Archive for March, 2008

When I was younger my mother would often recount her experiences of possession that she had witnessed in Bali where my father lives. I remember one story she told of my grandmother who had been walking with a tiger skin which she was going to bury on my father’s property as part of a blessing ceremony. All of a sudden she fell to the ground on all fours and began to growl and snarl like a tiger. For the Balinese this is common-place. In fact it is rare for there not to be someone who becomes possessed at a Balinese ceremony. My coven-mates soon discovered that I had also inherited this family trait and soon, like the Balinese, they became used to it.

Possession is a rich tradition which manifests in many cultures. Throughout South-East Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and the Americas possession is a ritualised event at which devotees may pay homage to the spirits by singing hymns of praise or giving offerings in the presence of Gods incarnate.

From the West African Yoruban traditions derive Santeria and Vodoun, the ancestral fetish religions that honour the Orishas and Lwa respectively. In Santeria and Vodoun possession is called ‘riding’ as it is believed that the Orisha or Lwa rides the devotee like a horse. In South-East Asian cultures the shamanic undertone of many village possessions is quite prominent. In Bali before a dance performance a priest will often entrance and bless the dancers so that they become hollow vessels for the spirits. Those dancers whose job it is to actively integrate with the persona of a deity or spirit will generally fall under the spell when wearing specially-made masks. Many believe that each mask possesses a potent spirit which will inhabit the wearer.

In the Western Mystery Traditions we seem to have lost our special knowledge of possession or else the interest in cultivating this avenue of understanding and working with the Divine has diminished. However so much of our cultural heritage rings true with it; from the oracle at Delphi who spoke with Apollo’s voice to the Witch who draws down the moon.

‘Drawing down’ is a common phrase used in Wicca and other traditions of Witchcraft to refer to the ritualistic calling in of the spirit of a deity into a priest/ess. Historically it applies to the Witches of Thessaly in ancient Greece who were believed to be able to call down the moon from the sky. This belief was also shared by the Romans. In Wicca the moon is a symbol of the Goddess and therefore it becomes a poetic metaphor. When the ancients spoke of Witches drawing down the moon it may not have referred to possession at all and may in fact be a literal reference to physically drawing the moon out of the sky. However the propounders of Wicca (e.g. Gerald Gardner) may have simply felt a spiritual resonance with the idea and absorbed it into the tradition’s framework. Pagan possession however is as old as Paganism itself.

Any student of shamanism knows that attaining trance is essential for journey-work. Trance-states are also necessary in transcending the ego, which opens the self to the Divine. In truth the Divine (the All, and all of Them) is ever-present, and as always in the Arte, it is ritual, devotion and prayer which aids in expanding consciousness so that awareness of these Truths (the Divine) ignites. It is called enlightenment in the East and the grail in the West and it this which is felt when drawing down/in.

To draw down a god is unlike any other experience. It is as if one grows (and deepens) in all directions simultaneously. The Spirit and the Flesh no longer present a dichotomy to the mind and all is merely an expression of something else – an endless spiral; a continuum. The seam of the self is split, the garments of the soul entwine around the outer-self and the ego dissolves. Once this threshold is crossed the deity generally manifests within the body (the pure temple) and adopts the physical as a means of expressing the divine persona (or archetype). The voice changes, the eyes seem brighter/darker and for those looking on it seems as if the body is growing taller and stronger, while the presence of the Divine is keenly felt.

In ritual-space drawing down is generally a facilitated process whereby a priest/ess is properly prepared (having fasted throughout the day) through cleansing with the elements and trance-induction. The ‘caller’ will then kneel before the priest/ess and speak aloud the charge/invocation to attract the deity. The deity then becomes one with the priest/ess (the vessel) and the drawing down is fixed for as long as the deity wishes to remain within the body. Of course there are many different levels of possession. These include aspecting, gnosis, communion, ‘speaking as’, and possession itself. The degree of intensity to which an individual will undergo will depend on the experience of the person in terms of trance and ego-transcendence, how well they have prepared and also the psychic susceptibility of the person.

For those who easily become nauseous or disorientated after powerful magickal work drawing down is not recommended. Nor is it suitable for anyone under the influence of external substances (drugs and alcohol). If you are serious about drawing down and ritual possession you should take a month to meditate, perform psychic and auric cleanses, balance the body with good diet and regular exercise and learn as much as you can about the deity you wish to draw in. On the day of drawing down it is recommended to fast as any dense undigested matter within the body will distract the mind from the task at hand. In this case lightness of all kinds is a good idea.

Before beginning the ritual of drawing down the space should be properly prepared. In the Wiccan tradition the Circle is cast and is then asperged and censed using incense and blessed water. The Elements are then formally invoked at each cardinal direction and the priest will kneel before the priestess (or vice versa, though a priest can kneel before a priest, as can a priestess before a priestess). At this point the external theatrics are performed by the ‘caller’ (s/he who kneels) and the inner work of aligning with the deity happens within the priest/ess drawing down. Deep, rhythmic breathing is initiated and the inner self is hollowed out to resemble a vessel not unlike a chalice or urn. Visualisation is used to aid the flow of energy from one point to the next (i.e. from the crown chakra downwards, passing through each energy centre in turn). It is important to remain centred and unattached to one’s ego. Let go and let the Gods (in), as they say. Creating a mental image of the deity in question will also aid the process. In fact more often than not the deity will present itself a certain way; from toe to crown in its apparent ‘physical’ entirety. The deity or spirit will then step forward and enter the body. At this stage a definite shift should be felt within the body, I call it the ‘click’; your awareness turns itself over and something or someone else is looking through your eyes and speaking with your lips.

Ritual possession is a deeply misunderstood and maligned aspect of Pagan spirituality, and for this reason it has been sorely neglected. Many Pagans do not understand or have never been witness to true possession and thus group it with the twisted tongues of charismatic Christian churches or the Hollywood cliches. There is also a rationalistic knee-jerk reaction when it comes to such intimate contact with the Divine; how could we ever hope to hear the words of the Gods or witness their grace and presence in this realm? I have learnt this from Them. The Gods are not above or beyond the potential that shines within the soul. They are great and powerful yes, but they do not feign omnipotence or command anything from us which was not there to begin with. The Old Gods of Nature are exactly that – they have been, and will always be, the timeless spirits who flow with the tides and currents of the great Wheel of Life. The faces they show are the faces we see and this simple but profound communion reminds us of the unity which pervades all things. It is possible to be the Gods when there was never a time in which we were not so.

This article appeared in Issue 10 of Spellcraft Magazine.