Possession is defined by many religions as the act by an outside force, either demonic or spiritual in nature, which takes physical control of an individual's body or an object. According to many religions and beliefs, humans, animals, places and objects alike are all susceptible to these supernatural forces. Possession can be ended in two different ways: through an exorcism as seen by the Catholic Church, or using an anti-possession symbol seen in voodoo, witchcraft, hoodoo, and shamanism. Possession is also seen, mainly in Christian beliefs as being unwanted, however there are other religions that allow and attract spirits for possession to take place such as spiritual healing mediums in Brazil (Greenfield). Anthropologists have discussed and theorized possession using a range of religious beliefs, and have decided that possession itself is either positive or negative. Along with this, they raised questions about how possession affects the culture in a society and the person who was possessed. By doing this, anthropologists try to go outside the concept of spirit possession as being solely negative, but rather an everyday phenomenon that is accepted in a society.
In the television series Supernatural many episodes revolve around the idea of possession as being a negative and unwanted occurrence, common to Christian beliefs. The series tries to answer anthropological questions about how beliefs and religion come across to people and how they affect those people in their everyday experiences and those occurring with the supernatural. They do this by showing the expected outcome that it is a fact possession and supernatural phenomena are part of many religions, but also the 'what-ifs' that are taken from folk lore such as the W...
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...of the Dream." The Dream and Human Societies. 1966. Ed. by G.E. Von Grunebaum and Roger Caillois. 23-53. Berkley: University of California Press. Print.
Greenfield, Sydney. "Jose Carlos Ribiero: An Introduction to Spiritist Therapy". Spirits with Scalpels: The Culturalbiology of Religious Healing in Brazil. 2008. 23-34. Walnut Creek: Left Coast Press. Print.
Palmié, Stephan. "Evidence and Presence, Spectral and Other." A Reader in the Anthropology of Religion. 2nd ed. Edited by Michael Lambek. 2008. 598-610. Print.
Supernatural: The Complete Fifth Season. Writ. Eric Kripke. Dir. Philip Sgriccia. Warner Brothers, 2009. DVD.
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"The Magnificent Seven." Supernatural: The Complete Third Season. Writ. Eric Kripke. Dir. Kim Manners. Warner Brothers, 2007. DVD.
Although the thought of being involved in such rituals is scary, I developed a deeper understanding and appreciation for the practices that Haitian voodoo participants, if it is appropriate to refer to such people as, engage in. The most impressive bit of information that I will keep with me is to be less judgmental of others; “people who practice voodoo believe in the same God as Christianity, but they also believe in communicating with other spirits, who serve various roles in healing, casting spells, and more” (Boudreaux, 2015a, p. 110). As a golden rule, I know that I should not be judgmental of others anyway, but I am human and am prone to quickly create stereotypes in my mind. I don’t always share those thoughts, but thinking makes me just as guilty as doing or saying. I am thankful for the reminder that all people are children of God, and I should research and learn about different beliefs before I make a judgmental decision, if I make that judgment at
As David Hufford said, in Beings Without Bodies, much of folk belief about spirits is found to be reasonable. This account is reported under his experience-centered theory. Hufford said much of the belief of spirits is reasonable as it is established on logical understanding from a person’s own experience. However, Hufford said not all beliefs are backed up by experience or even evidence. Some beliefs are made purely on faith. (Hufford p.11)
Along with the belief in a Higher Power comes the belief in the continued existence of the soul after physical death. Many Root-Workers start out working with spirits of the dead in the form of the Ancestors, the spirits of the dead connected to them by blood. It is believed that the dead don’t die, but rather ascend to another level of being, from which they can look on and assist us. From this higher level, the Ancestors can guide us in our daily lives, intercede with the Godhead on our behalf and protect us in times of
In the Voodoo religion, a priestess hosts a number of different ceremonies each year. During these ceremonies, one of the people present (usually the priestess herself) is supposedly possessed by one or more spirit(s) who then communicates with the rest of the people present. A typical example of a Voodoo ceremony is that described in the book Mama Lola by Karin McCarthy Brown. Here, Mama Lola, as this voodoo priestess is known, lives in Brooklyn and does all she can to stay faithful to her Haitian religion. After inviting her voodoo ‘family’ for what will be the birthday celebration of the spirit Azaka, all members, important and close gather to help set up the intricate and festive alter in the basement of Mama...
The term possession is widely accepted as being "influenced or controlled by something (as an evil spirit, a passion, or an idea)". (Merriam-Webster) There have been numerous cases of spiritual possessions that causes harm to peoples. According to the Spiritual Research Foundation, to be possessed by spirits means that "the physical, mental, intellectual or spiritual functioning of a person if affected or altered" by such spirits. In both definitions, there is a common ground that spirits take control of whatever they inhabit. Throughout history, there have been occurrences of spiritual possessions of mostly toys or humans. Due to the media's over exaggeration of these "true stories", our minds are warped into believing that we are paranoid over toys, mainly dolls and humans who act abnormally. These spirits still linger in our world because of their refusal to “crossover” to the otherworld. They are an enigma beyond our capability of controlling. We cannot see them, we can only feel their presence. Popular portrayals of spiritual possessions from media and literature are Chucky from Child’s Play, The Exorcist, Dead Silence, The Conjuring, and the Supernatural series. All of these forms of media share a commonality in which the spirits inflict violence towards people surrounding them. Evil spirits are commonly portrayed through the possession of a suitable vessel. These spirits are wicked and angry beings who try to return from the dead, causing chaos and mayhem. Whether it be possessing non-living objects or a body, we are afraid of these things due to our inability to take control over them. Our lack of control causes us to be vulnerable to threats from possessed objects. The more afraid we are, the stronger the spirit...
