SP/Deity Assumption

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SP/Deity Assumption
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Post # 1

My title did mean to say "Spirit Possession and Deity Assumption" but I ran out of room. Also this is the beginning of what I want to post. This section is extramely huge so I am going to have to do it a little bit at a time.

What is possession- It's having control of something or ownership.

How does possession work- First things first unless the person is dead, we must remember there is a soul inside the body, so for possession to work the soul that owns the body needs to move over and give room for the deity/spirit to move in. Gods are a lot bigger then we are,so only a small part of them when being possessed will actually enter us,no matter how much we could try and squish ourselves. The rest of Gods being will either be swirling around the body or not even enter the space at all. Though its said that the more "humanlike" the deity is the smaller they are in comparison to the older and less "human" gods.

Some people are what you would call " wired" psychically( possibly neurologically) for being a horse (the term horse is actually borrowed from the Afro-Caribbean religious traditions), while others are not. This is not saying that people who are not natural horses will never experience possession, it's just they have a very slim chance. Having a gift like this is not something someone can really practice and master, the possession really depends on the Gods and spirits themselves, if they don't want to possess you, they won't possess you.

There are many different reason why a God/Spirit would want to horse someone a few but definitely not all of the reasons would be for information purposes.This would fall into place if a God would like to talk to a person "face to face" rather then getting their information translated though a spirit-worker and having the chance of the information being messed up.Another reason would be for training and by this I mean sometimes things can simply not be taught to you through words,images etc.It may require a God/wight to enter your body(does not have to be fully)and "motor you through" this.( This is how Raven Kaldera got taught pathwalking with the help of Loki) As well sometimes the beings may want to use a body to teach someone else.Other reasons for this may be the purpose of public devotion.This is a real valuable public service because for some people seeing someone horse a deity and then maybe getting the chance to talk to them face to face is a very important thing for them, as well as for the Gods themselves.

There are different levels of deity assumption that a person can experience,starting from the lowest level to full-on possession.( This list started to circulate a long time ago around the neo-pagan community and was said to be attributed by Willow Polson)

Enhancement- This level is when a person is speaking about a deity.This is sometimes done though third person invocation,story telling etc. Doing this will help enhance the person/people's understanding about the deity,make a connection to that deity or feeling the presences of that deity. Enhancement is based more on the knowledge about that deity rather then having a strong in-depth relationship to them.

Inspiration- This level is similar to the enhancement process where you are still telling the story or giving a invocation but the difference is your speaking from the perspective of the particular deity. Instead of you simply just speaking about them you are actually speaking for them. Instead of stating that this deity did this and this,you start to state this deity wants this and this. You start to speak from the deities view point. The person who is doing this should not only have a understanding about the deity but also have a good connection with them as well and have a understanding of what they want.

Shadowing- This is where the deity "rides along in your head", shadows your mind. This is where the horse can feel the deity like they are right behind them,speaking to them clearly.(some can even keep up running conversations in shadowing) This is not full-on possession because the horse still has complete control of their body and their actions.Now you are opening yourself up to that deity so you should make sure that you have experience with this deity as well as a strong relationship.

Integration- This level takes you a little bit further into things where now your actually speaking like "you are" the deity.(Speaking in first person) This is normally only done at the high point of a ritual.(It would be similar to the Wiccan's "drawing down the moon")You become like a vessel repeating the exact words for the deity,the words that you speak just flow out of your mouth and you don't control what you say or how it is said.

Aspecting- The line between Integration and Aspecting is very slight.This is where you become a full channel for the deity's energy,however you still have control of your body because the deity has not fully taking it over yet. This can be referred to as co-consciousness which means that the deity's energy and mind as well as your own energy and mind both are shared and exist together. This is less dangerous,difficult, and much easier on your body and soul then full-on possession and also this can be mistaken for full-on possession if you have never been ridden before.This would be a stage that most spirit workers go into to channel deceased loved one,minor spirits,etc.

Possession- This level is the most strongest and intimate out of all the above. This is where the deity actually comes into the body of the person and places their soul,energy,and personality fully into that body taking full control. The deity can then freely move around in that body and talk directly to the audiences.Usually the horse feels very distant from the whole thing(like seeing and hearing through the view of being very far away or like they are underwater)Some will experience almost or complete unconsciousness of the whole thing where they will only remember bits and pieces of the event missing huge chunks in between or have totally memory loss. This can be related to the situation of a deity driving a car and your in the back seat behind glass or your locked in the trunk.

Hope to get more up on this topic soon :D

Sources: Drawing down the spirits- The traditions and techniques of spirit possession by Raven Kaldera and Kenaz Filan

http://www.northernshamanism.org/shamanic-techniques/spirit-possession/levels-of-deity-assumption.html

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Re: SP/Deity Assumption
By: / Novice
Post # 2
I eagerly await for you to write more.
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Re: SP/Deity Assumption
By: / Novice
Post # 3
This is a repost of information I posted on the High Magic forum.The following information on the Assumption of the Godform comes mostly from my good friend Andrew Cooper, Magus of the Academy of Opened Ways, with some ammendments from myself.

The technique of the Assumption of the Godform is among the most impressive, as well as challenging, techniques in esotericism. A careful study of a chosen pantheon in depth is required, along with the willingness to spend a great deal of time in extended meditation and devotion to each of the pantheon's deities. Yet, if done carefully, and in a progressive and step-by-step manner, Assumption of the Godform can offer practical occultists instghts into the depth and power od ancient cults, practices and ideas that simply reading about them can not.

