The Essential Guide to Possession, Depossession, and Divine Relationships by Paxson, Diana L. -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Page Title Page Copyright Dedication CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

March 1991

Part One: Self-Possession

1: PERSONS AND PERSONAS

What Do You Want? Practice Exercise 1.1: The Bucket List Exercise 1.2: Needs Exercise 1.3: Wants Exercise 1.4: What's in a Name? Exercise 1.5: The People in Your Neighborhood Exercise 1.6: Who Are You?

2: THE SOUL PARTY

Body, Mind, and Spirit In Search of the Soul Analyzing the Psyche Soul Parts Toward a Field Theory of the Soul Practice Exercise 2.1: Mind and Body Exercise 2.2: Breathing

3: IN SEARCH OF YOURSELF

Meaning Purpose Identity Integrating the Elements Help for the God-Bothered Practice Exercise 3.1: Meditation on the Name Exercise 3.2: Baseline for Checksums Exercise 3.3: Self-Blessing Exercise 3.4: The Question

Part Two: Choosing Partners

4: ABSOLUTES AND ARCHETYPES

The God Beyond the Gods Sacred Geometries Archetypes Practice Exercise 4.1: The Stillness at the Center Exercise 4.2: Working with Archetypal Energy

5: POWERS AS PERSONS

Gods The Mighty Dead Personal Ancestors Allies and Guardians Wights Practice Exercise 5.1: Surveying the Field Exercise 5.2: Honoring the Ancestors

6: DIVINE RELATIONSHIPS

Getting to Know You Background Check Altar Work Invitation Your Place, Not Mine Creation of the Scene Journeying to the Astral Temple Practice Exercise 6.1: Speed Dating Exercise 6.2: Date Night Exercise 6.3: The Family Album

7: TERMS OF ENDEARMENT

Relationship Models Living with Love Practice Exercise 7.1: Human Relationships Exercise 7.2: Divine Relationships Exercise 7.3: Identifying the Relationship

8: COMMUNICATION

Angels or Illness? Eloquent Locutions Learning to Listen Divine Dictation Discernment Practice Exercise 8.1: Seeking Omens Exercise 8.2: Words in Water Exercise 8.3: Remember When Exercise 8.4: Dream Work Exercise 8.5: Dictation

9: DEVOTION

Relationship Readiness Bhakti The Crowley Method Commitment Anatomy of an Initiation Private Initiations Maintaining the Relationship Practice Exercise 9.1: Relationship Readiness Questionnaire Exercise 9.2: Nine Ways of Working Exercise 9.3: Approaching the Aspects Exercise 9.4: Dining for Deities

Part Three: The Dancing Floor

10: POSSESSION IN THE PAST

Pagan Europe Africa and Asia Practice Exercise 10.1: Trance Analysis 1

11: SAINTS AND SPIRITS

The Afro-Diasporic Religions Spiritualism Spiritism Practice Exercise 11.1: Trance Analysis 2 Exercise 11.2: Speaking to the Dead Exercise 11.3: Field Trip

12: POSSESSION IN THE PAGAN COMMUNITY

Wicca The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel The First Kingdom Church of Asphodel The Universal Temple of Spirits The Conjure Dance The American Magic Umbanda House Possessory Practice in the Hrafnar Community Practice Exercise 12.1: Trance Analysis 3 Exercise 12.2: Ritual Design

13: THE FIELD AND THE PLAYERS

The Action The Players T HE P OSSESSORY R ITUAL S URVIVAL G UIDE Practice Exercise 13.1: Design a Ritual

Part Four: Invitation to the Dance

14: LEVELING UP

Levels of Trance On the Road Opening the Head Receptivity Practice Exercise 14.1: Altered States Exercise 14.2: Shadow Play Exercise 14.3: Moving Meditation

15: THE MIRROR AND THE MASK

The Severed Head Channeling Masks The Goddess in the Mirror Practice Exercise 15.1: Self-Evaluation Before Training for Possessory Trance Exercise 15.2: Channeling Exercise 15.3: Masks of God

16: HORSE TRAINING

17: FILLED WITH THE GOD

Coming to the Work Inducing Trance Negotiation and Consent Dispossession How to Avoid Trance Practice Exercise 17.1: An Attitude of Prayer Exercise 17.2: Dress for Success Exercise 17.3: Throw a God Party Outline for a Possessory Ritual

18: A TOUR OF THE ISSUES

You're Doing It Wrong Uninvited Guests Guests Who Don't Leave Breaking Boundaries Deception and Self-Deception Validation Personal and Group Dynamics

CONCLUSION ACKNOWLEDGMENTS WORKS CITED ABOUT THE AUTHOR