Consider upgrading to paid to take part in our live classes with Q&A and receive the full length version of this study guide which works stand alone as a reference manual.
Below is an example of one of my classes to give you an idea of the material and quality.
What You Will Learn From Watching
What is Possession?: You will understand possession from a scientific and spiritual perspective, giving you a technical definition with supporting research, logical line of reasoning, and supporting anecdotal evidence from the ancient texts on the matter.
“Seven Possession Theory”: Which explains how possessions alter our intellectual processes, effecting our thoughts, words and actions. In this theory, possession is separated into 7 categories of environmental influencers.
The Fundamentals of Exorcism: How to perform them safely and successfully on yourself with various techniques combining ancient wisdom with modern understanding.
Multiple Mental Exercises and Meditations: Tailored toward helping you gain more present awareness and control over your mind and stream of consciousness.
A Quick Note from The Cosmic Man Before We Start
If you enjoyed this post please consider subscribing to my newsletter for updates on my wide variety of content including:
Full-Length Books
Manuals & Guides
Written & Guided Meditations
Two Podcast with Daily and Weekly Episodes
Hours-Long Video Courses
Essays, Prose & Poetry
Short Fiction
& Much More.
Subscribed
Additionally, considering reading through the footer at the bottom to learn more about The Cosmic College and the enormous benefits you receive from upgrading to paid.
Spiritual Warfare 102: Understanding Possession & Liberation
As we discussed in Spiritual Warfare 101, our primary goal at The Cosmic College is to sift through obscure and esoteric concepts to distill working definitions and explanations that make them accessible to modern people at large.
Take the similarities between the concepts of epigenetic layering of behaviors and experiences being passed down from parent to children, and “Generational Curses” in religious texts. Both ontological interpretations discuss the “passing down” of maladaptive behaviors such as a propensity for violence or alcoholism.
These ancient concepts often captured real phenomena that we're now able to understand through a scientific lens. They weren't wrong or misguided - they were describing observable patterns using the frameworks and language available at the time. Different syntax, same wisdom.
So many of these metaphysical, supernatural and spiritual ideas have objective merit and great utility for all people. It’s a matter of getting to the objective truths that translate across perspectives and disciplines.
Possession: Redefining Our Understanding
Our focus in Spiritual Warfare 102 is on the nature of possession. Again, for those of you who may not be spiritual or religious in any regard, understand that our focus here is understanding the OBJECTIVE nature of possession. We will use spiritual texts and concepts as supporting material, though ultimately, we are attempting to create a standard definition that is practical, pragmatic and realistic.
So again we ask ourselves, "If so, then how?" What is possession, really? If it is a real phenomenon, in what way is it real and how can we demonstrate it?
Etymology of Possession
To understand this new way of defining and categorizing the concept of possession, we need to go back to where it started. Knowing the roots of the word and how it evolved into a spiritual concept will help us to get to the bottom of the phenomenon. What is the essential meaning of the word, possession?
Anatomy of a Word
Proto-Indo-European Root (*pot-): The deepest traceable root meaning "powerful" or "master," which evolved into words about both ownership and authority. In earliest usage, it specifically referenced the head of a household's absolute authority over their domain - both physical property and the people within it.
Ancient Greek Variations:
"Kektēmai" (κέκτημαι) - to possess/own
"Katechō" (κατέχω) - to hold down/restrain/possess (notably used in early Christian texts to describe demonic possession)
The Greek terminology specifically emphasized the element of restraint and binding, suggesting possession was viewed as a form of containment or constraint
Latin Development:
"Possidere" (pos + sedere) - literally "to sit as master"
"Possessio" - developed legal connotations in Roman law regarding property ownership
Later Latin saw the term expand into spiritual contexts through Christian writings, where "possessio daemonis" became a technical term for demonic control
Medieval European Evolution:
Old French "possessioun" - merged legal and spiritual meanings
Middle English adopted this dual meaning, where "possession" could refer to both property ownership and spiritual occupation
Church Latin developed specific terminology distinguishing "possessio corporalis" (physical possession) from "possessio spiritualis" (spiritual possession)
Germanic Language Family:
Old High German "haben" and "halten" - to have/hold
Gothic "gastaldan" - to possess/obtain/own
These terms emphasized physical grip or hold, which later extended to metaphorical and spiritual control
Semitic Language Influence:
Hebrew "אחז" (achaz) - to grasp/take hold/possess
Akkadian "aḫāzu" - to seize/take possession
These terms show the ancient Near Eastern conceptual link between physical seizure and spiritual possession
Sanskrit Connection:
"Pati" (पति) - master/owner/lord
Shows the Indo-European root's expression in South Asian contexts, where ownership and mastery were deeply connected to spiritual authority
Sitting Upon Your Mental Throne
The word "possession" reveals fascinating layers of meaning connecting material ownership and spiritual control. It comes from the Latin "possidere" - where "pot" means "power" or "ability" and "sedere" means "to sit." Literally, it describes having the power to sit upon or occupy something. This physical act of "sitting upon" evolved to mean both material ownership and spiritual occupation.
