By LC Duplatt

angelsghosts.com

Many in western cultures believe in demons as being evil agents of the devil who are out to get mankind. This doctrine of belief was created by Christian religion over a period of time, and so I find it necessary to investigate the origin of the word "demon."

"Originally a term applied to deity in general, manifested in its active relation to human life, without special reference to any single divine personality.  But as early Hesiod, the daemones appear as subordinates or servants of the higher gods.  He gives the name especially to the spirits of the past age of gold, who are appointed to watch over men and guard them.  In later times, too, the daemones were regarded as beings intermediate between the gods and mankind, forming, as it were, the retinue of the gods, representing their powers in activity, and entrusted with the fulfillment of their various functions.  This was the relation, to take an instance, which the Satyrs and Sileni bore to Dionysus.  But the popular belief varied in regard to these deities."

This widespread belief in daimones was attacked over time by Christian church leaders in order to discredit ancient Greek and Neoplatonist beliefs.  St. Augustine devoted two chapters of "The City of God" in pursuit of this aim.  By medieval times, the Christian church had completely condemned pagan beliefs in daimones, and though people still believed in them, the very definition of daimones was transformed into being "demons" (or devils). Demons came to be taught by religious leaders as the messengers and followers of the solitary agent of evil - Satan (Lucifer).  St. Thomas Aquinas further perpetuated this belief by blaming natural disasters and even bad weather on demons, while Pope Eugene IV referred to demons as "agents of Satan."  Again, we have to ask the question, "Has the word daimon had its meaning changed into something fearful for religious purposes?"  

In the book of Acts, and I Corinthians, we can see the word "daimonion" translated as both “gods” and "demons," but in truth the translation from the Greek is better read as "gods," due to the context in which the Apostle Paul was using daimonion in his argument against idol worship (See Acts 17:18 - the word daimon is translated correctly as "gods;" but in I Cor 10:14-20, the word daimon is incorrectly translated as "demons" or "devils" in some translations).  This alone illustrates the intent of translators to make the passages line-up with their church doctrine (religious teachings). 

Again, it is important to know that the original meaning of the Greek word "daimon" (and its derivations), as written in some of the books of the New Testament bible, was changed over the next two millennia into today's current beliefs and teachings about devils and demons.  If we were to look at some other passages containing the word "daimonion" in the gospels of the New Testament, we would see that the meaning is synonymous with "unclean spirit" (For example, compare Mark 1:23 with Luke 4:33).  Jesus, we read, spoke to the unclean spirits and they obeyed, leaving the bodies of the possessed.  This is important to understand, because we read that Jesus taught (found in numerous passages of the Bible) that people should look to be clean and pure within.  For example, in Matthew 23:26, we are told that Jesus scolded the Pharisees to "...first clean that which is within the cup and platter, so that which is outside might also be clean."  Interestingly, most near death experiences share a common theme in that many encounter a "life-review" which seems to be a "cleansing process within" in order to help the recently-deceased transition from the physical world unto the next.  This experience often occurs after the tunnel of light and meeting of loved ones on the other side of the grave.  Perhaps, until the soul (or spirit) of a person moves unto this light (tunnel) and cleansing process, the soul is somewhat dark due to lack of understanding, being lost and temporarily covering over the light (truth) that is within them. If so, then perhaps unclean spirits of humans could be the "daimons" Jesus was casting out of those with physical bodies.  Maybe Jesus was instructing the spirits to cease from clinging to humans and the earthly life, and move on unto the light and life-review – call it peace or heaven if you like.  Jesus, who was Jewish, was questioned about this new way of dealing with spirits, after he did some casting out of unclean spirits within a Jewish synagogue in Capernaum. You see, spirits of deceased humans possessing (or being attached to) another person was not new to Jewish believers; but conversing with them and telling them to leave was certainly brand new!

