rewalkingthroughthemallandyourpatrondeitycommentsonwhich</p><p>trinket they’d likeyou tobuy for them), or as part of a ritual or spiritual</p><p>consultation;inthelattercase,itcanshadeintochanneling.</p><p>6.Channeling.MadefamousbytheNewAgefolks,channelingisaform</p><p>ofpartialpossessioninwhichtheentityisallowedtomakeuseofahuman</p><p>being’svoiceorhandsbutdoesnotactivelytakeoverthewholebody.This</p><p>tendstobemorecommonwith“lesser,”non-divinespirits,asitismoreofa</p><p>partnershipbetweenthechannelandthe“guest.”Deitiesaremorelikelyto</p><p>wanttotakeoverthewholebody,althoughthisisnotahard-and-fastrule.</p><p>Somemaysettleforchannelingifthereisnotenoughconnection,orletting</p><p>goonthepartofthehorse,tomanagefullpossession.</p><p>7. Possession. In this situation, the strongest connection of all, the deity</p><p>comes into the person’s body, displacing their own personality/soul for a</p><p>time,and speaksdirectly to theaudienceorclient.Dependingon thegod</p><p>and the situation, thedeitymaycommandeer thebody forother thingsas</p><p>well.Generally thehorse’s consciousnessat thispoint is either extremely</p><p>distanced(horseshavereportedseeingandhearingthingsasifunderwater</p><p>orfromalongwayaway,inaverydissociativemanner,orthesoundmight</p><p>be turned off entirely) or they are completely unconscious and have no</p><p>memory of the experience. Raven’s Pagan groupAsphodel, with its wry</p><p>senseofhumor,oftenreferstotheformerasbeing“inthebackseatbehind</p><p>thesafetyglass”(while thedeity is“driving”)andthe latteras“lockedin</p><p>the trunk.” (For a more in-depth discussion of the controversy of full</p><p>unconsciousness versus partial consciousness, see chapter 13, which</p><p>discussesmistakenpossessions.)</p><p>This is what we know, so far, about how spirit-possession works</p><p>mechanically.Ofcourse,whenoneisdescribingsomethingthattiestogetherthe</p><p>physical,theesoteric,thecosmic,andthetheological,you’regoingtobeableto</p><p>be only vague at best. There is no clear-cut boundary demarcating where</p><p>Inspiration becomes Shadowing becomes Aspecting—and if you ask ten</p><p>practitioners, youmaywell get fifteendifferent answers,with several of them</p><p>beingpresentedasdefinitive!Itmaybethatsomedaywewillknowmoreabout</p><p>this, but the above is our information gleaned from years of observation and</p><p>experience. It is, of course, full of gray areas. Nailing down the gods is like</p><p>trying to squeeze water, or sunlight, or shadow: one may fool oneself into</p><p>believingonehasdoneit,butone’shandsstillremainempty.</p><p>YOU’VEWORKEDHARDONDEVELOPINGa close personal relationship</p><p>with your gods. You have a solid, committed group that meets regularly to</p><p>worshipThem.Nowyou’dliketoinviteoneofyourtutelarydeitiesdownina</p><p>possessionritual,andyou’vecometothisbookhopingwecanshowyouhowto</p><p>doit.</p><p>However,wedidnotwrite thisbookasaHow</p><p>ToBecomeAHorse InTen</p><p>Easy Lessons. We wrote it more for those who are already dealing with the</p><p>phenomenon,closeuporfromadistance,andwanttoknowwhattodoaboutit.</p><p>Wecanofferyousomepointersbasedonourexperience;wecangiveyousome</p><p>safety tips and some things that will increase your chances of success. But</p><p>ultimately thepossessionexperience isapersonalone.Eachhorse isdifferent,</p><p>andsoiseachspirit.Onlyyourgodscantellyouexactlywhattheywantwhen</p><p>(orif)theycome.Indeed,thebestwayto“get”ahorseforyourgroupistoask</p><p>yourgodstosendoneover…ifthisisactuallywhattheywantforyourgroup.</p><p>Sohowdoyoufindoutwhatyourgodswant?</p><p>Youaskthem.</p><p>Of course, this is easier said than done. Gods are notorious for being an</p><p>uncommunicativelot.What’sworse,manyofthemenjoyriddles,paradoxes,and</p><p>irony—andmorethanafewwilllietoyouifitsuitstheirpurposes.Ifyoudon’t</p><p>yethavesomeonehorsingyourdeityregularly,it’shardtoknowwhatsheorhe</p><p>wants.Andevenifyoudo,theobviousquestionarises:Howdoyouknowthat</p><p>yourhorseisn’tfeedingyoualineofhorsepuckey?</p><p>There are a rare fewpeoplewho can chatwith spirits as freely as they can</p><p>speakwithcorporealpeople.Somearebornwiththistalentandsomeacquireit</p><p>laterinlifeasagiftoracurse.Withtrainingandpractice,mostcandeveloptheir</p><p>intuitiveandspiritualfacilitiestoagreaterorlesserdegree,butbyandlargeour</p><p>interactionswith theDivine are through a glass darkly. Indeed, variousworld</p><p>mythssuggestthisisadefiningpartofthehumancondition.Someconnectthis</p><p>with a “Fall from Grace,” while others recognize that prolonged face-to-face</p><p>contactwithdeity ishazardous to theirphysicalandmentalhealth.Remember</p><p>thatstoryaboutZeusandhismortalloverSemele?Heofferedheranygift,and</p><p>sheasked toseehimashereallywas.And then,whenaftersomearguingshe</p><p>heldtohercase,heappearedtoherinthefullextentofhisdivinegloryandshe</p><p>was burnt to a crisp. Well, that myth isn’t all hyperbole. Too much direct</p><p>exposuretothegodsinalltheirenergeticintensity(asopposedtobeingbuffered</p><p>byahumanbody,oryourmentalconstructs,ortheirwillingnesstoextendonlya</p><p>fingertoyou)willfryyourastralcircuitsjustascrispyasSemele.</p><p>To counter what spirit-workers have come to call our “headblindness,”</p><p>humankind has developed numerous work-arounds. These have become an</p><p>integraland importantpartofmostpossessioncultures.Mastering thembefore</p><p>going forward will help ensure that your possession ritual is a beneficial</p><p>experienceforyouandforyourgods.</p><p>DREAMS</p><p>Wespendapproximately30percentofourlivessleeping—andallthecaffeinein</p><p>theworldwon’tchangethatfact.Sleepisaninsistentdrive;whereaspeoplecan</p><p>deprive themselvesof foodandwateruntil theydie,peoplecannotvoluntarily</p><p>sleep-deprivethemselvestodeath.Indeed,theywilldriftintosleepevenifthey</p><p>areinasituationthatdemandswakefulness,suchasdrivingacar.1Duringsleep</p><p>ourbreathingbecomesmoreshallow;ourmusclesrelaxandourheartrateslows;</p><p>our pituitarygland releaseshormones that aid in growth andhealing.Wealso</p><p>experience rapid-eyemovements and increased activity in various portions of</p><p>ourbrain;thesemanifestasvividmultisensoryexperiences,ordreams.</p><p>Muchofhumankind’soldestsurvivingliteraturedealswithdreamsandtheir</p><p>import. Enslaved in Egypt, the Hebrew patriarch Joseph rose to prominence</p><p>thankstohisskillatdreaminterpretation.IntheIliadandtheOdyssey,Homer</p><p>used dreams to further the plot and provide succor to his mortal characters.</p><p>Socrates was drawn to a life of philosophy by a recurring dream, and the</p><p>PythagoreansandOrphics taught thatduring sleep the soul left thebody, took</p><p>trips,visitedgods,andcommunedwithotherspirits.2TheauthoroftheAitareya</p><p>Upanishad, one of Hinduism’s oldest and holiest texts, said, “The Self being</p><p>unknown,allthreestatesofthesoularebutdreaming—waking,dreaming,and</p><p>dreamlesssleep. Ineachof thesedwells theSelf: theeye ishisdwellingplace</p><p>whilewewake,themindishisdwellingplacewhilewedream,thelotusofthe</p><p>heartishisdwellingplacewhilewesleepthedreamlesssleep.”3</p><p>Butskepticshavelongquestionedthesenightvisions.Aristotlescoffedatthe</p><p>idea that dreamshave a supernatural origin; according to him, “the faculty by</p><p>which, inwakinghours,wearesubject to illusionwhenaffectedbydisease, is</p><p>identicalwith thatwhichproduces illusoryeffects in sleep.”4Following inhis</p><p>footstepsandinthoseofSigmundFreud(whosawdreamsasareleasevalvefor</p><p>the subconscious), most scholars today believe that dreams are a purely</p><p>biologicalphenomenonwith littleorno spiritual importance.Thosewhowork</p><p>with thegodsona regularbasiswillbeg todiffer.Aspiring spirit-workers are</p><p>well advised to take their dream life seriously: as Edgar Cayce, the famous</p><p>“sleeping prophet” put it, “Dreams, visions, impressions, to the entity in the</p><p>normalsleepingstateare thepresentationsof theexperiencesnecessaryfor the</p><p>development,iftheentitywouldapplytheminthephysicallife.Thesemaybe</p><p>takenaswarnings,asadvice,asconditionstobemet,conditionstobeviewedin</p><p>awayandmanneraslessons,astruths,astheyarepresentedinthevariousways</p><p>andmanners.”5</p><p>Whenweenterasleepstate,ourbrainisnolongerquitesobombardedwith</p><p>outsidestimuli.Ourconsciousnessisthusfreetoconcentrateonthingsthathad</p><p>beendrownedoutamidthenoise,light,andgeneralchaosofthematerialplane.</p><p>This allows us to interact with beings whose presence might otherwise have</p><p>goneundetected,andallowsthemtogettheirpointacrosstousinaface-to-face</p><p>manner. With every sleep cycle, you enter a state that allows for direct</p><p>communicationwiththegods—andallthatitdemands,ultimately,isthatyoulie</p><p>down,closeyoureyes,andrelax.</p><p>“But I never remember my dreams!” you may protest. This is a common</p><p>complaint. Freudian psychologists suggest that this is due to repression; we</p><p>forgetourdreamsbecausetheydealwithmaterialthatourconsciousminddoes</p><p>notwishtoaddressoracknowledge.(Bythistoken,we“remember”ourdreams</p><p>oncewe are able to dealwith those hidden issues.)Others blame interference</p><p>fromwaking sensory input—the beautiful gossamer creations of ourmind are</p><p>toodelicatetosurvivetheconcernsofthemundaneworld.Stillothersblameas</p><p>yet undetermined neurological quirks that keep us from storing dream-</p><p>informationinourmemorycircuits.Butperhaps themost importantreasonfor</p><p>forgetting dreams is that we attach little or no importance to them. As Freud</p><p>himself pointed out, “Anyone who for some time applies himself to the</p><p>investigation of dreams, and takes a special interest in them, usually dreams</p><p>moreduringthatperiodthanatanyother;heremembershisdreamsmoreeasily</p><p>andmorefrequently.”6</p><p>One of the first things you can do to ensure an active dream life is to get</p><p>enoughsleep.Dreamdeprivationfollowscloseontheheelsofsleepdeprivation</p><p>…andyourdreamperiodsgetlongerasyousleep.Whileyourfirstdreamofthe</p><p>nightmay lastnomore than tenminutes, aftereighthoursof sleep the typical</p><p>dreamperiod increases to forty-five to sixtyminutes.7Youmay improveyour</p><p>dream recalldramaticallymerelybygoing tobedanhour earlier. If that’snot</p><p>possible, you may want to devote some time to quiet meditation or relaxing</p><p>before going to sleep;</p><p>you should also avoid alcohol, caffeine, and heavy or</p><p>spicyfoodsat leastsixhoursbeforebedtime,sinceall thesecan interferewith</p><p>yourdreamlife.</p><p>InChina,Buddhists seekingenlightenment throughdreamswouldspend the</p><p>night in the Jiuxian (Nine Immortals) Tower of the Shizhusi (Stone Bamboo</p><p>Temple) in Fuqing, Fujian Province.8 In Greece, invalids came to an</p><p>Asklepieion (temple dedicated to Asklepieios, Greek god of healing) to seek</p><p>dreamadvice.Afterpurificationsandfasting, thepatientwouldbeplacedona</p><p>pallet inadarkenedroom.Duringsleep, thegodwouldcomeandofferadvice</p><p>and healing. Grateful patients who recovered thanks to this treatment would</p><p>frequently leave models of the healed limbs and organs. Archaeologists</p><p>excavating the siteof theAsklepieion atEpidaurosdiscovered some ten cubic</p><p>meters of terracotta offerings, including legs, feet, arms, hands, ears and eyes,</p><p>torsos,heads,femalebreastsandreproductiveorgans,andmalegenitalia.9</p><p>Youmayalsowant toprepareaspecialdreamchamberofyourown.Ifyou</p><p>cansetasideasleepingplacetobeusedsolelyfordreamwork,doso.Lacking</p><p>availablespace,youcandedicatebedding(sheets,pillows,andsoon)todream</p><p>journeys.When you clean your room andmake your bed using these special</p><p>sheets, you will put yourself in a frame of mind conducive to vivid and</p><p>memorabledreams.Ifyouwanttocommunewithyourpatrondeityordeitiesin</p><p>a dream, you can sleep in front of their altars or shrines; alternately, you can</p><p>place their statuesor imagesnearyourbed that night and return them to their</p><p>usualplaceinthemorning.</p><p>Recordingyourdreamsimmediatelyuponawakeningwillhelpimmenselyin</p><p>achievingdreamrecall.Manydreamworkerskeepanotebookbytheirbedside,</p><p>andmakeapointofjottingdowneverythingtheycanrecallabouttheprevious</p><p>night’sdreamactivity,nomatterhowfragmentaryornonsensical itmayseem.</p><p>Others use a tape recorder or a sketchbook, while still others recount their</p><p>dreams in detail to their partner.10What is important is that you bring your</p><p>dreamexperiences intoyourconsciousmindimmediately, rather thanallowing</p><p>themtodissipateasyouawaken.</p><p>Keep these records handy, and resist the urge to throw themout.Aleksa, a</p><p>Maryland spirit-workerwhoworkswith theLakota deityGrandmother Spider</p><p>anddoesextensivedreamworking,says,“I’vehadMedicinedreamsthatweren’t</p><p>confirmedforyearsafterthefactsoIcanneverforgetorignorethem.”Youmay</p><p>discover that your dream excursions are affecting your mundane skills.</p><p>WintersongTashlin, another spirit-worker, learned to drive a stick shift in his</p><p>dreams.“Hehadrecurringdreamsaboutpracticingshiftingjustbeforewegota</p><p>manualcar,andbythetimethatwehadthecarhewasfairlyfamiliarwiththe</p><p>basic ideas andmotions, enough so that it took him only amatter of days to</p><p>becomeproficient,” explains his partner,FireheartTashlin. “Similarly, I had a</p><p>veryvividdreamaboutknittingonetime,andwhenIwokeupInotonlyknew</p><p>howtoknit,Idesperatelywantedtodoso.”</p><p>Dreaming,likeeverythingelse,improveswithpractice.Whenyoutreatyour</p><p>dreams like trivial nonsense, you’re likely to have trivial and nonsensical</p><p>dreams.If,ontheotherhand,youtreatyourdreamtimeasanimportantpartof</p><p>your spiritual and mundane life, you’ll soon find your dreams growing</p><p>increasingly complex and memorable while your communication with the</p><p>Divine grows apace. For more thorough information on using dreaming as a</p><p>psychictool,RavenrecommendsthebookPsychicDreamwalking:Explorations</p><p>attheEdgeofSelf,byMichelleBelanger.*</p><p>Exercise:Iluminasyon</p><p>InHaiti,Vodouisantsseekingdreamguidancefromtheirspiritswillfrequently</p><p>performaniluminasyon,orillumination.ThisceremonyisadaptedfromKenaz’s</p><p>HaitianVodouHandbook*andcanbeadaptedtoanytradition.</p><p>*SanFrancisco:WeiserBooks,2006.</p><p>Beginbycleaningyoursleepingareathoroughlyandputtingcleansheetson</p><p>your bed. In Vodou white sheets are used almost exclusively; if your patron</p><p>deityisassociatedwithothercolors,youmayusethoseasanalternative.Create</p><p>sacredspacebyyourpreferredmethod(seechapter9,SacredSpaces:Permanent</p><p>and Ephemeral, for suggestions). Fill a basinwith clean, purewater. Haitians</p><p>typically usewhite enamelware, for this, but if you cannot find enamelware a</p><p>ceramicbowlorother fireproofcontainerwilldo.Placea seven-daycandle in</p><p>thebasin,inacolorappropriatetothespiritwithwhomyouwishtocommune.</p><p>If you are just seeking general guidance, use a white candle; since white</p><p>incorporatesallcolors,itcanbeusedasanall-purposecandle.Feelfreetoadd</p><p>other things to the water if the spirit moves you—a dash of perfume for</p><p>Aphrodite,someoakleavesfortheGreenMan,andsoforth.</p><p>Wrap your head in a white cloth or head scarf. This shields you against</p><p>negative influenceswhile allowingpositive energy topass through.Say a few</p><p>prayersofyourchoice,lightyourcandle,andgetintobed.Youmayfocusonthe</p><p>flickering candlelight and allow it to lull you to sleep; youmay alsomeditate</p><p>aboutthespiritsyouwishtocontactasyoudriftoff.Whenyouawaken,besure</p><p>towritedownanydreamsorwakingvisionsyouhavehad.</p><p>OMENS</p><p>Inpreindustrial societies,people livedbynaturalcycles.Theirdietwas tied to</p><p>the tradewinds that carried the ships to the fishingbanksand the spring rains</p><p>thatensuredthatcropswouldthriveuntilfirstfrostandharvest.Aninterruption</p><p>intheserhythmscouldmeanfamineanddeathfortheentirecommunity,hence</p><p>any aberration from the usual order of things was seen as an event of major</p><p>importance, a message to be deciphered by those wise enough or inspired</p><p>enoughtoseedeitiesatworkandonetobeignoredatgreatperil.</p><p>*Rochester,Vt.:DestinyBooks,2006.</p><p>Outbreaksofplague,invasions,andbadweatherweresignsthatsomeonehad</p><p>done something to piss off thePowersThatBe; particularly good fortune and</p><p>bountiful harvestswere evidence that the godswere (at least for themoment)</p><p>pleasedwithTheir followers.Adeformed colt couldmean theoverthrowof a</p><p>kingdom;awhitebuffalocalfmightheraldaneweraofpeaceandprosperity.</p><p>Simply put, almost anything unusual could be taken as an omen—and it was</p><p>generally best to spot and dealwith the small anomalies rather than clean up</p><p>afterthelargerandmorespectacularones.</p><p>TodaymostofusfollowinthefootstepsoftheEnlightenment-eraDeists.We</p><p>may imagine the world was created by someone—but we assume that after</p><p>puttingthingsinorder,sheorhesteppedasideandletthemachineryrunitself.</p><p>Weseek“rationalsolutions”(meaningexplanationsthatarewhollygroundedin</p><p>thephysicalworldand inknownscientific lawsandaxiomsandwhichdonot</p><p>relyonspiritual intervention) to theanomalousorunusual.Weexplaindisease</p><p>in terms of viruses and bacteria, and eclipses in terms of orbits and planet</p><p>placement; why do we need recourse to some Divine Puppeteer yanking the</p><p>strings?</p><p>This is not entirely a bad thing. Blaming an epidemic on tainted food is</p><p>probablymoreproductivethanaccusingunpopularneighborsofdevilworshipor</p><p>blasphemy.Settingupasatellitewatchtodetect incominghurricaneswillsave</p><p>more lives thanhumansacrifices to the stormspirits.Thescientificmethodof</p><p>inquiry has allowedus a greater understandingofmany things that oncewere</p><p>considered“SacredMysteries”eternallybeyond</p><p>thekenofmeremortals.Butall</p><p>thosegainshavecomeatsomecost.ToourancestorsDivinitywasever-present;</p><p>to many of us she or he is little more than an abstraction, an amorphous</p><p>generalization that has little relevance to our daily lives. By learning to</p><p>recognizeandrespondtoomens,wecanrecaptureourancestors’connectionsto</p><p>theDivine.</p><p>Tostartlookingforomens,thefirststepistoaskforthem.Formallyrequest</p><p>ofyourgodsorgoddesses(orperhapsonespecificonewhomyouarecurrently</p><p>working with) to send you clear and unassailable omens. Second, do your</p><p>homeworkonyourpatrondeityordeities.Whataresomeofthecolors,animals,</p><p>objects,andexpressions thatarecommonlyassociatedwithyourpatron?Once</p><p>youknowthese,youcanlookforunusualsituationsinvolvingthesesymbols.If</p><p>someonewhohonored theMorriganawoke tofindamurderofcrows*resting</p><p>comfortablyoutsidehiswindow,hemighttakeitasasignthathehadattracted</p><p>Her attention. If you ask one day “Should I honorArtemis?” and then find a</p><p>strayhuntingarrowonthesidewalk,youcantakethatasanaffirmative.