Pandeamonium

‘I’m into magic and I’m into myth,’ Marianne says, gesturing to the books that have by now fallen on the floor. Deborah picks one book up, a book of demonology, detailing nightmares and demon myths across five continents and fifty centuries.

‘Do you… believe… in things like this?’ she asks.

‘It’s not a question of believing, or of whether something is factual. Myths endure because they are true; what they tell us about ourselves is true, and sometimes myths were the way we instinctively understood these things before science and philosophy broke them down and explained them.’

(extract from Pandeamonium by Christopher Brookmyre)

Lilith

Smile

“When I was a kid… at night… I used to sleep in this big bed in my grandmothers’ home. And every night, at midnight, as the bells chimed at the church nearby, I used to see a thing come out from behind a big old armoire. Every night, without fail-it would poke out its black head and long arms and bony shoulders… and stare at me… It had a jagged mouth, with thin, black lips… and it would look at me, and just… smile.”

(from the Strain by Del Toro and Hogan)

Demons and the Greco-Roman Tradition

For early Greeks and Romans, daemons (an alternate spelling) were not necessarily evil but were viewed as being instilled with some divine power. Eudamonia, a word that came to reflect happiness in the Aristotelian sense, was derived from the greek word ‘Eudaemons, ’ a word whose root meaning was used to embody high intelligence. Demons were viewed as celestial beings that carried influence over men, often granting them a power of creativity and instructing their human host away from destructive behaviour. The philosopher Socrates was said to have been counseled by a daemon who would offer him spiritual guidance. In particular, Socrates’ daemon provided him with deep insight and served as a protector. However, even early characterizations of demons had a root in the psyche. Empedocles, the fifth-century B.C., pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, employed the term “dai-mon” in describing the psyche or soul as well as identifying it with the self.

Demons and Combat

Within conventional thought demons are viewed as malevolent supernatural beings, capable of possessing humans. This classification appears to be cross cultural, for instance Buddhism has the concept of evil spirits known as Mira, within the classic Indian tradition Ravana is depicted as a ten headed demon king and in the Vedic traditions, Rahu the demon is viewed as a demon summoned to empower a person.  Another cross cultural aspect is that demons are depicted as grotesque, often gross manipulations of the human form.

The contemporary western occultist Aleister Crowley viewed inner demons as metaphors for certain psychological processes. This is the point at which we depart from the realm of the paranormal and instead venture into the internal territory of the human psyche. And it is not a huge departure for us to interpret demons as psychological STATES which we as martial artists can use to overcome feelings of fear and vulnerability. Development of the psyche is after all, a crucial element of becoming an effective fighter. In fact, if anything the psychological implications of demons as metaphors for fortitude and inner strength may actually assist our journey in the combative arts.

Is it time, therefore, to unleash your inner demon?

David Icke interviewed;

Rahu…

In Vedic astrology Rahu is seen as a demon who does his best to plunge any area of life he controls into chaos, mystery and cruelty. He is associated with the world of material manifestation and worldy desire; and random, uncontrolled growth without wisdom or understanding. Rahu is a karaka or indicator of worldly fame, greed, high intelligence, manipulation, obsessive behaviour, foreigners, mass disease, dementia and inertia. However, if used the right way, Rahu can be instrumental in strengthening a person’s power and converting even the strongest enemy into a friend.

Grudgingly…

“The swordsman was then aware that among the rest there was a large demon whose nose was not so very long and whose wings were not so apparent. His robes and headdress were arranged properly and he sat elevated above the others. This demon said, “What each of you has argued is not without principle. In the past, martial artists were serious, their resolution was absolutely sincere, they worked soundly on technique, and were neither daunted nor lazy. Such men believed what their instructors passed on to them, made great efforts day and night, tested their techniques, spoke with their friends about their doubts, mastered what they studied, and awakened themselves to principles. For this reason, what they acquired penetrated deeply within them. At first their instructors would teach them techniques, but say nothing of the principles that were hidden within them. They only waited for their students to uncover those principles for themselves. This is called ‘drawing the bow, but not releasing the arrow.’ And its not that they spoke grudgingly. They simply wanted the students to use their minds, and to master what they were studying in the interval.” excerpt from The Demons Sermon on Martial Arts by Chozanshi