Maybe we need to understand Jesus’ culture better.  In Jewish folklore, a wandering soul (spirit of a deceased human) is known as a "dybbuk."  The word "dybbuk means "clinging" or "cleaving."  It is believed  that the soul of a person sometimes remains behind (call it earthbound) upon death of the physical body, and sometimes seeks attachment to another human being (living) for a mutual purpose, until the dybbuk can move on in his or her own life journey.  A dybbuk is just another name for a ghost…an earthbound spirit.  When one compares the Greek daimones with the Jewish dybbuk, one huge similarity stands out: both have the nature to behave either good or bad.  Don’t human beings as a whole share this same nature of free will?  In the Jewish scriptures of I Samuel 16, we are told a "bad spirit" attaches to King Saul to trouble him.  This is an example of a dybbuk (a clinging human spirit) in the Old Testament of the Bible, and demonstrates that attachment is possible in the Jewish scriptures.  Jesus, being a Jewish Rabbi, was surely aware of all this and knew how to minister to people on both sides of the grave. 

Today, Rabbis experienced in practical Kabbalah still perform exorcisms to help both the possessed and the possessing spirit.  They say that many times, the possession is often due to unfinished business here on Earth.  Perhaps, we need to reconsider our beliefs; just maybe some of us are unknowingly calling the earthbound spirits of people, “demons.”

By LC Duplatt

angelsghosts.com

When one's body dies, they should move unto the light with loved ones and a feeling of peace, love, etc.  This is a cleansing process, and the ones greeting them bring comfort to them as they adjust to being disembodied.  After this experience, typically a life-review is encountered...issues are worked through, etc.  These experiences cleanse the person making them a "clean spirit," for lack of a better term. These spirits may visit loved ones, from time to time, and may become messengers or guides from the light realm to those of us here on Earth.

In contrast, if a person does not go to the light and transition, they will remain earthbound and be in darkness.  How a person felt in the physical realm (mental and physical traumas included) will be how they still feel even without their physical body.  Dark shadows or shadow ghosts are those who have not gone unto the light and are still hanging around. This is a person or loved one who needs help going to the light.  Often, some will not know they are dead (even to the point of remaining drunk or high on drugs if that is the state they were in when passing), or be afraid of going to the light due to shame, guilt or fear of eternal punishment.  Some just want to remain with family members or possessions.  

Earthbound spirits (ghosts) need explanation of their condition and encouraged to move unto the light.  If you feel you have one or more spirits hanging around that is in darkness (which means lost), then speak to them as to their condition and instruct him or her to move unto the light, that their life journey needs to continue, there is nothing to fear and to reach out to loved ones that are with them now.  Those spirits who are in the light are truly there too, trying to reach them and help them transition over.

By LC Duplatt

angelsghosts.com

Some time ago, I pointed out to a traditional, fundamentalist Christian who was very bound by her religion,  that the word "hell" is not in the bible (in the original Greek or Hebrew), and neither are the words "forever" and "eternal," as in "eternal punishment" or "eternal damnation."  The bible word mis-translated as "forever" or "eternal" is the Greek word "aion," which means "a set period of time" - meaning “it has an end.”  The words mis-translated as "hell" mean grave (sheol and hades) or a trash dump outside of Jerusalem (gehenna).  Jesus was simply pointing out that hell is a condition of mind or incorrect thinking.  He said, "All will be salted with fire," when he taught about what has been mis-translated as "hell."  How can we all be salted with hell, if it is an eternal place of torment?  Fire is truth, which will eventually bring everyone unto peace, love and joy. All of us will have to learn to think differently and get rid of the thoughts that are contrary to truth.  For what is hell, but thoughts contrary to the truth of who we are...(us) being separated only in our minds from truth and each other?

Here is a thought to ponder while considering traditional church doctrines about an eternal punishment known as hell:

Since God is all-knowing (omniscient) and all-powerful (omnipotent), then why wouldn't He simply create those who He knew would make the choices He preferred and therefore not have to destroy anyone for making the choices He didn't prefer?  Otherwise, we could most easily say that God is evil and unjust if He created people whom he already foreknew He would have to destroy because of wrong choices.  Could a good God really make the choice to destroy maliciously, when there was no need to create that which He knew He would have to destroy later?  I mean, if God is all-powerful and all-knowing, He should have easily been able to create those whom He truly desired and save us all from ever existing and facing eternal wrath, for making incorrect choices.   At least He would spare Himself some grief, too.  I realize I am being a bit offensive with these thoughts, but I must challenge you the reader, as a religion that teaches an eternal hell just does not make sense and is harmful to people.

