by Louise Ireland-Frey, M.D., C.C.Ht.

No stranger to members of APRT or the readers of JRT, Dr. Ireland-Frey is a physician, well schooled in the rigors of scientific research. It is, therefore, doubly interesting for a person of her background and training to undertake an exploration of this topic. In a recent letter to the Editor, she addressed this, writing, “The trouble—and the fascination—is that the farther we go into the metaphysical and mystical realms, the more questions we come face to face with and the more shaky some of our firm old theories become.” She expects some skepticism. So do we. One of the purposes of JRT is to present new ideas and alternative approaches to inform and, hopefully, stimulate our readers.

Introduction

It is not surprising that even among members of such a group as the APRT, acquainted with mystical and metaphysical ideas and methods, the subject of obsession of human beings by non-human entities is controversial. This division in thinking is due in large part, I believe, to the backgrounds of the various members. Most are therapists with education from the mainstream of Academia, with the vocabulary of modern psychology and with the concepts that stem from Freud, Adler, and especially Jung. Some of us, however, reading Jung’s autobiographical book, Memories, Dreams, Reflections, may have come upon some statements or suppositions that cause us to murmur, “Oh, that isn’t quite the way it is. My experience has found that…” Yet most of our concepts are still the concepts of orthodox current psychological teaching.

Others of us, although perhaps having some background in current psychology, have had teachers from other backgrounds, or have had training that emphasized concepts other than the “accepted” ones. Examples might be Theosophy, Catholicism, or other religious denomination, Taoist or Buddhist or Hindu teachings, etc. At present, for myself, I find it easiest and simplest to put aside my mental doubts and questions and accept at face value just what the obsessing entities say of themselves: that they are individual beings, individual consciousnesses not part of the client.

Having just re-read M. Scott Peck’s book, People of the Lie, which has a Christian leaning, I realize once more how universal is the feeling among therapists of all backgrounds, that love is of the greatest importance in dealing with the clients and patients who come to us for help, and with the entities that are obsessing them. The best way to express this type of love may be as a small child once put it, “I love everybody in the world. I even love the Bad Angel, but I don’t love the things he does. God loves the Bad Angel, too, doesn’t he?” This is reminiscent of what our parents used to repeat, “Hate the sin, but Love the sinner.” As therapists we need to hate the sin but love the sinner, whether the sinner be human or non-human.

Dr. Peck stresses the value of love in dealing with dark entities, but he implies that his methods, with a team of co-workers, were similar to the harsh ones of Catholicism, which Malachi Martin, a former Jesuit, describes in his book, Hostage to the Devil, (1976). Dr. Peck agrees with the statement by one priest who had performed exorcisms, that a portion of the exorcist seems to die with each triumph over a demonic entity; that exorcisms are dangerous and deplete the exorcist and his fellow therapists, and indeed may even endanger the very life of the exorcist.

Thus far I have not encountered any more depletion than after any other long (two hours or more) therapy session, and often feel an uplift after a releasement which may last several hours—a feeling as of clearing and blessing. Before any expected releasement session I invite the presence of several Bright Beings, asking for their wisdom, guidance, and protection, not only for myself but for the client and any obsessing entities. I have encountered dark entities that were dangerous only two or three times. In every case I have felt that the strong “back-up” of the Bright Beings was more than sufficient to control the dark ones.

There appear to be several types of non-human entities, and several types of dark, i.e. demonic, ones. Those described in Malachi Martin’s book are not types I have found in any of my patients. Neither are those described by the gentle white-bearded Swiss doctor, Hans Naegeli-Osjörd, M.D., in his book, Possession and Exorcism (1983). Among those that I have found, however, there are at least three types: the minor demons who say they have no name; the stronger more malicious ones; and the very strong ones, intelligent and shrewd. In his comprehensive manual, Spirit Releasement Therapy, William Baldwin makes mention of these three, but not of the types described by the authors quoted above…Is it that we simply have not yet come across those types? Or is it that we are not deemed ready yet, as therapists, to encounter such strong demonic forces? Are the entities appropriate for each individual therapist the entities directed to that therapist? Is that why many therapists who practice releasement have not found any dark non-human entities in their clients, while others encounter dark ones not infrequently?

