Suggestions for Help

• Quick 'n' Easy 12-Step Cheatsheet
• Full listing of suggestions
• If your attacker is one or more living human beings
• Don't do these....
• What is a psychic attack?
• How do I know if I'm under psychic attack???
• Other resources for help
• Resource on discernment

1. Drop any nasty, mean, or bizarro thoughts. Hang up! Disconnect! Shake free! Disown any yucky thoughts!
2. If it's dark, turn on a light. If it's nice out, seek some sunshine.
3. Pray! Pray to God, focusing on faith and gratitude as much as you can
   • Pray that God send a team of angels to assist you
   • Pray that God's will be done
   • Thank God
   • (If you feel nauseated by the idea of praying, it's even more important that you do so!)
4. Mentally "cut away" any perceived darkness from around you.
5. Get up and move around! (Wash some dishes ;)
6. Shut off your imagination and focus on the here-and-now. Definitely stop worrying and fretting!
7. Go grab something (preferably healthy) to eat/drink.
8. Distract your mind with a positive book or magazine. You can even use down-to-earth, purely materialistic catalogs if necessary. No weird stuff, just plain daily life stuff.
9. Get a tape or CD of hymns/good music and listen! (If it's late at night, you can fall asleep to the music. Cling to the uplifting quality.) Even better than just listening, sing along. Christmas music is GREAT for this.
10. Count your blessings -- list good and beautiful things from your life.
11. Do something nice for somebody. The below are some ideas.
    • Go write a loving email/letter/thank-you-card.
    • Report a cashier's friendly attitude to management!
    • Cut some flowers (or buy 'em) for your neighbors.
    • Volunteer with a soup kitchen or donate to an animal shelter
    • Give to charity -- yes, go write that check.
    • Just plain smile warmly at someone!
    • Pray for your friends and the people you pass by!
    • Key: care for someone else in a way that is absorbing and helps you forget your problems.
12. Long-term, go on a spiritual elevation "diet" -- see "Elevate Yourself" section below -- and strive always to move closer to God.

The following can be used in both emergency and non-emergency situations. A combination of all techniques is probably safest and most effective .... No, rather, a true synthesis of these techniques is the best: changing oneself into a truly caring, selfless person who does the will of the Divine.

Appeal to the Highest Good | Elevate Yourself | Close Your Vulnerabilities | Spirit Counseling | The Truth May Set You Free