</p><p>Omensmayalsobe situation-specific.The first time thatRavenutilized the</p><p>practiceofaskingforanomen,heaskedhispatrondeityforananswerastohow</p><p>long his then living situation (which was very stifling) should go on, and</p><p>whetherthechangehewassniffinginthewindwasrealorimagined.Anhouror</p><p>so after asking, some family members coaxed him to come with them to the</p><p>mall.Hehatedmalls,buttherequestwasoddenoughthatheaccepted,figuring</p><p>thatamallwasabusyenoughplacetoprovideplentyofomen-opportunityfor</p><p>Divinemeddling.Whentheywalkedin,acoin-and-stampfairwasinfullswing.</p><p>The first table that hepassedheld a grab-bagboxof historic coins—payyour</p><p>dollar, pull a little plastic bag at random, and take what you get. Sensing a</p><p>divinatorysetup,heimmediatelyfishedoutabuckandgaveitashot.Thecoin</p><p>that he pulled was light and thin, and bore a double-headed ax and crossed</p><p>sheavesofwheat,averyPaganmotif.</p><p>The coindealer toldhim that thiswasminted inFranceduring theGerman</p><p>occupationofWorldWarII; itwasthelastmintingafewscantmonthsbefore</p><p>theGermanswereexpelledandFrancesetfree,anditslightweightwasdueto</p><p>thelackofcoinmetalavailable.Theomenwas,asrequested,clearandobvious:</p><p>thissituationhadwornthin,andhewouldbesetfreeinamatterofmonths.By</p><p>the end of the sea son, another living situation suddenly presented itself,</p><p>comfirmingtheomen.</p><p>*Traditionaltermforagatheringofcorvids.</p><p>Onceyouhave thedivine request foromens sentoff, youcanalso look for</p><p>otheranomalouseventsthatmaynotbeconnectedtoyourpatronbutwhichare</p><p>difficult to ignore. Keeping a diary can helpwith this. As you examinewhat</p><p>appearatfirsttobethetrivialminutiaeofyourdailylife,youmaydetectcertain</p><p>recurringpatternsorthemes.Youmaynote,forexample,thatyouhaveregularly</p><p>hadgood(orbad) luckonoraroundacertain timeofyear;youmayfind that</p><p>youkeeprunningintosimilarsituationsrepeatedlywhenyouareinaparticular</p><p>place or taking a particular action. Recognizing these themes can help you to</p><p>determinewhat spiritual forcesareatplay inyour life,andallowyou towork</p><p>withthemratherthanstumbleintothem.</p><p>Whileonemustbeopentofindingomens,abitofhealthyskepticismwillalso</p><p>be required. If you see soldiers in the street, it may be a sign that you have</p><p>attractedtheattentionofOgou,Ares,orsomeotherwargod…butitmayalso</p><p>be a sign that you’ve stumbled into the annual Memorial Day parade. That</p><p>lightning bolt may be a message from Zeus, or a sign of an incoming</p><p>thunderstorm. To discover divine messages amid daily life, one must first be</p><p>suretofilteroutthebackgroundnoise.</p><p>Tofurthercomplicatematters,omensarerarelyclear-cut.DidArtemislaythat</p><p>arrowinyourpathasaninvitation—orasawarningtostayawayfromher?Did</p><p>theMorrigan’s crows come as a sign of her favor, or because the birdswere</p><p>waiting to feast onyour corpse shouldyouoffendher again?Seeing anomen</p><p>mayprovethatadeityisspeaking;understandingthecontextinwhichthisomen</p><p>ariseswillhelpyoutounderstandwhatsheissaying.Thebetteryouunderstand</p><p>yourdeityordeities,themorelikelyyouwillbetocatchtheiromensandread</p><p>them correctly, but ultimately interpretation is an art asmuch as a science. It</p><p>requires both a keen eye for data and data irregularities and the ability to put</p><p>asideyourownpreconceptionsandlettheeventsspeaktoyouastheywill.</p><p>Onethingthatwillhelpyoutoestablishwhetherornotyouaredealingwith</p><p>anomen:Doesitmakethehaironthebackofyourneckstandup?Doesitmove</p><p>youtothecoreofyourbeing?You’llknowanomeninyourbellyandinyour</p><p>bones,evenifyoudon’tlikethemessageitdelivers.Thegodscannothelpbut</p><p>maketheirpresenceknown…andonceyou’veexperiencedthemsendingyoua</p><p>few messages, you’re not likely to mistake them for coincidence or wishful</p><p>thinking.AsDagion, a priest ofHela, says, “Omens stick in one’smind very</p><p>pointedly,atleastinmyexperience;theyseemoppressivelyimportant.Itwon’t</p><p>leavemealoneuntilitisfullyassimilated.”</p><p>Elizabeth Vongvisith, a spirit-worker and Lokiswife, describes some of the</p><p>wayssheincorporatesomensintoherpractice:</p><p>Ihaveakindoftotemicrelationship,forlackofabetterdescription,with</p><p>threeorfouranimalsandsowhenIseetheminmyimmediateenvironment,</p><p>Ipayattentionsincemuchofthetimeit’sanomenofthingstocome(i.e.,</p><p>spidersturningupinmybed,mothshangingoutonthecarwindowwhenI</p><p>walkuptounlockthedoor,crowsflyingupeverywhereIlook).Ioftenget</p><p>reallyweird and stupid omens that have nomeaning to anybody butme,</p><p>andthusaren’talwaysreadilyinterpretable,buttheytendtobeSOweird</p><p>that theycouldonlybea signof things tocome, if thatmakesanysense.</p><p>True omens tend to be statistically very unlikely and may often reflect</p><p>something so weirdly personal and applicable to one’s life at that</p><p>particularmomentthatthere’sreallynootherwaytotakeaneventbutas</p><p>anomen.</p><p>A priestess of Artemis, Thista, got a reassuring message from the animal</p><p>kingdom:</p><p>OnceIdidafestivalforArtemisthathadaprettysmallturnout,andIwas</p><p>disappointed.AsIwaspackingupthesuppliesaftertheritual,Iwondered</p><p>ifArtemiswaspleasedornot,andthenadoeandherfawnwalkedoutof</p><p>the woods. I was able to get pretty close to them and just watch. The</p><p>locationwasinthewoods,soit’snotall thatunusualtoseedeer,but the</p><p>factthatithappenedrightthen,andthatitwasadoeandherfawn(which</p><p>wasparticularlyrelevanttotheritualIhadjustheld),cluedmeinthatthe</p><p>sightingwasasignofherapproval.</p><p>Withpracticeandstudy,youwill learn to sortoutomensand recognize the</p><p>DivineNudgebeforetheCosmicBitchslapbecomesnecessary.Butbeforedoing</p><p>thatyouneed to recognize thatyourgodsandspiritsarenotconfined tosome</p><p>inaccessiblecelestialkingdom—theyarewithyourighthereandrightnow.As</p><p>youlearntospotthesignsoftheirpresence,youwillbegintounderstandtheir</p><p>power and their direct and personal concern for you. This moment of</p><p>enlightenmentmayleaveyoureassured,terrified,orsomecombinationthereof;</p><p>youcanrestassuredthatitwillnotleaveyouunchanged.</p><p>Exercise:APeriodofOmens</p><p>Victorianmage, philosopher, andenfant terribleAleisterCrowley gave us</p><p>knowwhatwearetalkingabout,westill</p><p>needtoaddressthequestionsofhowthepossessionexperiencehappens,whyit</p><p>occurs,andwhat todoabout itwhen ithappens toyou,or tosomeonearound</p><p>you.</p><p>THEMEANINGSOF“POSSESSION”</p><p>Whenwritingabookonpossession,onemightbeginbyasking,“Whatdoesthe</p><p>wordpossessionmean?”Andsowestartbyconsultingthedictionary—or,more</p><p>precisely,bycheckingdictionary.com,wherewefind:</p><p>1: the act of having and controlling property [syn: ownership] 2:</p><p>anything owned or possessed 3: being controlled by passion or the</p><p>supernatural 4: a mania restricted to one thing or idea [syn:</p><p>monomania]5:aterritorythatiscontrolledbyarulingstate6:thetrait</p><p>of resolutely controlling your own behavior [syn: self-control,</p><p>selfpossession,willpower, self-command, self-will] 7: (sport) the act</p><p>ofcontrollingtheball(orpuck);“theytookpossessionof theballon</p><p>theirowngoalline”1</p><p>Youmaythinkthatonlythethirddefinitionmeetsourpurposes.However,the</p><p>others also deserve careful consideration. They reinforce that to possess is to</p><p>haveownershipand/orcontrolofsomething.Possessionmaylastforaninstant</p><p>(as when a football team gains possession of the ball) or it may last for</p><p>generations (“Our family has held possession of this land since the</p><p>RevolutionaryWar”or“PuertoRicoandGuamareUnitedStatespossessions”).</p><p>It can involve a thing (“Among my most cherished possessions are my LP</p><p>collectionandmygreat-aunt’scredenza”)oranemotionalstate(“Possessedby</p><p>gamblingfever,Ilostmylifesavingsattheblackjacktable”).</p><p>POSSESSIONANDTHELAW</p><p>Of course, questions of control and ownership can be quite difficult and</p><p>emotionallycharged:asaresult,alongtraditionoflawsandcustomsconnected</p><p>with possession has risen. Today the law recognizes several varieties of</p><p>possession. Actual possession, for example, is the direct occupancy, use, or</p><p>controlofrealproperty.Ifyourentanapartmentorleaseacar,youhaveactual</p><p>possessioneventhoughyoudonotholdthetitletotheproperty.Thepersonwho</p><p>owns something is frequently not the person who controls it.Warring parties</p><p>mayargueoverthedivisionofpropertyandthingsinanestate,andpossessing</p><p>stolen items does notmake one their rightful owner. If you are delinquent in</p><p>your obligations to the leaseholder, they can seek to regain control of their</p><p>property by repossessing it. But if you hold control over the property for an</p><p>extendedperiodoftimeandtheownermakesnoefforttoasserthisrights,you</p><p>maybeabletoassert“squatter’srights,”oradversepossession.Somethingmay</p><p>be owned and/or controlled by one person (sole possession) or shared by any</p><p>numberofpeople(jointpossession).</p><p>A similar dynamic comes into playwhenwe are discussing the possession</p><p>experience.Thehorse’sproperty—hisorherbody—iscontrolledbySomething</p><p>Else.Thislossofcontrolcanbeinvoluntary—sheorhemayevencallonhigher</p><p>authorities(otherwiseknownas“exorcists”)tosettlethedispute—oritmaybea</p><p>voluntary loss of ego for the benefit of one’s clients or congregation. The</p><p>possession may be partial: the horse may retain some memory of the</p><p>proceedings,orsheorhemaybeshuntedofftotheCosmicWaitingRoomand</p><p>remembernothingofthetrance.Insometraditions,aninitiationceremonymay</p><p>prepare the candidate to become a horse.* The spirit is “mounted” or placed</p><p>within theprospectivemedium;fromthatmomentonward, itsharesownership</p><p>ofthemedium’sbodyandcanuseittospeak,move,andworkmagic.</p><p>In other traditions, spirits can be passed on through a genetic or spiritual</p><p>lineage.After thedeathofahounganormambo (priestorpriestessofVodou,</p><p>respectively),someorallofthelwawhopossessedthemmaylaterpossessother</p><p>membersof thecongregation. (Indeed,oneof the reasons for joiningaVodou</p><p>société is access to its rasin lwa, or “root spirits.”)AVodouisant (followerof</p><p>Vodou) who angers or offends his lwa may find that they no longer wish to</p><p>possess him. To restore their working relationship, she or he will throw fets</p><p>(parties) on their behalf ormakeother offeringsor sacrifices.Similarly, a lwa</p><p>who troubles its horse through overly violent possessions or unreasonable</p><p>demandsmay be “bound” with new restrictions through the intervention of a</p><p>skilledpriestorpriestess.</p><p>METAPHYSICSANDDANGERS</p><p>METAPHYSICSANDDANGERS</p><p>Although many agree that possession is dangerous (or, at the very least,</p><p>somethingtobeavoided),thereisconsiderabledisagreementastojustwhythis</p><p>is.Somewarnsolemnlyof“demonicoppression”as“Satanic”entitiesfeaston</p><p>your soul as on a cosmic pizza. Others explain that experimenting with</p><p>possessionwillexacerbateyourneurosesand lead to full-blownschizophrenia.</p><p>(“You’llputoutsomebody’sEGOwiththatthing!”)Stillotherswillinformyou</p><p>thatpossessiondoesn’texist,andyourexperimentswillleadonlytowastedtime</p><p>andself-delusion.</p><p>Allthesepeopleareusingthewordpossession,buttheyaredefiningitquite</p><p>differently. To understand their objections,wemust first determinewhat they</p><p>are talkingabout. Inorder tomakepracticaluseof theirdata,wemust turn to</p><p>somethingthatmayatfirstappearsingularlyimpractical—metaphysics.</p><p>*InVodouapersonpossessedbyalwaissaidtobeachwal(Kreyolfor</p><p>“horse,”fromtheFrenchcheval).InLukumiandotherformsofAfro-</p><p>Cubanspirituality,thepersonwhoisbeing“ridden”byanorishaiscalleda</p><p>caballo(horse).Todaymanyspirit-workersinothertraditionsusetheword</p><p>horsetodescribeapossessedperson.</p><p>Speculationaboutouressentialnatureandthenatureof theworldaroundus</p><p>evokes smoky French cafés, or maybe cannabis-scented dorm rooms. Navel</p><p>gazingandcontemplationabout“reality”isusefulonlyasanamusingdiversion,</p><p>youmaythink;surelyithas littlebearingonourdailylives.Butwhendealing</p><p>withpossession,weshouldfirsttakesometimetodeterminejustwhatisgoing</p><p>tobesteppingintoourheadsandtakingcontrolofourbodies.Oneof thebest</p><p>waystodothatistoexplorehowothershaveexplained—orfailedtoexplain—</p><p>thisphenomenon.</p><p>POSSESSIONASATOOLOFTHEDEVIL</p><p>… there was an old Indian who answered them according to their</p><p>expectationsor inaccordancewithaconsultationaddressed tohimwhose</p><p>evilimagewasstandingthere;anditistobethoughtthattheDevilentered</p><p>intohimandspokethroughhimasthroughhisminister.</p><p>—GonzaloFernándezdeOviedo,describingthe</p><p>medicinemenofHispaniola,15352</p><p>ThefirstEuropeanstoencounterpossessionamong“primitive”peoplesbelieved</p><p>inapersonaldevil,andinwitchesandsorcererswhopaidhomagetohimandto</p><p>his minions. They also believed that sometimes these devils would possess</p><p>people.When they saw tribesmen going to the village healer for potions and</p><p>fetishitems,theyassumedthehealerwasactingasa“sorcerer.”Whentheysaw</p><p>thehealerwrithingonthegroundoractinginabizarrefashion,theyconsidered</p><p>thistheinevitableconsequenceof“devilworship.”</p><p>Today this sounds like the worst sort of bigotry, but at the time it was a</p><p>perfectly logical conclusion. The phenomena these explorers were witnessing</p><p>could easily be explained within their belief structure. If they had not seen</p><p>“demoniacs” up close and personal, they were certainly familiar with the</p><p>symptomsofthiscondition.Theaccoutrementsthatoftenaccompanyshamanic</p><p>practices—drums,wilddancing,genuflectingbeforeidols—wouldhaveevoked</p><p>the</p><p>Oath of the Abyss: “I swear to interpret every phenomenon as a particular</p><p>dealingofGodwithmysoul.’”11Takingthisoathisnosmallaffair;according</p><p>toCrowley’sdirewarnings,“Shouldone rashlydare thepassage,and take the</p><p>irrevocable Oath of the Abyss, he might be lost therein through Aeons of</p><p>incalculableagony;hemightevenbethrownbackuponChesed,withtheterrible</p><p>Karmaoffailureaddedtohisoriginalimperfection.”12</p><p>Purpleproseaside,thereisveryrealdangerinthisoath.Oneoftheprimary</p><p>symptomsofschizophreniais“delusionsofreference,”definedbytheDSM-IV</p><p>as “when things in the environment seem to be directly related to you even</p><p>thoughtheyarenot.Forexampleitmayseemasifpeoplearetalkingaboutyou</p><p>or special personalmessages are being communicated to you through theTV,</p><p>radio,orothermedia.”13Themage-in-trainingmayseetheDivineinseemingly</p><p>randomevents—or she or hemay fall intomadness likeDavid “SonofSam”</p><p>Berkowitz,whointerpretedthebarkingofhisneighbor’sdogsasacommandto</p><p>goonakillingspree.</p><p>Perhapsthesafestcourseistoexperimentwithdeclaringadefinedperiodof</p><p>lookingforomens,whichcanrangefromanywherefrom“forthenexthour”to</p><p>“for the nextweek.”Declare this to the gods, and ask them to sendwhatever</p><p>theythinkyouneedtoknowduringthistime,andyou’lldoyourbesttointerpret</p><p>it.Forthedurationofthisperiod,imaginethatthisworldandeverythinginitisa</p><p>personalmessage to you from theDivine.What is theDivine saying to you?</p><p>Haveyoubeenlisteningtothesemessages,orhaveyoubeenignoringthemor</p><p>making excuses for your inaction?Do you have a friendly, distant, hostile, or</p><p>strained relationshipwith theDivine… andwhat can you do to improve that</p><p>relationship?Lookfor theanswersaroundyou,againassumingthateverything</p><p>aroundyouisadirectmessageofsomesort.</p><p>Lookfortheanswers,andwritedownthoseanswers,butdon’tactuponthem</p><p>justyet.Waituntilthetermofyouroathhasexpired.Thengiveitarestperiod</p><p>of several days, andgoback throughyour notes.Determinewhat you learned</p><p>fromthisexercise,thenactuponitaccordingly.</p><p>DIVINATION</p><p>Ultimately,dreamsandomensarebaseduponanomalies,uponthingsthatdiffer</p><p>from the norm. Divination works from a different place. The diviner seeks</p><p>recurring patterns, and sees them as a reflection of events in the spiritual and</p><p>mundaneworld.TheIfaofWestAfricadiscoveredthatbystudyingthewaythat</p><p>coconutshellsorcowriesfell,theycouldlearnabouttheforcesactingupontheir</p><p>current situation and plan accordingly. In China the ritual of casting yarrow</p><p>stalks to determine the future was codified in the I Ching; Roman augurers</p><p>soughtanswersintheflightofbirdsandtheentrailsofsacrificialanimals.</p><p>Teachinganappropriateformofdivinationisbeyondthescopeofthiswork,</p><p>as writers have produced volumes on tarot, I Ching, runes, pendulums, and</p><p>various other divinatory methods. A quick trip to your local (or online)</p><p>bookstore will provide a wealth of opportunities for learning just about any</p><p>systemyou can imagine. Instead of reinventing thewheel,we’d rather entrust</p><p>your divinatory education to more-skilled folks. But since you are here, we</p><p>mightbeabletoofferyouafewpointersonthingsyoucandoandmistakesyou</p><p>shouldavoid.</p><p>Ourfirstbitofadvicewouldbe,“Findasystemthatworksforyouandstick</p><p>toit.”Ifyouaredrawntothetarot,usethetarot;ifgeomancyticklesyourfancy,</p><p>learn geomancy.While youmaywant to experimentwith variousmethods of</p><p>divination to find the one that fits, ultimately you will probably do best by</p><p>focusingon aparticular systemandmastering it. If you alreadyhave apatron</p><p>deity,you shouldask forher inputon this;youmayalsodo some research to</p><p>ascertain what divination methods, if any, were historically used by her</p><p>followers. A priest of Odin should probably learn to cast runes, for example,</p><p>whereassomeoneinitiatedinanAfro-Cubantraditionwillusecowrieshellsfor</p><p>thesamepurpose.</p><p>Of course,manyprofessional diviners doutilize several different divinatory</p><p>methods,especiallyiftheydealwithclientsfrommanydifferentspiritualwalks</p><p>oflife.Asashamanandprofessionaldiviner,Ravendoesthis;thespiritsofhis</p><p>tradition required him to learn twenty-seven different forms, and he has been</p><p>known to do divination before seeing clients to determine which form of</p><p>divinationwouldbemostappropriateforthatperson’soncomingproblems.He</p><p>has also found that in stubborn situations, switching to another form of</p><p>divination cangive a clearer takeon thematter.However, this seems towork</p><p>onlyifitisanotherformthatyouarealsoveryproficientwith.</p><p>Mostnonprofessionalfolkswhowantonlytheoccasionalreadingtofindout</p><p>what’s going on with them are not going to be in the same position as the</p><p>professional (paid or unpaid), who will be faced with a variety of different</p><p>situations to read on, possibly not at themost opportunemoment, orwith the</p><p>mosttimetomakesurethatoneisrestedorisinagoodspace.Forthebeginner,</p><p>wesuggestgettingcompetentwithoneformbeforetakingonasecondone.