Demonology

Many people have written in asking about “personal demons”. What are personal demons? Is there such a thing? What are their functions or purposes? Why do they make their visitations but apparently do nothing? This is a very troublesome question to many people and the answers can be even more troublesome. I will try to answer these questions and give some further information in the hopes of further spreading the understanding of the capabilities, tactics, and methods used by preternatural forces.

One of the most basic facts involving the supernatural and preternatural is opposition: Where is good, there is evil. Where there is light, there is darkness. Along those lines, how many people believe in “Spirit Guides” or “Guardian Angels”? A vast majority of people, in one degree or another, DO. People are very willing to accept the fact that there are forces of goodness guiding and assisting them throughout their lives. Miracles are one example of this. If there are these forces of goodness involved in a persons life, there are also forces of evil that also try to manipulate people, in one form or another. Does this mean that everyone has a “personal demon”? No. It is more common than one may think though. Are any numerical figures to back this up, to back up claims of personal demons? No. Is there any real evidence of this? No. Likewise, the same can be said about spirit guides and Guardian Angels.

Do personal demons truly exist? In my opinion, Yes. I have investigated and personally experienced numerous cases that lead me exactly to that conclusion. Interviews with numerous people who believe to be “haunted” by personal demons have very similar stories. Time after time, story after story, the general facts are all the same. I will get into more specifics further into this topic.

What is a personal demon? What is its purpose? A personal demon is a demonic entity “tasked” with attaching itself to a person to watch them, manipulate them, and / or a host of other possibilities. No one will ever know for sure exactly what their intentions are, only the entity knows that. I believe, depending on the intent of the demonic or negative spirit, that there are a select few main “chores” they are obligated to fulfill. Personal demons can enter an individual’s life at any point in time during their lives but I find that in a vast majority of cases such as this, the personal demon attaches itself to the person when they are very young, as early as 3 or 4 years old. Only that individual is able to recognize its presence and unlike a typical demonic presence, the person rarely is scared or threatened by its presence. There is a reason for this. The demonic spirit has a “goal” to achieve, some may relate to it as “tempting fate” or attempting to alter a persons destiny. However you choose to look at THAT aspect of it, the demonic spirit, when getting involved in a persons life at such a young age, is merely there to establish contact and observe how that person is “inside” – to get a feel of the persons “being”, their soul. A personal demon that enters a persons life at such a young age does not “stay” with that person continuously, it merely comes and goes at various points in time as the child grows, checking their “life progress”. It may only visit the person once every 2 or 3 years… but without doubt, the person KNOWS they are being “watched”, but again, do not normally feel threatened. Over time. as the person matures and ages, the demonic spirit knows everything about them, inside and out. It knows their strengths and weakness. Very slowly, their personal demon begins to become more involved in their lives, so slowly in fact, that it is entirely unrecognizable to the person. As time passes, the demonic spirit begins attempting to alter the “path” of the individual. Everyone has life altering decisions to be made from time to time, some of these decisions are very obvious to the person, others are more personal, deep, and subtle and it’s mainly the seemingly small and unimportant decisions that the persons “buddy” tries to manipulate… for once they can begin to manipulate the individual, the process of more serious manipulation begins. The “snowball” effect

The demonic spirit, now fully aware of its counterparts strengths and weaknesses begins to play on them. As the common phrase goes, everyone has “skeletons in the closet” and in this sense, we are not talking about a persons actions as much as we are talking about their deep, personal, “morally” negative aspects such as greed, lust, anger, guilt, regret, and the like. THIS is what the demonic spirit uses to its advantage. It uses those negative traits against the person as a form of temptation. At one point or another, the person makes a conscious decision to either give in to the temptation / manipulation (in whatever form their personal demon chooses to throw at them) or to not to and at THAT time, the person either empowers their counterpart or weakens its hold. If the person gives in to that manipulation, it will continue to present the person greater and more irresistible temptations/manipulations, all aimed at the final goal of self-destruction. If the person denies the manipulations or continues down the “right” path, the influences will still present themselves, however, the more the person stays “on the right path”, the lesser the manipulations become until their personal demon realizes that its influences, manipulations, and temptations will not sway the person – it eventually fades away as quietly as it came into the persons life. Quite often, the person finally realizes they have not been alone in life… they have been followed by something.., something that was never threatening but always seems to be there from time to time. What was that? It was their personal demon.

Unfortunately, a demonic spirit can enter a persons life and become their personal demon at any given point in time, for numerous reasons. Being the victim of a preternaturally infested haunted house can cause a demonic spirit to attach itself to a person, a person going through traumatic personal changes can also cause a demonic spirit to attach itself. Also, in the minds of the negative spirit, a person who is exceptionally holy, pious, or “good” is a “good target” because to turn such a person away from the graces of God is one of the greatest achievements. Situations like this are generally much more aggressive and active than the “life-long companion” for several reasons; due to the nature of the person, they may already be in a spiritual or personal crisis which makes them more vulnerable to influence. The key here is the human will. A fully matured person has a very strong will and when in dire circumstances, their will weakens and the person is more apt, out of anger, spite, revenge, desperation or guilt (all the negative traits already mentioned) to give in to the temptations presented to them. The obvious exception to that would be the person who is exceptionally pious. In cases such as this, guilt and regret can be the major weaknesses that the demonic spirit may use against them.

There are some key points to be made, key similarities and key differences between personal demons and outright demonic attacks, as in a negative haunting. Although a personal demon is normally not threatening to the person its attached to, it is NOT their friend (yes, many people have referred to them as their “friend” or “buddy”). It is there to take advantage of the persons weaknesses and if allowed to go unchecked, i t will continue to its goal, the main goal of self-destruction. That is where the similarity between a personal demon and an aggressive demonic haunting or attack is evident, the overall goal… the corruption and destruction of humankind. There are also some key differences between the two. Personal demons typically work completely “behind the scenes”, making its influences ever so subtly and inconspicuously, using those influences to slowly become more and more engrained in the persons life, their BEING, until the person, in time, NEEDS their personal demons presence to function on a daily basis…once that happens, the person is in complete control of the demonic spirit and self-destruction, to one extent or another, will occur. Conversely, a demonic attack, as in what would take place in a demonic or diabolical haunting is an outright assault and barrage designed to wear down the victim and basically “beat them into submission” until the person (or family) gives up their will out of desperation, frustration, or lack of mental, spiritual, emotional, or physical strength. These forms of influence are much more powerful, outright, dangerous and fast paced. A personal demon may stay with an individual for years, decades and even their entire life – an outright demonic assault occurring during a haunting, aimed at one specific individual, typically lasts for a relatively short amount of time (often less than several years, at a maximum) but as always there are always exceptions to the rules. Regardless of whether its a personal demon or an aggressive, outright assault, the goal is always the same.