Appeal to the Highest Good

Theory: There is a Loving God who wants the best for us, and who also cares for lost spirits who are causing trouble. God's angels can handle the rescue or removal of the lost spirits. Since there are plenty of lying spirits who masquerade as good angels, make sure you request help from only the highest Good you know (God). This is not a guarantee of getting the right ones, but it's a first step.
• First and foremost, pray for assistance from the highest authority and the highest good, whether you know that as God or the Light or something else. I disagree with those who advocate praying to angels. And definitely do not pray to "less-than-holy" entities, or to any being thought to be less than utterly devoted to good. But if the name "Jesus" or the word "God" give you the heebie-jeebies, then you may want to appeal to that aspect of the universe that is truly caring, loving, wise and truthful to all beings, in whatever way you can imagine it.
• If at all possible for yourself, call on the name of Jesus, the Christ, who actually lived and died on Earth roughly 2000 years ago. Christians can tell you the name has power, but here are some possible reasons why: According to Ben, "Jesus is the name of a person. Those who hide in darkness fear his name because if he hears it he comes, or sends [his angels]...." "Jesus" also means "God rescues," and that has a lot of spiritual power because believing it elevates you into God's family (read this page for more). If you simply cannot bring yourself to call on Jesus, pray to the highest authority of good that you know (as mentioned above).
• Ask others whom you trust to pray for you, too.
• If you are a member of a church or other spiritual group that you respect and trust, consider asking for a special prayer session for you, perhaps even with "laying on of hands." There is a real power to group prayer, especially where "two or three are gathered in Jesus' Name." I have felt it, and many have seen its effects.
• Pray for God/"the Light" and/or Jesus to:
  1. Send to you a team of rescuing angels.
  2. Ask that these angels rescue or remove any dark beings from you and fill you with light
  3. Ask that they sever dark connections leading to you and to rescue or remove the sources of the connections
  4. Ask that they remove and/or destroy any dark thought-forms (curses and such) attached or connected to you.
  5. Ask that the angels shield you from further attack (at least for now).
  6. Ask that your surroundings (your home, maybe) be cleaned of darkness and filled with light.
  7. Ask for God's blessings and wisdom in your life.
  8. Note: it helps immensely to elevate your spirit with thankfulness and joy if you possibly can
  Do not pray to angels; pray instead to God, or the highest good that you know. You may or may not be able to see or talk to the spirits that answer your prayer, and you may have to pray for quite a while if you do not have help from other people. Why? Because it seems it take a while for spirits to find and locate those they don't know.
• Try to find someone who does spiritual rescue work and ask that person for help. Warning: not all people who claim to do spirit-rescue work actually work for the right source, no matter what they think. You may find help from Native American techniques, or Christian techniques, or Chinese techniques, or whatever --- but always remember the true test of the other person is, "Wiser, Kinder, More Gracious." Signs of greed, impatience, pride, hatefulness, vindictiveness, jealously, lust and easily-bruised-ego are all bad. Some of the very best rescue workers do not charge any money at all -- money can be a horrible temptation; I've seen it turn spirit rescue people nasty and un-gracious. You don't want that.
• If you know of a prayer request Web site of a group whose philosophy/theology you appreciate or respect, consider posting your problem there and requesting prayer.
• Read this section if your attacker is a living human being(s).

  Elevate Yourself

  Theory: When you care about others, your spiritual body brightens. This helps good spirits (who are bright themselves) to see you against the generally grey background of this section of the universe. Moreover, this attunes you to the positive side of the universe, giving you more strength and aid. You may also literally "move" out of a dangerous spiritual area and to someplace safer. Finally, some dark entities avoid that kind of light.

  Have troubles following this section? Here's a troubleshooting guide with some more suggestions.