</p><p>Our second bit of advice would be “to take your divination seriously.” If</p><p>you’regoingtoperformadivinatoryritual,youshouldlistentotheresultsand</p><p>put them into practice—even if they aren’t the answers you expected orwere</p><p>hoping for! The idea is to discover what the future holds, not to repeat the</p><p>procedureuntilyougetafavorablereading.Ifyougetanunfavorablereading,</p><p>youcandoanotherreadingforclarification,butthatdoesnotinvalidatethefirst</p><p>one.(Inotherwords:thesecondreadingmayshowyouwhattodotoavoidthe</p><p>troublesforetoldinReading#1,butitwillnotsay“ignorethefirstreading,you</p><p>gloomyGus;hereareallthegoodthingsthataregoingtohappenifyoufollow</p><p>youroriginalcourse!”)</p><p>Agoodwaytoensurethatyoutakeyourreadingsseriouslyistodothemin</p><p>the context of a ritual. Casting sacred space (see chapter 9, Sacred Spaces:</p><p>PermanentandEphemeral) isonegoodwayofdoing this;notonlywill itput</p><p>you in a properly reverent frame of mind but it will also help to drive away</p><p>maliciousspiritsandtricksters.Keepingyourdivinatorytoolsonyouraltarina</p><p>closedcontainerwillalsohelp.Withpractice,thesimpleactofremovingthem</p><p>fromtheirplacewillhelptotriggerthedivinatorymind-set.Iftherearealready</p><p>traditions connected with your method, don’t jettison them without careful</p><p>thought—casting the yarrow sticks according to Chinese custom is more</p><p>involved and time-intensive than simply throwing coins or dice, yet many</p><p>divinersfindtheirworkwiththeIChingbecomesfarmoreeffectiveafterthey</p><p>beginworkingwithinthetraditionalmanner.</p><p>For the purposes of spiritual work, you may want to avoid divination by</p><p>scrying, which means “crystal-gazing, mirror-viewing,” and the like. These</p><p>techniques are very powerful and, if used properly, extremely effective.</p><p>However, the images produced are subject to contamination by the scryer’s</p><p>subconscious mind and desires. The line between crystal visions and wish</p><p>fulfillmentcanbeveryunclear,particularlyforbeginners.(Scryingisalsovery</p><p>knack-based;peopletendtobeinnatelygoodatitornot,andalackoftalentin</p><p>thisareacanbeimprovedonlysofar.Thisisincontrastto“sortilege”methods</p><p>liketarotorrunes,which</p><p>requireonlyrandomselectionfromagroupofdifferent</p><p>objectsandtheninterpretingtheresults,whichworksforalmostanyone.)What</p><p>wewantisasourcethatisnotsubjecttothediviner’smentalstate.Dreamsand</p><p>astral images are intangible, while visions are easily manipulated or</p><p>misunderstood. Yarrow stalks, rune staves, coins, and the like are physical,</p><p>materialobjects:thediviner’sabilitytocontrolthemisfarmorelimited.</p><p>That being said, you cannot havedivinationwithout interpretation—and the</p><p>interpreter’sprejudiceswillcertainlycomeintoplayduringthatprocess.Asany</p><p>goodpostmodernistwilltellyou,there’snosuchthingas“neutrality.”Manyof</p><p>thebestdivinersIknowcannotreadforthemselves;theysimplycannotachieve</p><p>the proper emotional distance. When you’re dealing with events that carry a</p><p>powerfulemotionalpayload—andanyomenorgod-dreamworthyof thename</p><p>carries a hefty charge—it’s hard to keep yourself from shaping the reading to</p><p>suityourdesiresandpreconceptions.</p><p>If you have a friendwho is also a competent diviner, youwill probably be</p><p>betteroffgettinghertodoareadingonyourbehalf.Otherwiseyoushouldhire</p><p>theservicesofaskilledprofessional.(Acaveat:Divinationfromanincompetent</p><p>or an unethical reader is worse than no divination at all.) You may want to</p><p>appoint the best reader in your group as “Official Diviner,” responsible for</p><p>castinglotsandinterpretingtheresults.Thisisanofficewithalongandhonored</p><p>history;however,itisalsoapositionofconsiderableresponsibility,andshould</p><p>beheldonlybyatrustworthyperson.</p><p>Exercise:AMonthofDivination</p><p>For the next thirty days, start every day with a reading using the divination</p><p>method of your choice.Write down the results and your interpretation of the</p><p>results.Attheendoftheday,lookbackonyourpredictions.Whichonescame</p><p>true?Whichoneswerenotquiterightbutsuggestive?Whichoneswerewayoff</p><p>themark?Whichcametrue,butperhapsonlybecauseyourmorningdivination</p><p>affected how you did things? Which failed to come true because you were</p><p>warnedintimeanddidsomethingaboutit?Trytofigureoutwhatyougotright</p><p>andwhereyou erred.Thiswill allowyou toput yourdivination intopractice,</p><p>andwillmakethesesymbolscomealiveforyou.Insteadofstudyingwhatothers</p><p>have to say about Thurisaz, the Six of Cups, or Hexagram 27, you will</p><p>experience them in your life. At the end of those thirty days, examine your</p><p>progress.Seewhereyouhaveimprovedandwhereyoustillhaveopportunities</p><p>forgrowth.</p><p>Whenfacedwithreallyhugequestions,suchas“ShouldIleavemymarriage</p><p>andfamilyandmovetoFarawayPlaceXtostudyStrangeArtYformuchofthe</p><p>near future? Is this meant to be my path?” we suggest a “Four-Fold Signal</p><p>Clarity”divinationmethod,whichisusedbymanyprofessionalspirit-workers,</p><p>whoseresponsibilitiesaresuchthattheycannotaffordtobewrongtoooftenin</p><p>their divinations. This method utilizes both omens and traditional divination</p><p>methods,anditgoeslikethis:</p><p>First,doadivinationyourself.</p><p>Second,haveafriendwhoknowsyouandthesituationdoadivination.</p><p>Thenhaveyetadivinationdonebyanoutsiderwhodoesnotknowyou,your</p><p>situation,oranyoneelseinvolved.</p><p>Finally, directly after the third divination, tell the gods that you are going</p><p>outside intoabusyandpopulatedarea,and thatyouwantaclearandobvious</p><p>omenimmediately,withinthenexthour.Gooutandlookforone.</p><p>If all four steps give you basically the same message, then you’ve got</p><p>something worth moving to Kamchatka over. However, if you start getting</p><p>widelydisparatemessages,stopright there.Don’tgotothenextsteporrepeat</p><p>things. It maymean that the future is heavily conflicted and things could go</p><p>manyways.ItcouldalsomeanthatthePowersThatBewantyoutofigureitout</p><p>foryourself,orthatnowisnottherighttime.Giveitaperiodofdaysorweeks</p><p>and then start over from the beginning. And remember also that sometimes</p><p>signal clarity just doesn’t come, because we are complicated beings with</p><p>complexandeverchanginglives,andthat’sjustthewayofit.</p><p>INVODOUMOSTFETSTAKEPLACEinandaroundtheperistyle,atemple</p><p>thathasbeenspeciallyconsecratedtothelwaandwhichhasbeenusedforyears</p><p>in their service. InGreece theDelphicOracle declaimed from a spot that had</p><p>longbeenheldsacred toApolloandwhichwas thesiteofregularceremonies.</p><p>Possessionculturesgenerallysetasideaspaceinwhichpossessionstookplace.</p><p>Ifpossible,youwilldowelltoemulatetheirexample.</p><p>Sometimesthegodsorspiritswillpickoutasacredspaceforyou.Theymay</p><p>informyouthataspringorstandoftreesnearyourhouseisoneoftheirfavorite</p><p>spots,and tellyou tobringyourofferingsandpetitions there.Deathgodsmay</p><p>chooseanoldgraveyard,whilewarriorspiritsmayfavoramonumenttoaheroic</p><p>soldier,anddeitiesofhealingmaychooseanabandonedhospitalorafieldthat</p><p>servedasamedicalfacilityduringsomelocaltragedy.Astudyofbothprimary</p><p>sources and people’s personal gnosis suggests that this is how temples and</p><p>sacredgroveswereoriginallyfounded—bythegodsmakingtheirwishesknown</p><p>byvariousmeans.</p><p>Youmay liveneara“powersite”—MountShasta,Sedona,andGlastonbury</p><p>Tor come tomind immediately—but there aremanyother powerful spots that</p><p>arenotsowellknown.Ifyoucanholdyourritualsatorneartheselocations(if</p><p>yourdeitiesareamenabletothis),youwillbeabletotapintothislandenergy</p><p>anduseittomakeyourrituals,includingyourpossessionrituals,morepowerful</p><p>andeffective.Althoughof lateagoodbitof sillinesshasattached itself to the</p><p>ideaof“cosmicvortexes,”theconceptissound.Thosewhoaresensitiveorwho</p><p>havedoneenergyworkwillquicklynotice thedifferencebetweenadeadarea</p><p>andonethatcontainsanabundanceofchi,prana,orgone,orwhateveryouwant</p><p>tocallit.</p><p>(Notethatthisdoesnotmeanthatyoushouldtryholdingyourritualsinareas</p><p>that are reputedly“haunted”orwhichareknown for theirnegativeorharmful</p><p>energy.Unlessyourdeitiesspecificallyaskyoutousesuchaspot—andunless</p><p>you have confirmed theirwishes via divination and othermeans—you should</p><p>avoidtheseplaces,notseekthemout.Asdiscussedearlier,negativeentitiescan</p><p>followyouhomefromaninfestedareaandwreakallsortsofhavocinyourlife</p><p>andinthelivesofthosearoundyou.)</p><p>Justbecauseyoudon’tknowofanypowerplacesinyourareadoesn’tmean</p><p>theyaren’t there: it justmeans thatyouwillhave to locate themyourself.The</p><p>usualmethods of divination (as described in chapter 8,HearingGods) can be</p><p>consulted.Ifyouaregoodatcommuningwithnaturespirits,aspot-onmethodis</p><p>tomeditateandaskthelocallandspiritfortheiradviceonthebestplaceforthis</p><p>sort of thing. Onewarning, though—in somemore-urban areas, the landspirit</p><p>hasbeenkilledoffby,morphedinto,orbeenreplacedbythecity-spirit,andyou</p><p>willhavetotalktothem.Startbymakinganofferingtothem,perhapsoffood</p><p>and drink put into the ground. Once you have your land-spiritapproved site,</p><p>remembertomakeofferingstothembeforeandafterrituals.Thosewhoarein</p><p>linetoopenthemselves topossessionthereshouldalsobeginwithanoffering.</p><p>Landspiritscanbequiteusefulingroundingahorseafteraride.</p><p>When you have found your sacred area, do not end your rituals with</p><p>banishing.Instead,inviteyourdeitiesandspiritstostaythereandbewelcome.</p><p>Asyoucontinueworkingwithinthespace,theenergywillgrowand</p><p>yourrituals</p><p>(possessionandotherwise)willgrowincreasinglypowerfulandeffective.</p><p>DOWSING</p><p>Oneothertechniquethatcanworkwellfordeterminingwhetherornotaspotis</p><p>yourdeity’schosenspaceisdowsing,anearth-focusedmethodofmappingthe</p><p>energyofaregionandlocatingareasofparticularpower.Traditionally,dowsing</p><p>wasusedtofindundergroundwaterforawell.AnOzarkwaterwitchexplained</p><p>theprocesstoFredRoe:</p><p>First, you have to wait until springwhen the sap is risin’. Then you get</p><p>yourself either a peach or cherry tree and select a fork in the branches</p><p>aboutthewidthofapencil.Breakorcutthelimbabout20inches(orhalfa</p><p>meter)inlengthbelowtheforkandstripoffanyleavesorextrabranches,</p><p>asyouonlywantjusttheforkedsection.Then,holdingthe‘y’ofthebranch</p><p>splayed in your upright palms, the stick pointin’ forward, you walk very</p><p>slowlyuntilyoufindwater.1</p><p>Mr.Roewasskeptical,untilheexperimentedwithdowsinghimself:</p><p>Wild cherry grows in these woodlands, and I hunted down a small tree</p><p>growingneartheroadandselectedabranch,justashetoldme,andheldit</p><p>in my upright palms and clamped down hard with my fingers. I walked</p><p>around my home, I walked around in the pasture to the curiosity of the</p><p>cows,IwalkedalongtheroadtothebewildermentofmyneighborsuntilI</p><p>was some distance away when suddenly, something began to happen. I</p><p>renewedmygripuponthetwigasthetipbegantoangledownward!</p><p>Isteppedback,halfbelievingwhatIjustexperienced.Iwonderedifthis</p><p>wasatrulyweirdexperience,orifitwasliketheOuijaboard.Ireturnedto</p><p>thepointwhenIfirstbegannoticingthemovementinthestickandrepeated</p><p>the process, stepping slowly. Again, the stick began to point downward.</p><p>Amazed,Iranbacktothehouseandfoundtwopairsofmetalpliersused</p><p>forgrippingandreturned.Graspingtheforkedbranchinthetwopliers,I</p><p>repeated the process. The force was so powerful it literally stripped the</p><p>barkoff thewoodas it twisteddownwarduntil thepoint of the stickwas</p><p>pointing straight down toward the ground, a full 90 degrees from the</p><p>startingposition.2</p><p>You may use this technique to discover where your gods want to be</p><p>worshipped. If you have a location where you regularly pay homage to your</p><p>deities,considerdowsingandseewhereyougetastrongreaction.Ifyoudon’t</p><p>have a stick handy, you can also use two L-shaped lengths of heavy copper,</p><p>wire, or bend a copper hanger into a Y-shape. (If you use copper you will</p><p>probablywant to insulate the handleswith cardboard, duct tape, or something</p><p>elsethatwillkeeptheenergyfromflowingintoyourhandsandoverwhelming</p><p>you.)Stateyourintenttolocatesourcesofpositiveenergy,thenwalkaboutthe</p><p>area slowly,payingclose attention to thedowsing rod. If it dipsnotably inor</p><p>aroundaparticular area,youmaywant to setupyour ritualswith that energy</p><p>pointasthecenter.</p><p>As an alternative, you can also try a pendulum. Like a dowsing rod, a</p><p>pendulumcanbeusedtomaptheenergyofanarea.Todothis,walkslowlywith</p><p>thependulumhangingfree.Ifitbeginsmovingunusually,youcanassumethat</p><p>youareonornearapowerspot.Bycontinuingtowalkabout,youcandetermine</p><p>theapproximatesizeandshapeof thatarea.Youcanuse thatspotasacentral</p><p>point for your rituals—or place your prospective horse there. This will</p><p>encourage possession and help your group to experience the land’s sacred</p><p>energyratherthanmerelypayingitlipservice.Somedowsersfavorpendulums</p><p>whilesomepreferdowsingrods.Eitherwillworkifusedproperly.Inpractice,</p><p>pendulums tend tobemosteffective indoorswhere there isnowind todisturb</p><p>theirmovements;dowsingrodsofferaresponsethatismoredifficulttomissand</p><p>maybebetterforoutdoorwork.</p><p>Exercise:Dowsing101</p><p>At first scientists theorized that water witches were actually sensing</p><p>electromagnetic currents caused by water running underground. Then they</p><p>discovered that somedowserswere able to locatemetal deposits byholding a</p><p>pendulum over a map—and because they could not explain this, they</p><p>immediatelywrotethewholethingoffasfraud.Butwhateverthemechanism,it</p><p>isclearthatthetechniqueofdowsingcanachieverealresultsinthehandsofa</p><p>skilledpractitioner.</p><p>Ifyouwanttotrainindowsing,havesomebodyhideanobject.Startsmall—a</p><p>single room or a small clearing, for example.With the dowsing tool of your</p><p>choice, walk about the area and see when you get a response. If you have</p><p>successhere,tryagaininabiggerarea.Ifyouhaveaknackfordowsing,before</p><p>longyou’llhavenoproblemmarkingtheebbandflowof theland’spower.In</p><p>anyevent,you’llalmostcertainlygainaheightenedsensitivitytoandknowledge</p><p>ofenergythatwillserveyouwellinyourspiritualwork.Onceyoulearnhowto</p><p>feel thedifferencebetweenaholyplaceandaplainoldmundaneroom,you’ll</p><p>finditeasytorecognizewhenthegodsarecomingandwhenTheyarestaying</p><p>away.</p><p>TEMPORARYSACREDSPACE</p><p>Noteverybodyhasasparebedroomthat theycandedicate to theirgods,oran</p><p>areathat theycanregularlyusefor theirrituals.Thosewholiveinurbanareas</p><p>maynothaveenoughspaceforthemselves,nevermindputtingasidearoomor</p><p>evenaclosetfortheirdivinities!Ifyouarelongondevotionbutshortonspace,</p><p>you need not fret: there are a number ofwork-arounds thatwill allow you to</p><p>createsacredspaceonthefly.</p><p>In New York a good-sized sevis lwa (Service for the Spirits) can attract</p><p>upward of three hundred people, farmore than can fit in even a large house.</p><p>Kenazhasattendedfetsinrestaurantsandbanquethallsthatwererentedforthe</p><p>occasion.Thelwacamedownandappearedquitesatisfiedwiththeproceedings,</p><p>eventhoughtheywerenotbeingheldinaperistyle.Whilesomemightprotest,</p><p>wefavortheapproachgenerallytakenbyVodouisants:Ifthespiritsarepleased,</p><p>yourservicewas“correct.”</p><p>Althoughtheseserviceswereheldinrentedspace,thealtarsweresetupusing</p><p>statuesand implements thathad longbeendedicated to thespirits.Perhaps the</p><p>spiritswereable touse these tools likeabeacon,making it easier for them to</p><p>locateaplaceandcomein:perhapstheytraveledwiththeirtools.Whateverthe</p><p>case, there is ample evidence that things which have been repeatedly used in</p><p>spiritual ceremonies gain a “charge” that can be felt by psychometrists and</p><p>energyworkers.</p><p>If you regularly do ritual, you should already have some tools that you</p><p>normallyuseforthatpurposeandonlyforthatpurpose.Ifyoudon’t,consecrate</p><p>the appropriate implements to your tasks and set them asidewhen they aren’t</p><p>beingused.Theyneedn’t be incredibly costly: in fact, if youhave the skill to</p><p>makeyourowntools,youwillgenerallyfind that theyaremoreeffective than</p><p>the most expensive store-bought items. But it is important that you dedicate</p><p>themsolelytoritualandservicetoyourdeities.</p><p>Forpurposesofpossession,itisparticularlyimportantthatwehaveitemsthat</p><p>arededicatedtothedeitiesandareonlyusedbyThemwhentheycome.Evenif</p><p>you cannot have a permanent dedicated space for your deities, you can have</p><p>permanent and dedicated tools. Consider the care taken by Tibetan Buddhists</p><p>when they call on Dorje Drakden, an ancient oracle whose kuten (medium)</p><p>servesasadeputyministerintheTibetangovernmentcabinet-in-exile.Although</p><p>the monasteries where Dorje Drakden was originally served are now</p><p>inaccessible,theyare</p><p>stillabletocallonhimthankstospeciallyprepareditems</p><p>thathelptocallhimdown.</p><p>Onformaloccasions,thekutenisdressedinanelaboratecostumeconsisting</p><p>of several layers of clothing topped by a highly ornate robe of golden silk</p><p>brocade,which is coveredwith ancient designs in red andblue andgreen and</p><p>yellow.Onhischesthewearsacircularmirrorthatissurroundedbyclustersof</p><p>turquoise and amethyst, its polished steel flashing with the Sanskrit mantra</p><p>correspondingtoDorjeDrakden.Beforetheproceedingsbegin,healsoputsona</p><p>sortofharness,whichsupportsfourflagsandthreevictorybanners.Altogether,</p><p>this outfit weighs more than seventy pounds and the medium, when not in</p><p>trance,canhardlywalkinit.Asthefirstprayercycleconcludesandthesecond</p><p>begins,histrancebeginstodeepen.Atthispoint,ahugehelmetisplacedonhis</p><p>head.This itemweighsapproximately thirtypounds, though in former times it</p><p>weighedmorethaneighty.</p><p>Nowthefaceofthekutentransforms,becomingratherwildbeforepuffingup</p><p>to give him an altogether strange appearance, with bulging eyes and swollen</p><p>cheeks. His breathing begins to shorten and he starts to hiss violently. Then,</p><p>momentarily,hisrespirationstops.Atthispointthehelmetistiedinplacewitha</p><p>knotsotightthatitwouldundoubtedlystranglethekutenifsomethingveryreal</p><p>wasnothappening.3</p><p>DEFENSEOFYOURAREA</p><p>If you are going to be opening yourself up to possession, you will have to</p><p>ascertainthatyourspaceisfreeofspiritsotherthantheonesyouwanttocallup.</p><p>Youmaybeable tostartoutmostceremonieswithadesultory“callingon the</p><p>light,” casting of quarters, orwhat have you: for a possession ritual, youwill</p><p>needsomethingstronger.