Can a diabolical spirit be a persons “personal demon”? Yes, however, that is rare. Diabolical spirits are the high level spirits in the preternatural realm and they rarely interact with humans directly, they typically will direct a lower level demonic spirit to do its will for it. If a diabolical spirit does attach itself to a person, obviously its goals will be the same but it may use a much broader level of influence to sway the individual to its desire path. Normally, personal demons only influence the person themselves, no outside individual, event, or activity but a diabolical spirit can and may do so to affect a higher level of influence over the person. This leads to the last topic, The “Setup”.

As the name implies, preternatural spirits have yet another form of influence over people. The “Setup”. A demonic or diabolical setup is probably the most troublesome, ingenious, and cunning form of influence and manipulation possible. As mentioned above, there are major differences and similarities between how a personal demon influences a person and how an outright attack does… The Setup is a combination of both. This involves the work of multiple demonic and /or diabolical spirits in concert. A setup is a planned coercion of a person over an extended timeframe. The time frame could be from a year to a decade or more. The intended victim typically has a personal demon that influences decisions the person makes and, over time, changes the persons life path. This change does not necessarily have to be a negative change, it could actually be an apparent positive change for the person… but all the same, for the perfectly choreographed plan of leading the person down the most destructive path. Carefully coordinated, this path – the setup, leads the person into the waiting wrath of more powerful, aggressive, and destructive spirits, usually high level demons or devils who normally waste no time in destroying the persons world from around them, trapping them, then assaulting them until they are either saved or self-destruct (in one of many possible ways). Unlike most forms of demonic / diabolical influence or attacks, the setup can never truly be interceded upon because it’s not until AFTER the fact, after the final play has been made that all the pieces of the puzzle – all the small, individual facts and clues can be put together to reveal the “big picture”… the means, methods and goal of the setup. A form of influence and attack like this is rare but when it happens, it can be truly devastating to the victim. All thanks to their pal, their buddy, their personal demon.

Communicating With The Dead

There are numerous methods used when people try to communicate with spirits. I’ll cover some of the most common methods used in modern days, there are many other forms used that I will not cover simply because of the length required. In general, I’d have to say this… There are only a small amount of people who should ever try any of these, people trained and experienced in recognizing the good and the bad, with psychic abilities to enable them to decipher what they’re perceiving. You always hear of the other guy… it’s always the other guy… SOMEONE has to BE the other guy, don’t let it be you. Okay, here are some basics:

The Ouija Board

Quite a few sites have now posted write-ups concerning the Ouija Board and due to the simple fact that they CAN be dangerous to use when the right circumstances take place, I thought it would only be right to talk about it here, with a twist to what you would commonly hear. As like the photo shown above, all ouija boards have some minimum requirements; the words “Yes”, “No”, and “Goodbye”, as well as the letters A-Z and numbers 0-9. Some variants of the boards may have additional writings or symbols but in general most ouija boards are the same. It truly is a shame that these boards can be purchased in many toy stores but even if they were not sold in toys stores, a ouija board can be made using almost any material, even paper, and any type of pointing device and still have the same potential as those one would purchase.

If you noticed in the previous paragraph, I stressed the word CAN be dangerous… because ouija boards are not always dangerous and like everything else in the paranormal world, there are many factors involved with it that need consideration. One question I have to ask is “How many people have NOT used the ouija board at one point in time or another?” Probably relatively few. How many people have experienced paranormal activity solely due to the use of the ouija board? Also probably very few. There are, I believe, key factors involved when haunting activity occurs due to ouija board use, factors I’ll talk about shortly but for now let me discuss the most common reasons people use the board: Party tricks. Face it, because of the reputation surrounding the ouija board and its links to the “spirit world”, many people use it for the thrill, or on a dare. In most cases, no harm is ever done. In this type of situation, if and when the planchette, or pointer, moves, it can be attributed to the people holding the planchette, either consciously or unconsciously… in most cases. I’ve known many, many people using the ouija board and never experience any paranormal problem, I attribute that directly due to their INTENT, but I still do not condone the use of the ouija board strictly because of the possibilities involved.

As I mentioned earlier, I believe the key in what happens from ouija board usage is the intent of the user. If the people using the board are doing so for petty amusement, usually that’s what they get… something to laugh about. On the other hand, if someone using the board is very serious about what they’re attempting, that makes a world of difference. There are three main reasons why I would think people seriously use the board. The first, and probably most common is in an attempt to contact a loved one who has passed over. The second and much more scary reason, is to purposefully call in ANY spirit for no other reason than to “see what happens”. The last reason is for a small percent of users who some would consider social outcasts, those people who don’t have many friends and try to find a “friend” through the use of the board, wanting to feel welcome and a part of something special. Each one of these can be potentially dangerous in outcome but, of course, not always. Even when someone uses the board for serious reasons, a high percentage of the sessions do little harm to anyone. The problem is the small percentage of problems that DO arise from these uses.

Most people know this but I want to state a point here. The movie “The Exorcist” was, in fact, based on a true story. The victim though, was a Jesuit boy who, back in the late 40’s (if memory serves correctly) began playing with the Ouija Board. He was duped into thinking that who or what he was talking to was a “playmate” and when his invisible friend asked of he could come in and join him, the boy agreed… the invitation the spirit needed to manifest. Over time, the boy became possessed by this spirit and went through numerous exorcisms by the Roman Catholics before finally being freed. Supposedly, the possessing spirit was a devil by the name of Beelzebub who, in theology, is one of the most powerful devils under Lucifer. All this, on historical record, because of a “game”.