In Indo-European languages, this connection between owning things and being controlled by forces appears repeatedly. The Greek "kektēmai" (to possess) shares roots with words about restraint and binding. Similarly, in Germanic languages, words for possession often related to "having hold of" something - whether that something was land, goods, or one's very self.
The spiritual dimension becomes particularly clear in Medieval Latin, where "possessio" could refer to demon possession, with the demon "sitting upon" or "occupying" the human vessel. This mirrors ancient Near Eastern concepts where spirits could "seize" or "take hold of" a person, treating the body as territory to be occupied.
This territorial aspect is key - possession implies control over a bounded space, whether physical or spiritual. When we say someone is "possessed," we're drawing on this ancient understanding of the self as a space that can be occupied and controlled by external forces. The possessed person becomes, in essence, territory held by another power.
Key Takeaways
The linguistic history suggests that historically, people understood possession not as some supernatural anomaly, but as an extension of natural principles of power, control, and occupation - whether that was owning land, holding property, or being held by a spirit.
This understanding helps frame possession in terms of agency and control - it's fundamentally about one force or entity exerting power over and "sitting upon" another, whether in the material or spiritual realm.
Understanding Possession: That Which Controls Your Consciousness
The ancient understanding of possession as a force "sitting upon" (possidere) or "seizing" (achaz) a person directly parallels our modern understanding of neural influence. Just as spirits were understood to "occupy" and control a person's actions, we now know that various forces - chemical, ideological, or emotional - can literally "occupy" our neural pathways by influencing synaptic firing patterns. What we are dealing with, fundamentally, is a force that controls or influences (to some degree) your consciousness.
This influence manifests in three key stages that mirror traditional possession:
External force enters/affects the system (traditionally spirit entering body, now stimuli triggering neurons)
Force establishes control (spirit taking hold, now neural pathways being activated/reinforced)
Altered behavior emerges (possessed person acting differently, now modified neural firing producing changed thoughts/actions)
Distilling Our Definition
Therefore, "possession" could be understood as any external force that can consistently trigger “non-native” or foreign influenced neural firing patterns, leading to thoughts, words, and actions that wouldn't occur in its absence. Whether it's a chemical dependency rewiring reward pathways, an ideology reshaping cognitive patterns, or a traditional "spirit" influencing brain activity, the core mechanism remains the same: an external (and sometimes internal) force hijacking neural function that exerts control over behavior.
In order to understand the all-encompassing concept of possession, we must understand the nature of the simplest unit of a thought. All qualities of a possession can be reduced down to an electrical signal in the brain (and potentially other parts of the body) that generates a thought (thinking), a word (speaking) or a deed (acting). We are not the possessor of thoughts. But instead, possessed by them.
Have you ever tried to trace back to the beginning of a thought? Was it you that generated it from scratch? Could you explain how you formulated the thought from those the fundamental particles that create basic ideas? Or did the thought manifest itself in your mind without you having do anything? The answer is almost always the latter.
Exercise 1: Thought Archaeology
Setup
Everyone gets a piece of paper
Draw three columns: "Current Thought" | "Preceding Thoughts" | "Initial Trigger"
Have a timer ready
Step 1: Catching the Thought (1 Minute)
Take a minute to allow your mind to drift
Close eyes briefly
Notice what you're thinking right now
Write it in the first column
Don't judge or change it
Step 2: Backtracking (2-3 minutes)
Work backwards to identify:
What thought came right before this?
And before that?
