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Demonology
101: Part II
Denizens
of the "Demonic Realm" - are they invariably of non-human
origin, or can the human psyche generate such a negativity that
a soul can somehow degenerate into the form of that which we
name a demon? It has even been conjectured that demonic "thought
forms" could, under extraordinary conditions, be created
by a human being and take on a sort of "life" or "lives"
of their own. And some contend that they are fallen angels.
This is all speculative; what is certain (that is, what experience
has borne out) is that in some dimensional reality apart from
our own, there exist seething, resentful, debased entities which
occasionally make their way into the living world, seeking human
subjects to prey upon and torment.
At times these shadow creatures appear attracted to a particular
person or locale, and are inexplicably "just there."
In other instances, someone has inadvertantly opened a psychic
porthole, or chasm, to their netherworld and allowed them access,
perhaps by means of a seance or ouija board use, sometimes through
reckless magical conjurations (for a demon may not consider
itself "banished" at the close of a ceremony), or
even via one's psychological imbalance (such as excessive sorrow,
hostility or psychosis). And having achieved a foothold in this
plane, they can become insidious, formidable adversaries, wholly
devoted to inflicting despair, and notoriously difficult to
expunge.
One method of dispelling a demonic presence is to remove oneself
from its presence, from the setting of the infestation, allowing
it to simply dissipate for lack of the psychic energy which
it provokes through fear and frustration, and upon which it
seems to feed. Obviously, this isn't always practical, nor do
demons always so easily relinquish their holds. This is when
intervention and assistance is called for, either from open-minded
clergy who accept the existence of such phenomena, or from experienced
and competent paranormal investigators.
The investigating team will endeavor to find the source of the
trouble, determine the type of haunting ('intelligent,' 'residual,'
or 'inhuman'), log and analyze all available data, then decide
what measures should be taken to counter the harmful influence(s).
If it is judged to be a demonic agent, what must be avoided
is a personal, one-on-one confrontation with these forces, which
would be dangerous and most likely ineffective. Never meet the
demon for a showdown on its own terms; exasperated rage serves
only to strengthen them, and most seem adept at bringing out
the very worst in people. Once they incite conflict within a
family or group, cause panic, or drive someone to the point
of exclaiming "Damn you! What do you want from us?",
they then have the upper (invisible) hand.
Remaining as calm and scientific as possible in the midst of
a demonic assault is unquestionabley a trying discipline, but
it is developed through experience, and with the essential support
of fellow investigative team members. A paranormal investigator
needn't be fearless, or saintly. (Hopefully not, since I fall
far short of both.) However, he or she must assess his or her
own strengths, as well as limitations.
-Carl
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