Does this mean that everyone is in danger of demonic or diabolical attack every time they use the board? No… but how would you know when it’s your time? A very common tactic used by negative forces concerning ouija board usage is false identity. This is where the main problem lies. How do you know for sure that you’re talking to sweet Aunt Jane? You ask the secret code word… she answers correctly… it must be her. Diabolical and demonic spirits know your thoughts, they know they answers you’re looking for. They also know your desires and needs and try everything they can to be a perfect match for those in an attempt to get you to invite them in further… once the invitation has been extended to them, they have no further need to talk to you… or be nice to you… they’re in, and now the infestation and oppression stages start.

Again, I don’t believe anyone should use the ouija board for any reason. If anyone close to you has died, accept my condolences, but let them go. Miss them, love them, but move on. Of course, though, there will always be people who will continue to use the board and for them, let me offer a few words of advice. If you are EVER asked to let a spirit come into the house, into your life, or anything similar, STOP using the board. A human spirit would never ask that, only an inhuman spirit would and for only one purpose: to make your life a living hell. Another thing, I’ve found that inhuman spirits can’t spell to save their lives (pardon the pun). If you are communicating with something, watch the spelling. If something knows the answers to all your questions, appears to be a perfect match to your needs or you start to feel “empty” without the company of this invisible “friend”, be VERY cautious, stop using the board. You could be dealing with something that you can’t control.

The Pendulum

To be brief here, the pendulum is, for intent and purpose, the same as the Ouija Board. It’s sole function is spirit communication but is far less common nowadays than the ouija board. Like the name suggests, the only major difference between the two is the pointing device used. While the ouija board uses a planchette, normally a triangular shaped device with a crystal, glass, or plastic windows to display the letter to be annotated, the pendulum uses a pointed weight at the end of a line, acting as a pendulum would, to point to the letter of interest. The letters and numbers are often configured differently than a ouija board but in functionality, it’s all the same. As with the ouija board, the outcome varies according to the actual intent of the user.

Automatic Writing and Channeling

Of all the various forms of spirit communication, I would consider automatic writing and “channeling” the most potentially dangerous forms. What is channeling? Channeling is, in effect, possession. It’s possession with a purpose. Channeling in performed by a person who typically, has good natural psychic abilities. The goal behind channeling is to allow a foreign spirit to actually possess, or take over, the receptor for the purpose of direct verbal or written communication and on rare occasions, in demonology aspects, to enable a direct exorcism of the foreign spirit. What is Automatic Writing? “True” automatic writing is, in most aspects, the same as channeling. The receptor allows a foreign spirit to enter him or her to enable it to directly write out its thoughts or comments. Neither channeling or automatic writing should ever take place without experienced supervision, because it is actually a form of possession, someone should always be available to help should anything go wrong. At times however, either of these can happen spontaneously to an inexperienced psychic who has not learned how to “shut down” when their gifts are not needed.

Channeling and automatic writing can be extremely dangerous to the individual because when they are “under”, they no longer have control of themselves, they are now being controlled by the possessing spirit and I’ve seen others get attacked by the channeler while they were under. If, even for the purpose of channeling or automatic writing, a person were to be possessed by an inhuman spirit either by choice or because the inhuman spirit posed as something it’s not and no one caught on to that fact, the channeler is in grave danger if it cannot be removed promptly. Even human spirits channeled in can become stubborn and decide it doesn’t want to leave when you want it to.

If conducted properly and experienced people are available to assist, channeling and automatic writing can provide a wealth of information surrounding a haunting or investigation. I’ve seen people, through these means, obtain information that, first off, they could have never known, and secondly have proved invaluable to getting to the root of a problem, enabling a resolution to take place. It can be a great tool if ALL precautions are taken, it can be disastrous is done fly-by-wire or with no preparation or assistance. I believe that very few people should even consider to attempt anything of this nature due to the inherent risks of inviting a possession.

Séances

In my opinion, séances rarely work to the desired result. A typical séance involves two or more people, usually more, gathered around a table littered with candles and incense with soft, mystical music to set the proper mood and mindset. In most cases, the purpose of a séance is to call on a known person who has passed over to come back to this realm and give a sign of their presence. To be done to the best results, the group of people serious in attempting this will often have one person to act as a channeler in the event that something does appear.

Like the ouija board, séances can be dangerous, sometimes more dangerous if the people involved do not understand anything about the supernatural. There is one huge difference between the ouija board and a séance… a séance is designed around one basic fact… the invitation. A person using a ouija board does not necessarily invite anything initially, they typically ask if “anyone” is present. The séance’s purpose is to invite a spirit. That can prove to be very dangerous. I highly recommend to anyone who insists on conducting séances, that they have a good psychic in the group, who will be able to determine the TRUE nature of the spirit, if one actually manifests. If the group were to invite, either knowingly or not, a negative, inhuman spirit, they may have started a process they would have never dreamed possible, the infestation, haunting, and torment of one or all of the people involved. What I find most often is, sadly, most people conducting séances do not take their action seriously enough, expecting to have a good time and go home when their done. Most of the time that IS the case but unfortunately not always.

Again, luckily during a séance, very little, if anything actually happens but let’s look at something else briefly. Very seldom would a human spirit who has crossed over, come BACK because of a séance. An EARTHBOUND human spirit is a different story though. The people conducting the séance should know the background of who they’re trying to contact. If a friend or loved one died unexpectedly due to an accident of one form or another, or committed suicide, there is a possibility that their spirit may remain earthbound. Therefore there IS a chance that a séance may work to the desired results. If a friend or loved one has died in a “normal” way, old age or illness, most likely they have passed over. Young children that have died almost always pass over. Again, know the background of who you’re trying to contact. An inhuman spirit would always LOVE to join the party, and that’s why having a good psychic in the group is necessary. Your efforts in contacting sweet Aunt Jane on the ouija board didn’t work, so why not try a séance. A non-psychic may not know the difference where a good psychic will know that something is wrong (at minimum). Watch for signs if something does actually manifest. Use the rules I listed in the Spirit Classifications page as a guide. “What type of spirit can cause this type of manifestation?” The “psychic cold”, the unnatural coldness of the atmosphere is a good indication of a spirits presence but both good and evil spirits can produce a psychic cold. Extreme feelings of HEAT on the other hand, are almost always caused by inhuman spirits.