In the two or three instances of very strong dark entities that I encountered, they escaped from me and from my questions and gentle admonitions. Used to force and violence and opposition, they did not know how to deal with gentleness and compassion—they found these unbearable and simply left—disappeared—were no longer present. My client, who was peacefully relaxed in hypnosis, returned to normal awareness. I did not know where the dark entity had gone, nor how, nor for how long. To be sure, my client was free; but presumably the dark entity was now also free, to attack and enter someone else, or, in a few cases, to re-enter the client. I felt that in some way I had failed, when a dark one escaped.

In the case reported here, the channel, an experienced meditator, took a much more active part than is usual for a channel in my work, and the dark entity was not permitted to escape, although it wanted to and tried to.

Method

Although any means of inducing an altered state of consciousness in the client is acceptable, I usually use a very brief hypnotic induction (30-60 seconds) with brief deepening afterward. Then, if the client does not have a “yes” and a “no” finger, I give these by command, usually the index and little fingers of the hand nearest to me. The handedness of the client seems to make no difference.

The first questions can be finger-answered: “Are you deeply relaxed enough to begin the work?”—then, “Is there any consciousness, any mind or entity, in this body that is not C herself?” If “Yes,” ask, “Are there two or more such entities?” An accurate numerical assessment is not necessary at this stage but an idea of the number to be dealt with is good.

From this point the therapist talks directly to the entity: “I am speaking now to the strongest entity in C. Please come out and talk with me. And I’d like to know your name. Just put the thought of your name into C’s mind. C, just say aloud the very first name that comes into your mind.” Usually there is no difficulty in getting a name. If there is, simply suggest, “All right, I don’t have to know your real name. Is it all right if I call you No-Name?”

Other questions help to differentiate human from non-human entities: “How old are you?” (A human soul usually stops aging at death and gives the age at which death occurred. If the answer is “Ancient,” or “Thousands of years,” or “I’ve lived forever,” a non-human entity is suspected.)

“Have you ever had a physical body of your own?” (If the answer is “No,” it is usually a truthful answer. If the entity says, “Yes, this is my body,” the therapist explains, as always, that the client’s body belongs only to herself or himself, not to any invading consciousness or entity.)

“If you were visible to me, how would I see you? Describe your appearance.” The entity may simply say, “Ugly,” or “A dark blob.”

“Why do you call yourself ugly?” It may answer, “Because I’m bad.”

“Why do you feel that you are bad?” and so on.

These answers are typical of minor demons who tend to tell the truth about themselves and are really not happy to be what they are, and are often almost eager to change and to escape from their bondage to the Darkness.

History of this Case

“Byron,” the son of a woman in my workshop class, had previously been released from a strong dark entity. For a few days the young man had felt much lighter and freer, but then he told his mother that the dark entity had returned. It had tricked me (the therapist) into thinking that it had gone to “the half-way place.” Such deceptions, or attempts, are not uncommon from dark non-human entities.

Now, in a class workshop on the subject of releasement, Byron’s mother requested that the dark entity in her son be the object of a demonstration of releasement of non-human entities. Although prepared to be the channel herself for her absent son, she was glad when Harry, another member of the class and a friend, volunteered to channel instead. He fulfilled the important qualification of having no fear. He also had long experience with various meditation techniques.

The following is a somewhat condensed account of the session.

The Session with “Power”

Facilitator: I am calling the dark entity that is in Sue’s son “Byron.” Please come. Remain outside of Harry’s body but put your thoughts into his mind and he will speak them for you. Please come and talk with me.

Channel (coarse voice, unlike his normal voice): What do you want?

F: Why did you come back to Byron?

Entity: Because I wanted to come back!

F: Did he invite you?

E: It’s more what he did. He was proud. He thought he was so great because he got rid of me. Of course when he’s proud it’s easy to get back in.

F: If he was proud that he got rid of something bad and he felt good about that, don’t you think that that pride was justified?

E: I help him.

F: I’ve talked with you before, but I don’t remember your name. What is your name?

E: Why should I tell you my name if you can’t remember? And what difference does it make if I’m good or not? Byron likes where he is. I have lots of power. I will teach him all that he needs to know about power!

F: You like power and I think you get a kick out of controlling people, but I don’t think you are happy.

E: I’m not sure what happiness is.