The idea of possession can frighten many people. What horror movie producers and directors that go into this field are counting on is that they can use it to frighten their viewers. The Exorcist and The Exorcist Beginning both are centered on the act of exorcism. Both demoniacs in the films are women though their fates are polar opposites. The exorcisms are also shown in different lights. This is done through special effects as well as lighting and music. The first film in the series stays with a cut and dry method of keeping mainly to the exorcism itself; however, its prequel focuses more on fancy special effects and stimulating music. The newest addition to The Exorcist series also adds in the usual Hollywood love story present in most films in our time. Prequels tend to also serve the purpose of story building, regardless of how new it is. In this case it has the duty of creating and explaining the character of Merrin. The success of both The Exorcist and The Exorcist Beginning was not only due to the story line, but also the mystery of it as well as its acceptance in society and the church. The exorcism itself, such as the effects and the overall focus on it were portrayed differently within The Exorcist and The Exorcist Beginning in accordance with the view from society in general and their expectations on how a movie should be done.
The practice of exorcism can be dated all the way back to the New Testament when Jesus casted out evil spirits. He healed many people, but only a quarter of his miracles were considered exorcisms. The apostles were also exorcists by definition because it was known to be a true sign of discipleship. In ancient cultures, such as Mesopotamia, both physical and psychological sickness was connected to the idea of being possessed. As time passed, others, including Martin Luther who was a German theologian who led a reformation, used this form of casting out of evil spirits. However, by 1600, all Protestants rejected this idea as being superstitious. In the 1900s American evangelicals invigorated exorcism, but it did not catch on until 1970 when the movement swept Protestant and Catholic Churches (Rivenburg).
Possession: the indwelling of a demon inside a human person. After reading The Tragedy of Macbeth it is important to consider whether or not Lady Macbeth was possessed during a section of the story. There are three main scenes that directly deal with this possible possession: the convincement of Macbeth, the murder of Duncan, , and the suicide of Lady Macbeth. During these three scenes there can be much conjecture about the possession of Lady Macbeth. She was not possessed; it was all in her head.
The terms voodoo, hoodoo, black magic and conjure arouse different ideas and interpretations such as fear, fascination, or repugnance. For some, the image of voodoo dolls, which are used to bring pain to the one’s enemy are associated with these words. Others might consider curses and spells used for evil intentions to be at the heart of voodoo. A more innocent notion of voodoo encompasses the idea that it is to be used for the communal good. All of these ideas came together and merged with Christian and Catholic beliefs after Africans were transported to the Americas and subjected to unimaginable horrors as slaves. Many historians define voodoo as “a syncretism between the African religion Vodu and Catholicism.” Voodoo is an entirely new creation, which was born as the African slaves were confronted with New World religions. These new ideas were “camouflaged as European saints, the Orisha divinities continued to be invoked, fed, and celebrated by their transplanted New World devotees, who in turn expected protection and assistance from their ancient spiritual guardian.” In some cases, slaves used the culturally accepted Catholic saints as a cover for their ancestral beliefs which were often seen as foolish and heretical by their masters. This new belief system “met new world needs that the settled and passive African modes could not match.” Voodoo held an important part in many slaves’ lives as remnants of their African beliefs evolved into a meaningful and powerful force. Voodoo was an essential element of survival for many slaves because it helped them cope psychologically with the physical torment they endured, it gave them a sense of power in impossibly difficult situations, and it served as a unifying force.
aranormal activity has been a cause of fear and excitement throughout history. The unknown attracts the curiosity from those who wonder whether the supernatural is real or a figment of the imagination. Ghosts are one of the supernatural beings whose existence is questioned every day. Many want to deny the existence of ghosts because they are terrified of other phantoms who may exist and ignore the evidence that has been brought forth throughout the years. However, ghosts are supernatural pheromones whose existence still impacts today’s society.
A History of Dissociative Identity Disorder. (n.d.). Specialized catholic web about possession and exorcism. Retrieved December 1, 2011, from http://www.fortea.us/english/psiquiatria/history.htm
Walsh, K., King, M., Jones, L., Tookman, A., & Blizard, R., (2002). Spiritual beliefs may
The Oxford English Dictionary defines "supernatural" as "That which is above nature; belonging to a higher realm or system than that of nature; transcending the powers or the ordinary course of nature." Through the duration of mankind’s existence, humans have been fascinated with a higher power that defies the laws of nature. Supernatural themes have stimulated literature and the arts, both ancient and modern. Many parallels can be connected between stories involving the paranormal. The setting of "The Jolly Corner" and The Devil’s Advocate evokes the preternatural.
"Witchcraft." The Gale Encyclopedia of the Unusual and Unexplained. Ed. Brad Steiger and Sherry Hanson Steiger. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 91-99. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 4 May 2014.
Exorcism also means to “pray or ask deeply”. Exorcism originally had nothing to do with demons or spirits. Scriptical justification can be found in the New Testament. In the New Testament Jesus was exorcised twice. Exorcism happens in primitive societies and religions in mature cultures. Exorcism reaches deep into the Catholic tradition. Exorcism happens all over the world. Exorcisms are most commonly found in Paris, Lyon, and the French Riviera.