• Elevate your soul. Remember someone or something you cared for --- a puppy, or a houseplant, a neighbor, a family member. Remember an event that you know of or did, in which someone performed an act of caring and kindness. Let that warm you. Or, if you cannot do this (some people have problems with this technique), try to recall the feeling of joy or happiness, as close to such as you can get. If you cannot reach this, use whatever crutches you must --- a walk in a park, listening to music (joyful Christmas music may work well), the grandeur of sunset over the ocean, or whatever. Do anything and everything positive/constructive to uplift your spirit and fill it with joy, hope, compassion, gratitude, faith, and a sense of wonder.
• Care for someone else. Do an act of kindness. Push aside your problems and focus your caring on someone else. Do so without expectation of reward or payment. Genuinely try to understand the other person. Extend joy and caring toward even something as small as a houseplant. Don't try to care for someone who has deep, serious problems --- something may bite back.
• Focus on "Give," not "Get." One little-known truth is that dark and/or deceitful spirits are attracted to those who want things for themselves ... money, houses, success, sex, psychic powers, spiritual gifts, spiritual guidance(!), even health or love! However, if one's true intentions are to give to others, to help others, one tends to attract benevolent spirits. Even so, one should always apply filters to any channeled messages one gets.
• Let go worries, fears, and even guilts! If you're beating yourself up over past mistakes, it isn't helping you. Let go, make amends if necessary, move on. If you're beating yourself up over a current problem (an addiction, or a messy personal situation), you need to let go the chaotic confusion and seek deeper wisdom, such as through prayer. The surface worries and tensions do nothing but drain you and present attackers with openings.
• Turn the attack into an opportunity! Use every attack as a reminder to bless your attacker; focus good-will on your attacker, and bless it! Or, recall a scene of good action that you have seen, or that you have read (such as from Scripture), and return that image to your attacker. You can also use attacks as reminders to pray for others. Use attacks as reminders to do something nice for someone else. Turn the "darts of the enemy" into opportunities for good! And you know? Tuning yourself to the good with every attack can not only discourage attackers (and possibly do them some long-term good), but it can result in long-lasting positive effects on yourself and your mental outlook.
• Don't take the attack at face value. Attacks tend to be big and threatening, and seem to overwhelm and frighten. While uncomfortable, a lot of this is simply bluff. The more fear you have for them, the more power you give to them. Lighten up; smile at attacks. And as suggested by someone else: "Helps sometimes (A LOT) to think of attacks as big bouncy boulders rolling down hill. Somehow that's cleaner and easier to deal with than assuming personal assault."
• Someone said, "God helps those who help themselves." Don't necessarily expect God to do all the work; try to help the process along!
• Mantra or repeated prayer. (Note: NOT hypnotic mantras that leave the mind open and blank; if mantras leave you spaced-out, forget them.) In praying, add phrases to aid spiritual (not psychic) development --- thoughts that will help you to become a more patient, giving, self-controlled, loving, peaceful, selfless person. You can repeat the prayer or mantra until its meaning soaks into you; you can repeat them if you find them calming in times of fear or stress (again, don't use them if they leave you spaced-out). Use a hymn, if you know of an uplifting one. This is a form of mental-retraining and re-focusing on the positive; furthermore, it also tends to repel dark ones who don't like to know about love and peace and self-discipline. Sort of like bug-spray.
• Learn the discipline of being able to look upon anyone and anything with appreciation and benevolence; learn to look upon others without cynicism, condemnation, hatred, or possessiveness. Learn how to look at a dark street such that it actually seems friendlier; learn how to admire a worn-out or badly painted item. Learn how to mentally care about people or objects that are less than perfect (then, if situation allows it, physically help care for that person or object --- freely, non-grudgingly). This is not as easy as it sounds! See the demonstration of positive Ki.
• A simplified suggestion: "Praise." Praise, in your heart and mind, the good things you see around you. Praising God would probably be the best form of praise.
• I hate to say this, but be careful what you read or expose yourself to while you are weak. Certain materials seem to encourage attacks by entities associated with the material --- sad to say, this includes material on almost every religion on the planet. Anything fanatical is likely suspect --- fanatical Christianity, New Age-ism, Krishna-ism, Bhuddism, you name it. Certainly avoid depressing or horrifying texts, music, etc, if they have negative effects on you. Concentrate on the positive. Be careful of television and radio!
• Fight your attacker, but do so in a self-defense capacity only. Do not curse your attacker; pray for its rescue and pray for its true well-being instead. Also, do not feel pity for the attacker --- it gives the attacker a "way in," and psychologically connects you to it and may prolong how long you subconsciously let it attack you. But be careful if you try to bless it, that you do not let it attack you through the caring-connection. One fairly safe and often effective way to bless an entity is to say to it, "God bless you." Make sure you have a working idea of a benevolent, actively caring God; feel that warmth, and send it out to the attacker. It is almost better to send it out blindly and not know where it goes; that way you are not attached to it.
• Though diet/surroundings are not the be-all and end-all of psychic defense, consider doing some of the following: enjoy some pungent raw herbs with your meal (e.g., green onions, raw garlic, fresh rosemary, real mint, etc.) ... and also consider getting a flower or bouquet of flowers to keep near you (or walking outside in a sunlit garden). Plants actually can have a spiritual effect on us (and vice versa), and food definitely has an effect on us at all levels, so try giving yourself a little energy boost by turning to natural foods, sense-uplifting herbs, and natural surroundings.

  Close Your Vulnerabilities: Mental and Psychic Shielding

  Theory: The mind is the key aspect of defense. A strong, active mind is much harder to attack. Some imagery also helps repel attack, like armor; other imagery helps in other ways.