</p><p>Vodoufetsstartwiththepriyegineh,alonginvocationthatbeginsbysaluting</p><p>God,Jesus,theVirginMary,andvarioussaints,thenpayshomagetothevarious</p><p>lwaandspiritsandasksthemtowatchoverandprotecttheceremony.Itcantake</p><p>as long as several hours to complete the priye. The lwa provide further</p><p>protection;withthelikesofOgouandEziliDantowatchingthedoor,veryfew</p><p>uninvitedguestswilltrytosneakin.Thepeopleattendingtheseceremonieshave</p><p>along-term,frequentlymultigenerationalrelationshipwiththespiritstheyserve;</p><p>theycanrelyonthemforprotectionanddefense.</p><p>Forworkingwithpossession,youwillneedasimilarlevelofprotectionand</p><p>defense.Ifyouhaveasolid,serious,andverifiedrelationshipwithyourpatron</p><p>deity or deities, you should be safe frommost spiritual nasties when you are</p><p>workingwiththem.Keepinmindthat“solid,serious,andverified”issomething</p><p>quitedifferentfrom“IfeelstronglythatIamconnectedtoXandsoIamsure</p><p>theywillprotectmeagainstanythingnegative.”Bythiswemeanthatyouhave</p><p>beenchosenbyyourdeity,thatyouhavebeenworkingwiththemforsometime,</p><p>andthatyouhaveverified thisconnection throughsolidevidence likemultiple</p><p>divinations,repeatedomens,andsoon.YoumaythinkLokiiscoolandKwan</p><p>Yinisverynice—butthatinandofitselfisnoguaranteethattheyholdyouin</p><p>particularlyhighregardorthattheywillprotectyou.(Andeveniftheydolike</p><p>you,don’texpectthegodstostepinandsaveyoufromyourowncarelessness</p><p>andstupidity.)</p><p>There are numerous ways to ward, cleanse, and protect a space. Draja</p><p>Mickaharic’s Spiritual Cleansing: Handbook of Psychic Protection, Ivo</p><p>Dominguez Jr.’sCastings: The Creation of Sacred Space, and JasonMiller’s</p><p>Protection & Reversal Magick: A Witch’s Defense Manual* are all highly</p><p>recommendedforfurtherresearch.Whatisimportantisthatyouprotectyourself</p><p>andyourcongregation fromnegativity.Good intentionswillnotprotectyou if</p><p>yourunaredlightorgrabalivewire;thingsarenodifferentwhendealingwith</p><p>spiritualmatters.Allthesincerityintheworldwillnottaketheplaceofawell-</p><p>definedsetofboundaries.</p><p>Toprepareyourspaceforapossessionritual,cleansetheareaphysicallyand</p><p>spiritually. The act of removing debris and rubbish, plucking weeds, dusting,</p><p>polishingitems,andsuchdoesmorethanjustmaketheplacelooknice;ithelps</p><p>get ridofunwantedenergyanddiscourages stray spirits fromstickingaround.</p><p>Onceyou’vecleanedthearea,fumigateitwithincenseandperfumeappropriate</p><p>to thedeitybeinghonored,decorate itwith theappropriatecolorsand images,</p><p>andotherwiseprepareitfortheparty.Ideallythiscleaningandpreparationisa</p><p>ritual in itself. If you have problemsgetting into thatmind-set—and it can be</p><p>hard to feelworshipfulwhen you’re scrubbing a floor—a soundtrack of tunes</p><p>appropriate to your deity can do wonders toward making a chore an act of</p><p>worship.</p><p>*WeiserBooks,2003;SapFireProductions,1996;andNewPageBooks,</p><p>2006;respectively.</p><p>While you are in sacred space, be it permanent or temporary, treat it like</p><p>sacred space. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be solemn as an</p><p>undertaker(althoughsomegodswill indeedexpect that),but itmeansthatyou</p><p>shouldrecognizethatwhileyouarethere,youareinthepresenceoftheDivine.</p><p>It doesn’t matter whether it is a temple, a sacred grove, or a temporary altar</p><p>erectedinyourdormroom.Itisaholyplace,andanythingyoudothereinis(or</p><p>shouldbe)aholyactivity.</p><p>As a final entreaty: If you are doing ritual in space that is not to be</p><p>permanently dedicated to ritual space and nothing else (asmost Pagan rituals</p><p>will probably end up), please do the next person a favor and thoroughly</p><p>psychicallycleanthespaceafterward.Leavenothingofyourenergy,yourgods,</p><p>and your disturbance of the ether. It should feel clean and sterile, and no one</p><p>shouldbeabletotellwhathashappenedthere.Why?Becausetheenergyofthat</p><p>ritualmightconflictwithsomethingthathappenslaterinthatspace.Ifthefolks</p><p>whodid ritual at thegatheringmentioned inchapter12,wherewechroniclea</p><p>possessiongonewrong,hadthoroughlycleanedupeverythingandbanishedany</p><p>stray spirits who were hanging about, having been attracted by the energies</p><p>raised,theaccidentalpossessionmightnothavehappened.Similarly,ifyouare</p><p>doingapossessionriteinatemporaryspace,donotassumethatnooneelsehas</p><p>ever done anything ritualized in that quaint and pretty natural spot, and don’t</p><p>assumethattheyhadthecourtesytocleanitupafterward.MostmodernPagans</p><p>are taught that it isacceptable,andevendesirable, toraiseallsortsofmagical</p><p>energy and leave it randomly floating about. Don’t assume that people know</p><p>whatyouknow.Becareful,andbesafe.</p><p>Kenaz’sStory</p><p>August1999</p><p>Geometricfiguresdanceonmyeyelids.Thisisn’tdehydration.Ihadthatonmy</p><p>seconddayhere;sincethenI’vemadesuremyurineisclean,clear,andcopious.</p><p>There’snonausea,nodizziness, just anelectricanxietyanda feeling like I’m</p><p>fallingupward,likesomethingistryingtopullmeupandoutofmybody.Given</p><p>that I’mpresentlyona cotnear aperistyle (Vodou temple)outsideof Jacmel,</p><p>Haiti,thiscouldbeonlyonething…</p><p>“You’regettingthelwa,”saysVivian,oneofmyfellowtravelers.</p><p>Lightningboltsandunfamiliarvévés*danceupanddownmyspine.</p><p>I triedtogetouttothecrossroadsbefore.I thoughtmaybeLegbacouldtakeit</p><p>away, but twoof themenwho live on the peristyle sawmewandering in the</p><p>darknessandbroughtmebackhere.Iclosemyeyesandtrytostoptheelectric</p><p>anxietyfromturningintoscreamingterror.</p><p>“Thatain’tnolwa,”HounganAboudja,anotherguest,saysinhisGulfCoast</p><p>drawl.“It’s thatmort</p><p>Isawaroundhimbefore.Itknowsit’sgettingsentaway</p><p>soonanditdon’twannago.”</p><p>I look up, like I might be able to catch my soul before it falls into the</p><p>screamingbrightvévés.Dunni’scominginnowfromtheguestroomnextdoor,</p><p>wearing a nightgown that exposes her not-inconsiderable assets to best</p><p>advantage.Itrytorideawaveoflustbackintomybodybutthevévésaretoo</p><p>strong,I’mstillfallingaway.</p><p>“Idon’tcarewhatitis,”Dunnisays.“Itdoesn’tneedtobeherenow.”</p><p>ShemutterssomethinginYoruba.InadditiontostudyingVodou,Dunniisan</p><p>IyalochainLukumi,achildofOshunwhowasinitiatedinCuba.Assheblows</p><p>inmyearstheterrorfadestoanxiety.“Yougotosleepnow,baby.I’llseeyouat</p><p>breakfastinthemorning.”</p><p>Ifallbackonmycot.Theanxietyturnstobone-weariness:I’malreadyfalling</p><p>asleepevenbeforeDunniclosesthedoor.Thevévésflickerbeforemyfacelike</p><p>embers,thenshimmertonothingintheJacmelnight.</p><p>*Avévéisaceremonialdrawingusedtosymbolizeandcalluponalwa.</p><p>Raven’sTale</p><p>1996–2006</p><p>MybodyhasdancedwithOyamovingit,asshewhirledinwaysthatIcertainly</p><p>nevercould…outonarooftop,whichhorrifiedmewhenIfoundoutabout it</p><p>later. “Shewent right out thewindowanddancedon the roof!” theonlookers</p><p>told me in hushed voices. Lilith has danced in my body, too, swinging her</p><p>curvedswordinadervishspin,brashlyaskinghardquestionsoftheonlookers.</p><p>Ariadne, wreathed in serpents, walked with my feet in my battered sandals</p><p>throughwoodsandfieldstoasacredrite,bare-breasted,herskirtwithitsrowsof</p><p>ruffles swaying aroundme. I relaxed into her, smelling pungent incense even</p><p>thoughtheairwascleanandclear.</p><p>Butthatwasbefore.BeforeIhadmybreastsremoved,beforethebeardgrew</p><p>completelyin,beforetheinjectionsoftestosteronepouredhairallovermelikea</p><p>pelt,beforethefatandmusclearrangeditselfintoashapethatsaysMan.Now</p><p>noneofthemwillenterme.Therearenohardfeelingsfromthem;theyknowthe</p><p>deal, but they require a horse who is physically female enough for them.</p><p>“Enough”isasubjectivequality thatonlytheycansay,becauseIhavealways</p><p>been an intersex being, but once I was “female of center,” and now I’m the</p><p>opposite.</p><p>Hela,whoownsme,willstilltakethisbodywhenshechooses,inordertodo</p><p>something for someone who needs her hand upon them. If it is to be a</p><p>particularly deep ride, she has me shapeshift my astral form to female first,</p><p>sometimesweeks in advance, as if to prepare the insideof this vessel forme.</p><p>That’shardforme,butshetellsme:Justgetyourissuesoutofthewayanddoit.</p><p>I knowyoucando it, you’remade for this.You’reboth.And I can, even if it</p><p>feelsstrangeanddissonantwiththisnowmostlymalebody.</p><p>THEHORSE’SSAFETY</p><p>Whenitcomesto thephenomenonofpossession,wehavetohonestlysaythat</p><p>talkingabout“safe”possessionisliketalkingabout“safe”sex.There’sreallyno</p><p>such thing as absolute safety in either of them.Both are amazing and intense</p><p>experiencesthatcancauseallkindsoftroubleifandwhenyougetinvolvedwith</p><p>them. It’s no accident that experts are nowpushing the use of the term“safer</p><p>sex.” Not only is there no such thing as a foolproof birth-control or disease-</p><p>preventionmethod,therearealsotheemotionalrepercussionsofhavingsex,and</p><p>ofnothavingit.Sexcanopenupyourbodyandheartinwaysyoudidn’texpect,</p><p>andleaveyouvulnerabletopsychologicaldamage,justasitcanequallypossibly</p><p>healyouof suchdamage.Somepeoplecan thriveoncelibacyandabstinence;</p><p>forothers,thatcausesmoreemotionalproblemsthanhavingsex.Thegiftofthe</p><p>LoveGoddessesissacred,andanythingthatisthatsacredisalsopowerfuland</p><p>beautifulandterribleandawe-inspiring…andnever,evercompletelysafe.</p><p>Possession is like that as well. Opening one’s flesh to be a container for</p><p>somethingof therealmofspirit is indescribablyamazing,as isbeingtheclose</p><p>outsiderwhoisabletoseethosethingsofthespiritinfleshlyeyesforonce.Itis</p><p>alsoimpossibletomakecompletelysafe,becausethegodsandspiritsarenever</p><p>safe.However,likesex,onecanatleasttakesomebasicprecautionstoeliminate</p><p>mostofthedangers,andaccepttheotherrisksasapossibility.</p><p>Being a “human suit” for something that is not human is a physically and</p><p>psychicallystressfulactivity.Evencallingsmallerspiritsdownthroughyourself</p><p>can be wearing on your soul-stuff, and when the astral body is stressed, that</p><p>reverberatesintothephysicalbody,inasmuchasthetwoaretiedtogetheruntil</p><p>weleavethesecondonebehindentirelyatourfinaldeath.Whenit’ssomething</p><p>evenbiggerthanyouare, itcanleaveyouweakortatteredorhollowedout,at</p><p>least temporarily. A horse whose physical and psychic safety needs are well</p><p>takencareofisahorsewhowon’tgetburnedoutnearlyasquickly.</p><p>To thisend, thehorseneeds tostartwith takingcareofhis-orherself.First,</p><p>they should take stock of their condition. Are they physically capable of the</p><p>demands? If theyare justgettingover the flu, orhada terrible argumentwith</p><p>theirpartner,orgotnosleepthenightbefore,itmightbewisetoseeifitcanbe</p><p>putoff.Dotheyhaveaheartcondition,aseizuredisorder,oranyotherphysical</p><p>condition that might be exacerbated by possession? That doesn’t mean that</p><p>possessioncan’thappen,but theywillneed toprayandspeakfirst towhoever</p><p>wantstheridesoastobecarefulofthephysicalissues.Somespirits—especially</p><p>gods—can do thingswith a body that onewouldn’t think that body could be</p><p>capableof.Thenwhentheyleave,someleaveitingoodconditionwithnosign</p><p>ofwhatwasdonewithit(andperhapsevenbetterthantheyfoundit,asdeities</p><p>can give healing energy if they’re that sort), and some leave it trashed and</p><p>dragging around. If there are potential problems, a good staff can sometimes</p><p>alleviate the worst of them, but the horse needs to be honest and immune to</p><p>pride.Iftheyaren’tinaplacewheretheycansafelyactasahorse,andtheyhave</p><p>thechoicenottodoso,thentheyshouldn’t.</p><p>Remember that the gods may define “as safe as possible” quite differently</p><p>fromhowwedo.Theymayputus intosituationsthat threatenlifeandlimb—</p><p>andwhentheydo,thereisnoguaranteethattheywillsaveusshouldwegetinto</p><p>trouble.Therearemanystoriesofgoodspiritworkerswhocametoabadendnot</p><p>becausetheydisobeyedthespirits,butbecausetheyfollowedtheirinstructions.</p><p>Youmayseemartyrdomassomethingtobeavoided;theyhavenosuchqualms.</p><p>Onalessspectacularlevel,theymayrearrangeyourlifeinveryuncomfortable</p><p>ways. Understand that by being a horse, you are putting yourself into a very</p><p>intimate,andsometimesveryfrightening, relationshipwithDivinity.Approach</p><p>this relationshipwith caution and reverence and youwill be safer than if you</p><p>approachitcarelesslyornegligently.</p><p>Theidealsituationisforthehorsetohaveaprepandaftercareteam.Usually</p><p>(atleastduringourrituals),thesearethesamepeople,chosenbythehorse,who</p><p>truststhemandfeelscomfortablewiththemandknowsthattheyarecompetent</p><p>at the job. For the full job description of the job of PrepTeam andAftercare</p><p>Team,seetheappendix,Asphodel’sRitualStructureforPublicGodPossession.</p><p>Here,wewilljustsaythatawell-trainedanddedicatedteam(whichcanbeonly</p><p>one person for small rites where the ride is a familiar one) makes a huge</p><p>differenceinthephysicalandemotionalpreparednessofthehorse.</p><p>Havinga crewofpeople tohelp is vital, if nothingelsebecause then the</p><p>godhasattendants,andpeoplewhoknowwhatisgoingonandcanexplain</p><p>ittoothers.Also,havinggroundcrewcanbeessentialwhenthegodsstart</p><p>sheddinggarmentsand leaving themabout!They seemespecially fondof</p><p>getting rid of glasses that the horse finds vital but the god, in the same</p><p>body,doesn’tneed.Thegroundcrewcanpickupyour shoesandglasses</p><p>andputtheminasafeplacesothatwhenyoucomeback,theyaren’toffin</p><p>thewoodssomewhereandlostforeverandever.</p><p>—FireheartTashlin,Paganspiritworker</p><p>It is always good to look out for the person who is possessed. There is</p><p>always a community present for Orisha possession. During the Spirit’s</p><p>Mass,Iworkwithotherskilledmediums,andwelookoutforthepeoplein</p><p>theservice,andforeachother.Thereisalwaysadangerduringpossession</p><p>thatsomethingmaygowrong,suchasaspiritrefusingtoleave,oralower</p><p>spiritcausingharmtosomeone.Youneedtohavepeoplepresentwhoknow</p><p>how to deal with these issues. During my private consultations I do not</p><p>haveacrew,butthepossessionsarenotastotalatthattime,andIrequest</p><p>thatthespiritsletmecomeinandouttomakesurethatallaresafe.Myself,</p><p>theclient,andthespiritsallneedtobesafeandprotected.</p><p>—OlorishaOmiLasaJoyWedmedyk</p><p>Workingwithexperiencedpeoplewhocanprovideassistanceandbackupis</p><p>definitely the way to go. I’ve done it both ways. Having even one</p><p>experiencedpersonwhoknowswhattodomakesallthedifference.Oncein</p><p>the past, Lilith got very annoyed with the person working as assistant.</p><p>Because he had no experience of what to do, when she entered, he was</p><p>flusteredand forgotwhatwassupposed tohappen.Aftera longperiodof</p><p>silence, she finally turned to him and brusquely suggested that he ask</p><p>somethingratherthanwastetime.</p><p>—OlorishaLilithThreeFeathers</p><p>Ididitalone,foralongtime,becausetherewasnoonearoundtohelpme.</p><p>Iwascarryingthegodsforasmallgroupofpeople,noneofwhomhadany</p><p>experiencewith possession. I was also young, foolish, and inexperienced</p><p>myself.Ihadpridefulfeelingsaroundthewholeeventwhichgotintheway</p><p>—Ididn’twanttobeseenasweakorneedinghelp.Sometimes, though,it</p><p>wouldleavemephysicallyandpsychicallydevastatedfordaysafterward.I</p><p>wasegotisticenoughthatwhenFreyatoldmeflatlythatIneededtotrain</p><p>people to help me, to be my ground crew and aides, I brushed off the</p><p>suggestion.SoFreyatookmattersintoherownhandsandcompletelyside-</p><p>steppedmy prevarications. The next time that she rodeme,whichwas a</p><p>rituala fewdaysafter she spoke tome, she simplypickedout thepeople</p><p>thatshethoughtwouldbethebestchoices,andinformedthemofwhatthey</p><p>were to do in the future when I was possessed.When I came back, how</p><p>couldIdenyFreya’spublicdemand,eh?</p><p>Thefunnythingwasthatsheknewexactlywhowouldbegoodatwhat.</p><p>ThepeoplethatshepickedwerenottheonesthatIwouldhavepicked,and</p><p>Iwasapprehensive,buttheyturnedouttobereallygoodatthosejobs.The</p><p>womanthatFreyainstructedto“watchclosely”duringmypre-possession</p><p>ritual eventually turnedout tobeable tobe riddenherself, once shehad</p><p>gotten over some emotional issues. Lesson for me: The gods want their</p><p>horsestobesafe,andTheyknowbetterthanwedo.</p><p>—Gudrun,seidhkona</p><p>Good attendantsmake the process before, during, and after go farmore</p><p>smoothly than it otherwise might and can contribute greatly toward the</p><p>comfortandwell-beingofthehorse,especiallyintheexhaustingaftermath.</p><p>For many of us, coming to possessory work in traditions that lack a</p><p>cohesiveframeworkforsuchthings,havingaskilledteamofhandlersisa</p><p>luxury. I’veonlyhad theadvantageofworkingwithanexperienced team</p><p>once in all the years I’ve been doing thiswork, but that experience both</p><p>beforeandafterthepossessionitselfwasmarkedlyeasierthananyother.I</p><p>recovered faster and had fewer aftereffects. Furthermore, good handlers</p><p>arecalmduring theonsetof thepossessionandknowwhat todo tohelp</p><p>coax and entice the deity in, which makes the whole process far more</p><p>comfortable.Having knowledgeable people in attendance helps the horse</p><p>relax,whichgoesalongwaytoquicklyfacilitatingtheentireprocess.</p><p>—GalinaKrasskova,Heathenspiritworker</p><p>Sometimes,ofcourse,thegodorgoddesswhotakestherideisjustgoingto</p><p>besomewhatroughwiththehorse’sbody,eitherbecausethat’sthewaytheyare,</p><p>orinsomecasesbecausetheyhaveaspecificlessonforthehorse.Thisisoneof</p><p>thosesituationswhereit’sreallygoodtohaveapatrondeitywhoownsyourass</p><p>andcansetfirmlimitswithotherdeitiesandspirits,preventingthemfromgoing</p><p>toofar.Ifaparticularspiritisknowntobea“roughrider”andthechosenhorse</p><p>isnotupforthetask,seeifitcanberescheduledforlaterorforanotherhorse.</p><p>Ofcourse,ifthehorseisagod-slave(asituationdiscussedinthischapterunder</p><p>TheHorse’sConsent)andavisitingdeitytrashesthem,it’sbecausetheirpatron</p><p>allowed it tohappenforsomereason that isbetween thehorseand thepatron,</p><p>andthecommunitywouldbewisetostayoutofthatargument.Inasimilarvein,</p><p>ahorsewhoisagod-slavemayberequiredbytheirpatrontoofferthemselves</p><p>evenwhennotinthebestofshape,andthistooisnotsomethingthecommunity</p><p>canchange,althoughitmaydowhatitcantoaidthehorse’sphysicalcomfort.</p><p>If you are the horse and you have been informed that a possessionwill be</p><p>happening (see the Community section for advice on negotiating possessions</p><p>aheadoftime),andyoufeelthatyoucan’tgetoutofit,itisyourresponsibility</p><p>to dowhat you can to prepare your body for this honor. Itwill be housing a</p><p>denizenoftheOtherworlds,andyoushouldtakethetimetogetitinasgooda</p><p>shapeaspossible.Besidestheusualtakingcareofyourfleshtempleinwhatever</p><p>wayworksbestfor it,ahorsecanandshouldaskadeity that theyaresoonto</p><p>horse(assumingthatthereisdecentleadtime)whattheythinkoughttobedone</p><p>inordertopreparethebodyforthem.Somegodsaskforaspecificdietforafew</p><p>dayspriortotheevent,orfasting,orparticularsortsofcleansinganddetoxing.