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Most people who follow the paranormal are familiar with the horror and trauma associated with demonic possession. Sometimes possession takes another lesser known form and that is known as Obsession.
Obsession is a form of attack by a hostile spirit or evil dead person whereby the entity dominates the consciousness of a human being or animal. It differs from possession in the following way: In a possession the personality of the victim is replaced or suppressed and the entity has full control of the body. In obsession, the victim remains conscious and retains bodily control however his or her thoughts and feelings are pushed in a particular direction by the entity.
Spiritists believe that obsession is particularly dangerous to untrained mediums. Also the 19th century Spiritualist author Paschal Beverly Randolph recognized the dangers of obsession to mediums, and claimed to have been harmed by evil spirits during his own career as a Spiritualist lecturer and trance medium. Some individuals believe that obsession is one of the most frequent causes of mental illness and criminal behavior.
Technically, “obsession” is any unwanted influence of a spirit, when it alters or suppresses the normal manifestation of the personality of the subject. It can occur when:
- a spirit influences a living person,
- a living person influences someone else,
- a living person influences a spirit,
- a spirit influences another spirit.In the first case the victim suffers but does not know whence his suffering comes. The obsessed may be led to behave abnormally without apparent reason and will not be able to explain his deeds or crimes.In the second case the victim knows he is being influenced and usually reacts, but is unable to resist the will of the obsessor. The victim may resort to violence.
The third case mostly occurs when the spirit of a deceased person is not able to break his bonds with the living and hangs around, suffering as they suffer.
The fourth case is mostly like the second but occurs in the spirit world.
The general symptoms of obsession include a period of chills and drowsiness followed by intrusive patterns of thought and feelings which grow stronger and more insistent over time. Just as in a possession an exorcism is needed to drive out the obsessing entity.
Prevention includes:
- Learning the doctrine of the law of cause and effect
- Praying for God’s protection and guidance whenever one’s will is weakened.
- Living according to the commandments of God so that one’s moral stature can act as a wall between him and the “inferior” would-be obsessors.
- Living according to the doctrine of Christ (Faith, Hope and Charity)
- Loving each other as Christ taught, forgiving and asking forgiveness
Resources:
The New Encyclopedia of the Occult, John Michael Greer, Llewelyn Worldwide Inc. 2013