The fundamental idea behind the Assumption of the Godform is that within each of us there are powers tha tlie in potential for awakening, and that by identifying ourselves with those idealized expressions of said powers from ancient times, in the form of "gods", we can awaken through resonance similar powers and wisdom within our own psyche. The multitude of gods, demigods and heros of ancient mythologies represent various means of expressing the highest ideals of that time.

Supprisingly, they also seem to do the same for modern practitioners as well, in that the Western World lacks a cohesive and comprehensive modern mythology that answer life's questions in the same fashion as those of Greece or Egypt.

Modern mythologies, such as Star Wars, Twilight and Harry Potter, exert a strong influence ocer our collective psyche, but lack the coherent veneration, sacred status or socio-political position of some of the ancient cults. Modern churches, as survivors of the Medieval and Renaissance periods, also lack any appreciation for the techniques of direct experience, although some methods have managed to sutvive in the Roman Catholicism and some minority Protestant sects. In short, if we are to have a technique that offers us direct experience of an ideal in our lives, a vertiable means of incarnating an aspect of deity, then we must turn our attention to the ancient cults for some guidance.

Assumption of the Godform as a practical technique exists on at least three different levels. The first level of the practice is the easiest, and consists of little more than sitting in a chair and imagining that you are the chosen deity - Thoth, Ptah, Jesus, etc. This is fundamental to the success in the advanced levels, and it is suggested that this practice be undertaken until competency and familiarity with the practice is developed. Much in the same way we move from the simple to the complex assumptions when going from minerals to plants, animals and finally humans. "As above, so below".

On a second level, it is important to study the deity you have chosen in great detail. When picking a godform, it is not uncommon to pick one for each of the planetary powers, and when possible have them come from the same pantheon. In many cases the Egyptian gods and goddesses are suggested for several reasons. One, the have been for aeons, and still are today, used by esotericists and as such have an inherent power that makes success easier. Second, they are abstract - neither too human, as the Greek deities, yet not too unattainable as others.

When this is done, and you have picked the god you wish to assume and have studied it's apperance, gestures and mannerisms, you begin to build a small likeness of it in your heart. Once you feel comfortable with the image you have built, you may begin to "grow" the image until it almost fills your being. Stay at this level for some time.According to Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki, Assumption of the Godform can create tremendous pressures on your endocrine system, presumably as it stimulates the psychic centers on a very physical level, and should be undertaken slowly and with patience so as to not create psychic or physical imbalances. I can attest to this after resuming my practice after a serious thyroid condition. I almost blew myself out, and had to go back and take baby steps. Remember, this is advanced work. Take your time.In the next level, you grow the god within, and allow it to expand beyond your body, growing to immense height. You may wish to also sence it "merging" with its corresponding image in the cosmos. That is, your god grows to meet or become one with its corresponding forces in the cosmos. Like to mirror images becoming one.

After prepearing yourself, sit in a chair in the "Pharaonic" or "Egyptian God" posture. Imagine the god envelops your entire being, slightly larger than you, and that you are in complete identification with it. Do not rush this part, but take your time before proceeding to the next step.

Once identification is established, stand up and extend your arms to the sides, and breathe in deeply through your nostrils. As you do, imagine the name of the god is being inhaled in flaming white light. Let the name descend to your lungs, heart, solar plexus, abdomen, genitals and feet. Then, vocalize the name using the voice of the god.Success is hard to describe, but a definate sensation will be felt. If a single vocalization exausts you it is considered a sign that it has worked. A sensation of intense heat, onset of sweating and possibly even trouble remaning standing will occur.

Once you are done, visualize the god, give thanks and ask permission to repeate this. (You did ask permission to begin with, didn't you?) Feel the deity fading away as you let the visualization fade.Now, I would suggest that you do these exercises within your temple, with proper clearing and opening. If you are not fully competent with the LBRP, and perferably Opening by Watchtowers, then there may be better things to study. There are methods beyond this, but I will refrain from going into more advanced exercises for now. This exercise is not for beginners. It's not usually given out until you are accepted into the Second Order.

I hope everyone finds this interesting.

LVX,

Shawn.
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Re: SP/Deity Assumption
By:
Post # 4
Wow... there is a lot of information here. It was really interesting to read and I can't wait for the next part!
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Re: SP/Deity Assumption
By: / Knowledgeable
Post # 5
Very nice, fairy. Always enjoy these topics I do.
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Re: SP/Deity Assumption
By: / Knowledgeable
Post # 6

This was a great post. I love the NTS view of Horsing.

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Re: SP/Deity Assumption
By: / Knowledgeable
Post # 7
This thread has been moved to Norse Paganism from Misc Topics.
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Re: SP/Deity Assumption
By: / Beginner
Post # 8
In Buckland's Book of Spirit Communications, possession is defined as "When an undesirable spirit or entity takes over the body of a living human, forcing out and overriding that human's spirit. It possesses and refuses to give up possession unless driven out."

I think the proper term you are looking for instead of possession, is mediumship. "When a human voluntarily allows another spirit or entity to make use of their vocal cords, hand and/or arm muscles, or other parts of the body; but never giving up total control of the entire body."
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Re: SP/Deity Assumption
By: / Knowledgeable
Post # 9

Embrace, this is from a Norse pagan type of view. We don't consider it mediumship, we consider it possession-work. There are different levels of possession work, some willing and some nonwilling.

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Re: SP/Deity Assumption
By: / Beginner
Post # 10
Ah, okay. Thank you for clearing that for me, Personified.
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