</p><p>Someonewhohorses regularly—andby thiswemeananything like threeor</p><p>fourtimesayear—needstodoregularpsychiccleansingexercisesontheirastral</p><p>body. Possessions are rough on the entire psychic system, so learning to do</p><p>magicalcleansings—withsound,withwater,withheat,withwhateverworksfor</p><p>you—isimportant.Somespiritworkersrecommendexercisessuchast’aich’iin</p><p>order to keep the energy system resilient. Developing a daily practice of</p><p>groundingandcenteringisusefulaswell;ifthehorsecanlearntodoitquickly</p><p>andreflexivelyevenintimesofcrisis,itwillaidthemingroundingthemselves</p><p>afterbeingridden.</p><p>Astothedangersofhorsing…well,Idon’tthinkthatpeopleshoulddoit</p><p>atall,notunlessthey’reforcedto.InWesternmagicaltraditiontheconcept</p><p>of“assumingagod-form”isamild typeofhorsing inwhichyou identify</p><p>with a god-form, invoke that particular kind of energy into yourself, and</p><p>embodythatenergy.It’snotthesameashorsing,butthedangerevenfrom</p><p>doing it is that the god-energy leaves, but the person forgets to divest</p><p>themselvesofthegod-form,andtheygetstuckinthatspace“being”that</p><p>entity—first of all, to the exclusion of all else, and usually to the great</p><p>annoyanceofthepeoplearoundthemwhoaretired</p><p>ofthem“being”Raall</p><p>daylong.It’sjustnotgood.</p><p>Otherobviousdangersarethatthey’lldosomethingwithyourbodythat</p><p>damagessomeoneor is illegal.“Oh,cool, it’sacar? Is this likechariots</p><p>used tobe?Yes?”and they smack you intoa tree, or runa red light, or</p><p>haveunsafesex,ormakeyouingestthingsyou’reallergictoanddon’ttake</p><p>themwiththem,orbeatsomeoneintoabloodyhospital-readypulp.Ithink</p><p>there’salsoapsychologicaldangerfromsharingmind-spacewithadeity.</p><p>They’resohugeandyou’resosmall.Iftheycomeforcefully,andyou’renot</p><p>readyforthem,youcantear.Itcanripyoursoul.</p><p>—LydiaHelasdottir,Paganspiritworker</p><p>Some Neo-Pagan groups are starting to work with various levels of spirit-</p><p>possession, but there is a disturbing trend of the occasional training group</p><p>insisting thatanyonecanhorse regardlessof innatewiring(and insomecases,</p><p>thatanyonecanhorseanydeitywithnoilleffects).Inordertomakethishappen,</p><p>some are utilizing the process of the group psychically “condensing” the</p><p>individual’s soulandstuffing it intoacornerof theirbeing,and then reaching</p><p>throughthemandpullingthedeitythroughintotheirbody.Wefindthistrickto</p><p>beratherconcerningforavarietyofreasons,assumingthatitevenworksforfull</p><p>possessionandnotmerelyaspecting.First,itisourexperiencethathorsingcan</p><p>be a psychically strenuous activity. The individual’s psychic “sphincter,” for</p><p>lackofabetterword,isstretchedwideopen.Justaswithphysicalsphincters,the</p><p>best way to receive something large is to be in a state of relaxed, accepting</p><p>openness. Someone else forcing the issuemay ormay not get the horse open</p><p>enough,butevenifitworks,itmaycauselastingdamage,whichcanmanifestas</p><p>mentalillness.Wewouldrathergowiththeideathatifthehorsecan’tseemto</p><p>openupenough,theyeitherdon’thaveenoughoftheinbornpsychicwiringfor</p><p>it(whichisnoone’sfault)ortheyaren’treadyforsomeinternalreasonoftheir</p><p>own, which must be dealt with in its own time and way. Horsing is shock</p><p>enoughtothesoul;havingabunchofpeopleshovingitaroundismoretrauma</p><p>tothesoulcomplexthanisgoodforanyone.</p><p>Wehavealsofoundthatnoteveryonecanberiddenbyjustanyspirit.There</p><p>hastobeanelementof“likecallstolike,”oratleastsomesortofcompatibility.</p><p>Sometimes that compatibility is subtle and not something that the horse can</p><p>knowuntiltheytryandsucceedorfail.AstheNorthernTraditionequivalentof</p><p>a “black shaman” (that’s in the Siberian sense, not theWestern black = evil</p><p>nonsense),whoisownedbyLadyDeath,Ravenneverthoughtthathewouldbe</p><p>abletohorseFrey,theGoldenOneoftheVanir…butFreyhasastandingdate</p><p>totakehimaroundLammas,anditworkswell…evenleavingaresidueoflight</p><p>andhealthinhisdarkinsides.Ontheotherhand,Baphometfitswellasaridefor</p><p>Raven,asheisalsothird-genderedandisassociatedwiththerotting-downpart</p><p>of thecycle,as ishisLadyHela.TheoldprimalHunteralsoridesRavenona</p><p>yearly basis, and his predator natureworkswell as a fit.Butwhen a bride of</p><p>Anubisaskedforsomeonetohorseherhusbandforaceremony,Ravenaskedto</p><p>seeifhewouldbeanacceptablefitandthecosmicanswercamebackno,even</p><p>thoughheisassociatedwithDeath.</p><p>Therearecertaindeities thatare incompatiblewithme (Ihavebeen told</p><p>flat out that certain Loa and Orisha will never be able to ride me, for</p><p>instance) for reasons of my own emotional patterning and utter lack of</p><p>compatibility, or because to horse certain deities would inadvertently</p><p>destroy too much of the patterning Odin put in place. Over the years it</p><p>seems that more and more I horse primarily, if not only, the Northern</p><p>pantheon. Iamalsonotpermitted tohorse lesser spirits,butonlycertain</p><p>deitiesonwhatIliketocallOdin’s“approvedlist.”</p><p>—GalinaKrasskova,Heathenspiritworker</p><p>BeingriddenbymaledeitiesisnotsomethingthatIdowell,atleastnotthe</p><p>ones that are very sexually male, like Thor and Frey. I have a special</p><p>relationshipwithMimir—Imaybe theonlyhumanpersonaround thathe</p><p>actuallylikes—buthe’sgotnobody,sogenderisn’tanissueforhimriding</p><p>me.Odinisreallygoodatshiftinghis“shape,”Isupposeyoumightsay,in</p><p>ordertofitintosomeone;Idon’tknowhowhemanagesit,buthedoesn’t</p><p>seemtotriggerthegenderbarrierformethewaythatothergodsdo.Well,</p><p>actually, I have an idea how hemanages it, being as a female friend of</p><p>minewhohascarriedLoki(apoorfit forme)notedthesamethingabout</p><p>him. But we won’t talk about that here! Anyway, I tend to only be</p><p>“afflicted” with goddesses—Frigga, Freya, Iduna, Nerthus, the</p><p>Handmaidens.OnceallthreeNornsrodemeatonce,orperhapsitwasone</p><p>atatimeswitchingoffveryfast,butthatwasgrueling.</p><p>—Gudrun,seidhkona</p><p>Sometimes the problem isn’t mental fit but rather physical. Before Raven</p><p>transitioned to a more male physiology, he had horsed Lilith. She is a fairly</p><p>masculineandhairygoddess,butsheisstillfemaleofcenter,andwhenRaven</p><p>crossed the middle line she would no longer use his body. Some deities will</p><p>horse bodies of a different gender, or very different physique or state of</p><p>(dis)ability, from their ownwith no problem.Others are extremely picky—all</p><p>theLoveGoddesses,forinstance,andmanyofthemore“macho”andphysically</p><p>orientedwargods.Nohorsesshouldtakeitpersonallyif theyaren’tagoodfit</p><p>foraparticulargodorwight.(Forthatmatter,sincemostpeoplearen’twiredto</p><p>horse at all, they shouldn’t take that personally either. I’ll never be a pro</p><p>basketballplayerorageniusmathematician.Sowhat?)Thegodshavetheirown</p><p>preferences, andwe just have to gowith them.SomemodernPagans do hold</p><p>thatanytrainedhorseoughttobeabletocarryanydeity,butwehaven’tfound</p><p>thattobetrue.And,frankly,ifyouarehorsinganydeitywithnoilleffects—or</p><p>little in thewayof serious aftereffects at all—we seriouslydoubt that you are</p><p>doingfullpossession.It’snotsomethingthat iseverdoneeasilyor lightly.On</p><p>theotherhand,even if it’sonlyAspecting, that’sagood thing inandof itself</p><p>andmucheasieronone’sastralbody.</p><p>Anotherreasonthatsomeonemightnotbeabletohorseacertaindeity,ora</p><p>type or pantheon of deities, is because their energy clashes with that of the</p><p>spiritworker’s patron deity. This could be an issue of two deities who are</p><p>enemies, orwho just don’t get along.A Lokisman likelywouldn’t be able to</p><p>horseHeimdall,forinstance,norwouldahorsededicatedtoPanbeattractiveto</p><p>Hestia. In general, if one has a patron deity to watch one’s back (which we</p><p>recommend),thatdeitywillhavealistofwhocanandcannotuseyoudrawnup</p><p>for their own reasons, and youwill be expected to go alongwith it. That’s a</p><p>matterofcourtesyandrespect.</p><p>Afterward,I’doftenfeelrunover;mybackwouldbesore.AtfirstI’dthink</p><p>thatitwasjustfromsittinginthatpositionforalongtime,andthenI’dtry</p><p>to justdo that, and it doesn’thurtabit. It’s likeamassive vibrationhas</p><p>gonethroughyouandrattledyouatacellularlevel…orlikesomeonehas</p><p>rippedyourspineoutandputitbackinagainwithtwochannelsinsteadof</p><p>one, and then afterward they yanked the second channel out and loosely</p><p>stitched it back together. It’s sore. But that’s also a “throughput” issue,</p><p>because if you’reonlyused to110volts running throughyour spine,and</p><p>nowyou’vegotdeity</p><p>energyrunningthroughyou—tenthousandvoltsand</p><p>severalmoremillionamperesthanyou’reusedto—itcanfryyourcircuits.</p><p>Doingitalot,yougrowfatterwires,fatterpipes,untilyoucanmanagethe</p><p>deityenergyeasier.Butthenitstartstoseepintoeverydaylife;youcanbe</p><p>inaconstantstateofbeingshadowed,awalkingpairofeyesforyourdeity</p><p>toridealongwith.</p><p>—LydiaHelasdottir,Paganspiritworker</p><p>THEHORSE’SSANITY</p><p>Sane can be a loadedword.Often itmeans “able to function in polite society</p><p>withoutmakingtoomanywaves”or“abletobehaveinanappropriatemanner.”</p><p>Thosewhodonotmeasureup to this standard—the“insane”—fill a roleonce</p><p>played in medieval times by the leper. The insane are outcasts, figures of</p><p>simultaneous pity andmockery. Like lepers, they are diseased and potentially</p><p>dangerous. To protect themselves and their community, right-thinking citizens</p><p>maycalluponwhateverjudicialorextrajudicialmeasurestheydeemnecessary.</p><p>“Sane”peoplemaymockthesepoorsouls,ortheymayprayforthemandoffer</p><p>themhelp,buttheycertainlyaren’texpectedtotreatthemasequalsortakethem</p><p>seriously.</p><p>Thegods,ontheotherhand,maydefinesanequitedifferentlyfromhowwe</p><p>do.Whentheyappearinahumanbody,theirlogicmayappearskewedandtheir</p><p>behaviorbizarre.Theymaynotact in theways thatyouexpect,and theymay</p><p>wellact inways thatmakeyouuncomfortable.Theymayappearunreasonable</p><p>orbedownrightunlikable.Theymayevenactsillyandtreatyourwholeritual</p><p>likeabigjoke.(Tricksterspiritsarenotoriousforthis,andmoreoftenthannot</p><p>thereisvaluableinformationhiddenamidtheirantics.)</p><p>Bevery careful about dismissing a possessionbecauseyoudidn’t likewhat</p><p>thespirithadtosayorhowtheysaidit.Beespeciallycarefulaboutdismissing</p><p>spiritual advice or orders just because they conflictwith your preconceptions.</p><p>You may think that staying in your comfortable but boring job is perfectly</p><p>rational, but the gods may decide that you’re putting your soul and spiritual</p><p>health at risk, and take care of the problem by terminating your employment.</p><p>While thismay sound sensible on paper, thosewho are living through itmay</p><p>havedifficultyfindingtherationale.</p><p>Tomuchof the“realworld,”horsesandspiritworkersareallcrazyanyway,</p><p>andnot inagoodway.What’smore,manyof the residents in said realworld</p><p>aren’tshyabout tellingusexactlyhowtheyfeelaboutusandour“delusions,”</p><p>“imaginary friends,” and “attention-seeking behaviors.” When dealing with</p><p>strangers and casual acquaintances, you probably don’t want to be seen as</p><p>insane.Atbestit’sgoingtomakethingsveryuncomfortableforallconcerned;at</p><p>worst itmaygetyoubeaten, institutionalized,orkilled. (Ifyouarepartof the</p><p>percentageof thepopulationwhoactuallysuffer fromabrain-chemicalmental</p><p>illness, youalreadyknow this all toowell.)Sodiscretionaboutyourpath and</p><p>yourpracticesmaybeinorder.Thismaysmackof“goingbackintothebroom</p><p>closet,”ortreatingyourreligionassomethingshameful,buttryinsteadtothink</p><p>of it as reserving your sacred things for people who can show due respect.</p><p>There’salsothatifthisisasacredact—anditis—there’snoneedtogoaround</p><p>braggingaboutit.Whenahorseischosenbythespirits,thatdoesn’tmeanthat</p><p>theyarenecessarilybetterasapersonthananyoneelse,andusingitaspartof</p><p>your “coolness résumé” demeans it and insults the spirits who have put their</p><p>trustinyou.Ifnecessary,askyourself,“Howwouldthegodswantmetoact?”</p><p>andifthereisstillconfusion,askthemdirectly.</p><p>Whileencounteringtheassumptionthattheyaremadcanbediscomfitingfor</p><p>ahorse,actuallyacceptingitcanbefarmoredangerous.Itmaybetemptingto</p><p>decidethat“thisisallanelaboratedelusion,”butsoonthereafteryoumayfind</p><p>yourself asking, “Why are these delusions continuing and making my life</p><p>miserable?”Editingyourownexperiencestoconformtosomeoneelse’sversion</p><p>ofrealityisafastwaytomakingyourselfactuallycrazy.Besides,ifyou’vebeen</p><p>tapped as a “natural” horse—meaning that you are experiencing spirit-</p><p>possessiononaregularbasis,perhapswhetherornotyouwantit—decidingthat</p><p>it isnotrealwillnotstopit,norwillyoubeabletonegotiateproperly,protect</p><p>yourself,orprepareyourbodywhileinastateofdenial.Youcertainlywon’tbe</p><p>able togive thespirits theride that theydeserve,andyoucangoonlyso long</p><p>doingthedenialtripinthefaceofactualridesbeforeyoueitherhavetoacceptit</p><p>orspiraldownintoapitofmadness.</p><p>There’salsothefactthattheaftermathofapossessioncanleaveahorsewith</p><p>a“residue”ofthespirit thatspenttimeinsidethem.Theymayfindthemselves</p><p>likingordislikingthingsthatareuncharacteristicofthembutquitecharacteristic</p><p>of that spirit.Although theeffectgenerally fadesovera fewdaysorweeks, it</p><p>canbecrazy-makingfor thehorsewhoisnotopenandflexibleanddoing this</p><p>outofloveforthegodsandthecommunity,orwhoisunsurewheretheirown</p><p>edgesbeginandend.</p><p>I think themain thing is not to panic. Yes, you will think you are going</p><p>crazyatfirst,youwill thinkthatsomethingiswrongwithyou,you’ll feel</p><p>sick,you’llfeeloutoftouch,butifit’sagodwhohaschosentouseyouas</p><p>avessel,youshouldfeelhonored.At thesametime, though,don’tget too</p><p>full of yourself; you are not the only tool the gods choose to use in this</p><p>fashion, and you are expendable and can be replaced. It will take some</p><p>adjustment,butthebestthingtodoistofindaqualifiedteacher.Ifnoneis</p><p>availabletoyou,aswasthecasewithme,thenitwillbemoredifficult,but</p><p>eitherwaythekeyiscommunication,communication,communication.Talk</p><p>to the spirits/wights/gods/angels/etc., and listen. If you keep the lines of</p><p>communicationopen, youmight find that you’ ll learna lot, and that the</p><p>spiritmaybewillingtocompromiseasfaraswhen,where,andhowoften</p><p>they takeover.Butwhateveryoudo,checkyouregoat thedoor.Nothing</p><p>turnsadeityoffmorethanhubris.</p><p>—Abriel,Paganspiritworker</p><p>It’s important thatyourpossessionworkbedone fromaplaceof reverence,</p><p>openness, groundedness, stability, andmental equilibrium. Possession is high-</p><p>energy, high-intensity work that can exacerbate mental conditions and</p><p>underlyingpsychologicalweaknesses.Youdon’t need to be a pillar ofmental</p><p>health (Kenazcomments, “Godsknow I’m not!”), butyou shouldbeawareof</p><p>and working on your issues. (That said, sometimes when a deity temporarily</p><p>sharesyourhead,theymayalsoseeyourmessanddecidetomovethefurniture</p><p>aroundabitinordertohelpyouwithit.Thiscanbringupallsortsofthingsas</p><p>soonastherideisover,thingsthatOughtToBeDealtWithNow,atleastinthe</p><p>opinionofthePowerthatpassedthroughyou.)Moretothepoint,yououghtto</p><p>beabletostashyouremotionalbaggageuntiltheritualisover.</p><p>Ifyouhaveaninnatehungerforattention,youwillhavetogetoverit.When</p><p>thespiritscome,it’sallaboutthem,notyou.Tryingtoturnyourselfintothestar</p><p>ofapossessionritualcanhaverealandpainfulconsequences,suchastherider</p><p>becoming offended by your attitude and leveling a punishment. The easiest</p><p>punishment,ofcourse,istosimplyrefuseatthelastminutetoshowup,andto</p><p>leaveyouhighanddryafteryou’vemadeall thatfussandeveryone’swaiting.</p><p>Possessionbythegods,especially, isaverysubmissiveexperience.Theyhave</p><p>waysofbringingdowntheproudandchastisingthearrogant,mostofwhichare</p><p>quiteunpleasant.</p><p>We’re not</p><p>saying this just because of leftover internalized JudeoChristian</p><p>ideasonhumilityandgrovelingbeforeGod,either.Ifyoubothertodoresearch</p><p>in ancient religions, or existing tribal ones, you will soon find plenty of</p><p>anecdotesshowingjusthowkindlygodsofanypantheondealwiththeproblem</p><p>ofhubrisintheirservants.Andyes,ifyouareahorseofgods,youarefirstand</p><p>foremost a servant. Work on having a good servile attitude. People who are</p><p>desperateforimportanceintheirspiritualcommunityandthinkthatthisisaway</p><p>toachieveattentionandprestigearereallynotgoodfor this job.It’smorelike</p><p>beingthedivinelimodriver,actually.It’sgruntwork,andifyougointoitwith</p><p>egoissues, thegodswhouseyoumayfindwaystoslapyoudown…perhaps</p><p>leaving you to clean up theirDivinemesses. If you can’t be humble about it,</p><p>don’tdoit…anddon’t letyourcommunitygiveyoulotsofspecialhead-pats</p><p>forbeingthesuitthatthegodwears,either.Itencouragesthewrongmind-set.</p><p>Inretrospect,themannerinwhichOdintrainedmeasahorseleadsmeto</p><p>conceive of the whole process as one of learning to welcome a deeply</p><p>internalizedcrisis.Essentially,possessionisacrisissituation.One’sentire</p><p>egoisputasideorpushedasidesoSomeone/Somethingelsecanenterand</p><p>takecontrol.Thatisadifficultthingformanypeopletodealwith,andthe</p><p>reasonthatsomehorsesfindthewholeprocessveryviolating.Idonotfind</p><p>it so, but I suspectmy erotic/romantic attachment toOdin aswell as the</p><p>very organic way in which I was first introduced to the whole thing has</p><p>helpedmeimmenselythere.ThisisalsothereasonwhyIbelieveacertain</p><p>degree of self-knowledge and psychological stability should be a</p><p>prerequisite for a horse.Of course, sometimes the gods just don’t give a</p><p>damnandwill utilize a personanyway, but in the ideal situation, a firm,</p><p>solid sense of self is foundational toward ensuring the continued</p><p>psychologicalhealthofthehorse.Personally,Iwouldnottrainsomeoneas</p><p>ahorseunlessitwaspatentlyclearfromtheget-gothatthegodswerehell-</p><p>bentonusingtheminthatcapacity.</p><p>Thisisthereasonthatnotonlycannoteveryonedopossessorywork,but</p><p>not every one should. It’s not just a matter of having the right brain</p><p>chemistry/psychicpatterningforit,thoughthatisthemostimportantthing,</p><p>but thesecondarycruxof the issue is theability togetbeyondthat initial</p><p>traumaofhavingone’sconsciousnessmovedaside.It’sapparent fromall</p><p>outward appearances of the horse that the beginning manifestations of</p><p>possessionrevealthemselvestobeacrisissituation,andthisisperhapsthe</p><p>primary reason that horses need skilled, experienced, and knowledgeable</p><p>attendants to minimize difficulties. Possessory work can be grueling, not</p><p>justmentally,emotionally,andpsychologicallybutphysicallyaswell.