Dear Julia:

I was young and none too knowledgeable about the occult. My interest was intense, however, and geared to a darker stream of thought. One night, I constructed my own Ouija Board and conducted a solitary seance as best I knew how. I scared myself very badly and woke in the night with the impression that there was a boy floating inches from my face. Since then, I suspect that I have allowed a male entity from a decidedly "lower level of the Astral Plane" to gain access to me. This entity appears to be a violent and sexually motivated individual.

I have had many disturbing astral encounters/dreams, and I seem to have developed a dark personality "undercurrent" running beneath my normally light and good-natured disposition. This extreme duality within me has been remarked upon by my partner and others. They are as mystified as I am by my episodic rage and aberrant sexual preoccupation.

I have seen the face of this being in "waking dreams" and he's not happy. My life is generally geared towards positive growth, yet this feeling that there is a "beast within" never departs. Is there any way I can test to see if I am co-habited by a negative spirit? Is there some way I can spiritually cleanse, release or remove it? Please help as I am in need of solid advice on this problem.
- Brian

Dear Brian:

You have come to the right place! I have dealt with this sort of thing myself, and helped others as well. I don't usually write about such matters because I don't want to scare anyone. Since this is not an uncommon experience, however, I feel it's important to be honest about it. I'm sure there are many people who have struggled with the same sort of problem who need to know that they are not alone, and need advice on how to manifest new peace and well-being.

When we go poking around in other dimensions as you did, we increase our chances of "picking something up" there. This can even happen to people who are very experienced with spiritual dimensions if they fail to remain very mindful of their own energy.

Like you, I have at times also found myself thinking things I would not normally think, and like you, these took the form of violent and perverse fantasies. They would play in the background of my mind for a day or two until I paid conscious attention to them and realized that these were not my own thoughts. (A big clue that a thought is not your own is when you "shock yourself" with what you're thinking. It's almost like watching something on TV and being appalled or disturbed by it.)

I would then realize that I had gotten complacent or careless in my work with Spirit, and failed to follow spiritual protocol, perhaps by simply forgetting to set a very high clear intention. Another time or two, I realized that I had succumbed to some lower temptation (lost my temper, did something I knew was wrong, gotten caught up in fear by watching a scary movie, etc.) and thus opened myself up to lower energies. In order to safely explore other dimensions, we have to keep our own energy very high and our hearts and souls very "pure."

When novices start exploring the "occult," they often get themselves in trouble. When they approach the other side without a reverent, respectful attitude, or with a "dark stream of thought," as you put it, then dark experiences naturally follow. This is actually a common early experience of the astral plane, because it's normal to be "afraid" in initial encounters, and the low vibration of this fear naturally leads to dark or scary experiences.

So now what do you do? First, trust that your own assessment is indeed right. You do have a lower astral entity attached to your aura. While we all have inner shadows, you are not the one producing those violent, perverse fantasies. You now know that you picked this entity up by not being careful in your approach to spiritual matters. This is sort of like going into a hospital and not paying any attention to hygiene; it's not surprising that you picked up a nasty bug. This has thus been a very valuable lesson.

Knowing how this happened and that it is a common experience should help you to relax a bit, which is important, because the answer here is to rise above fear so you can raise your vibration and radiate your own higher essence. This is like turning on your inner light; it will naturally dispel any shadows in the vicinity.

It is your fear that enables this entity to "live off" of you. It plants dark thoughts in your mind to keep your vibration low. When you're not consciously flowing your own higher essence, it can sort of "take over" - this is when you experience those rages and perverse thoughts. There is a spiritual battle raging within you between your own higher nature and this shadowy entity. You must be very strong in resisting any temptations to act in ways you know are "wrong," for doing those things allows the entity to maintain its hold on you.

Just as there are dark entities (and unenlightened people) in the Universe, there are light entities (and good people) too. You've asked me for help, and are receiving it. You can similarly ask guides and angels (whatever you want to call helpful beings in Spirit) for help, and receive both guidance and energetic support for freeing yourself from this experience. Ask and you will receive!

Align with forces of light and love. Read spiritual books and watch uplifting movies and submerge yourself generally with all that is morally and spiritually of the highest. Meditate and radiate your own inner light out from your heart chakra, and visualize all shadows naturally disappearing. By dwelling on love, staying in integrity, and maintaining good intentions, you will raise your own vibration. This is how this battle is "won." As you turn up your inner light, it will surround you and naturally keep shadows at bay.

If you have a Spiritualist church or minister nearby, you should be able to find some great help there. An energy healer may also prove helpful. Know that you can free yourself from this without outside help, however, and that would prove the most empowering in the long run.

Pray for help from spirits of love and light, and know that just as a bright light gently and naturally dispels all shadows, so too can divine forces and your own higher nature obliterate all negative influences on your energy.

I've sent some powerful helpers in Spirit to your aid already, and I'll keep you in my prayers!

- Julia