Dear Julia:
I've always been interested in the occult, and tried astral travel when I was a teenager. One night when I was 18, I felt a lower astral being floating over me, speaking in a very low, deep voice. That scary experience put me off, and I didn't attempt it again.
My boyfriend has complained of seeing three dark figures at night. Then last night things took a turn for the worse for him. This morning he was quite distressed as he told me he felt himself leave his body (he'd never astral projected before) and the three entities were there, one hovering over my body the whole time. Another one told him in a baritone voice to kill me, then he heard screaming voices shout at him to get back into his body. At this point he found himself saying "kill Helen" over and over, and as he tried to fight it, he felt massive chest pains.
I know this sounds far-fetched, but I am certain these beings have followed me for years. (I'm now 24). Please, is there any advice you can give me on freeing myself from these things? Thank you.
- Helen
Dear Helen:
I don't want to alarm you, but to help you, I must be frank: This is a serious case of spirit possession.
The attachment of earthbound entities is quite common. Most people have non-physical entities attached to their auras at some point in their lives. Usually these entities are not malevolent; they're simply lost, hungry, and trying to get along as best they can like the rest of us. They're like stray cats that follow us home.
Possession by a spirit is usually a gradual process, much like the development of any relationship. Initially the connection is tenuous, but over time, it can grow deeper and stronger and have a greater influence over us. When a spirit is present but an individual is in control, they have a spirit "attached" to their aura; when the spirit starts to influence their thoughts and actions, we say they're "possessed."
Spirits can't possess us unless we first let them in. As few of us would do this consciously, it usually occurs through spiritual ignorance and the failure to control our own lower natures.
We must have something in common with an entity for it to be attracted to us in the first place, and for it to get a foothold on our aura. Strong negative feelings such as anger, fear, sorrow, stress, depression, self-pity, greed, vengefulness, jealousy or guilt can attract entities of a similar vibration. Further, the more unconscious we are of such feelings, the more vulnerable we are psychically. This is one of many reasons that repressing our emotions is a bad idea. The better we know ourselves and the stronger our own will and self-control, the less susceptible we will be to spirit attachment.
Fear is the main weapon spirits use to gain power over us. This is why most people are so terrified by even the idea of malevolent spirits; scaring us is what they do best. Spirits can't physically harm us, of course; they can only try to mentally influence us to think and do as they desire. It's their goal to be terrifying, however, for fear not only lowers our vibration and thus our psychic defenses, it's also big, juicy energy for such entities to feed on.
Most likely, the command to "kill you" was designed to freak you both out and divide and conquer you. It's entirely possible that you've managed to keep these entities at bay for a long time, and that they are trying to either get to you through your boyfriend, or create drama and upset in that relationship in order to lower your vibration and your psychic guard.
The best defense against negative entities is to purify our hearts and minds of dark thoughts and emotions, and to cultivate faith in a higher power and a close personal relationship with the Divine. If we have nothing in common with negative entities, then they won't be drawn to us in the first place, much less get their hooks into us. It would be like a shadow trying to infiltrate a light: If you turn a light on, everything around it is naturally illuminated; darkness only exists in the absence of light.
Given the malevolent nature of this situation, I recommend you get some outside help. I sense that neither one of you is religious, which may be part of the problem. If you resonate with a particular religion, then I recommend you seek help via a priest or minister and begin attending services. Surrounding yourself with people of faith will help in and of itself. If you have no religious inclinations, find your closest Spiritualist church and seek help via a minister or medium there.
Also, research the term "spirit possession," and explore the work of Ken Page and also the work of William Baldwin, Ph.D., who wrote Spiritual Releasement Therapy, a Technique Manual. I am personally drawn toward the work of Robert Bruce, who has explored the astral via OOBE's, and has lots of great ideas for dealing with negative entities at his website, Astral Dynamics.
In the mean time, there are some key things you should both do to take control of this situation.
*Reclaim your own psyche by avoiding drug and alcohol use; conquer your addictions; avoid dark influences like horror movies, crime shows and negative people; stay away from heavy atmospheres like bars, hospitals and cemeteries; question everything and think for yourself; maintain healthy habits and a positive attitude; pray; live with kindness, compassion, honesty, integrity, etc.
*Be on the lookout for dark, immoral or scary thoughts. If you find yourself thinking something shocking or horrible, consider it a red flag. Affirm that this is NOT your own thought and then consciously choose to focus on something more positive. If this is difficult for you, pick up a spiritual book and start reading. If you make a habit of stopping and saying to yourself, "Whoa, where did THAT come from? That is so NOT me," negative entities will look for easier prey. It's a bit like hearing a noise in your yard and immediately turning the flood lights on: if someone is trying to break in, they'll run away so you can't catch them.
*Pray for help and protection from God, angels, spirit guides, etc. If you can pray with your boyfriend or other people, your prayers will be exponentially more powerful. The archangel Michael is a powerful protector. Here's a prayer to call on him for protection:
Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in the day of 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 the other evil spirits who roam through the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
*Do not become obsessed by this situation. The more attention you give to negative entities, the more attention they'll give to you. Get involved in positive activities and maintain balance and harmony in your life via a healthy diet, regular exercise, proper rest, etc.
*I was once stalked by a demon, and through this experience, I learned that the best defense against dark forces is love. Meditate with compassion on how sad it would be to be a lower astral, to be that lost on the other side, and send such entities love and your sincere prayers that they find their way. This will turn up your own inner light and naturally chase the shadows away.
Know that your will can and will eventually prevail. If you are determined to remain steadfast and true to your own spiritual values, you will. Now that you are conscious of what is going on, you can take control of your spiritual life by cultivating purity of body, mind and spirit.
- Julia