What the hell is a demon? Is it a red-skinned, horned pigmy that sits on everybody’s left shoulder, consistently trying to muffle out the angel opposite it? Could a demon be considered a poltergeist, where strange and usually malevolent phenomena haunt an entire house or building? What about the strange things that people continuously report to see around the world, like pale children with black eyes knocking on their doors in the dead of night; canine cryptids much like a hairy dog sasquatch; or the classical Bigfoot; or the “shadow people” pervasive throughout reports of sleep paralysis; or even aliens? However accurate any repertoire of reports may be, it is an entirely different matter gauged on an individual basis, but the persistence and broad range of reports throughout culture and history suggest an underlying phenomenology that is somehow physically tangible, to some degree; the real question is what mode of expression the kind of phenomenology is operating under, and what parallels can be drawn from thereout.
It is actually quite frustrating to hear an individual talk about a Loch Ness Monster, or an alien abduction, and yet have literally no concept of classical demonology and general folklore. But how does any of this fit with classical demonology? At first, it may seem like an unbelievably forced parallel, and one that entails an overtly negative tone, but the synthesis is actually quite seamless, and is a body of research that has been contributed to throughout the span of human culture. As far as extraterrestrials are concerned, the US Intelligence Community has already determined this demonological approach to extraterrestrials, and ideas like Ufology are simply one marked resurgence of this phenomena within the collective consciousness, and is nothing particularly new. In fact, it might not even be from beyond Earth.
Before continuing, however, it is important to supply a historically accurate definition of demonology, which is an entirely occult philosophy since the subject inherently draws from the pantheon of entities throughout any and all religious doctrine. Essentially, if it is a being that is considered sentient in the physical dimension, but its state of pre-manifestation is non-physical, then this is considered under the study of demonology—whether they be good or bad, positive or negative. Generally speaking, the hierarchical gods of a doctrine, like Jehova and Allah, are not considered as part of demonology, whereas hierarchical gods of other doctrines, like Shiva, Shakti, or Isis, are often commonly seen in this classical field of study. This is likely due to the culture clash that was rampant between the East and the West, especially regarding religions—and this trend can be seen all throughout demonology.
The subject itself is an incredibly tedious and complex network of ideas, where there are a multitude of different cultural phrases that mean the same thing, and different interpretations of the synthesis of all these different ideas. For a deeper historical context, the word demon, originally was spelt “daemon” by translation, which was a pagan word for “spirit” whether this be a helpful or harmful spirit. When the Catholic Church began assimilating outlier pagan ideas in order to engulf them, “daemon” became “demon,” and since anything equated to paganism was considered evil, any “daemon” that a pagan spoke of was always a “demon,” which as a result became the personification of Satan’s henchmen.
Despite the Catholic Church’s incredibly bigoted approach to metaphysics and entity communion, they still did wonders for the subject of demonology as a study. Not only was the Church perhaps the first group to begin classifying the vast array of “heathen entities” on a large scale, they were some of the first to begin employing this type of demonological shamanism on a large scale as well, with exorcism. If people want to make the argument that the demons of classical exorcisms were people with massive mental disorders, then fine—it’s a terrible explanation for traditional reports of levitation, et cetera, but the Catholic Church is a propaganda matrix anyway, so this will merely be a side note.
What can be clearly demonstrated by the Catholics’ approach to Demonology, however, is the aforementioned parallels between it and traditional shamanism. Little known to psychedelic Buddhist hippies, Deadhead-types, and New Age “half-truthers,” shamanism not only embodies the core of ancient medicine and transcendental healing—but also embodies the depths of possession, mind control, indoctrination and curses or hexes. This startling contrast within shamanism is best understood with the real history of psychedelic chemicals throughout culture, which can be seen here.
The bare bones of the discussion at hand boil down to White Magick and Black Magick; Transcendental Magick or Abysmal Magick; the synthesize of Natural Law or the perversion of it. Thus, the history of demonology proves a unique and useful tool in understanding the energetic exchange of these two different spectrums, and thus elaborates a quintessential link between man and the divine, for both the light and dark perspectives. To further explain this point, a quote is taken from Arthur Waite’s The Book Of Ceremonial Magic, written in 1913, which can be read here.