</p><p>—GalinaKrasskova,Heathenspiritworker</p><p>If you are going to shunt aside your ego and allow Someone Else to take</p><p>controlofyourbody,youarealsogoingtoneedtoknowwhereyourSelfbegins</p><p>andends.Highlysensitive individualswithpoorboundariescangetbadlyhurt</p><p>by possession experiences, and it is contraindicated for anyone without good</p><p>boundaries and a strong sense of self. If you suffer from schizophrenia,</p><p>dissociativeidentitydisorder,orotheregodystonicpsychologicalconditions,you</p><p>shouldapproachpossessionwithextremecaution,andprobablyshouldavoidit</p><p>entirely.Thesepreexistingdisorderswillnotnecessarilydisqualifyyouentirely</p><p>frombeingahorse;somespiritworkersdohavecontinuingstruggleswithmental</p><p>illness. (Kenaz counts hirself* among that number.) However, they must be</p><p>addressedand,wherenecessary,accommodationsmustbemade.</p><p>Attheveryleast, thehorsewithahistoryofmental illnessshouldbehighly</p><p>functionalandveryexperienced in figuringoutwhichvoicesare thevoicesof</p><p>theillnessandwhicharenot.Ingeneral,someonewithmentalillnessshouldnot</p><p>seekouttheroleofhorse,anditisespeciallycontraindicatedforpeoplewhose</p><p>grip on reality is tenuous and easily thrown off. For those with dissociative</p><p>identitydisorder—alsoknownasmultiplepersonalitydisorder—theremayalso</p><p>beaconsent issueifsomeof thepersonalitiesconsentedto therideandothers</p><p>didn’t.Ifthegodsrepeatedlychoosethemanyway,thenthegodsthinkthatthey</p><p>aresaneenough,andthatisgoingtohavetobeenoughforanyonewhobelieves</p><p>inThem,assumingthatexperiencedpeoplehaveagreedthatitreallyisaproper</p><p>possession. Horses with mental illness should also try harder to find other</p><p>spiritworkerswhocan see thepsychic resultsof an actualpossession, andcan</p><p>stepinshouldthebadbrainsoupgetthebetterofthem,andmakethembelieve</p><p>that a psychotic episode is a possession. If the horse knows that they have a</p><p>historyof impaired judgmentdue toneurochemical conditions, they shouldbe</p><p>humbleabouthavingexperiencedpeopletosecond-guessthem.</p><p>*“Hirself”isagender-neutralpronoun.</p><p>In general, peoplewith trust issues are contraindicated for this path. If you</p><p>finditdifficulttotrustevenpeoplewholoveyouandarereliable,youwillnot</p><p>have the ability to hold yourself open for the god to enter. You may react</p><p>instinctively,slammingthedoorshutinsteadofbeingresponsive.Workonyour</p><p>trust issues, includinganyangeryoumayhave toward thePowersThatBe. If</p><p>youareblaming theDivineWill foryourproblems,youwon’tbecomfortable</p><p>withlettinganyaspectofitrunyourbodyevenmoreclosely.</p><p>You canwork on trust issueswith the aid of other human beings. Ask the</p><p>people whom you trust the most to blindfold you and take you somewhere</p><p>unknown, perhaps to do something that you have never done and have no</p><p>knowledge of. If the idea makes you recoil, you’re not ready to work with</p><p>possession.</p><p>Sofarwe’vediscussedhowthehorse’ssanitycanbethreatenedmerelybythe</p><p>intense experience of the gods, butwe have not yet touched on the very real</p><p>dangers to one’s sanity of possession by destructive or amoral random spirits,</p><p>which is another matter entirely. This will be discussed further in chapter 11</p><p>underHarmfulPossessions,butsufficeittosayherethatanyonewhoishaunted</p><p>bysuchanunpleasantentityisinrealdangerofinsanity,moreeventhanbodily</p><p>harm.Theentitywhoisfeedingonthemprobablydoesn’twantthemdead,but</p><p>they are easier to control while insane, and so they may be pushed in that</p><p>direction.Beingpossessedbyreasonablybenevolentdeitiesisonething;being</p><p>possessedbysomethingthathasnovestedinterestinyourhealthisanotherthing</p><p>entirely.</p><p>THEHORSE’SCONSENT</p><p>OurWestern cultureplaces ahighvalueon freedomand freewill.We like to</p><p>think thatwearemastersofour fateandcaptainsofoursoul.Wetry to“give</p><p>each other space” and (at least pretend to) bend over backward to avoid</p><p>“compelling the will of another.” But all this emphasis on autonomy is of</p><p>comparativelyrecentvintage,certainlyno later than theEnlightenmentera.To</p><p>ourancestors, the ideaofuntrammeledfreedomwouldhaveseemed ludicrous.</p><p>Accidents of birth decided their social status and profession; matchmakers</p><p>determinedtheirlifepartners;kingsandlordsshapedthesocietyinwhichthey</p><p>lived.Aboveallelse,Nature laiddownaharshandunbendinglawaboutwhat</p><p>theywouldbedoingatanygiven timeofyear,a law thathad tobeobeyed if</p><p>they wished to survive. Understanding this is vital to understanding</p><p>how the</p><p>godsviewthequestionof“consent.”</p><p>Butthegodsandspiritsarealsoawarethatthingsaren’twhattheyusedtobe,</p><p>orat leastsomeof themare.Theyknowthat their templeshavecrumbledand</p><p>theirarmiesofworshippershavebeen reduced toamerehandful.Hence, they</p><p>areoftenwillingtobargainwiththefollowerswhoremain.Thisisnottosaythat</p><p>theyaredesperate—theyhavesurvivedverywellwithoutusforamillennium,</p><p>thank you—or that they should be treated with contempt, as they can easily</p><p>choosetoignoreusiftheythinkusunworthyofattention.Butitdoesgiveyoua</p><p>bitmoreflexibilitywhendealingwiththem.Youhaveeveryrighttosay,“No,</p><p>wearenotgoingtoofferyouahumansacrifice,”ortosetotherboundarieswhen</p><p>asked for something that is unacceptable under present-day legal and social</p><p>climes.Noris itunthinkableformostpeopletobargainwiththegods.Youdo</p><p>nothavetotakeeverythingthateveryspiritsaysasgospel,andfollowitwithout</p><p>question.Mostpeoplehave the right tobargainandnegotiatewith spirits, and</p><p>theright(andresponsibility)tosay,“I’msorry,Ican’tdothatatthistime.”Like</p><p>any sane relationship, the interactions between you and the gods should have</p><p>appropriateboundaries.Ifthegodsarenotindulgentparentswhoexisttofillour</p><p>everywhim,noraretheymadtyrants.</p><p>Modern-dayworshippers frequently fall into one of two camps. Either they</p><p>think the gods exist solely for their benefit and will happily do their bidding</p><p>uponcall(orat leastactbenevolentlytowardthem)…ortheybelievethat the</p><p>godsareall-knowingandall-powerfulandweshouldbeblindlyobedientbefore</p><p>them.The truth, as is often the case, lies somewhere in themiddle.While the</p><p>gods are certainly more powerful and more far-seeing than we are, they are</p><p>neitheromnipotentnoromniscient.Whenpresentedwithadivinedemand that</p><p>willbe theoppositeofbeneficial for thecommunity,youmaywellbeable to</p><p>makealternativearrangements.</p><p>Idogenerallyhaveagoodbitofwarning—theydon’tusuallyjustpounce</p><p>onme,althoughthathasoccasionallyhappened.Whereandwhendepends</p><p>on the spirit and the purpose of the ride. If they need to get a message</p><p>acrosstothatpersonrightoverthererightnow,thenno,there’snotmuch</p><p>choiceinthesetting.However,tobefair,IwouldsaythatthetimesthatI</p><p>havefeltthatIhadlittletonowarningwerethetimesthatIwasn’treally</p><p>listening.</p><p>—FireheartTashlin,Paganspiritworker</p><p>Inmostpossessorytraditions,agreatdealofframeworkandstructureisused</p><p>tomakepossessionslessrandomandnonconsensual,oratleastnonconsensual-</p><p>appearing.InsomebranchesofSanteria,forexample,nonconsensualpossession</p><p>ismuchlessacceptablethaninothersects.Possession,inthosegroups,istobe</p><p>doneonlybyinitiates,andonlyunderspecificritualcircumstances.Someeven</p><p>split terms, using possession for an orisha entering an initiate in the accepted</p><p>place and manner and horse for the (unacceptable) inadvertent or misplaced</p><p>possession.OlorishaLilithThreeFeathers relates that her Ile (House) does not</p><p>use the term horse or ridden to describe the Santeros who carry the Orisha:</p><p>“Personally,Idon’tusetheterm‘horse’either;however,thatmaybebecauseI</p><p>associateitwithVoudoun.Tome,‘horse’impliesanunavoidablehappening—</p><p>thatis,theLoadecidestocomeinanditdoesn’tmatterifthepersonisinitiated</p><p>orpreparedforthepossession.InmybranchofSanteria,possessionisnotdone</p><p>thatway.InitiationisrequiredbeforepossessionbyOrisha,andotherscanstop</p><p>thepossession.”</p><p>Whilesomespirits—andespeciallythegods—arecapableoftakingandriding</p><p>anunwillinghorse,itappearstorequirefarmoreeffortontheirpartthancoming</p><p>downonsomeonewhoisopenandwilling.Itisintheirbestintereststoestablish</p><p>a cooperative and mutually beneficial arrangement with the horse and the</p><p>congregation. They don’twant to drag you along kicking and screaming, any</p><p>morethanyouenjoydealingwithastubbornandill-behavedtoddler.Ofcourse,</p><p>whiletheymaynotliketakingnonconsensualcontrolofasituation,thatdoesn’t</p><p>meantheyaren’tcapableofdoingsoiftheirhandisforced,onlythatitisalast</p><p>resortontheirpart.Academicshavewrittennumerousbooksattemptingtolearn</p><p>thesociologicalandpsychologicalrationalebehindourreligiousinstinctandthe</p><p>ways in which it influences our behavior. Perhaps their questions should be</p><p>answered thusly: Religious ritual is an ongoing contractual arrangement</p><p>betweenhumansandtheDivinePowersbywhichweinteractwitheachotherto</p><p>maximummutualbenefit.</p><p>However, itwouldbe simplisticofus to say that the issueof consentwhen</p><p>dealingwithpossessioniseasyandclear-cut.Somewould-behorsesareunable</p><p>to achieve possession, and some “natural” horses are unable to avoid it. For</p><p>them,consensualpossessionswouldbeanenormousstepintherightdirection.</p><p>Thegodsdon’talwaysaskourpermissionbeforecallingusintoservice.(Some</p><p>saythatweagreedtothetaskinsomeforgottenpastlife,butthat’scoldcomfort</p><p>whenyouaresufferinginthisone,andwell-nighimpossibletoproveanyway.)</p><p>Thismaynotjibewithourmodernviewson“freewill”and“freeagency,”but</p><p>it’squiteinkeepingwithhistory.Ourancestorswouldhavelaughedheartilyat</p><p>theideathatthegodsneedtoaskourpermissionbeforeinterveninginourlives.</p><p>Whilenaturalhorsesmaynotbeabletostoppossessions,theymaygainsome</p><p>controloverwhenandwherethosepossessionstakeplace.Infact,itisvitalthat</p><p>theydosoassoonaspossible.Thankfully,thespiritsaregenerallyamenableto</p><p>settingupmutuallyagreeablerulesandregulationsforthat,aslongastheyget</p><p>whattheywant.Ifyou’resufferingfromnonconsensualpossessions,youneedto</p><p>get in touchwithaqualifiedspiritworkerwhohasexperiencewithpossession,</p><p>and ascertain what actions you must take in order to get things under some</p><p>semblanceofcontrol.Keepinmind,though,thatwe’veneverseen“control”for</p><p>someone in thisposition tomean“making thegodswhoarebotheringyougo</p><p>awayandleaveyoualoneuntilyoudecidethatyouwanttodealwiththem.”If</p><p>youareanaturalhorseandyou’vealreadybeenchosenandarebeingactively</p><p>used, that isn’t going to stop until the spirits say that it will. You can’t walk</p><p>away from that job.You can, however, set up terms thatmake doing that job</p><p>easierandmorecomfortableforyou.</p><p>Possessorytranceshouldonlybedoneinadisciplinedway,butit’snouse</p><p>tryingtosuppressit.Ifadeityisdeterminedtocomethrough,youhaveto</p><p>arrangeappropriatesituations,andtrainyourselftoallowtotranceonlyin</p><p>responsetocues.Doingautomaticwritingcanrelievesomeofthetension</p><p>…Iam trained togo into trancewhencuedbyspecific songsorregalia,</p><p>andnottogoinunlessIhavethosecues.</p><p>—Odinsmeri,eclecticNorse/Umbandaspirit-medium</p><p>Ifeelthemcomingin,andIdohavetimetogiveconsent.SometimeswhenI</p><p>don’t want to give consent, the being becomes insistent, and it becomes</p><p>extremelydifficulttoresist.Inthosecases,I’velearnedthatthereisavalid</p><p>reason for the entry. In other words, I need to do specific work and the</p><p>mergerwill assist thatwork.Other timeswhen I don’t give consent, they</p><p>leavegracefully.WithLilith, I go througha formal procedurebefore she</p><p>enters. With Yemoya and the Misa spirits, I know where and when the</p><p>possibilityexiststhatonewouldcomethrough.Inotherwords,Iknowthat</p><p>certainsituationswilllikelybringonethrough.IfI’maroundthedrums,or</p><p>working</p><p>oldwives’ talesof theWitches’Sabbath.Theyhadnoreasontoquestion their</p><p>conclusions; the evidence in favor of their paradigm was (to them)</p><p>overwhelming.</p><p>Ifyouthinkthat thisbiasedviewonpossession isheldsolelybyChristians,</p><p>think again. Vedic Hindus look down on those who have incorporated</p><p>possession experience into their service of the gods. (One swami has even</p><p>blamedKaliMaworship,whichofteninvolvespossessionbytheGreatMother,</p><p>for incest among Guyanese and Trinidadian devotees!3) Greek authorities</p><p>soughttostampouttheMaenadsandtheirDionsysiantrancesasathreattothe</p><p>socialorder. InJava,centuriesofIslamicrulehasnearlywipedout the trance-</p><p>possessionculturethatstillflourishesonBali.4</p><p>This is not entirely surprising. Leaders generally favor well-defined roles,</p><p>preferablywiththemselvesatornearthetop.Booksandsacredscripturescanbe</p><p>carved in stone, printed in authoritative editions, and subjected to Official</p><p>Interpretation (accept no heretical substitutes). Official ceremonies can be</p><p>choreographed and scripted: inconvenient or embarrassing beliefs can be</p><p>deprecated, minimalized, or written out of existence. Religious leaders gain</p><p>muchof theirpowerbyactingas intercessorsbetween theircongregationsand</p><p>thedivine.Thatofficebecomesfarlessimportantwhentherabblecantalkwith</p><p>theirgodsupcloseandpersonal.</p><p>The gods cannot be so easily censored or controlled. There is a difference</p><p>between acting as the mouthpiece of the divine and actually being that</p><p>mouthpiece.Likechildren,godsfrequentlyblurtoutuncomfortabletruths.They</p><p>maynotofferunconditional support for the rulingpartyor thepriests; in fact,</p><p>they may call the leaders on the carpet and castigate them for insufficient</p><p>devotion. They may not come bearing blessings and promises of future</p><p>prosperity;indeed,theyoftencometodeliverdirewarnings.</p><p>This is not to say that there is nothing to claims of “demonic possession.”</p><p>Most cultures that encourage positive possessions also speak of negative</p><p>spiritual entities. (SeeHarmfulPossessions in chapter 11.)Agreat deal of the</p><p>practical work connected with preparing a possession ritual involves</p><p>purificationsofthespaceandtheparticipants(seechapter9,SacredSpaces).We</p><p>should make allowances for the prejudices of these early reporters, but we</p><p>should also make allowances for our own. Saying “not all possessions are</p><p>harmful”isnotatallthesamethingassayingthatnoneis.</p><p>POSSESSIONASFRAUD</p><p>SHAMANS,noun,masc.pluralisthenamethattheinhabitantsofSiberia</p><p>givetoimposterswhoperformthefunctionsofpriests,jugglers,sorcerers,</p><p>anddoctors.</p><p>—DenisDiderot,Encyclopédie,17655</p><p>Later,muchofthatparochialworldviewwouldbejettisoned,astheRenaissance</p><p>became the Enlightenment and the Age of Faith gave way to a new Age of</p><p>Reason—and skepticism. Anticlerical feelings abounded, as people sought to</p><p>breaktheshacklesofsuperstition.WrackedbyCatholicandProtestantwarsas</p><p>Reformation ran headlong into Counter-Reformation,many Enlightenment-era</p><p>Europeans cast a jaded eye on all religious belief, so when they encountered</p><p>possession, they assumed itwas fraud, and that the horseswere playacting to</p><p>gain control over their gullible followers. Where earlier observers saw</p><p>possession experiences as a sign thatNon-ChristianReligionsAreDangerous,</p><p>the children of the Enlightenment saw it as evidence that You Can’t Trust</p><p>Priests.</p><p>Few scholars todaywould dismiss horses asmountebanks or imposters, but</p><p>thatdoesnotmeanthattheytaketheirclaimsatfacevalue.Theymightnotsay</p><p>that a shaman is a “con artist”—but they would discuss at length the “social</p><p>functions”servedbytheir“performance.”Theymighthaveoncesaidthehorse</p><p>wasfakingpossessionforpersonalgain,butnowtheymightsaythattheshaman</p><p>fakespossessionforsociologicalreasons.Thelanguagebecamelessaccusatory,</p><p>but the end result is the same: the possession experience is reduced to an</p><p>elaborategameof“let’spretend.”</p><p>Attackingfromthisangleallowsthescientisttoexplorethewaysinwhicha</p><p>society reacts to possession. It allows us to explore the theology that has</p><p>developed around possession, or tensions between propossession and anti-</p><p>possessionfactionsinasociety.Itallowsustocatalogthebehaviorsassociated</p><p>withthe“possessionperformance.”Italsoallowsustostudypossessionwithout</p><p>recourse to a spiritual realm. Many theorists believe that drama and theater</p><p>began as possession rituals. There are certainly theatrical aspects to many</p><p>possessions—andthereareactorswhoserole-playingmayattimesborderonan</p><p>actual possession experience, and there certainly are people who fake</p><p>possessions for one reasonor another (see chapter 13,RecognizingFakes and</p><p>Frauds); even cultures that recognize possession generally recognize the</p><p>possibilityoffraud.</p><p>But this fails to address onemajor problem: In their own language and by</p><p>theirownaccount,possessedpeoplearenotcontrollingtheexperience.Theydo</p><p>notclaimtobe“performing”or“playacting.”Rather,theyclaimthatsomeoneor</p><p>something else is speaking through them. In reinterpreting their experience to</p><p>suit ourown theories andpreconceptions,dowe fall into the same trap as the</p><p>missionarieswhoredefinedotherreligionsas“devilworship”?</p><p>Some scholars have beenmore willing to take their subjects at their word.</p><p>Theyacceptedclaimsthathorseslostcontroloftheirbodiesandthattheywere</p><p>not consciously speaking or acting when in a possession trance. But because</p><p>thesescholarsdidnotaccept theexistenceofspiritualbeings, theyhad to find</p><p>some alternate explanation. Instead of accepting the shaman’s belief system,</p><p>theytriedtoexplainawaypossessionusingthelanguageofdisease.</p><p>POSSESSIONASILLNESS</p><p>Casesof demoniacal possession correspond to theneurosis of thepresent</p><p>day … What are thought to be evil spirits to us are evil wishes, the</p><p>derivativesofimpulseswhichhavebeenrejectedandrepressed…Wehave</p><p>abandoned the projection of them into the outer world, attributing their</p><p>origin instead to the inner life of the patient in whom they manifest</p><p>themselves.</p><p>—SigmundFreud,19236</p><p>Afterward, other scholars tried to explain away possession using the new</p><p>language of medicine, especially mental health theories. They saw a shaman</p><p>writhe and dance about madly and assumed that possession was a form of</p><p>psychosis. They heard priests talking in “spirit language,”which sounded like</p><p>animalhowlsandgibberish,anddecidedpossessionwaslikeschizophrenia.The</p><p>explanations were different, but the overriding message remained the same:</p><p>Possessionwas the hallmark of a “savage” culture, one that wasmorally and</p><p>culturally inferior. As the psychologist T. K. Oesterreich wrote in 1921:</p><p>“Possessionbeginstodisappearamongcivilizedracesassoonasbeliefinspirits</p><p>loses its power. From the moment that they cease to entertain seriously the</p><p>possibilityofbeingpossessed,thenecessaryautosuggestionislacking.”7</p><p>It is certainly easy to see how a clinician might be confused. Quite a few</p><p>psychiatric conditions can mimic the symptoms of a possession experience.