We read in the accounts of Jesus in the New Testament that when his disciples asked him, "Who then shall be saved?" his reply was, "The things that are impossible with men are possible with God."  Jesus answered them quite plainly that all would be saved, for in man's sometimes limited thinking, salvation of all is impossible.  And when you really think about it, mankind has put the concept of God creating an eternal hell into religious teachings.  For if these teachings were true, the bible would have mentioned hell as a creation of God in Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth."  It does not say that God created hell.  Why is that?  Man must have created hell in his own mind; for that is what hell is...a state of mind.  The following is from a poem entitled, "A Ghost Speaks," by Gloria Ladd: "Your joy is your heaven, your sorrows your hell."

Jesus told us who creates hell if we pay attention to Matthew 23:15 "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees.  Hypocrites!  For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!"  As Jesus was speaking to religious leaders of his day who were misleading others into false beliefs, he pointed out that those who believe and teach false doctrines are in a state of mind in torment – call it hell.

By LC Duplatt

angelsghosts.com

Shadow people are shadowy, silhouettes of human forms seen mostly at night, and are the most common form of ghost apparition people see.  They seem to typically flee in the presence of people in physical bodies, especially if they realize they have been seen, and are reportedly viewed primarily out of the corner of one’s eye.  Shadow people are not bound by walls or physical obstacles, as they may choose to move through them, while strangely other shadow people seem to believe they have to go around physical objects.

Shadow people are also known as dark shadows or shadow ghosts, and probably are the most misunderstood of entities seen.  Shadow is indication of spiritual condition, and is the absence of light or truth.  In other words, shadow people are disembodied humans who are lost, having not gone forward in life’s journey by refusing to go toward the light after the death of the physical body.  Shadow ghosts are people, not devils, demons or aliens, although some reports are definitely imagination-generated.

Because we fear darkness, many of us have come to believe that shadow people have ill intentions and thus are evil.  However, most shadow people are not negative in nature, and are simply lost and in need of guidance to understand their condition.  Shadow people have been recorded in video as both adults and children, male and female, but often as people reliving their former lives, being trapped by the mind and remaining as earthbound spirits.  

Differing shadow forms have been witnessed of shadow people:  big, small, with and without hats, hooded, and even as black mists of vapor (ectoplasm).  Often times, shadow people have been seen at the foot of people’s beds, most likely attempting to get a message to a loved one, or possibly as a plea for help.  Shadow people are most often witnessed during the evening, preferring to hide under the cover of darkness.  Perhaps this is why many shadow people have been observed peeking around corners.  If a person has decided to remain as an earthbound disincarnate having not gone unto the light upon their passing from the physical world, then it makes sense that they would continue to try and remain aloof by hiding in the shadows – darkness.

The make-up of shadow people appears to be a dense, light-impenetrable, black static, mass of spirit.  Flashlights reportedly will not shine through shadow people, and reports have been given of the shadow person becoming extremely frightened by the flashlight, or possibly that they were visible to those of us in the physical realm.  Interestingly, some shadow people have been described as having red eyes.  Whether this is true or not, I am not sure.  Also of interest, shadow ghosts of animals have also been reported.

Many shadow people are fearful, typically falsely fearing judgment of an eternal hell as everlasting punishment.  It would seem fundamentalist church doctrines have created people who wish to hide in the shadows from (in their eyes) an uncertain future.  Some shadow people appear to be hanging around due to attachments to people, places and things, or even might not realize that their body has died.  In spirit rescue, it has been reported that many a ghost, upon understanding there is a better life awaiting, has willingly moved on unto the light to be with loved ones who were trying to reach them all along.  It seems that sometimes shadow people just need our help in moving on beyond the physical world (their past).  I feel it wise to note that some shadow people do have ill-intent, however, and willingly have chosen to remain earthbound – even unto ghost possession.  These negative spirits still can be helped, and do not fully understand that if they choose to move on unto the light, it will mean a healthier and happier existence for them.