F: I don’t think you know what “Peace” and “Love” are, either. I doubt if those words are in your vocabulary. They are part of the universe you have had no experience of.

E: Why have you had me channel through this man?

F (taken by surprise): Why do you ask?

E: He’s uncomfortable.

F: (to channel): Harry, are you uncomfortable?

E: No, I’m uncomfortable in him. It’s like talking to you about peace and love. The only thing that makes me happy is POWER.

F: Dark One, I’m going to put my hand on this man’s hand. You can feel it, and you know that I care about you. One Dark One challenged me, “Why should you care about me!” I told him, “I can tell you the word, but I doubt if it is in your vocabulary. The word is ‘compassion.’ I don’t think you know what that is, or ‘happiness’ or ‘peace.’ You don’t understand any of those.” Dark one, I have been instructed to tell all of you dark ones three things: First, that there IS such a thing as the Light.

E: No.

F: No, what?

E: There is nothing but POWER. You don’t care. Byron wants me back. I’ll stay with him. What would he be without me?

F: There is a far greater Power than to control others. There are so many things besides Power, Dark One! You have such a narrow-minded attitude toward the whole universe. There is warmth in my hand. You can feel the warmth. There is warmth in the Light, too.

E: I feel like you’re setting me up. You’re trying to push this Light on me.

F: This man and I are suggesting it. There is so much more to the universe than you know. If you just turn around 180 degrees, you would perceive a different Power.

E: We argued this before. That is an illusion. There is nothing but Power.

F: Remember that Basic Law of Life that I told you of before? “Whatever you do to others will come back to you eventually.” If you control others, you will eventually be controlled by some stronger Power. I have invited some Bright Beings here. Just turn around, let the light of the Bright Beings shine on your face. You’ve been facing the darkness of your own shadow. No wonder you could see so little!

E: You suggest I go somewhere?

F: I give you several options. You do have free-will—that is the second thing I am to tell you—but you are not to remain in Byron.

E: Show me something better.

F: You need to cooperate and turn around—or at least turn sideways—and perceive the Light on your face, and see what you haven’t seen for ages and ages. If the Light seems too bright at first, the Light would be softened for you. Feel the warmth.

E: So there’s light. So what else is there besides light?

F: There is free will. Open your mind. Let the Light shine in. Feel the emotions that come into your heart.

E: I’m free where I am. I have control.

F: You feel you are a great Power, but you are scared because the Power of the Light is greater than yours. (Gently) Go to the Bright Ones. You feel their power is greater than yours. Pause now and test the power from the Bright Ones.

E: No. If I go, my power will be taken. The Master of Power will take my power away.

F: What is his name?

E: The Master of Darkness.

F (challenging): You are afraid of doing this. You are scared. You are his slave, his robot!

E: He has set me free to do this. He doesn’t control me.

F: He does control you. You are his puppet. But you do have free will. You can make your own decisions.

E: I don’t wish to hear any more.

F: Why don’t you want to?

E: My place is here.

F: Listen to me, Dark One. I think you are cold; I think you are lonely, despite all your talk about power and being free. You know that I tell the truth. There is an existence with a new kind of power. You are under the control now of your Master of Darkness, the Father of Lies. Do you think he would not deceive you? Of course he would! That is his nature! Others have told me that he would not deceive them. But he did. He has deceived you if he told you there was no such thing as Light, except for the burning destroying fire.

E: How do I get out of here? I hate this place. I would like to go, but I am held by this man (the channel).

F: You have three options.

E: Go away.

F: First, you can go back to the Darkness and stay there forever and never bother any other living being, human or non-human.

E: No.

F: Second is the one I’m urging you to choose for your own sake, to go now to the Light.

E: This is the best place for me.

F: The third option is that you go to the round bare room lined with a million mirrors. You will be alone; no one will harm or bother you. You can look at yourself, admire yourself, talk to yourself as long as you desire. It may get boring. But you hold the key, you control how long you stay there. Only when you ask, of your own free will, for the Light to come can you be free. The Light will laser down and release you.

E: There’s no place for me except in Byron.

F: No, that is not an option. Oh, there is a fourth option, to accept annihilation and be blotted out of existence. This is very rare, but one Dark One did choose it, of his own free will. He said, “It would be peace.” I’m going to count slowly from one to ten, to help you decide.