When people tell me they’ve conducted a séance, or they are thinking of doing so, I always ask two simple questions. “Why?” and “What do you expect to get out of it?” I ask those two questions because séances generally don’t do anyone any good at all, except put people at risk. If it’s answers you’re looking for, a true psychic can provide those answers without the need for a séance.

Crystallomancy

Crystallomancy is the staring into a glass window, pool of water, mirror, or any other shiny, transparent, or reflective object to induce self-hypnosis (staring into the fire of a fireplace or candle has the same effect). The famous scenes of the gypsy staring into her crystal ball for the answers to all your questions and telling you your future. Many people believe that by inducing self-hypnosis by any means of crystallomancy, they are putting themselves on the same level as the spirits and are able to communicate or receive information directly to or from them. Another form of this is called the psychomanthium, where the person enters a dark room or closet (or the like) lit only by dim red lights and sits directly in from of a mirror. This method often is used to summon or contact darker forms of spirits.

On the opposite side of the coin, instead of a person staring into a window or the like, you will often find pictures on the internet or on television where a ghost or apparition is seen in a window, as if looking out of it. This is the same type of effect, in reverse. “Mirror, mirror on the wall…” remember that?

This can be a very intriguing method of communication for some people, mainly because, if nothing else, of the mental state it puts the person in while attempting communication in this way. I find, though, that crystallomancy has very few practical uses, or should I say provides very little concrete anything, as compared to the other methods I’ve discussed.

When it comes down to it, I can conclude this page fairly simply… there are many different methods of spirit communication, many of which I didn’t even discuss, but regardless of everything else, spirit communication can be considered fun, interesting, informational, and inspiring to those who have tried it but it can also be dangerous. Many websites speak solely about the ouija board because it’s the most popular but what they are really talking about is ALL forms of spirit communication. I feel, for the most part, the same as them concerning this particular issue. Most of the time, most communication attempts don’t work, or may be faked, but there is ALWAYS the possibility of contacting or inviting something you could never, in your wildest imagination, be prepared for, the inhuman spirit. Is it really worth it? I would never condone the use or practice of any form of spirit communication but unfortunately, the reality is that people do it, every day and when things go wrong, and they DO go wrong, I’m here to help.

Assessing The Activity

The following article presents general guidelines for how a good, experienced investigator normally would go about conducting an interview and investigation. Although every investigator has a routine of his or her own, most of what is listed here is performed in one way or another at one time or another. This article has been seriously summarized for the purpose of getting out as many important facts as possible without getting too drawn out… nothing’s worse than waking up with your face in a puddle of drool on the keyboard! Also, this article is much more focused on the people looking for help, so you can know what to expect, what you can do to help yourselves, and what you can do to help the investigator help you.

When we first are called in for assistance or an investigation, the investigator should gather as much information as possible, as soon as possible from the people involved. Normally, at that point in time, the investigator should determine, based on the facts they receive, whether or not they will; accept the case, are capable of helping the people in need, and are willing to follow through until closure.

A good, experienced, and ethical investigator will be true to themselves and the people who contacted them by being honest and helpful. If the investigator decides not to accept a case, in good faith they should try, as best as possible, to refer the individual or family to someone who can help them. Ed and Lorraine Warren had the utmost respect for investigators who called them because they realize that the case they are working on is too heavy for them at that stage of their experience level. That tells me that they are being honest both with themselves and the individuals they’re helping!

If you are the victim of ANY kind of supernatural or preternatural occurrence, you’re going to have a lot of questions. It’s the job of the investigator to answer your questions to the best of their ability. BUT, keep in mind that nothing in this line of work is written in stone and there are always exceptions to every rule and if an investigator does not have a solid answer to some of your questions, that’s quite natural.

They SHOULD, however, have answers to ALL questions regarding what they’re doing, why they’re doing it, and how they go about achieving closure. These answers may come slowly at first though, until enough information can be obtained as to the origin of the problem and the different ways of handling the situation. Even then, new information and activity may cause the investigator to realize new truths and require an altered plan of attack. What are the things a good investigator or demonologist look for during the initial interview with the people involved and during the actual investigation? That’s what I’ll talk about now.

Let’s first talk about what we should be looking for during the initial interview, which usually will take place by phone. Normally, as soon as we start in with the details, the family or person involved will talk at the speed of light… trying to get out weeks, months, or years worth of activity in record time… slow down… we want to hear as much as possible, but we don’t want to leave out important details. Once the general overview of what’s been taking place has been talked about, the investigator should start asking a multitude of questions, trying to get further details of what, more precisely, is happening and why. The very first determination the investigator should make is whether or not the activity taking place is truly paranormal or if a rational, natural explanation can be formed. Here are some of the basic things we look for and why this information is important (remember that these are generalizations):