The personalities of shadow people, as mentioned previously, can vary from nice to nasty; not any different from people you will meet that are still in bodies!  When a person passes, their mental and physical condition will not change until they move into the light with loved ones, as a life-review or cleansing process occurs.  After the life-review, the spirits become “clean,” as mis-thinking is purged and truth and understanding is gained.  Shadow people are therefore “unclean” spirits, and retain their emotional and physical baggage, so to speak.  This will manifest as a distinct personality, mentality, ailment, pain, appearance, etc - and even odor, at times!  Shadow people simply seem trapped in their former state, and do not appear to advance in age, intellect, or in any aspect of their condition until they choose to turn to loved ones who are with them, who are attempting to bring them forward unto the light and life.

Respectfully Submitted By Eli Saba

The recent rise in popularity of paranormal investigating, thanks in no small part to ever increasing media exposure (the film White Noise, MTV's Fear and the Sci-Fi channel's Ghost Hunters) received by the field, has led to an influx of investigators, both amateur and "professional" each one showcasing different investigative techniques that they claim help to provide evidence of life after death.
 
Among said techniques, a few are based in science and a few in spiritualism, while some are derived from a mish-mash of both. However, no investigative technique has drawn so much skepticism or generated so much fear as the use of the Ouija,  or talking board...

Though it is suspected that such devices find their origins in 12th Century B.C. Asia, the Ouija is most commonly recognized as the pressboard surface printed with letters and numbers and a plastic planchette sold by Parker Brothers which is believed to be able to allow its users to communicate with spirits via moving the plastic  planchette over letters and numbers that will spell out the spirits' answers to questions asked by the board's users...

Though many see the Ouija as a toy, unfit for use when investigating the paranormal from a "scientific" standpoint, others who take a more spiritual approach often present the talking board as a dangerous impliment, capable of opening a gateway between the worlds of the living and the dead.
This view was probably first popularized by evidence pointing to the passing use of the Ouija by Aleister Crawley. The rise in the popularity of spiritualism in the United States lent credence to the opinion of Edgar Cayce who insisted that the board was "dangerous" and "opened a portal for evil demons" into our realm. This view was furthered by Ed and Lorraine Warren, their nephew John Zaffis, occultist Manly Hall and psychic Susy Smith, all of whom believed the Ouija to be a "gateway to demonic possession"...

Without scientific study, one can only theorize as to what, if any, danger the Ouija poses. Psychologists such as Dr. Carl Wickland cited in his 1934 book, "Living Among The Dead" that, "the serious problem of alienation and mental derangement attending ignorant psychic experiments was first brought to my attention by cases of several persons whose seemingly harmless experiences with automatic writing and the Ouija board resulted in such wild insanity that commitment to asylums was necessitated."..

So where does the truth lie? My personal belief, facilitated by twenty years of experience investigating the paranormal, is that the Ouija, as an object, is harmless; no more than a toy made of pressboard and plastic and mass produced for the entertainment of those ignorant of what we do in our field who are looking for little more than a cheap thrill. However like anything created by man,
no matter how inherently harmless something appears, the danger comes with how it is used...

I suggest,   based on my study of how sensitives practice their craft, that the danger with using an Ouija lies not with the board itself, but with the user. It is my belief that what is occurring when an Ouija is used, is that the users are opening themselves up as conduits for communication, whether it be from spirits, demons or their own subconscious minds in the exact same way that a sensitive or a medium would open themselves up to allow their gift to function. This is the reason that an Ouija created with a shot glass, a Sharpie marker and a piece of cardboard would work as effectively as a hand crafted elm wytching board !

So then the question arises, "Why the need for the Ouija?". Simply put, it serves as a focus for the untrained user. Proper instruction for Ouija use includes clearing the mind and focusing your thoughts upon whom or what it is that you  wish to communicate with, concentrating on the question that you want answered. To my eye, this appears to be little more than an unstructured form of self-inducement of a meditative trance and, in some cases, possible  self-hypnosis; techniques very similar to those used by many sensitives and mediums before attempting contact... 

So why is an Ouija more dangerous than what a sensitve or a trance medium does? Honestly, it's not. As I said earlier, the Ouija is nothing but pressboard and plastic.