E: No.—No.

F: Then I’m going to remain silent in your presence while you make up your mind. You feel a quiet strength and power here in this house.

E: I wish I had not come.

F: (counts softly, reviewing the options between numbers).

E: I don’t want the Darkness…I don’t want the mirrors…If I go to the Light, I’ll die. The darkness is the only life I have.

F: WHO TOLD YOU THAT!!! The Master of Lies? Look inside yourself, Dark One. There is something there that belongs to you, but you have forgotten it. What is there? What do you find in the middle of the darkness, the very center of yourself?

E: You keep trying to get me to see the little tiny star that is there.

And Now a Little Star—

F: Yes, that’s what I mean. You wouldn’t see it when I talked to you before. What color is it?

E: Pure white.

F: Watch it. What happens?

E: I’m trying not to watch it.

F (chuckling): Watch it anyway.

E: I’ll be destroyed.

F: Your Master is the Master of Lies, remember. Watch the star. What happens?

E: It wants to expand.

F: It’s alive, it wants to expand and grow. Dark One, you’ve been living in darkness and lies. The Light will shine more clearly into your mind now. Feel it!

E: It feels like I am dying.

F: What does the star feel like?

E: It is hot. It will burn me!

F: Who told you that?! It is not hot, just warm. You work so hard to persuade yourself. Some Dark Ones have found that under the darkness in them is Pain, but under the Pain is Light and its gentle growth.

E: My memory knows nothing but darkness.

F: But now there is a star. It is your star, and it proves that you were created as a child of Light. You know that I’m telling you the truth.

E: You trapped me.

F: No, I called you, and you came. I want you to—

E: You trapped me.

F: It’s your dark Master who trapped you. Your Master has been deceiving you.

E: Why don’t you let me go? This man makes me stay and listen to you. You could make him let me go…My strength is disappearing…My strength is going…Is it Harry’s serenity?…It’s going—it’s waning—(fearful).

F: Permit it to go, gently, gently.

E: I will die.

F: Let it go peacefully. You will not die. I will tell you how to begin your new livingness.

E: I should have fled when I was (called out of Byron?) (words lost here). Why do you try to trick me?

F: I’m not tricking you. Relax, take it easy. I’m going to give you something so much better than anything you’ve ever known: Joy! It will be like a seed at first. You can grow. Let your darkness go, Dark One. You are about to be newly created. Look at your star. Tell me about it. How big is it?

E: It’s still small. I’m almost gone (voice fading)…

F: Move into the star.

E: What will be there?

F: Go in and find out.

E: There is so little left of me…(voice feeble)

F: One Dark One said he was so small after all his darkness had gone that his name should be “Infinitesimal,” but he was happy. Use your little strength to go into the Brightness.

E: They will dissolve what is left of me.

F: They cannot dissolve what is Light—only the darkness. Become the star.

E: How do I do that?

F: Desire to be in the star …Look, feel (very softly) how quiet, how peaceful…You feel you can grow and expand. You don’t feel powerless…(Pause, silent) I’m so proud of you. I can’t call you “Dark One” any more. I’ll call you “Star.”

E: I still feel darkness. It’s hard to let go. He (Harry) won’t let me lie to you. There are still corners and traces of darkness that I kept for me. It’s all I’ve ever known.

F: Star, let them go, and all your memories of darkness. Turn your mind to the other memories.

E: What memories?

F: You forgot your life as a star. Recall those memories. Ask the Bright Ones to give you the memories of your star.

E: When you (they?) are gone, where will I be?

F: You will be taken to your own appropriate place of safety where you can rest.

E: I may not be dark, but there’s darkness around me.

F: You will go to a quiet place where your nature will change silently and wonderfully, just as a ground-crawling caterpillar changes in the cocoon into a new creature. When the chrysalis opens, what comes out? (no answer) What comes out, Star?

E: I don’t know much about your world.

F: An air-flying butterfly with beautiful wings comes out, to fly free in the sunshine. Now turn toward the Bright Ones, Star. Do you see them?

E: I see—two—kind of spheres of Light that are coming for me. Can I trust them?

F: Of course you can trust them. You could not trust anyone when you were dark.

E: There are two lights. They are drawing me…

F: Yes, and you have free will to go with them or not.

E: Can I trust them?