Keep going until you find where it started
Write these in the middle column
Step 3: Find the Trigger (1-2 minutes)
Identify what started this thought chain:
Visual stimulus? (something you saw)
Sound? (something you heard)
Memory? (something you recalled)
Conversation? (something someone said)
Physical sensation? (hunger, discomfort)
Environment? (temperature, lighting)
Class Discussion Points
What kinds of triggers were most common?
How many thoughts separated current thought from trigger?
Did anyone notice surprising connections?
How often were thoughts triggered by external vs internal stimuli?
Examples
Current Thought: "I need to go grocery shopping" Preceding Thoughts:
"I'm hungry"
"There's nothing to eat at home"
Initial Trigger: Physical sensation (hunger)
Current Thought: "I should call mom" Preceding Thoughts:
"My sister's birthday is coming up"
"That cake looks like the one from last year"
Initial Trigger: Visual (saw a cake picture)
Remember: This exercise is about observation and awareness, not changing your thoughts!
Thought Experiment: The Train Station
We are inundated with thoughts generated from external stimuli as well as distant places in our minds. Corners and hallways of the mind we have lost our intimacy and connection with. Like high speed trains converging on a train station from parts unknown.
Even top scientists in the field of neurology are stumped on the question of where thoughts originate from. Which we will discuss below. The key, if we are to overcome these pockets of missing agency and the unknown origins of thoughts, is to become Absolutely Self-Possessed.
We need to stay ever-present, fully embodied in our minds as we watch each thought like a train, pull into the station of our thinking minds. The aim is to reduce the traffic over time while also limiting what types of trains are allowed to pull in and park. From here, you get closer and closer to the inception of ideas in your mind, and maintain strict policy as to which thoughts get to flow through and actualize in your inner and outer life.
Complementary Exercise
Consider this idea of the train station as an exercise or meditation. It can be down both actively, with an intentional sit down version, or passively throughout your day, visualizing the train station in your minds eye as you go about your day and connect each thought to a train coming in.
The Hard Problem of Consciousness: The Question of Thought Origination.
While neuroscience can track brain activity during thoughts, the fundamental mystery of how thoughts initially emerge remains unsolved. Scientists observe that thinking activates specific brain regions, particularly the prefrontal cortex, but research reveals intriguing complexities. For instance, brain activity related to decisions appears up to 10 seconds before we're consciously aware of making them.
Further complicating the picture, brain scans show that thoughts engage multiple brain networks simultaneously, suggesting they don't originate from a single location but emerge from complex interactions throughout the brain. This has led to theories that consciousness and thought emergence may be properties of the brain's overall network activity rather than any specific region.
As noted by neuroscientist Dr. Michael Gazzaniga, while we can observe the neural activity associated with thoughts, we still cannot explain how this activity transforms into conscious experience or how thoughts initially form. This gap in our understanding suggests our thoughts might be more susceptible to external influences than previously believed.
To Be Self Possessed: Claiming Your Throne
Consider this idea of being in the “seat of power” as explained in the etymological section about the meaning of the word possession. It has interesting connections to the idea of sitting at a throne and taking possession of a land and its people. Imagine that your brain is like a sovereign country with all of its expansive land, your individual neurons, all of your loyal citizens.
Are you in power in your Kingdom? Or do other forces influence you? Do your people obey the laws of the land? Or do they depreciate the kingdom and bring widespread chaos? It is time to start considering every aspect of your consciousness, the way a benevolent ruler would ensure the complete wellbeing of his or her kingdom.
We must seek to be in absolute command of our thoughts and emotions. Consistently reinforcing a presence of mind and calmness through enforced awareness and other practical exercises.
Gain Access to Premium Benefits
This is the end of the free preview of the Spiritual Warfare 102 Study Guide. Consider upgrading to paid to gain access to this post as well as 6 Premium Benefits:
NEW Monthly Prize Package Giveaway
Monthly Class with Live Q&A
Monthly Live Community Meet-Ups
Priority Direct Messaging
“Library of Alexandria” & “Order of Melchizedek” Shared Folder
Automatic Approval for One-on-One Video Calls (Additional Per-Hour Cost)
In addition to an Enormous & Ever-Expanding Library of:
Full-Length Books
Manuals & Guides
Written & Guided Meditations
Two Podcast with Daily and Weekly Episodes
Hours-Long Video Courses
Essays, Prose & Poetry
Short Fiction
& Much More.
Listen to this episode with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The Cosmic Man to listen to this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.
