Exorcism Across Cultures: Demons, Possession, and Spiritual Healing

What happens when cultures around the world interpret illness, suffering, and altered states of consciousness as spiritual possession?In this episode of Beyond the Human, we explore exorcism as a cross-cultural phenomenon, examining how different religious traditions understand spirits, possession, healing, and the supernatural.Rather than treating exorcism as simply horror movie material, this episode approaches it through anthropology, religious studies, and the study of lived spiritual experience. Drawing on ethnographic research and religious texts, we examine Catholic exorcism and the Roman Ritual, Muslim ruqya practices involving djinn possession, and Korean Buddhist rituals used to heal spirit-related illness and troublesome ghost encounters.Along the way, we discuss why possession experiences across cultures often share strikingly similar features: altered states of consciousness, unusual strength, personality changes, physical symptoms, and experiences interpreted as contact with non-human entities.From Catholic priests and Muslim raqis to Buddhist ritual specialists and spirit mediums, this episode asks a broader question: what do exorcism and possession reveal about the ways humans understand suffering, healing, evil, and the unseen world?Rather than offering definitive answers, this episode explores the intersection of religion, anthropology, medicine, and the paranormal—and why experiences of possession continue to challenge the boundaries between belief, psychology, and reality.Topics discussed in this episode:(2:14) - The Anthropology of Possession and Exorcism(17:52) - Ruqya, Muslim Exorcism(30:15) - The Roman Ritual(1:11:45) - Exorcism in Buddhist Korea(1:28:42) - Why Consider Exorcism and PossessionShow Notes:Divine HorsemenA Balinese Trance SeanceOparin, D. (2020). Possession and exorcism in the Muslim migrant context. Ethnicities, 20(4), 731-751.Ayah Al-KursiLiving with the Invisibles (available to stream on Alexander Street Press)The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel, Felicitas GoodmanDeliver Us (Kanopy, but available on other streaming services)Archbishop of Milwaukee Jeffrey Grob’s dissertation on Catholic exorcism:https://www.scribd.com/document/326664328/Grob-Thesis