F: Yes, Star, of course you can.

E (plaintively, questioningly): Why was I thrown so far into the blackness? There was nothing to be but to be black.

F (Mentally rejecting the word “thrown”): Star, I don’t know why you were so far in the darkness. Some entities seem to start out as little mischievous ones who find it “fun” to trick and annoy others, and then gradually they become more malicious and darker, and then a strong Dark One captures them.

E: I’m trying to remember what it was like when I was out there.

F: Just trust yourself now, relax, and let the Lights take care of you.

E: I can’t.

F: Yes, you can.

The Client, Wounded But Free

E: Who’s watching over Byron?

F: His soul is watching over his body. You had no right to be in his body. Only he himself, his mind and soul, has that right. What part of him is opening to let you leave him?

E: It is through his right side, his head and into his heart and body.

F: Is that where you’ve been?

E: Yes.

F: Thank you for telling us this, Star.

E: You must find a way to close and heal the open place…I am being drawn away from all that was dark, and this place is fading.

F: Are you ready to go now, Star?

E: Will you take care of Byron? (His nature is changing; this is genuine concern.)

F: Do you want to say anything to Byron as you go?

E: (pause) I am sorry…I am so sorry…I meant no harm. (whispering) I’m so sorry—I’m so sorry—(tears).

F: You see, now you are beginning to have a new vocabulary. And this sorrow is a clean sorrow.

E: Please take care of him.

F: We will—his mother, and Harry, and I. Shining Helpers, here is this little Star. You will take it to its own appropriate place.

E (weeping softly): It hurts. It hurts.

F (gently): Yes, birth often hurts. I place my hand on Harry’s forehead: Let the pain ease, let the pain come into my hand and then go out of this room harmlessly. (Harry said afterward that the pain and weeping were catharsis and needed to be allowed to go on longer, for perhaps five or ten minutes.)

F: I ask the Lights to take Star to his own special place.

E (still quietly but deeply weeping): I am so sorry (whisper).

F: And let the pain ease. Breathe it away…Goodbye, Star. (Pause) Tell us what you see, Harry.

Channel: He’s going, but he’s in great pain. This pain is enormous.

Facilitator (to the Spiritual Advisor: Master Ching): Is there something we should do for Star’s pain?

Ching: The Light will heal him.

F: What do we need to do to close the aura of Byron and heal this wound?

Ching (first a pause of several seconds): I had to calm Harry first. He felt the pain of the Dark One…Byron: Focus hard on Byron. Bring him into the center of this group and fill him with light. He is unnerved right now. Surround him with light. Fill him with that Light, and send him peace. Do that now.

F: Thank you, Master Ching. Byron, we are calling you to be in the middle of this room. Your super-conscious mind hears. We visualize the great Light filling the empty space in you, clearing, cleansing, healing the wound, restoring your aura to perfection for you, bringing health and strength to you. We see you surrounded by Light, especially in your head and upper body. If you feel a tingling, it is all right.

F: (continuing the guided visualization for the group, for Byron): You feel serene and tranquil. You’re peaceful. You sleep peacefully tonight with light all around you. This evening with your friends, none of the conversation programs you negatively, whatever words are said around you. Meanwhile in this room we see the White Light around you, filling you, cleansing you, filling that wound with light. And we thank you, Bright Beings, for all your help. I ask you to fill Harry’s body with all the strength he needs, with as much memory as he is permitted to remember. We send our blessing after Star…Bring yourself back, Harry, at your own rate.

Comments after the Session

Harry, as channel, took an active part in this releasement. He was aware not only of the entity’s thoughts and emotional reactions but also of his own, keeping control of the entity and of himself at all times. He said that when I, as Facilitator, called “the dark entity in Byron,” there was a tremendous power in the words that jerked the entity to us before it knew what was happening; otherwise, it might well have fled while it was momentarily free—as it said later it wished it had done.

I was not aware of the power Harry spoke of. I had used only my normal conversational tone, but firmly: “I am calling the dark entity…Please come.” I believe that the power came from the Bright Beings (Buddha, Jesus, Master Ching, our own Higher Minds) whom we had invited to be present and to oversee the session.