1. How many people are involved, if a family, how many children, ages, sex, etc.If an individual, has anyone else witnessed the activity. – We look for any clues as to whether or not a specific individual may be a key player or catalyst, if a young boy or girl is going through puberty that would ring the “poltergeist” bell, of course, dependant on many other factors.
2. Has anyone outside of the people involved witnessed any activity or experienced anything they would consider unusual. – Witnesses are ALWAYS important, a third party point of view. To get the information of someone not living in the house, maybe an overnight guest, relative, or friend, is very helpful.
3. What is the religious background, if any, of everyone involved and are they currently practicing. – May give some insight into possible motives for the attacks or hauntings, and helps us determine, should a need arise, which religious denomination we would need to contact, and which guidelines to follow based on the person’s religious beliefs.
4. Has any person concerned had any involvement with the occult, satanism, Wicca, witchcraft, Voodoo, Santeria, or the like in the present or past, or any friends/acquaintances who have or have had any involvement. – This is VERY important because if the person has involvement with these types of “religions”, ONLY a demonologist should get involved because of the greater risk of retaliation. A side note here, Wicca, Witchcraft, Satanism, Voodoo and Santeria are, in fact, considered religions and although Voodoo and Santeria are definitely not considered “bad” in nature (they are actually good for many people, when practiced as such), spells and curses placed by a Voodoo or Santeria practitioner are the most powerful you will find and extreme care should be taken. Most investigators who know of the power of these forms of religion won’t get involved, wisely so.
5. Has any person concerned seen a psychic for any reason. – Because psychics (like the kind you’d get a reading from or have come into your house to “feel” it out) see such a wide variety of people, there is always a chance that they have one or more spirits attached to them which may have found a greater attraction to the victim(s). Sometimes a psychic has been asked into a dwelling to help with a haunting and inadvertently makes the situation worse by opening more doors.
6. Is any person concerned currently using the ouija board, or has used it in the past. – I’ve dedicated a separate article for this, Ouija Board.
7. When did the activity begin or when did they first notice unusual things happening. – We may be able to correlate when the activity started with another piece of information given to us to better understand what started the crisis.
8. What time of day does most of the activity take place. – Guidelines state that MOST of the time, inhuman spirits such as demon or devils, do not manifest during the hours of natural sunlight, of course, there are always exceptions to the rules. That does NOT mean that ALL activity taking place at night is inhuman in origin, HUMAN spirits can manifest any time of the day or night. The time of day helps us RULE OUT, for the most part, whether the family or individual is dealing with a human or inhuman spirit.
9. What, specifically, are people seeing; Full figures of a person, if so, are the figures FULLY intact, light colored forms or mists, small pins or orbs of light of different colors, dark shadows or small, dark, quick moving objects, reddish colored lights or mists. – In general, human spirits will normally appear as; a fully intact form, light colored (white, blue, green, yellow, etc.) mists, orbs, forms, or pinpoints of light. Inhuman spirits normally reveal themselves as very dark (often described as “blacker than black”) shapes, human shaped forms that are not intact… perhaps deformed, missing eyes or other body parts… they try to duplicate the human body but because they are not of the same nature as humans, there is ALWAYS something “wrong” with their appearance. Inhuman spirits also may appear as reddish colored orbs, mists, lights, etc… red for anger.
10. What, specifically, are people smelling; the scent of roses or musty odors, fresh smells or putrid, vile odors, with no apparent point origin. – The scent of roses is a GREAT sign, the sign of a Holy presence. Smells of anything vile such as what has commonly been described as “rotting flesh”, sulfurous odors, putrid odors such as excrement or the like are all the signs of something inhuman.
11. What, specifically, are people feeling; Is there a “familiar” feeling, is there a uneasy feeling or is there a dire, hopeless, threatened feeling. – Feelings are extremely important sensors in a house that has some form of paranormal presence. Many people describe the feeling of “familiarity”, possibly the spirit of a loved one, relative, or other person they’ve known. The feeling of uneasiness or “being watched” can be associated with many things, typically of a regular human spirit, a malicious human spirit or low level inhuman spirit. The TRUE, outright feeling of dread and doom, hopelessness and threat to one’s being can really only come from one type of entity, the inhuman spirit. There is one twist to all this; typically, in cases involving poltergeist phenomena, rarely does anyone “feel” anything at any point in time. That is another indicator we look at when we look into the possibility of a case being poltergeist.
12. Has any documentation or evidence been taken by the family. – If the family or individual has been able to gather any kind of evidence or has been documenting or keeping a diary of what has been taking place, that is an enormous help to the investigator. The family is in the house all the time, the investigator would only be there very little, in comparison, so the family members have the best opportunity of gathering evidence of anyone.

These are some of the basic things a good investigator will look into during their initial interview with the persons involved. As more information is revealed, the investigator normally will ask more directed questions along topics of value and continue on until they believe they have a good understanding of the big picture. Never should only ONE of these above questions cause an investigator draw an initial conclusion as to the nature of the case. ALL these facts must be weighed upon each other as to fit into a good, reasonable explanation. They should weigh the information given into the general guidelines of what every type of spirit’s normal classification would be, as listed in the Spirit Classification article. Once all the information has been obtained, the investigator should then determine what course of action to take. There are times when help and assistance can be given solely over the phone, the investigator giving direction as to the next course of action on a step by step basis, but most of the time, a visit to the actual location will be called for.

If a visit to the physical location is deemed necessary by the investigator, and it is agreeable with the family or individual involved, the investigator should inform the family of his/her intentions and what their plan will be. The investigator SHOULD also tell the family whether or not closure can be obtained. This is when the investigator or team must be honest and forthcoming with the family, for giving a victim family a sense of hope, only to be later left on their own is a great injustice and can do a great deal of damage to them emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

When an investigator or investigative team arrives on scene, they should immediately start sizing up the situation. They should, first off, ask for a quick tour of the premises, ensuring they tour every part of the house, including the basement and attic if accessible. If a psychic or sensitive is part of the group, he/she should also tour the house, separately from the main party, but always with another person. There is justified reason for that; while everyone else is off touring, getting the layout of the house, the psychic or sensitive should also be touring, more slowly and thoroughly, in an attempt to “feel out” any unusual sensations in the house. This serves a few purposes; a baseline for how the house will feel later in the investigation, to get an initial impression of what may be present in the house, and what exact areas the investigation should focus on during the investigation. The reason why this should be done separately from the main group is to reduce distractions and ensure the impressions being received by the psychic are truly from the house or its paranormal occupants. BUT, the psychic or sensitive should always have another person with him or her at all times, someone who can be very inconspicuous and psychically “neutral”, who can be there in case activity should occur. Some investigators may instead, choose to have the psychic or sensitive tour the house while he or she is performing the interview.