• Stop Channeling and Stop Looking for Inspiration. There is a fine line between genius and madness, and I think one reason is that both good and bad influences can enter in through some people's wide-open minds. Dr. Nash (of "A Beautiful Mind") noted that the voices in his head came in the same way as his mathematical insights. To stop a psychic attack, you must be willing to at least temporarily shut the door on all non-physical communication, including deep insights. You won't lose the ability to get inspiration -- you simply need the added ability of closing the sluice gates when necessary.
• DON'T LISTEN to negative thoughts or voices! Dr. Nash (of "A Beautiful Mind") overcame his mental illness when he learned to stop listening to, ascribing importance to, the voices. While some voices may be of God, most are not. God won't be offended if you don't listen because you think you're tuned to a bad source. If it's really God, (1) it won't be a negative or nasty voice, and (2) He can find other ways of reaching you.
• Do NOT try to prolong communication with spirits. Real angels do not hang around and pontificate on theology or metaphysics - they are to-the-point, brisk, business, busy, and always give the glory to God. Don't talk with spirits that like hanging out around you.
• Light imagery. Imagine filling yourself with light, and expanding that light all around you, in a sphere, pushing out darkness. (If you can find the source of white light within yourself, expand from there). Some advocate using blue light, some advocate different colors, with flecks of yet other colors; others advocate white light. I have a feeling colors of a shorter wavelength from yellow on up are better than the red side of the visible spectrum; also, theoretically, white light contains all colors, doesn't it? In any case, try to maintain the light sphere at a subconscious level after you're done with the imagery.
• Light imagery II. Imagine a distant source of white light, the Source, far above your head, and imagine a connection of caring and love extending from that light to you. Do not confuse this with any other "source of light" that others have encouraged you to imagine in their books, which usually float just above your head. There is one true source of light; it is the highest, and brightest, and most benevolent of spiritual lights. If you cannot do this technique, or if you find that any thoughts you try to send toward the Light are either turned aside or slam into a hard ceiling, pray for caring to be extended to you from the Light, and pray for removal of the block or the interference that is keeping you from connecting to the Light.
• Holy imagery. Whenever you sense a psychic or spiritual problem, take the time to picture a scene from Scripture or your favorite holy book. For example, picture Jesus compassionately healing one of the sick people who came to him. For every attack, turn your mind away from it and toward Jesus (or examples of the highest Good that you know, if you are really allergic to Christianity). You can also (as mentioned before) send the image of a loving Jesus to the attacker as a reply - a form of turning the other cheek, without allowing the strike to hurt you, and while extending love and hope, and while connecting to Jesus. Hard to do better than that!
• Disconnect, cut, sever dark connections. Sometimes you may sense (see, feel) dark connections (usually as dark lines or tubes) if you "look" around yourself in your mind. Try to mentally cut them, tie them off, disconnect from them, or short-circuit them by looping them back into themselves. (If you cut them, tying them off first, like closing a tube is a good idea.) Immediately after doing so, think upon the highest Good that you know, or otherwise elevate your spirit as best you can.
• Clean up your home and your environs!
• Relax Vibrantly: aikido. If you know aikido techniques, use them! Here are some rules that might help: Relax your body, but do not collapse; maintain focus and concentration. Keep your mind at a point; this can be done by focusing your attention on a single point. Imagine yourself filled with radiant, gentle, energy. Focus, relax. Float; do not connect to ground. Look with benevolence upon others.
• Close your psychic channels. If you see something nasty, turn on the lights and make yourself look at and get distracted by something pleasant. If you hear something nasty, turn on the good music. If you feel something nasty, focus on physical (not psychic) physical sensations. If you think something nasty, make yourself think positively instead - read an uplifting book. Distract your mind away from negativity, of whatever form the "attack" may be taking. Train your mind to do this automatically, subconsciously, and the battle will become much easier (it will take many days, but it's worth it!).
• Channel closing imagery. Cavvvp writes: "Someone taught me this technique once to help close channels. Imagine your life as a round room, even a sphere, and in the center is a chair, which is the throne of your life, it is the seat of control for your being. Now imagine two doors in the room, one overhead that lets in light from God, and the other below that lets in darkness. Whenever you feel the attack, consciously imagine that with all your strength you slam the bottom door shut and open the top one so that your life is instantly flushed with the warm loving light. Then imagine that you are moving your self off of the throne and place Jesus there. This visualization has helped me on many occasions."