“Each of the occult sciences was, however, liable to that species of abuse which is technically but fantastically known as Black Magic. Astrology, or the appreciation of the celestial influences in their operation upon the nature and life of man, could be perverted in the composition of malefic talismans by means of those influences. Esoteric Medicine, which consisted in the application of occult forces to the healing of disease in man, and included a traditional knowledge of the medicinal properties resident in some substances disregarded by ordinary pharmacy, 1 produced in its malpractice the secret science of poisoning and the destruction of health, reason or life by unseen forces. The transmutation of metals by Alchemy resulted in their sophistication. In like manner, Divination, or the processes by which lucidity was supposed to be induced, became debased into various forms of witchcraft and Ceremonial Magic into dealing with devils. White Ceremonial Magic is, by the terms of its definition, an attempt to communicate with Good Spirits for a good, or at least an innocent, purpose. Black Magic is the attempt to communicate with Evil Spirits for an evil, or for any, purpose.”
As an after-note, there is obviously some considerable argument amongst which kinds of entities are light or dark, but this series will show that the argument is unnecessary in the face of empirical deduction and scientific reason. And of course, an educated discussion of superstition, folklore and the paranormal, would not be very educated if it did not propose and discuss scientific data suggesting a fundamental nature which bears a sense of true understanding—an understanding that is not based on superstition and hear-say, but is reminiscent of them both.
Take, in case, researcher Michael Talbot’s The Holographic Universe, as a fundamental and outright scientifically empirical approach to metaphysical and paranormal phenomena, a notion that is based on the advanced mathematics that produced the modern-day “hologram.” As modern study penetrates deeper into brain sciences, computer sciences, and physics, the context for the esoteric and metaphysical language that ancient man used begins to grow exponentially—and it merely takes some aggregated analysis of these new discoveries to learn this. The human brain has been found to be a biological radio transmitter of Hertz waves, which is the same electromagnetic phenomena of the Earth’s magnetic field, and scientific study has already done a great deal in showing the relationship that human brains have to the Earth’s field.
Suffice it to say that it is simply a matter of common physics for the human brain to interact with self-contained “signals” of electromagnetic frequency within the earth’s atmosphere. Whether or not these phenomena come directly from Earth, it can at least be said to stem from the type of transmission of the electromagnetic field of the planet. If this sounds far-fetched to someone, then they simply do not understand the esoteric nature of the Microcosm and the Macrocosm—and the science that has gone into elaborating the conjunction. The only real question left here, is whether or not the human brain projects these informational signals as a hallucinogenic animation of the signal’s informational data, or whether these signals are carriers for a degree of self-contained intelligence. This, as well, will be one of the primary focuses of this series.
Related Reading: Your Esoteric Initiation – Part 5: Fortean Ontology – A Meta-Analysis of Esoteric Metaphysics, the Paranormal and Ufology
Additionally, researcher’s Manly P. Hall’s lecture titled, “Thought Forces and Psychic Ghosts,” is recommended listening:
Ultimately, this type of paranormal, metaphysical, trans-dimensional plane phenomena is honestly an undeniable facet of the inner human experience within culture and society. Regarding this notion as false is fundamentally unscientific by standards of empirical investigation, and the only thing actually false is the general human understanding of these experiences. Especially in fields of study such as this, the Trivium and Quadrivium Methods of Learning are absolutely essential in research—and furthermore, even under the strictest empirical investigations (the types that will be laid out in this series), the unexplainable is equally undeniable.
From the Buddha’s Mara, to Adam’s Lilith and onward, it seems likely that everyone has a demon of some kind.