After the tour of the premises is complete, the investigator should first sit down with the people involved, one by one, and get their versions of what they’ve been experiencing, then after everyone has been individually questioned, the investigator should sit and talk to everyone as a group. Conducting the on-site interview in this way allows the investigator to get a very detailed view of what’s been taking place, on an individual basis, and also is able to get information from the group… information that an individual may have forgotten about or not considered necessarily paranormal. This interviewing technique works very well in its ability to put all the pieces of the puzzle into place, giving both the family and the investigator a complete, accurate picture of what is occurring to the family. During the on-site interview, the investigator should be asking the exact identical situational questions asked during the phone interview. This ensures that, first off and basically, that the stories are the same and it also helps reinforce any initial conclusions that the investigator may have come up with. The types of questions the investigator normally will ask during the on-site interview will also be very similar to the phone interview, but now should be much more detailed and focused.

Once the interviewing is complete, the investigator or investigative team should then take a break to form a general consensus of what they are actually dealing with and determine among themselves what course of action they should take during the investigation phase. This should be done without the family present. Once a consensus has been formed and a plan of action is agreed on, the investigator should then discuss all this with the family. Before proceeding, the investigator should ensure the family is comfortable everything, if they are uncomfortable in any way, then either a compromise would have to be made or the investigation should not continue. Remember, it’s the family’s crisis and the investigator is responsible for their well being once he or she accepts the case. If one or more family members is not cooperative (that is fairly common… where one or more person within a family is or becomes hesitant or hostile towards the investigator), it can lead to difficulties and could possibly throw off or interfere with the normal activity within the house.

Too many times, I’ve seen an investigative team enter a victim family’s house, take over, and firmly instruct them that they MUST do this or MUST not do that. That is the entirely wrong approach. In fact, it’s the exact opposite approach of how it should actually work. The INVESTIGATOR(s) should be as inconspicuous as possible. The family or individual should go about their normal routine as if the investigator is not even there. What we’re looking for here is to ensure that the situation is as normal as it is when the occurrences take place, we don’t want to induce additional activity, nor do we want to reduce what normally takes place… the investigator should be the “fly on the wall”. The ONLY time an investigator should direct the family or family member to do or not to do something is if/when the person may be, in the investigators eyes, in danger or if a particular person is a catalyst in what takes place.

Okay, a few questions here:

What time of day do investigations occur? – That depends on what type of haunting activity is taking place and/or what type of spirits are involved. Investigations of human spirits / hauntings or poltergeists will usually take place whenever the most activity normally occurs, day or night. Investigations of negative forces; negative human spirits or demonic or diabolical in origin will most often take place at night, when activity normally happens.

How long into the night do the investigations last? – Again, that depends. When dealing with negative spirits, the rule of thumb is that they can be active during the hours of 9 PM – 6 AM (typically the hours of natural darkness). Because every spirit is different, each follows its own routine and the investigator should have a good idea, based on the information obtained during the interview, as to the routine of the particular spirit involved. In many cases though, if I were to generalize, an initial interview/investigation will last from 9 PM until roughly 3:30 AM. Because we’re talking about inhuman spirits, very few investigator would leave before 3 AM… 3 AM is typically the peak time for activity for the inhuman spirit.

Why 3 AM? – The number 3, as theology states, is the number of the Trinity and as far as inhuman spirits are concerned 3 AM and 3 PM would be a mockery of the Trinity. BUT, since most inhuman spirits will not manifest during daylight hours… 3 AM.

How long will an investigation last, when can closure be expected? – That’s the toughest question of them all. This is where many inexperienced investigators make their mistakes. Promising a closure time frame is futile and is unfair to the family. The best answer a demonologist or experienced investigator can give is one that simply states that they will be there until closure is obtained, no matter how long it takes. This when the investigator must be honest and sincere with the victim(s)… can closure truly be obtained under the circumstances involved, if not, say so, explain why and what can be done to change things so closure CAN be achieved. Again, as far as time frames are concerned, cases can last for mere weeks to years, it all depends on the circumstances.

The investigator will be looking for signs or indications that back up the claims of the victim(s). The signs they look for are exactly the same as what they’ve asked during the interview: Certain odors, forms and shapes, lights, mists, sensations like cold or hot spots in the atmosphere, etc. They attempt to match what they are sensing with the guidelines of spirit classification and with all other information they’ve been told and what they sense. In time, a clear picture will take shape as to what is occurring.

Now, once the investigation is complete, the investigator should briefly discuss with any individuals still awake (it’s probably very early in the morning by now), a brief, generalized summary of what, if anything they’ve been able to obtain. It is very common, especially on an initial investigation, that very little or no paranormal activity takes place. That does not mean that the family is making this all up, or they’ve got over-active imaginations, it simply means that little activity took place. Rarely is a case solved on the first visit, it may take several visits to the location for the investigator to be able to pinpoint the exact nature and cause or the phenomena taking place and how to resolve it.

The investigator should follow up with the family within a day or two after the initial investigation (and likewise for any and all future investigations) and discuss, in detail, the findings of their investigation. This should automatically lead them to talk about what type of spirit they believe the family to be dealing with and how to protect themselves and gain closure. There are times however, when a victim is very sensitive and extremely scared of what’s happening to them and may appear to be on the edge of breakdown (in one form or another), the investigator, now acting as part counselor, must use discretion as to how much to tell the victim. If there a family is involved, the investigator may opt to discuss the full reality to the person who appears to be the “anchor”, the strongest, and only discuss generalizations with others. One thing very few investigators mention to the family, when talking about inhuman infestations, is the fact that there is a chance of the phenomena being more forceful and more active within about three days after an investigation. This is a fact that should be mentioned BEFORE an initial investigation is to take place, giving the family a chance to opt out. Of course, there are many factors involved in this possibility.

Lastly, the investigator must be fully prepared to deal whatever he is dealt. Once they have accepted the case (common sense says that if they investigate a case, they accept the case), they are responsible to follow through with what they started. It is very disheartening to a family to have an investigator do an interview and investigation and never receiving any feedback or never hearing back from the investigator. He or she should be ready to deal with how to begin the closure process (“What can I do to help” and “What is the best way to solve this situation with the least possible effect on the family”). They must also know how to get church intervention or assistance of the family’s denomination. He or she should be able to decipher when the family is being subtly, unnaturally, coerced into turmoil, and know how to gently intercede. One of the tricks a demonic or diabolical spirit enjoys playing is turning the involved individuals against each other, that includes the family, the investigator and their family, and the investigative team as a whole. What better way to hide than to create havoc and confusion all around.

