Demons, Exorcism, Divination & Magic

Lehman & Myers

Rituals of Divination: Supernaturalization of Knowledge

Pandian

Demons Realities in the human mind Possess the power Rituals to counter-balance good & evil

Balance is fragile Inflict pain & anguish in people Most common is the demon

Possessions Possessions

“An integration of spirit & matter, force or power & corporeal reality, where boundaries between individual & environment are negotiable.”

i.e. Aymara Indians of Bolivia Haitians Voodoo rituals

Exorcism “the driving away of evil spirits such as demons, by

chanting, praying, commanding, or other ritual means.” Caused by an evil spirit entering the body/mind Prevalent in American Indians (Latin America).

Exorcism Techniques for exorcising

Sweat baths Trephing- Egyptians & Incas Manipulating & massaging the body Sucking out Scraping or Sponging Reciting spells, coaxing, singing, tempting, causing

discomfort, etc. Catholic church continues to accept and perform

exorcisms in Latin America

Divination “Learning about the future or about things that may be

hidden” Magic & Religion basis

10 Divination Techniques1. Dreams2. Presentiments3. Body Actions4. Ordeals 5. Possessions by spirits6. Necromancy7. Animal types 8. Mechanical types9. Nature types10. Miscellaneous divination

Magic Function

Imitative Magic Contagious Magic Sympathetic Magic

Magic vs. Witchcraft

Rituals of Divination: Supernaturalization of Knowledge

Divinatory information Intervention with deities/spirits Interpreting natural phenomena Special techniques

Practitioners Shamans, witches, sorcerers Urban practitioners- Astrologers, palmists,

mediums/psychics

Rituals of Divination: Supernaturalization of KnowledgeDivination without Human Experiment1. Augury2. Ornithomancy3. Geomancy4. Pyromancy5. Lithomancy6. Hydromancy7. Astrology8. Somatomancy9. Neomancy10. Prenology11. Ophthalmoscopy 12. Palmistry13. Metoscopy14. Physiognomy

Divination Involving Human Experiment1. Ordeal2. Haruspicy3. Hepatoscopy4. ScapulimancyDivination through Dreams & Trances1. Oneiromancy2. Chremastismos