• Channel closing - change focus. I have done some experimenting with closing channels by focusing on the material world. Instead of concentrating on the non-physical sound, vision, sensation, try looking at, listening to, touching the world around you. Focus on the material sensation. As the material world comes into the focus, the psychic world fades.
• Keep a Goal in Mind. A person is often most vulnerable when he or she is purposeless or confused. Try to keep a goal in mind, even if it is simply "I am preparing dinner. I am preparing dinner" --- or "My purpose right now is to get a drink of water." Focus on that idea, and hold it as you work, walk, whatever. Dark entities will have a harder time causing you harm or confusion.
• Be pro-active. I recall hearing of a widow who prayed night and day for God to rescue her family from poverty, with no results. Yet I do wonder if she might have had better results if she had actively gone seeking for employment of some sort.
• Protective imagery and a clinical mind-set. Just glancing at the news can expose us to all sorts of stories and people that involve nasty elements. If you must deal with such material, try using a very dispassionate, clinical, detached mind-set. For example, you might use mental imagery of being in a clean room wearing protective gear, using safety equipment to handle thoughts and images, etc. Don't forget to "clean off" afterward, too. Of course, it's better if you can avoid thinking upon such things. And the detached mind-set may not be what you want if you are trying to help someone in person.
• Do not get drunk. Practice moderation with alcohol and any mind-affecting substances. One NDE (Near Death Experience) book describes how ghosts leap into the bodies of people who pass out from too much drink. I have definitely noticed an increase in nasty spiritual influences around a particular person after that person has big drinking bouts. Even worse, those influences reach out and affect loved ones near the drunken person too. It's not good to inflict this on other people, especially children.
• As mentioned above, limit reading or watching of unpleasant acts of nastiness and evil. This includes the news. Be careful of the TV and radio!
• Limit activities that encourage a passive trance-like ("spaced-out") state, and keep the mind occupied with positive thought (don't let it wander). I know one person that had to give up knitting, because it made her too vulnerable. Riding in a car, with nothing to do, is sometimes bad, too; the mind wanders and unfocuses and becomes a target. For some people, the solution is to always be active. Sometimes being active on one level is not enough; mental attacks can come in through the background mind. Thus, one may have to recite a mantra mentally while talking to other people (unless it makes one even more spacey), or one may have to sing while doing dishes. Eating while talking may work, too, but one shouldn't eat all the time! In any case, keep the mind full and occupied with uplifting thought, and you may need to keep your hands occupied, too. (Eventually it does get better.)
• Avoid "astral travel." If you do out-of-body travel, I suggest you stop while you are under attack, or while you are in danger of attack. I have heard accounts of people whose bodies were used in their absence! You are leaving your earthly home undefended when you go.
• Keep up your energy level. If you are feeling particularly weak, try staying in well-lit areas, and getting as much bright sunshine as possible. Do not stay in tight, stuffy places with little energy flow, and you may even find you have to avoid synthetic clothing! (Synthetics tend to block spiritual energy, such as Ki).
• Renounce any and all previous contracts or agreements with Darkness. You may have at some point half-consciously made a pact with evil, either in this life or one previous to it. Reject those now. Renounce them, and wash your hands of them. Yes, it really is OK to break contracts, especially bad ones --- odds are God didn't recognize them anyway.
• Replace nasty thoughts with positive ones (oops, this was mentioned above, but worth saying again!). If are getting a series of nasty thoughts or flashes of fear, replace it in you mind with a powerful spiritual image or phrase that has to do with God (or the highest good you know). An example would be to counter flashes of nastiness or fear with favorite Scripture references, and to dwell on the latter. (This is one of those techniques where one needs to keep on doing it even when it starts feeling tiring or less effective.)
• Seek psychiatric help. Depression, for example, is a vicious cycle of tuning into and being affected by negative thoughts and influences. Yes, those influences can (and often do) include "outside" influences. It may be that counseling and/or anti-depressants (or other appropriate medication) can give you that crucial little jump-kick out of that state. Some medications may help you close the door on tuning into influences, while other (anti-depressants) can help you tune higher up the spiritual spectrum, or at least break off from the worst areas. Yes, medications can help!