Again, every spirit, every haunting, and every case is different but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, that tunnel may have many twists and turns but there’s always the light at the end.

Ghosts, Poltergeists, Demons and Devils

Many people have wondered what the differences are between ghosts, poltergeists, demons, and devils. The answer is that there is no easy answer, there are general guidelines used when determining which is which but as always, there are always exceptions to the rule. After many years of research and investigations by countless people, there seems to be a set standard by which most paranormal entities have been classified. The following definitions and guidelines will describe their unique characteristics.

Ghosts

Ghosts are the spirits of people that once lived, regardless of how long ago that may have been. The term ghost actually means a human spirit that is unrecognizable to the viewer. Apparition is the term given to a human spirit that is recognized by the viewer (“look, it’s uncle Harry!”). When we talk about ghosts, the term “Ghost Syndrome” must come into play. The ghost syndrome is what generally causes a human spirit to remain earthbound. Often, when a sudden or unexpected death takes place, the spirit of the deceased either is not aware of its passing or refuses to believe it has passed. Other times, strong ties to earthly matters (loved ones, places, possessions, etc) will cause a spirit to remain earthbound. “When may we see a ghost?” Human spirits can be “sensed” at any given point in the day or night. The only question involved in when one might SEE a ghost is, does it possess the power and/or knowledge to manifest in a visible form. Generally it is easier to view a ghost at night because less energy is required for someone to see than during the day. That brings us to the point of how a ghost manifests. Usually they will draw energy from whatever they can, such as electrical storms, electrical power and transformers, and other people. People emit a large amount of energy into the air which many types of spirits draw upon to manifest. In almost all cases involving psychic activity, especially demonic activity, people have noticed a “drastic drop in temperature of the room.” That drop in temperature is due to the draining of energy from both the atmosphere and the people themselves. “Can human spirits cause objects to move?”… Certainly! They can also make things disappear or appear. BUT they have their defined limits. Human spirits cannot normally lift objects weighing more than one or two pounds. Similarly, they cannot move objects that require the one or two pounds of force (i.e. opening a heavy oak door that requires 10 pounds of force to move). They can also make objects disappear but you will often find those objects later (they cannot make an object actually vanish from the earth, they can only move it from one location to another). The same goes for objects that appear, they have actually been moved from somewhere else (like from your neighbor’s bathroom). That leads us to the next type of spirit… the inhuman spirit.

Demons

Unlike human spirits, inhuman spirits have never actually “lived” on earth and are generally thought of as evil. There are evil human spirits but their capabilities are the same as mentioned above. Demons are a completely different story. Demons will, if given the opportunity, use an evil human spirit to do its dirty work while it sits in the background. Their sole purpose for existence is to destroy humankind in any way possible. Whether if it’s through tormenting the living or keeping a human spirit from passing, it makes no difference. They delight in the ruin of man. They usually only make appearances at night, during the absence of natural light. I stress natural light because a lamp, nightlight or whatever, during the night is not natural light. Demons are “low level” entities which are commanded by devils (covered next) to harass anything associated with God. Many people have asked: “If I’m a good, religious person, will they try to come after me?” The sad answer is yes. In all actuality, the holier or more religious a person is, the greater the victory for them. Demons have no morals, they will attack the weak, ignorant or young because they are more defenseless. The ultimate goal of a demon (or devil) is the possession of a living person, to feel what it is like to live. They are jealous of humans because for that reason and that is one of their primary reasons for wanting to destroy us. When we talk about possession, there are guidelines by which demons usually follow before having the ability to possess. Most humans have a strong enough will to where a demon cannot just “enter” them. That will needs to be broken down first. There are three stages in the possession of a person. Each is designed for the ultimate goal of breaking down the will. Infestation is the first. Infestation is the initial entry of the spirit into a person’s life. Normally, a demon must be invited, or given permission for the process to begin. Several things can cause this to happen, either by basically asking it to appear as with conjuring, or by simple attraction. If an evil deed has been committed, such as a mortal sin, that may attract a negative spirit. Keep in mind you don’t have to be the person to cause the infestation. A prior tenant or house owner may have invited something that you were not aware of. During this phase, the intent of the demon is to provoke fear in its intended victim(s) which throws off negative energy which it uses to feed itself. That also begins the process of breaking down the will. Once the demon has situated itself and has begun taking hold on its victim(s), then it starts the next phase… oppression. During this phase, as is what took place in True Haunting in Quebec Canada, objects will be tossed about and apported, people will be physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually abused, and so forth. All the stops are pulled during this phase. Anything and everything that can happen, will. It may rain rocks or frogs or fish, your kitchen chairs may walk into the living room, etc. This phase is designed to complete the breakdown of the human will. If a person gives up, they release their will and open the door for the final phase… possession. Once a person is possessed, without immediate intervention from the church, the odds are great of that person dying. “Exactly what are demons capable of?” They can physically hurt a person but very rarely will they kill someone. There is a reason for that. God allows them to roam the earth but they are not allowed to outright kill. If they do kill a person, they are now breaking one of God’s laws and can be cast off the earthly plane for eternity, they do not want that. That’s why you’ll often hear of knives or heavy objects being hurled directly at someone’s face but stop millimeters from them and drop to the floor.

