Levels of Deity Assumption

1. Enhancement

In this stage, a person is speaking about a deity. This is often like story-telling, giving an invocation in the third person, etc. It is meant to enhance or improve a persons understanding about a deity, to establish a connection with them, and otherwise acknowledge the presence of that particular deity. The only requirement for this stage is to know about the deity beforehand. No in-depth work with that deity, or intimate relationship, has to be established prior to this.

2. Inspiration

This step is very similar to the first. You are still story-telling, or giving an invocation, however this time you are speaking from the perspective of that particular deity. Instead of speaking about them, you speak for them. Your perspective is now their perspective. Instead of so and so did this, it becomes so and so wants this now. This step requires a connection to the particular deity, and the person should have a clear understanding of what the deities wants or need, and how they wish for their messages to be relayed to others. You can rephrase the wording, dictate if you say what is wished, how you say it, when you say it, etc.

3. Shadowing

Shadowing is as the name implies: the deity shadows your mind. This is often thought of as having a voice in your head. The deity actually rides you in this stage, often giving the horse the feeling that the deity is right behind them, clearly speaking to them (even going so far as to provide a commentary during the entire experience). However, the deity is not using the body, has no control over the body, and the horse is in full control of themselves and their actions. Obviously, this requires an intimate connection with that deity, and you should have had experience with them before going this far. While many see the being in control of your own body aspect as meaning you are completely safe, it isnt true. You are still opening yourself up.

4. Integration

This is a step beyond shadowing. The person begins to speak *as* the deity, from the first person. Similar to drawing down the moon. This is an intimate, personal, intense connection to a deity in which you relay their words and thoughts immediately. You have no dictation. You do not control what you say, how you say it, when you say it. It flows from the deity, through your mouth, and out into the world. You are a vessel, an interpreter, relaying the exact words of that deity.

5. Aspecting

Aspecting is subtly different from Integration. This involves the additional channeling of the energy from that particular deity, however, the deity still has not taken control of the body or used it for some purpose. This is called consciousness sometimes, as it implies that the deities mind/energy is present along with the horsess. Aspecting is definitely less costly, less difficult and less dangerous than full on possession and often this is what most people wish to achieve in their work. This is the stage most workers go to in order to channel minor wights, the souls of the deceased, etc, to get a message across.

6. Possession

Full on possession is the most in-depth out of all of these, the strongest most intimate connection that can be achieved through this. It is when the deity comes into the vessel, displacing their own personality/soul/energy with their own for a time. During this stage, the deity speaks directly to the audience, and commands the horses body. This stage has been described a couple of different ways for the horse. Some say they feel very distances, as if they are underwater or a far distance away, only seeing and hearing as if they are not fully present. Some are completely unconscious or are unaware of the experience altogether. Sometimes this is compared to a deity driving the car (body) while the person (horse) is in the backseat.