Harry said that through his meditation technique he “confined the dark one within certain vibrational limits.” Strong dark beings are usually difficult to persuade, and break the contact with the Facilitator and the victim. As channel, Harry was able to prevent this dark one from moving too freely and from escaping.

Harry felt also the initial power of the dark one, but said that after a certain time the power began to fade rather rapidly. I have noticed this same tendency in other releasements of dark beings. If the Facilitator can hold onto his self-confidence long enough, and if the channel can hold onto the entity long enough, the entity’s strength, arrogance, and opposition diminish quite suddenly. Sometimes the coming change is indicated by a subtle difference in the entity’s tone of voice or wording. The Facilitator needs to be sensitive to such a change and begin a still more gentle and compassionate type of persuasion.

When the dark entity tried to lie and say that all its darkness had been dispelled, Harry made it tell the truth: that it had kept some bits of darkness hidden away as seeds for its very life. “Its shape was something like an object with corners, and it was keeping bits of darkness hidden in the corners. It truly felt that it would die if all its darkness were dispelled.”

The dark one was genderless, Harry said, neither male nor female. This one was focused on Power and the control of Byron. Others are focused on their “assignment,” such as confusing a person’s mind with drugs; stirring up discord in a family; causing the victim suffering, as by cancer; producing despair and suicidal thoughts; etc. Most say that they were able to enter the victim during a moment of great fear, anger, or pain.

Conclusion

Just before this session Harry had asked me, “Do you believe that there is a spark of the Light in every creature, even in Dark Ones?”

I had answered seriously, “From all my experience with releasements, I can say that I truly believe that there is. Like the Quakers, Theosophists, Universalists, and others, I am convinced that there is Light in every creature, human and non-human.”

After this experience as a channel in direct contact with a dark entity, Harry remarked, “You told me that you believe there is a Light in every dark being. Well, I don’t believe. I know.”

I nodded, “I think of the Dark Ones as Prodigal Sons that have not yet decided to turn home; they are still in the pig-sty.”

“Yes,” agreed Harry, “that’s what they are: Prodigal Sons.”

When they are thought of in this way it is easier for the therapist to remain calm and compassionate while still being firm, unshakable in his or her orientation toward the Light. The Dark Ones may argue and dispute. The role of the therapist is therefore as much to teach them about the Light and about their own free will as it is to get them out of a human victim; the last step is to get them safely into the care of higher spiritual Beings on the path to a higher dimension.

The “soft talk, soft touch” approach of Baldwin is far better than the harsh, confrontive, forceful methods of the old exorcism rituals. The former result in a true change in the nature of the Dark Ones, whereas the latter result only in a freeing of the human victim from the Dark Ones, who are then able to go elsewhere and obsess or possess some other victim.

The case presented here is a good example, a good teaching case, especially in consideration of the valuable assistance of the channel, both during the session and in his illuminating comments afterward.

For therapists who are just beginning to become workers in releasement, it is good to start by reading first the books by Annabel Chaplin, Edith Fiore, and Carl Wickland. The work of releasement is urgently needed by many people—more qualified therapists are needed, therapists who keep an open mind regarding such “meta” fields as demonic forces, extraterrestrial beings, and so on. With the help and protection of the Forces and the Beings of Light, may we all keep working to release ourselves and our fellow beings from obsessions, whether literal or figurative!

 

References

Chaplin, A. The Bright Light of Death. Marina del Rey: Devorss and Co., 1977.

Fiore, E. The Unquiet Dead. Garden City: Doubleday and Co., 1987.

Maurey, E. Exorcism. West Chester: Whitford Press, 1988.

Martin, M. Hostage to the Devil. New York: Harper and Row, 1976.

Naegeli-Osjörd, H. Possession and Exorcism. Oregon: New Frontiers, 1983 (Eng. trans, 1988).

Peck, M. S. People of the Lie. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1983.

Ritchie, G. G. (1978). Returnfrom Tomorrow. Old Tappan: Fleming H. Revell Co.

Wickland, C. A. Thirty Years Among the Dead. Van Nuys: Newcastle Publishing Co., 1974 (First Pub 1924).

 

Valuable Reference Works

Baldwin, W. J. Spirit Releasement Therapy. Falls Church: Human Potential Foundation, 1991.

Lucas, W. B. Regression Therapy: A Handbook for Professionals. Crest Park: Deep Forest Press, 1993.