Devils

Devils are the “high level” entities of the legion. They will normally not get involved with people because they do not want their identity known. If it is something a demon can handle, the devils will let them take care of it but if a demon has not been able to produce the desired results, a devil may step in to finish the job. If a devil does get involved, there are always at least one demon working in conjunction. Devils are capable of almost anything, spontaneous combustion of material (curtains, houses… almost anything), materializations (usually of something vile such as excrement, vomit, or the like), holy items may be turned upside down, hidden, covered or desecrated. Unlike what human spirits can do, Devils can make something appear from nothing, or no where. They can lift objects of great weight (300+ pounds). They can dismantle an automobile engine, they can bend objects thought unbendable, they can make refrigerators dance around the kitchen. They are the brains, the strategy behind the attack. They tell the demons what to do and the demons do it. Devils work directly for Lucifer, they do his will. Devils are extremely intelligent, they have the “wisdom of the ages”. Their attacks can be outright barrages or the most subtle, devious, and thought out process of setting a person up and slowly destroying their lives. They revel in the misery they cause their victims and the absolute feeling of hopeless they make their victims feel only enables them to grow stronger and more deeply imbedded to the cause. Even without total possession of a person, they can still maintain full control over them. How can they do that? They become such a part of the victim’s life, and being, that the victim feels “empty” or lost without that presence. Therefore, the person’s will and entire being come in danger of impending possession. Devils are THE most dangerous entities anyone can encounter and when a person comes in the presence of one, that person knows instantly that their entire BEING is in danger, it’s a feeling the person will carry with them throughout their entire life, it can never be rationalized away… it can never be forgotten.

Poltergeists

One category not yet discussed is the poltergeist. Poltergeist is German for “Noisy Spirit” and they truly take after that description. There are many different views among experts as to the true nature of a poltergeist case. Some believe that the activity occurring in a poltergeist house is caused by the people themselves, using PK (PsychoKenesis). PK has been proven by science to exist. To summarize, it’s the ability of a person to consciously or unconsciously bring about physical movement of objects without actually having to touch the objects, but the effective range of PK has been measured in tests to be only about 20 feet from the source person. Some believe poltergeists to be as simple as a total hoax. Still others feel the activity could be caused by built up electric / electromagnetic energy. But when there appears to be an intelligence behind the activity, that tends to narrow the field down to just a few possibilities.

First, PK is still possible. Second… an actual spirit presence. Phenomena dealing with such normally centers around young children around the age of puberty. This is due to the fact that children, especially young women, in puberty exert an enormous amount of energy. This emitted energy is what a spirit uses to cause the “mischievous” activity. Poltergeists can be the most difficult cases to solve though. Because no one REALLY knows exactly what a poltergeist IS, finding a means to stop the activity is that much more difficult. Some cases of poltergeist activity have “proven” to be caused by human spirits whereas other cases are so much more violent and dangerous, we can only assume a greater, more devious and destructive force is at work, yet typical means of expulsion does not normally work. Although a poltergeist case is arguably the most intriguing to investigators, due to the VISIBLE activity taking place, it is probably the most outright disruptive and frustrating type of attack to the family involved. These type of hauntings are also the most frustrating type of haunting to a good investigator because rarely can anything be done to halt the attacks, the investigator becomes more of a family therapist or counselor than investigator during the heightened times of activity. There always is, however, light at the end of the dark tunnel. Poltergeist activity normally only occurs for a finite amount of time. Unlike a human haunting which can last for decades or centuries, a poltergeist’s time of activity generally only lasts for anywhere from a few weeks to a few months… but the amount of physical destruction during that time frame can be staggering. Of course there are always exceptions to the rules, some documented poltergeist cases have lasted for many years, luckily though, those are few and far between.

 

 

There may be times when you will need to actively protect yourself. This may happen because of the “feeling” that something is not right or because of an outright attack on you or your family. There are several different methods you can use to protect yourself and the use of these will depend on what is taking place in your house. You must do what we do in situations like this, do ONLY the minimum of what you think is required to rectify the situation, too much too fast may do more harm than good. Start with simple prayers and work up if necessary. Below, you’ll find a few common prayers that typically help, as well as other methods of self-protection. Each of these, individually or as a whole, is usually fairly effective in helping to neutralize an immediate threat. Please keep in mind that these protection methods are focused mainly along a Catholic/Christian point of view and if you are of a different denomination, use methods equal to these that you subscribe to.

Lord’s Prayer

“Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen”

Hail Mary

“Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen”

Glory Be To The Father

“Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen”

Saint Michael The Archangel

“Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray. And do thou, O’ Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits, who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen”

The prayers listed above are typically very good in helping to relieve the beginning phases of an infestation stage. That is, when you start to feel like something “is not right”, saying these prayers, one or all, may help clear out what is beginning to build in the house. You may need to recite these prayers numerous times though, not stopping until YOU feel it is safe to stop. Reciting the Rosary Beads from start to finish is also a powerful form of clearing a house.

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If activity has already started and you find the need to try to decrease the activity, there are a few other methods that can be used. As always, first try the simplest forms first and if they don’t work, go to the next step. These methods; Commanding in Christ’s name and Using Holy Water, can be much more personal to the attacking spirit so you must use your judgment as to know when to stop if these methods are not working.

Commanding in Christ’s name

Speak, out loud, in a commanding voice: “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to leave and go back to where you came from.” Remember, YOU are not the one doing the commanding, it is Christ’s name being invoked, His power and the power of Goodness is what is actually doing the commanding.

Another version of this command is: “In the name of Jesus Christ, all the Martyrs and Saints, and Saint Michael, the Archangel, I command you to leave and go back to where you came from.” This version is a little more powerful than the first one mentioned. You’re invoking, or asking for the help from, not only Christ, but all the powers of goodness and Saint Michael, God’s Warrior.

Sprinkling Holy Water while making this command typically works very well.

Using Holy Water

Holy Water is a very powerful tool of goodness. You can get it an any church or you can bring in a bottle for a priest to bless. I’ve seen people bring in two or three gallon jugs for priests to bless… sometimes they’ll get strange looks from the priest… but that’s of no concern. Remember this though, the more Holy and pious a priest is, the more effective and powerful the Holy Water will be. Usually, but not always, if you can have your water blessed by a Bishop, that would be even better and more effective.

Holy water can be used whenever you’d like. If it makes you feel better and more at ease, use it… when you run out, get more. Typically though, to best use the effect of Holy Water, “Bless” your entire house. Start in the basement or lowest level of the house, sprinkle Holy Water in every room, working up to the highest level of the house. In theory, the reason for this is: by starting at the lowest point in the house, filling it with holiness and goodness, and working your way up, you force any negative spirit out of the top of the house, leaving it no where to go but out. Using Holy Water in conjunction with a prayer or command is a very powerful tool of self-protection.