</p><p>Schizophrenics will frequently feel as though their ego is shattering or</p><p>dissolving.Often theywill identify their own thoughts as voices coming from</p><p>outside</p><p>inaMisacircle,Iknowsomethingislikelytohappen.Theydon’t</p><p>come throughunless I amdoingworkwithin the religion, or have set up</p><p>ritualspaceforthemtodoso.InaMisa,otherspiritsmayaskentrance,or</p><p>may insist on it. When that happens, I am still protected by my known</p><p>spiritguidesandEgun.Theyoftenpermitthisotherspirittoenter,butthere</p><p>have been times when my known spirit guides have stepped in and</p><p>preventedit.</p><p>—OlorishaLilithThreeFeathers</p><p>I cannot control a full Yemaya possession. I depend on my religious</p><p>communityforthat.Myworkwithotherspiritshappensinaritualcontext.</p><p>In the case of the dead or Egun, I can usually stop if I need to, but not</p><p>always.Usuallythathappenswhentheyfeelthatthereismoreforthemto</p><p>say, andwant to finish something already started. TheOrisha have their</p><p>ownwayofcontrollingtheevent,butitisalwaysinthecontextofacertain</p><p>timeandplaceforthemthatisappropriatetotheirenergyandsafety.</p><p>—OlorishaOmiLasaJoyWedmedyk</p><p>Lackinga strongability to setboundariesmakesyouapoorcandidate fora</p><p>horse.Youneedtobeabletosetboundaries,oryou’lljustbecomeapowerless</p><p>vessel,livingyourlifearoundthevisitationsofyourpatrondeity.It’shardtodo</p><p>things like hold down a job or have relationships or care for children when</p><p>you’reconstantlybeingusedinthisway.Ifyouwanttotakethispath,youwill</p><p>need towork on the firmmental negative. It’s difficult, because it can be an</p><p>amazingfeelingtoshareyourvesselwithaPower,andit’shardto turndown,</p><p>butifit’sgettinginthewayofyourdailyactivities,itcandamageyourlifeand</p><p>healthandmakeyoua lessworthyvessel.This is inaddition to thefact thata</p><p>deitycanbetterbeservedandhonorediftherightsituationispreparedforitin</p><p>advance—whichissomethingthatmostgodscanunderstandwhenyouuseitas</p><p>a reason—“If youwait until nextweek, Iwill have a ritual set up,with your</p><p>favorite foods and people to interact with! Please allow me to honor you</p><p>properly!”Theideaisnottoletittakeoveryourlife,becauseitcanburnyouout</p><p>psychically if you do toomuch of it. If you’re the ultrasensitive type who is</p><p>easily swayed by the strong emotions of others, do work on keeping your</p><p>boundariesclearbeforeopeningyourself toanevenstrongerandmore intense</p><p>experience.</p><p>Peoplewith small children, or other full-time responsibilities that cannot be</p><p>shirked,may also have difficultywith this path. Being a horse can take up a</p><p>sizable chunk of your life. If you are needed on a moment’s notice by</p><p>dependentswhosecarehangsonyouandyouaren’thomeinyourownbody,it</p><p>cancauseproblems.Youmightwanttowaituntilsomefuturedatewhenyouare</p><p>no longer responsible for themandyour time isyourown. If thegodsarenot</p><p>goingtoletyouoff,youcanpraytotheMother—that’stheBigMotherwhom</p><p>allmothergoddessesdrawtheirsacrednessfrom—andaskhertointerveneand</p><p>give you space in which to raise your child. Raven did that, and it worked,</p><p>althoughhepaidforitlaterwhenhisdaughterwasgrown.</p><p>However,tomorefullyaddresstheaforementionedfactthat“consent,”when</p><p>dealingwiththegodsandspirits,isanambiguousthing,weshouldbrieflydeal</p><p>with the concept of the god-slave.This is yet another concept that the greater</p><p>Neo-Pagan demographic is generally horrified when faced with, yet it is</p><p>flourishingquietlyinsmallcornersamongpeoplewhodon’tspeakmuchonthe</p><p>subject. The god-slave (Galina Krasskova uses the term godatheow, Venecia</p><p>Rauls uses the ancient Cretan term doera, and some prefer the Greek term</p><p>hierodule)phenomenonismuchmorethoroughthantheusualideaofa“patron</p><p>deity”whowatches over you fromafar, is kindly andbenevolent andhelpful,</p><p>andmaypointoutyourpathwhilenotforcingyoutotreadit.Thegod-slave,in</p><p>comparison,isverymuchthetotalservantofhisgod(s),whomayturnhislife</p><p>upsidedown,stripawayanything thatdoesnotserve thespiritworkerpurpose,</p><p>andusherhimbyforceontoaspecificpath,notshrinkingatpunishmentsupto</p><p>andincludingdeathifherebels.</p><p>WhileWesternsensibilitiesmaybridleatthatidea,it’snotatallunfamiliarto</p><p>tribalspiritworkersaroundtheworld.Manytribalshamanswillsaybluntlythat</p><p>theirspiritswillmakethemillorevenkillthemiftheyquitordishonortheirjob,</p><p>oroffendthespiritsinsomeway.Somegod-slavesvolunteerforthedutyoutof</p><p>love and reverence for their patron deity; others are grabbed upwithout their</p><p>consent,muchliketheclassic tribalshamanswhoaredrivenillbytheirspirits</p><p>until theyaccept thecall,andmustcontinue todo thework indefinitelyor the</p><p>illnesswillrecur.Whilenotall(orevenmost)god-slavesarenaturalhorses,we</p><p>havenoticedahigherpercentageofnaturalhorsesamongtheir(admittedlytiny)</p><p>numbers. This isn’t too surprising, considering that being able to physically</p><p>carryadeitywouldbeanadvantageinaboundservant.</p><p>Likemanyrelationshiparrangements,thereareadvantagesanddrawbacksto</p><p>beingagod-slave.Onepossibledrawbackis,obviously,aboutconsentandhow</p><p>choicesaretakenawayfromyou;Theyrunyourlife,downtothedetails.This</p><p>mayincludefood,sex,clothing,humanrelationships,career,livinglocationand</p><p>standard,andanythingelse.TheeffectofthisonamodernWesternindividual,</p><p>usedtoindependence,canwellbeimagined.Theadvantagemaybethatthereis</p><p>acertainamountofcomfortinknowingyouarebeingpushedtobethebestthat</p><p>youcanbe,whetheryoulikeitornot; thatyouareapartofsomethinglarger;</p><p>andthatyouareburningoffkarmicdebtsatamuchfasterratethanthatofmost</p><p>people! (Indeed, a “bankruptcy-level” amount of karmic debt seems to be the</p><p>mostcommonreasonwhysomepeoplearetakenasslavesbygodswithouttheir</p><p>consent.)You also get a higher “security clearance”when it comes to getting</p><p>piecesofcosmicinformation,becauseyourbossesknowthatTheycangagyou</p><p>atanytime.</p><p>Intermsofnegotiating,Heladoeswhatevershewantswithmybody.Other</p><p>deities,iftheywanttospeakthroughme,havetoclearitthroughher,and</p><p>theycannevergoasfarintopossessionasshedoes.Thenegotiationswith</p><p>meareusuallyaboutnotdoinganything thatcouldsendme toprison,or</p><p>that would damage me. Sometimes astral spirits, lineage spirits for</p><p>example, tag along to go for a ride. I don’t consider that to be full-on</p><p>possession;they’lljustcomealongandsitinthebodyandexperiencewhat</p><p>it’s like tobe incarnate.We’ llgo to themovies together,ordriveacar.</p><p>They’llgetthesensationofbeinginthebody,butthey’renotincontrol.</p><p>—LydiaHelasdottir,Paganspiritworker</p><p>Idothisbecauseit’spartofmyjob.HowmuchsayIhaveoverwhereand</p><p>whenvariesfromdeitytodeityandcircumstancetocircumstance.MyLady</p><p>extendsmesomedecision-makingpower,butthat’sclearlyjustacourtesy</p><p>—she could takeme any time she wants, but she lets me have some say</p><p>when it’s not inconvenient to her. It varies with other deities that I’ve</p><p>horsed,butit’salwaysbeencleartomethatshealwayshasasayinit.The</p><p>fewtimesthatI’vebeenriddenwithoutanysay-soorconsent,Icanclearly</p><p>rememberatouchofherpowerintheresomeplace.Idon’tthinkthatbeing</p><p>ahorsemakessomeonemoreofaspiritworker,oraspiritualperson,andI</p><p>don’tthinkthatbeingahorseissomethingtobeenviedoraspiredto,noris</p><p>itnecessarilyasignofmentalweaknessorspiritualsubmissiveness.</p><p>—WintersongTashlin,Paganspiritworker</p><p>their bodies. “Word salad”—strings of words, phrases, and sounds</p><p>thrown together via strange logical connections—can mark both a florid</p><p>schizophrenic experience and trance possession. Other clinicians pointed to</p><p>dissociative identity disorder and suggested that the various personalities that</p><p>spokethroughmediumsweremerelycopingstrategies.</p><p>Yet other observers looked for neurological explanations. When they saw</p><p>shamansfalltotheground,theyassumedthatpossessionwasaformofepilepsy.</p><p>Stillothersnotedtheharshlivingconditionsfoundinmanyshamaniccultures,</p><p>as well as the rigorous initiation and other ordeal rituals, and explained the</p><p>possession experience as a chemical imbalance. (In northern Eurasia, with its</p><p>longwinternights, theactivitiesofSiberianshamanswereputdownto“arctic</p><p>hysteria,”asupposedmega-versionofwhatmoderndoctorswouldcallseasonal</p><p>affective disorder.) Whether brought about by sleep deprivation, ingestion of</p><p>mind-altering herbs, malnutrition or other stressors, the bizarre behavior</p><p>associatedwithtrancepossessionwasconsideredareasonableeffectofnatural</p><p>causes.</p><p>There are definitely situations when a clinical and scientific approach can</p><p>prove useful.Mistakingmental illness for possession (or vice versa) can have</p><p>catastrophic consequences. Indeed, most possession cultures draw clear</p><p>distinctionsbetweeninsanityandpossession,butthesedistinctionscanbesubtle.</p><p>Learningtheboundariesbetweenacceptableandunacceptablebehaviorcanbea</p><p>Herculean task for any outsider seeking to understand a culture. To further</p><p>complicate matters, many Victorian and Edwardian gentle scholars defined</p><p>sanity and insanity by the rules of their own culture. Behavior that would be</p><p>deviant inaLondondrawingroomorBoston teachingauditoriumwasequally</p><p>deviantinaMalaysianvillageoraNigeriantemple.Bythisstandard,therewas</p><p>no reason to distinguish between possession and mental illness. Both were</p><p>unacceptableinpolitecompanyandhencebothweresignsofinsanityordisease.</p><p>Once again, “primitive” people were denied the right to define their own</p><p>experiences. Their disconcerting alien behavior was placed within a safe and</p><p>comfortable scientific paradigm for the benefit of scholars and curious</p><p>onlookers. In defining possession as a disease, we added an unspoken</p><p>assumption that it could be, and indeed needed to be, cured. Given the right</p><p>drug,therightdiet,orafewsessionswiththerighttherapist,spirit-horsescould</p><p>be“fixed”andbecomesane,productive,and“normal”membersofaproperand</p><p>“civilized”society.</p><p>SPIRITUALISM:</p><p>POSSESSIONASLABORATORYEXPERIMENT</p><p>In 1843 Dr. James Stanley Grimes, a professor of jurisprudence at Castleton</p><p>Medical College, gave a lecture on mesmerism in Poughkeepsie, New York.</p><p>Introduced by an Austrian doctor named Franz Mesmer (1733–1815), this</p><p>technique of “magnetic healing” had been repeatedly debunked as fraud by</p><p>scientific and medical societies in France and elsewhere in Europe. Because</p><p>thesecommissionscouldnotexplain the trancestates thatMesmerwasable to</p><p>invoke,theyhaddeclaredthewholethingtobechicaneryorautosuggestion.But</p><p>while mesmerism had gone out of fashion on the Continent, it was still the</p><p>height of fashion in a more rustic America. Still, attendees at Dr. Grimes’s</p><p>Poughkeepsie lecture might have recalled the skeptics as Grimes failed to</p><p>mesmerizeaseventeen-year-oldnamedAndrewJacksonDavis.</p><p>Despitethisfailure,Daviscontinuedexperimentingwithmesmerism.Ashort</p><p>time later his interest paid off: A local tailor named William Livingston</p><p>succeeded where Dr. Grimes had failed and successfully put Davis in a</p><p>mesmeric trance.While so entranced,Davis displayedmany of the symptoms</p><p>and signs that had baffled those scientists. He was able to read from closed</p><p>books; he was also able to detect illnesses and prescribe treatments. Davis</p><p>claimedthatwhenhewasentranced,thehumanbodybecametransparenttohis</p><p>spiriteyes;eachorganstoodoutclearlyandshonewithaspecialluminosityof</p><p>itsown,thislightbeinggreatlydiminishedincasesofdisease.</p><p>OntheeveningofMarch6,1844,Daviswassuddenlythrownintoatranceby</p><p>some outside power. This led him to “fly” from his Poughkeepsie home in a</p><p>semi-trancestate:soentranced,hehadalifechangingencounterwithtwospirits,</p><p>whoidentifiedthemselvesastheRomanphysicianGalen(129–ca.199)andthe</p><p>Swedish scientist, philosopher, and visionary Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–</p><p>1772).Galenlectured,Davisonthemanywaysinwhichpeoplewereviolating</p><p>naturallaws;Swedenborgtoldhim,“Thouhastbecomeanappropriatevesselfor</p><p>theinfluxandperceptionoftruthandwisdom…Bytheewillanewlightappear</p><p>…”8</p><p>From this moment forward, Davis dedicated himself tirelessly to public</p><p>lecturesandclassesonspiritualism.Whileentranced,Daviswouldoffererudite</p><p>observations on scientific matters and ancient texts. In 1845 Davis began</p><p>dictating from tranceThePrinciples ofNature:HerDivineRevelations andA</p><p>VoicetoMankind;uponitsreleasein1847,Principleswouldbecomeoneofthe</p><p>most popular works of the decade. Although he had little formal education,</p><p>Davis would go on to write other bestsellers, such as The Great Harmonia</p><p>(1852),TheTemple:OnDiseasesoftheBrainandNerves(1871),andViewsof</p><p>OurHeavenlyHome(1883),withtheaidofspiritualinspiration.</p><p>Inspired by his example, and by the “spirit rappings” of the Fox sisters, a</p><p>generation of Americans became obsessed with Spiritualism and various</p><p>phenomena. In 1852Boston trancemediumMariaHayden began an extended</p><p>tourofGreatBritain,andsoonthecrazethatwassweepingAmericaestablished</p><p>rootsinEuropeaswell.InFranceanacademicnamedHippolyteLéonDenizard</p><p>Rivail(1804–1869)becamefascinatedwithtable-rappingsandotherphenomena</p><p>associated with Spiritualist séances. Working with trance mediums and</p><p>Spiritualists, he compiled (under the pseudonym Allan Kardec) a number of</p><p>channeled works that discussed the spirit world. By the 1880s, millions had</p><p>declared themselves Spiritualists, and suddenly events that had earlier been</p><p>studied only by explorers or colonial officials were occurring in middle-class</p><p>homes.</p><p>Spiritualismprovidedameans forVictorianwomen toachievepersonaland</p><p>financialindependence;askilledmediumcouldearnacomfortableliving—and</p><p>many,perhapsmost,ofthemostfamousmediumswerefemale.Withtheaidof</p><p>her spirit guide “Demosthenes,” Victoria C. Woodhull was able to launch a</p><p>popularmagazine(WoodhullandClafin’sWeekly),openherownbrokeragefirm</p><p>(withsomehelpfromoneofheradmirers,CommodoreVanderbilt),andmake</p><p>an 1872 presidential run at a time when women could not vote. Another</p><p>medium,thebeautifulCoraL.V.Hatch,wastoastedinan1857articleas“the</p><p>intellectual wonder of the age” for the flowery speeches she gave while in a</p><p>mediumistic trance. Spiritualists also played important roles in other reform</p><p>movements—Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, was a</p><p>devotedSpiritualistwho in1849 remindedskepticalclergymen that“theBible</p><p>distinctlysaysthatthereisaclassofinvisiblespiritswhoministertothechildren</p><p>ofmen.”9</p><p>A few intellectuals took these anomalous events seriously. In 1866 Alfred</p><p>RussellWallace,oneofEngland’smostfamousnaturalists,wroteTheScientific</p><p>AspectoftheSupernatural,abookthatdiscussed</p><p>Spiritualisminapositivelight.</p><p>ThenotedphysicistSirOliverLodgediscussedhisexperienceswithSpiritualism</p><p>and contacts with his deceased son in Raymond: or, Life and Death (1916).</p><p>Other devoted Spiritualists were Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and New York</p><p>Supreme Court Judge John Worth Edmonds, who resigned his position on</p><p>accountoftheoutcryraisedagainsthisbeliefsandwentontowriteseveraltracts</p><p>onSpiritualism.Spiritualistandex-governorofWisconsinTerritoryNathanielP.</p><p>TallmadgewrotethatthosewhodoubtedSpiritualistclaimswere“farbehindthe</p><p>intelligence of the age [in which] … mesmerism and clairvoyance … are</p><p>consideredbyintelligentandscientificmenaswellestablishedaselectricityand</p><p>magnetism.”10</p><p>As timewent on, the phenomena associatedwith Spiritualism became ever</p><p>more spectacular. Sitting in darkened rooms, clients might feel the touch of</p><p>“ectoplasmichands”as thespiritsdescended; theymighthearnotrappingsbut</p><p>the blowing of “spirit trumpets”; they might find the table at which they sat</p><p>turning or even levitating. In Buffalo thirteen-year-old Ira Davenport and his</p><p>fifteen-year-old brother, William, became famous for making musical</p><p>instruments playwhile theywere securely bound inside their “spirit cabinet.”</p><p>William Mumler, a Boston engraver married to a trance medium, attracted</p><p>widespreadattentionwithhis1868exhibitionof“spiritpictures”;othermediums</p><p>used “direct writing,” placing a pencil stub inside a closed writing slate and</p><p>allowingthespirittowritewithouthumanassistance.</p><p>Butwhilesomescholarsgavecredence toSpiritualism’sclaims,manymore</p><p>were skeptical. In 1887 the Seybert Commission on Spiritualism (founded by</p><p>wealthySpiritualistHenrySeybert)presentedascathingreportonSpiritualism.</p><p>It found “that as soon as an investigation, worthy of the name begins, all</p><p>manifestations of Spiritualist power cease” and that Spiritualism “presents the</p><p>melancholy spectacle of gross fraud, perpetrated upon an uncritical portion of</p><p>the community.”11 In 1888 the Fox sisters, now impoverished alcoholics,</p><p>confessed that their séanceswere fraud and their “spirit knockings” causedby</p><p>MargaretFox’sdouble-jointedbigtoe.Later,HarryHoudiniwouldexposemany</p><p>other“mediums”asfrauds:asatrainedmagician,hewasabletospotsleights-</p><p>of-hand and parlor tricks that mystified many observers. Soon science began</p><p>followingtheleadofT.H.Huxley,whosnarled,“Ifanybodywouldendowme</p><p>with the faculty of listening to the chatter of old women and curates in the</p><p>nearestcathedraltown,Ishoulddeclinetheprivilege,havingbetterthingstodo.</p><p>Andifthefolkinthespiritualworlddonottalkmorewiselyandsensiblythan</p><p>theirfriendsreportthemtodo,Iputtheminthesamecategory.Theonlygood</p><p>thatIcanseeinthedemonstrationofthetruthof‘Spiritualism’istofurnishan</p><p>additionalargumentagainstsuicide.Betterliveacrossing-sweeperthandieand</p><p>bemadetotalktwaddlebya‘medium’hiredataguineaaséance.”12</p><p>Afteradismalseriesofdebunkings,itbecameclearthatthelegitimatetrance-</p><p>possessionsgoingoninSpiritualismhadbeenoutnumberedandovershadowed</p><p>by overenthusiastic or avaricious frauds, motivated by the public’s need for</p><p>thrilling entertainment. The entire issue of otherworldly spirits and spirit-</p><p>possession became stained with the disrepute of table-tappers and fake</p><p>ectoplasm,andbothresearchersandthereligiousquicklydistancedthemselves</p><p>from it. There were exceptions—Britain’s Society for Psychical Research,</p><p>foundedin1882byanumberofCambridgescientists,isstillinoperation—but</p><p>by and large the academic establishment dealt with these strange events by</p><p>ignoringthem…anonresponsethatcontinuestothisday.