The danger lies in the untrained dabbler serving as an open  conduit  between the physical and spirit realms. When someone tells you that an Ouija opens a gateway for spirits, they are misspeaking. The user of the Ouija opens themselves up as a gateway for anything that wants to come through. The fact that the user is the gateway and that they  are nine times out of ten either less skilled than they
believe, or dabblers into the occult is the real danger. And even in non-paranormal cases, the potential for self-damage to one's psyche via the power of suggestion is quite high...

 By this logic, one might conclude that this danger doesn't apply to sensitives who don't use an Ouija, though if you ask them, it most assuredly does. However, every sensitive that I know who uses their gift with any degree of control, has spent quite a bit of time learning how to do what they do. After all, they've been living with it all of their lives. They also take precautions in the form of white light rituals,   protective prayers and spiritual and psychic shielding...

In conclusion I do not believe that the Ouija, in and of itself, poses any more danger than say a gun poses in and of itself.

The Hollywood mythos of burning the Ouija only to have it reappear in your home or an army of demons spilling out of the Parker Brothers box in your closet and taking over the world makes for great entertainment but, like most things Hollywood, it just doesn't happen in the real world. However, like a gun, the danger with the Ouija lies in the hands of its user. When people ask me why an Ouija is dangerous, the best analogy I can give them is, "Picture yourself tuning a radio, only to have it stop on a random station that you are unable to change. That station may be rock and roll, which would be great because you love rock and roll. 

On the other hand, that station might be classical jazz, which you cannot bear to listen to. Then again, you might come up with dead air. Either way, you're stuck with what you've got. The Ouija is the same way. You might contact something, you might contact nothing. If you do contact something, you're stuck with what you've got."

I believe we are all connected in this wonderful expansive oneness. Where we are on the pathway solely depends on where love fits into our plan. Love is the whole reason for existence. Love for our brothers and sisters and everything else connected to creation. How close we hit the mark of total love is determined by our expression of ourselves towards others and all.

 Believing in others may be difficult at times, but we must in order to shine. We are born in a world where there is confusion and chaos. But within this chaos there is also a place within us that we can find serenity and peace as individuals. We do that by realizing our oneness (connetiveness) and sending loving vibrations towards the chaos through the starting place of prayer and meditation, while keeping a conscious contact with Spirit.

 Everyday there are wonderful opportunities to expand this love. Driving down the street you may see someone with a “Will Work For Food “ sign. You wonder to yourself, is it appropriate to give this person a couple of dollars? That answer will come from within, nonetheless we can always send out our loving energy towards that person. A heart vibration asking your angels to communicate with his/her angels sending to his source love, respect and honor. Praying the person acquires opportunities in their life to strive and thrive.

When we see a baby we are looking at the purest form of innocent energy. Babies do not know yet the world is full of obstacles and hindrances. They look at the world eyes wide open ready to learn and explore. Sometimes as the baby grows they fall. But they always continue on after the quest of what’s next with their motor potentials. As adults sometimes it may be good to take lessons from babies. When we fall, how easy is it to continue our growth and exploration?  With the inner guidance from those surrounding us (angels, guides and loved ones) we can move forward even among the most difficult challenges.

The Oxford Group Movement, a group that was formed to help each other out of the damaging effects of over indulgence to alcohol, came up with a premise of the Four Absolutes.  They believed in order to recover one must live within the moral code of striving towards absolute honesty, unselfishness, love and purity. The story basis of Les Miserables portrays the four absolutes passionately. In this story a man Jean Valjean, was a heartless convict who was transformed by a single act of mercy.  Jean Valjean in the story has risen from his own unfortunate demise and in that rising he helped countless people to lead a better life.

My belief is the four absolutes is a wonderful way to strive towards the ultimate gift, helping others. Helping others is our gift to the world, the gift of giving of ourselves and in return strengthening our inner connectiveness to the oneness source.

So it comes back to love. If we strive towards unselfishness, honesty and purity we are reaching towards loving others through respect, integrity and honoring their oneness source. The word  Namaste means, "I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of  Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace, When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One."

Again it comes back to Love-

Loving

Oneself

Victorious

Evolution

Namaste,

Laura Lyn ©2007