[accordion title=”21st Century Demonology Continued” close=”0″]Part 1: Esoteric Sciences, Fortean Cryptozoology, & Beyond
Part 2: Folklore, Sleep Paralysis, and Brain Waves
Part 3: Theurgy and Jacob’s Ladder to the Stars
Part 4: Media Metaphysics & Shamanic Trances
Part 5: Cast Index, Ceremony, and the Metaphysic Ecosystem[/accordion]
Sources: https://www.thelastamericanvagabond.com/your-esoteric-initiation/your-esoteric-initiation-part-5-fortean-ontology-a-meta-analysis-of-esoteric-metaphysics-the-paranormal-and-ufology/, http://www.sacred-texts.com/grim/bcm/index.htm, https://www.thelastamericanvagabond.com/altered-boy-podcast/psychedelics-shamanism-esoteric-manipulation-human-culture-featuring-jan-irivin-gnostic-media/, http://projectavalon.net/The_Holographic_Universe_Michael_Talbot.pdf, http://persingerpublications.com/, https://www.god-helmet.com/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WIBvL975Mw, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-VM5R5rC6U, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sQVYOs9NX0, http://www.sacred-texts.com/fort/damn/damn00.htm
I believe the Jews had their own demonology and Protestant deliverance ministers would recognize demons the Church does. The Jews were quite exclusive and the evangelical Protestants are not going to accept pagan gods as anything but demons (theirs have kind of let the priesthoods God has created and sponsored know their nature), so it would seem strange that you would single out the Catholic Church as bigoted. You seem to have a particular set of beliefs, so your attacks on The Church is a bigotry. Might it be that you fear it? Could it be the occult is just the outer ring of a more intentionally-demonic ring of Satanists that seem to have a thing for stealing consecrated Catholic communion hosts and destroying statues and not taking it destroying bibles, menorahs, Buddhist, Hindu or Wiccan things? Does it offend the ego, which seeks special powers and not the Divine Logos, who might or might not find it prudent? Is it because it says “No” to making up what’s real what you want to be real? I know power seekers and those who dub themselves the ultimate arbiter of truth hate that! Sorcery is an attempt to get powers and knowledge by force from spirits of a dubious nature that they have no authority to receive. It strokes the ego. The Church used to have less vulnerabilities to the whims of the ego before the 60s, when the priest faced the cross most the time, the musicians were not visible and average folk weren’t up front doing what was the priest’s work, but it’s teachings are still a healthy form of ego-depletion. That leads to self-control. How can you have any connection with the divine, if you use your ego to do it? You go to God and ask or seek prayers of those closer to Him, even if they are physically dead, and see if it’s granted. If you were using magic, you would be hauling them over and expecting an answer, but that doesn’t happen. That thinking is the most powerful. Some eastern religious people seek that help without expecting an answer, but they try to get themselves out of their professed cycles of rebirth. Kundalini is the same thing. Read the Litany of Humility and read the Gospel passages of loving one’s enemies, forgiving them, as we need forgiveness and doing good to those who hurt you.. Read about I bet no religion teaches that.
Oh yeah, no drugs are used, as in many native religions, and native religions’ deities seem to be at odds with God, as they did not do well when the same God, which Moses worshipped, took control over the elements and creatures that belonged to the Egyptian religion. He was no more a sorcerer than a priest consecrating a host to make each Jesus. Being a pencil in the hand of God is not being a magical conduit when they feel it would benefit themselves.
There is also no mind control or why would so many Catholics be contracepting. We have free will and are allowed to do our own grave by our willfulness, but not without God’s loving attempts to wake us up–even if not comfortable, in the least. Paganism always had servile fear; Christianity, as Jesus transmitted his knowledge for us to know, pushes love of God, but there are eternal penalties for straying. Those are for love, but also because, through the Second Person, Jesus, he died for us. Whether you believe that or not, no other religions have deities that have done that.
Ultimately, it has shown me it’s true. It even studies the people, messages and the byproducts of apparitions for hoaxes, natural causes, the reliability of the messages amongst seers, and for error. It’s teachings have shown to be true spiritually and in society. The doctrines have never changed and have set healthy perimeters for saints to do beautiful things for mankind; as opposed to secularist and “progressive” do-gooders, as well as those that violently conquered a people with no blessing from their Faith, that have done it their way and their intentions have lead their charges to a spiritual, if not physical Hell. It happens via the occult, that opens vortexes to demonic realms where demons come smelling pride.
God bless you, despite your rant! I hope you see the real light.
Well Phil, it appears that you and I embody the classical opposing sides of metaphysics that have been around since the discussion of it. Your arguments are not credible in my eyes due to my own personal research, but you say the same for me, and I ultimately don’t disagree with your overall viewpoint. I’ve lived with Roman Catholics most of my life so I’ve heard all of this before. i’m not going to try and counter-argue your entire life’s philosophy here, but suffice it to say that I examine both sides of the argument–i deeply examine the ideas you have proposed and i also examine the other side that you seem to condemn. I don’t condemn symbols and thoughts, I condemn any negative intentions behind any of these symbols. This is how I define good and evil, not by the symbols themselves, and i feel that you are missing the fundamental point of my entire body of research. furthermore, it might just be me, but your whole “god bless you” approach feels quite backhanded and not like genuine altruism. I see this a lot with the dogmatic minded and I feel that it is a quintessentially limiting function of the mindset as a whole. genuinely, good luck to you on your travels and thanks for considering my work, whatever it may mean to you
The God bless you is a courtesy blessing to say I can be almost aspie- nerdy about this stuff and I can’t help it, now. That was a friendly gesture, but I know some use it as a retortor something. To spite my melancholic nature, I try to be make up for my Brainy-Smurf-like comment. Still you picked the fight, despite us being soft-core compared to evangelicals Let’s call the whole thing off.