</p><p>INTOCHANNELING:</p><p>SPIRITUALISMMEETSTHEOSOPHY</p><p>In 1874, a wealthy attorney named Henry S. Olcott arrived at a Chittenden,</p><p>Vermont,guesthouse.Hewashoping todebunk the innkeepers, twopurported</p><p>“mediums” named Horatio and William Eddy, and thereby discredit the</p><p>burgeoning Spiritualist movement. Olcott spent ten weeks at their unkempt</p><p>home, examining the place thoroughly and attending séances that featured as</p><p>many as thirty visible manifestations and which included rappings; the</p><p>disturbance of material objects from a state of rest; painting in oil and</p><p>watercolors under influence; prophecy; the speaking of strange tongues; the</p><p>healinggift,thediscernmentofspirits;levitation,orthefloatingofthebodyin</p><p>freeair;thephenomenaofinstrumentplayingandtheshowofhands;thewriting</p><p>of messages on paper flying in midair, by pencils held by detached hands;</p><p>psychometry, or the reading of character and view of distant persons upon</p><p>touching scaled letters; clairvoyance; clairaudience, or the hearing of spirit-</p><p>voices; and, last, and most miraculous of all, the production of materialized</p><p>phantomforms,whichbecomevisible,tangible,andoftenaudiblebyallpersons</p><p>present.13</p><p>Olcott left disliking thehouse, the food, theEddybrothers, and the state of</p><p>Vermont but convinced that there was no trickery or fraud involved. He also</p><p>became fast friends with another attendee at the Eddy séances, Madame</p><p>Blavatsky.WhileBlavatskyagreedwithOlcottthatsomethinghadhappenedin</p><p>Chittenden,anddefendedthebrothersagainstaccusationsoffraud,shebelieved</p><p>the manifestations were caused by lower astral entities. In 1884 Blavatsky</p><p>proclaimed,“Occultistsdonotbelieveinanycommunicationwiththe‘spiritsof</p><p>thedeceased’intheordinaryacceptationoftheterm,forthesimplereasonthat</p><p>theyknowthat thespiritsof‘thedeceased’cannotanddonotcomedownand</p><p>communicatewithus.”14</p><p>Whereas Spiritualists communicated with departed friends, relatives, and</p><p>loved ones or with deceased “Spirit Guides” who had come to share their</p><p>wisdomwiththoseonthissideof theveil,Blavatskyclaimedher“Masters”—</p><p>KootHoomiandMoorya—werealiveandwellandsendingmessagesfromtheir</p><p>home base in Tibet. She scornfully rejected any claims that they were spirit</p><p>guides, insisting“theyarelivingmen,bornasweareborn,anddoomedtodie</p><p>likeeveryothermortal.”15</p><p>Theconfusionwasunderstandable.TheMastersspokewithherviatelepathy</p><p>andoccasionally bymaterializedmessages that appeared in a dedicated shrine</p><p>that much resembled a Spiritualist “spirit cabinet.” Critics noted that the</p><p>handwritingonthesematerializedmessageswasnearlyidenticaltoBlavatsky’s,</p><p>and the books they “inspired” Blavatsky to write contained a great deal of</p><p>plagiarizedmaterial.Thoseskepticsdismissedherasjustanotherphonymedium</p><p>lookingtoprofitfromhumangullibility; thefact thatherfraudinvolvedmind-</p><p>readingswamisrather thansomeone’sdearlydeparteduncleGeorgewasofno</p><p>consequencetothem.</p><p>Blavatsky’sfollowers,fortheirpart,hadlittletroublebelievingherclaims.At</p><p>the time,mountainousTibetwas accessible only to the hardiest explorers and</p><p>knownlargelybyrumorandlegend.India,underBritishrule,wasbetterknown</p><p>but hardly more understood than Tibet. While reports abounded of “Hindoo</p><p>superstition,”“firewalking,”and“fakirmarvels,” littlesolidinformationabout</p><p>HinduismorotherreligionsofAsiawasavailable;hence,manyEuropeanssaw</p><p>Asia as a land of powerful mystics andmagicians whose inscrutable wisdom</p><p>couldbend theveryfabricof realityandwhosemagiccould traverse timeand</p><p>space.</p><p>Theosophy retained a distaste for most communications</p><p>with the deceased.</p><p>Two years after Blavatsky’s 1891 death, Theosophist William Q. Judge</p><p>expressedcontemptfor“thespookofthespiritualisticseancerooms,”whichwas</p><p>nothingbutthe“astralshellofthedeceased—whollydevoidofhisorherspirit</p><p>andconscience,”16andthemediumswhopromoted“WorshipoftheDead,old-</p><p>fashioned necromancy, in fact, which was always prohibited by spiritual</p><p>teachers.”17Theosophydistinguished itself fromnecromancybyconcentrating</p><p>notonmeredeadspirits,butratheronthespiritsofthosewhohad“ascended”to</p><p>ahigherstateofbeing.UnliketheChristian-influencedSpiritualism,Theosophy</p><p>accepted the realityof reincarnation.Theybelieved theAscendedMastershad</p><p>spentmany incarnations in human form andworked through their karma and</p><p>physical limitations.Theywereconcernednotwithmere trickery likerappings</p><p>andmaterializations,butintheglobalspiritualreawakeningandtransformation</p><p>ofmankind.</p><p>These Ascended Masters would inspire many spin-off movements. Alice</p><p>Bailey (1880–1949)wrote twenty-fourbooks that she claimedwere channeled</p><p>throughherbyaTibetanmasternamedDjwhalKhul.Khulidentifiedhimselfas</p><p>a representative of a hierarchy of advanced beingswho sought to prepare the</p><p>wayforthe“ReappearanceoftheChrist”andusherintheNewAgeofAquarius.</p><p>Khul-inspired works include Initiation, Human and Solar and A Treatise on</p><p>CosmicFire;many consider them seminalworks in theNewAgemovement.</p><p>(Khul remainsaprolificspeakerandwriterafterBailey’spassing;someofhis</p><p>contemporary channels are Terri Newlon, Kathlyn Kingdon,MoriahMarston,</p><p>andVioletStarre).RussianpainterandexplorerNicholasRoerich(1874–1947)</p><p>compiled the teachings of Theosophical Master Moorya as channeled by his</p><p>wife, Helena (1879–1955), to form Agni Yoga, a movement that enjoys</p><p>widespreadpopularityinRussia.TheirmessagecombinedBailey’semphasison</p><p>a new age of human evolutionwith an emphasis on a coming erawhen there</p><p>would be no nations and theworldwould be ruled under the guidance of the</p><p>mastersofShambhala,akingdomexistingsimultaneouslyinCentralAsiaandin</p><p>anotherdimensionandruledbymastersoftheGreatWhiteLodge.</p><p>In 1930 aTheosophy student namedGuyBallard (1878–1939) encountered</p><p>theentitySaintGermainwhilehikingonCalifornia’sMt.Shasta.Underthepen</p><p>nameGodfréRayKing,Ballardwouldgoontopublishseveralbooksdetailing</p><p>hisencounterswithSaintGermain,whichwouldserveasthecornerstoneoftheI</p><p>AMMovement. Ballard claimed SaintGermain had pulled gold from the air,</p><p>tamedapanther,andtakenGuyandhiswifetoaconventionofVenusiansinthe</p><p>Grand Tetons.18 He also taught the use of a Violet Flame meditation and</p><p>visualization to transform imperfections into perfections until one attained</p><p>unificationwiththeir“IAM,”orinnerChrist-consciousness.</p><p>Interest in theSaintGermain teachingsgrewthroughout the1930s,butwhen</p><p>GuyBallard(alongwithhiswife,Edna,andson,Donald)wasconvictedofmail</p><p>fraud in 1939, the I AM Movement was nearly destroyed. Even after their</p><p>conviction was overturned, in 1946, the movement never regained its early</p><p>momentum.Undeterred,SaintGermainfollowedDjwhalKhul’sleadandbegan</p><p>appearing to other scribes and channels. Among the most famous are Mark</p><p>Prophet (1918–1973)andhiswife,ElizabethClareProphet (b.1939);with the</p><p>help of SaintGermain and other Masters, including Buddha, Confucius, and</p><p>Jesus,theyfoundedtheSummitLighthouse,anumbrellaorganizationcovering</p><p>groups like the Church Universal and Triumphant and Keepers of the Flame</p><p>Fraternity.TheProphetswouldreceiveinformationfromSaintGermainabouthis</p><p>previous incarnations as Merlin, Roger Bacon, Christopher Columbus, and a</p><p>RomansoldiernamedAlban.ButwhiletheAscendedMastersweremakingtheir</p><p>presence known, a photographer and aspiring insurance salesman in</p><p>Hopkinsville, Kentucky, was seeking relief from his chronic laryngitis. He</p><p>wouldfindacure—andmuchmore—atthehandsofatravelingmesmerist.</p><p>EDGARCAYCE:THESLEEPINGPROPHET</p><p>In1901ahypnotistcalledHarttheLaughManhypnotizedtheyoung,virtually</p><p>mute Edgar Cayce (1877–1945).While in a trance, Caycewas able to speak;</p><p>unfortunately, he was once again near mute when he awakened. Hart tried a</p><p>posthypnotic suggestion that Cayce’s recovery would survive his return to</p><p>normalconsciousness,butthisprovedineffective.Intrigued,Caycesoughthelp</p><p>fromalocalhypnotistnamedAlLayne,whohypnotizedCayceandthenasked</p><p>himtodescribetheconditionandthecure.</p><p>Cayce announced, “We have the body,” then told the hypnotist that blood</p><p>circulationwasincreasingtotheaffectedarea.Cayce’sfacebecameflushedwith</p><p>bloodandhischestareaturnedbrightred.After twentyminutesCayce,still in</p><p>trance, declared the treatment over; he then awakened and was able to speak</p><p>normally. After a number of follow-up sessions, the cure turned out to be a</p><p>permanentone.LayneaskedtheentrancedCaycetodescribehishealthandany</p><p>potential dangers; he found Cayce’s diagnoses to be accurate and effective.</p><p>Intrigued,Laynerecommendedheusehistranceabilitiestohelpothers,butthe</p><p>deeply religious Cayce was reluctant to do so. Finally he agreed, on the</p><p>conditionthatthereadingswouldbefree.</p><p>Caycebeganhis readings by lyingonhis couchwith necktie and shoelaces</p><p>loosened.Withinafewminuteshewouldbegintomumble,thenclearhisthroat</p><p>and say “Yes, we have the body,” then go into a half-hour discussion of the</p><p>physical conditionof the personwhowas ill.He soonbecame famous for the</p><p>accuracyofhisreadings,particularlywhenin1910theNewYorkTimesSunday</p><p>magazine ran an article titled “Illiterate Man Becomes a Doctor When</p><p>Hypnotized,”andasaresulthewassoughtoutbypeoplewhowantedtousehis</p><p>psychic skills for worldly affairs like speculation and gambling. Although</p><p>frequentlyshortonfunds,Caycerefusedtheserequests.</p><p>Then in1923,whenhewasworkingas aphotographer inSelma,Alabama,</p><p>CayceacceptedarequestfromawealthyOhioprinternamedArthurLammers.</p><p>Lammerswanted answers to big questions like “What is themeaning of life?</p><p>Whatistherealnatureofman?Whatisthemeaningofbirthanddeath?Whyare</p><p>wehere?”19Cayceobligedbygivinghimalifereading—and,whileentranced,</p><p>claimedLammers had lived a previous life as theTrojanWarheroHector. In</p><p>other readingshewouldreport that thequerenthadpreviously lived inancient</p><p>Egypt,inbiblicalIsrael,orinAtlantisbeforethedeluge.20Whileentrancedhe</p><p>wouldalsospeakofAtlanteanandLemuriansociety,ofChrist’straininginIndia</p><p>andTibet,andotherthingsthatscandalizedthedevoutlyChristianCayceupon</p><p>awakening. (Ultimately, Caycewould decide that these observationswere not</p><p>unbiblical.)Moving to Virginia Beach in 1925, he set up the Association for</p><p>ResearchandEnlightenment,wherehewouldcontinuetodispensetranceadvice</p><p>onhealthandothermattersuntilhisdeathin1945.</p><p>TodatemanyofCayce’spredictionshavefailedtocometrue.TheAtlantean</p><p>Librarywasnot found in1998,nordidCalifornia’scoastlineslideoff into the</p><p>ocean in that year, but nobody has yet been able to explain some of his</p><p>remarkably accurate diagnoses. In one instance, a girl in a faraway city was</p><p>describedtohimasbeing“mad.”Heexplainedthatanimpactedwisdomtooth</p><p>was causing her problems; when it was removed, the girl made a swift, full</p><p>recovery. At other</p><p>times, he prescribed a long-forgotten or obsoletemedicine</p><p>andthentoldthepatientwherehewouldfindit,ofteninamustywarehouseor</p><p>in some neglected corner of an old pharmacy.21 But despite their somewhat</p><p>spottyrecord,hispredictionsof“EarthChanges”arewhathaveestablishedhis</p><p>fameandsetthegroundworkforothersinterestedintheHarmonicConvergence</p><p>of1987andtheMayanend-dateof2012.</p><p>JANEROBERTS</p><p>EighteenyearsafterCayce’sdeath,theworldwouldreceivestillmorechanneled</p><p>literature, as aNewYorkwriter named JaneRoberts (1929–1984) discovered</p><p>that her experimentswith aOuija boardweremore productive than she could</p><p>everhavehoped.Inlate1963,Robertswasworkingonabookonextrasensory</p><p>phenomena.Aspartofthatresearch,sheandherhusbandexperimentedwitha</p><p>Ouijaboard.Withina fewsessions theyhadencounteredamalepresence that</p><p>identified itself as “Seth.” Seth soon began speaking to Jane in her head,</p><p>allowing her to dictate themessages instead of using the board. For the next</p><p>twenty-oneyears, shewouldregularlygo intoa tranceandchannelSethwhile</p><p>herhusbandtookdictationorrecordedher.</p><p>LikeTheosophy’sAscendedMasters,Sethclaimedthathehadcompletedhis</p><p>incarnationsonthisplaneandwascurrentlyspeakingfromaneighboringreality.</p><p>HeespousedmanyconceptsthatwouldbecomehallmarksofNewAgethinking,</p><p>amongthem,“Whenyouthinkinterms,forexample,ofabundanceandplenty,</p><p>then those thoughts draw to you abundance and plenty as a magnet does.”22</p><p>While Roberts would channel other spirits, notably the Impressionist painter</p><p>Paul Cézanne and the psychologist William James, her Seth books would</p><p>eventuallysellmorethansevenmillioncopies.</p><p>JZKNIGHTANDRAMTHA</p><p>OnedayinFebruary1977,aTacoma,Washington,housewifenamedJZKnight</p><p>wasexperimentingwithacardboardpyramidinherkitchen.Inherownwords:</p><p>SoIput[thepyramid]onmyheadandstartedlaughing.AndIpickeditup</p><p>and therewas this glitter at the endofmy little kitchen—thisglitter, like</p><p>youwouldtakeahandfulandturnitloosethrougharayofsunshine—and</p><p>thereweretheselightshappeningattheendofmykitchen,andIwasjust</p><p>mesmerized.Andthereappearedthisseven-foot-tallentitywhowasasbig</p><p>aslifeandthemostbeautifulthingIhadeverseeninmylife.Andhehad</p><p>this big beautiful smile on his face.He had long fingers and long hands,</p><p>blackdancingeyes…Andhelookedatmeandhesaid,“Belovedwoman,I</p><p>am Ramtha the Enlightened One, and I have come to help you over the</p><p>ditch.” And, well, what would you do? And I didn’t understand that</p><p>because I am a simple person, so I looked to see if the floor was still</p><p>underneaththechair.Andhesaid,“Itiscalledtheditchoflimitation.”And</p><p>hesaid,“Iamhere,andwearegoingtodograndworktogether.”23</p><p>ForthenexttwoyearsRamthawouldinstructKnightinleavingherbodyso</p><p>he could enter. The Ramtha School describes the process by which Ramtha</p><p>speaksthroughKnight:</p><p>The form in which he communicates his teachings is through the</p><p>phenomenoncalledchanneling.Infact,itwasRamthawhomadetheterm</p><p>knownin the late1970s.…Achannel isdifferentfromamediumin that</p><p>the channel is not the intermediary between the consciousness coming</p><p>throughherandtheaudience.Thechanneldoesnotremaininatransfixed</p><p>altered statewhile channeling; rather she leavesher body completely and</p><p>allows theconsciousnesscoming through tohave full facultyover allher</p><p>bodilymovements and functions.Ramtha,whilebeing channeled through</p><p>JZ Knight, has the ability to open his eyes, walk, dance, eat and drink,</p><p>laugh,speak,converse,andteachhisstudentspersonally.JZKnightisthe</p><p>onlychannelhehaschosenandusestodeliverhismessage.24</p><p>All that work paid off: Ramtha attracted a number of famous devotees,</p><p>notably Linda Evans ofDynasty; Shirley MacLaine discussed JZ Knight and</p><p>RamthainherbestsellerOutonaLimb.Ramthabooksandtapesarestillselling</p><p>well. For her part, Knight has taken forceful steps to ensure her status as</p><p>Ramtha’s chosen channel; when another channeler, Judith Ravell of Berlin,</p><p>begandeliveringmessagesfromRamtha,KnightcalledontheAustrianSupreme</p><p>Court,andaftera three-yearbattle, thecourtawardedcopyright toKnightand</p><p>orderedRavelltodropherclaimtobeincontactwithRamthaandtopayeight</p><p>hundreddollars indamages for leavingKnight“hanging in spiritual limbo.”25</p><p>Sincethattime,RamthahasrefrainedfrompossessinganyoneotherthanKnight.</p><p>AFTERRAMTHAANDSETH</p><p>Channeling has become an important part of the New Age movement. The</p><p>magazine Sedona Journal of Emergence consists exclusively of channeled</p><p>material.LeeCarrollandJanTobler,authorsof the1999bestsellerTheIndigo</p><p>Children, received the material from a channeled entity called Kryon.</p><p>Extraterrestrialshavejoinedthebandwagonaswell;agroupofextraterrestrials</p><p>and “multidimensional spirit beings” from the Pleiades star cluster have</p><p>contacted various channels. And Neale Donald Walsch had little problem</p><p>visualizing abundance after channeling you-know-Who for his 1995</p><p>ConversationswithGod, abook that spent137weekson theNewYorkTimes</p><p>bestsellerlist.</p><p>Many skeptics note thatmost “channeled” literature consists of unverifiable</p><p>claims,alongside“factual”claims that rangefromdubious toeasilydisproven.</p><p>They also note thatmost of these channeledmessages encourage a bourgeois</p><p>audience to feel good about their prosperity and claim that the poor and sick</p><p>have“chosentheirownreality”(therebyconvenientlyrelievinglistenersofany</p><p>obligation to help them). Others dismiss channeling as a goofy fad;</p><p>Doonesbury’s Boopsie, a ditsy California blonde, was regularly possessed by</p><p>AtlanteanwarriorHunk-Rainanone-too-subtlespoofonJZKnight.Butwhatif</p><p>we took thechannelersat theirword?Letusgrant themthesamecourtesywe</p><p>giveotherhorsesandassumethatatleastsomearepossessedbyspiritualentities</p><p>whohavesomemessagetodeliver,whetherornottheyarewhotheyclaimtobe</p><p>or are aswise as their PR suggests. The idea that prosperous peopleworship</p><p>differentlyfrompoor,disempoweredpeoplemightrubsomethewrongway,but</p><p>tobefair,tomostancientculturesitwouldhavebeenobvious.Muchofwhatwe</p><p>call “Greek mythology” is actually the beliefs and stories told by wealthy</p><p>Athenians; we know far more about the gods of the pharaohs than those of</p><p>Egyptian tradesmen, farmers,and laborers;and theMaenadsbecamenotorious</p><p>largelybecausetheyenrolledrichmen’swivesintheirranks.</p><p>It is certain that there are charlatans within the channeling community. (It</p><p>wouldbeararespiritualgroupthatdidn’tattractafew!)Itisalsoclearthatthere</p><p>are some flaky and insubstantial peoplewhose spirit guides produce reams of</p><p>dreck, but there are also a large andgrowingnumberofpeoplewho sincerely</p><p>believetheyarechannelingsomethingfrombeyond,andanevenlargernumber</p><p>who feel theyhave attained somebenefit from those transmissions.This large</p><p>audience suggests that some spiritual needs are beingmet by what some call</p><p>modern-dayoraclesandothersscornascontemporaryfalseprophets.</p><p>As a practical matter, we have some concern about the attitude many</p><p>channelershavetowardthespiritworld.Althoughtherearesomebeingsthatare</p><p>happytoofferoracularadviceandwisdomtoanyonewhoasks,therearesome</p><p>thatarenotsobenign.Allowingyourselftoopenup</p>