  If You Can Channel... Counseling

  Theory: Some people can talk with spirits and counsel them. This is, however, dangerous, and not recommended. Never, ever debate an evil spirit; the only real point in talking to one is if (1) it's already attached to you or a loved one and (2) if you can remind it of the truth. Channeling for evil spirits otherwise frequently leads to an attack by that spirit --- sometimes at a level so subtle the victim doesn't even notice!

• First off, in most cases it is best to break off all contact with the attacker! Channeling is very risky and should really only be done to those who are connected strongly with God.
• The vital step is to receive angelic help from God/the Light. Elevate your spirit into the highest realms of reverent joy and absolute awe and love of God, and there pray. (I mean real, strong awe and love of God. If you don't feel that, you're not high enough.) However, if you're not sure you've done this, and you're desperate (i.e., the evil spirit is already attached to you and you can't break off), you may want to go ahead. If you're not connected to God and you have any other options, try them first!
• Many evil spirits have been lied to by their evil supervisors. They've been told there is no light within them, that the light of God burns and destroys. They've also been told that God/the Light does not forgive. These are all false. If you can remind the lost spirit of its beginnings, of the warmth and happiness it once knew in the Light, and if you can convince it that it has been lied to, you may be able to persuade it to release you and return home, to the Light. For this, it is usually necessary for good angels to be there, helping. Pray for God/the Light to help the lost one home.
• If a spirit claims it cannot find light within itself, the so-called spirit may be a "thought-form," a type of automaton. Such may be destroyed. Also, anything that has no light within it is almost certainly truly evil.
• Some attacking spirits are not evil, but are simply lost or confused or in pain. They may have some very simple need that you can satisfy without harming anyone else, such as by letting the spirit go in a forest. In such cases, you may want to try it. If, however, the spirit makes threats, or wants you to harm others, do not do as it asks. Cease communicating with it immediately.
• Peace Pilgrim recommends telling spirits to "Ask for a teacher." Apparently this can really work for some spirits.
• Do not debate or argue with spirits. Usually they are trying to lead you astray, and they have the advantage because they have some measure of telepathy and some knowledge of the past and future. Close off connections and pray for aid from the highest good you know.

  The Truth May Set You Free

  Theory: There is much confusion about the spiritual/psychic world. A little known fact is that some nasty thoughts in your head are not your own. You can develop the strength to resist them, and it is important you do so. Also, you MUST know that all that glitters is not gold.

