Possession and trance are some of the most misunderstood elements of Witchcraft and African Traditional Religions- such as Haitian Vodou, New Orleans Voodoo, and the like.This time around on our youtube series Witchcraft & Voodoo my co-host Sable Aradia and I discuss possession and trance in our respective traditions. We began this ongoing video project discussing the similarities and differences between our respective traditions of Witchcraft & Voodoo in 2016. Since then we have discussed the important issues and questions such as : Deities, Money, Sex, Divination, Food, Cultural Appropriation, and much more truth about these religions.
When thinking about this, the first thing we have to do is distinguish spirit possession from demonic possession. Through trance and training people can open themselves up to spirit possession by divinity, demon, or to whatever walks in.
There are two books I usually recommend when people ask me about this topic. The first is Lifting the Veil: A Witches’ Guide to Trance-Prophesy, Drawing Down the Moon, and Ecstatic Ritual by Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone. The other The Essential Guide to Possession, Depossession, and Divine Relationships by Diana Paxson. I’m quoted in both of these books, but that’s not why I’m telling you to get them. This is a tricky thing to navigate and I think both of these books do a great job of providing you with a solid foundation.
There was a lot to cover with this topic, it’s something I have written and spoken about extensively over the years. In my post Possession is 9/10 of Voodoo Law I write “Possession is a mystery. It’s one of those aspects of Voodoo that strikes fear deep in the hearts of men, I think because at its core it’s about control. The whole process seems to scare people when it should inspire them. I’ve spoken a lot about what Voodoo sacred possession isn’t. It isn’t slapping a goddess in the face, it isn’t vomiting pea soup, it probably isn’t what you think it is.” Watch as we discuss what it really is, what it feels like, and where to learn more. And don’t forget to like and subscribe !
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