Georgia Ghost Hunters

While not all belief systems consider spirits to be purely good or evil, the term demonic possession is commonly used when the spirit is perceived as malignant (a demon), whereas incorporation or channelling may be used in the case of benign spirits. Other terms applied to spiritual possession include being ridden, being tied down, “assuming the Godform”, Get Happy, and Baptism with the Holy Spirit.

Channelling is the claimed receipt of information or commands by a person functioning as a medium or channel for a spirit or other source. This often involves a séance, or a process of [invocation]] such as “drawing down the moon”. Some forms of channeling appear to involve spiritual possession, as the medium’s voice or body may appear to be under the direct control of the channelled spiritual being, but some maintain that channeling and possession are distinct. In Spiritism the channeling (in its manifold types) is seen as a process, which can be either good or bad to the medium, while possession (which they term obsession) is seen as inherently bad, though often benign. Spiritists also reject the term channeling. Traditional religions such as Vodoun and Santeria define possession as a neutral thing, but as specifically positive when it involves being “ridden” by a deity or respected ancestor. In this context, channelling is seen as distinct from possession as channelling may only involve repeating the voices one hears in one’s head, whereas possession involves complete loss of control to the outside entity, with the possessed person only returning to consciousness later with no memory of what happened while the spirit controlled their body and voice.

The concept is quite old and widespread in the history of religion. The concept was popularised in the West by Helena Blavatsky the founder of theosophy. The claim is also made by many other Spiritualist religions, such as Kardecism.

According to the religious scholar Wouter Hanegraaff, the difference between channeling and spiritism is that the first conveys extensive philosophical and religious messages and belief systems, not just short messages from the deceased or other entities.

Demonic possession, in supernatural belief systems, is a form of spiritual possession whereby certain malevolent extra-dimensional entities, demons, gain control over a mortal person’s body, which is then used for an evil or destructive purpose. Unlike in channelling or other benign forms of possession, the subject has no control over the possessing entity and so it will persist until forced to leave the victim, usually through a form of exorcism. Many cultures and religions contain some concept of demonic possession, but the details vary considerably. Some cultures, in particular the Roma people also believe that demons can also possess animals, plants, deceased persons or inanimate objects.