• Know that a lot of negative emotions, destructive thoughts, nasty thoughts, obnoxious imagery and so on are probably not products of your own mind, but of a nearby dark being's. To know that you are not crazy, that the voices really aren't yours, can be a great relief. Now you need to work on getting rid of them. Don't let the knowledge of outside influence make you irresponsible; you still have the duty to silence dark thoughts and to not act on them. Pray for the removal and rescue of those who speak inside your mind.
• (Note: Sometimes negative emotions and destructive thoughts are not from a nearby dark entity's, but your nearby distressed family member, coworker, or friend! I've had a day where I was extremely upset for no reason and later realized I was picking it up from a coworker having US visa problems! If you are empathic or telepathic, you MUST be aware of your vulnerabilities and you should work on a close relationship with the loving God.)
• Do not yield to temptations, and don't let life in this world push you into "selling your soul" for a short-term gain; this not only hurts others and yourself, but it helps dark ones get a handle on you for later attack. On the other hand, if you have done so already, don't despair. I heard from someone else a really marvelous line, apparently addressed from a good spirit to a lost spirit: "We know you sold your soul. But God didn't recognize the sale. Come on home"!
• Do not assume you deserve what you get! Don't guilt trip yourself. Also, if you hear voices or subtle thoughts that say that you deserve suffering, or that the ordeal is actually a good thing, tell those thoughts and voices to go away --- they are likely coming from someone who is not looking out for your best interests. I don't think God wants us to suffer, even if suffering may sometimes be necessary. Even a karma debt does not have to be repaid by suffering; it can be repaid by good work, and by seeking God's forgiveness. God does not punish us, if we come humbly, and does not subject us to judgment trials. God applies mercy to the repentent, and loves the unlovable!
• Do not consider suicide as an escape. Many suicides who have had near death experiences report that suicide is wrong -- some even say it is a crime, and many suggest great suffering will result. The general gist remains: don't do it. Suicide is what demons want you to do -- don't listen to them, and don't fall into their clutches. Don't give them reason to gloat in triumph (and they DO gloat - rescued suicides have reported hearing them) -- instead, seek God, ask God to rescue the demons or (if rehab is not possible) bring them to justice, and in the meantime LIVE and enjoy life. Remember, while there's physical life, there's also hope. Go, seek, ask, knock, and wait with patience when necessary.
• Know yourself to be a soul that lives past death. The fallen can rise again. Even physical death is not the end, and there really is Light at the end of the tunnel.
• Warning: If you meet spirits that claim to be angels, do not necessarily trust them. Some radiant beings merely reflect light or channel light (like optical fiber), instead of generating it themselves out of love. Some "angels" are more interested in making themselves your spirit guides, and slowly, imperceptibly make you dependent on them for guidance, aid, advice, information, and so on. They also tend to emphasize special treatment, telling you that you are somehow special or better than most other people. Finally, they tend to make reincarnation sound like the cure-all and end-all and something to be done over and over, but remember the highest of religious teachers have discouraged reincarnation throughout history. You do not have to reincarnate to "erase" karmic debts. All these are extremely subtle deceptions, but the danger is real. The road starts quite plain and straight and wonderful, but slowly, slowly, it curves away. Be wary! Here are some resources that might help you tell good from fake good.

The last two items can be summed up as praying for angels to be sent to the attacker(s), and there removing dark matter and doing whatever is best to help the person(s) attacking you. Ben's Detachment 101 is a good overview. Plus, here's one of Ben's stories about what happened when he was attacked by entities attached to a troubled young man. In the story, you will also see that when the demons were removed, the young man became calmer and more rational. In another story I read in Guideposts magazine (or one of its sister magazines), a woman, perhaps inspired by God, successfully commanded her daughter's stalker to leave the house in the name of Jesus Christ. Remember, demons hate and fear Jesus, and if a person seems really capable of and intent on praying to Jesus and getting His help, the demons will more than likely flee. This applies to demons attached to a person -- they will try to take their vehicle (the person) with them if they can.

Note: Ideally a person can be cleansed of dark influences and he or she will become a kinder, calmer person. However, some people are deeply troubled and, until they can change from within, will continue to pick up nasty entities like a magnet. If you are not able to help such a person and that person is causing you harm, you may wish to consider cutting connections and avoiding him or her, at least until they start to change for real.

When I say "Pray for your attacker (only if safe)" I mean the following. It is possible for negative energy to attack through a prayer connection. If you feel vulnerable and unprepared to deal with a powerful attack, think about the other person as little as possible. Instead, focus on God. When you are firmly focused on God's goodness and love, then you may ask God to bless the other person, or if you are able, briefly think of the other person and allow God's love to flow to that person. Do not mentally dwell on the troubled person without first focusing on God.

The last one I add in particular for the case of living human attackers because it may well be that you live among sharks. Do you live in a terrible neighborhood? Do you work among cut-throat, dishonest people? Do you regularly interact with troubled people? Have you run afoul of a group of negatively-oriented people who dabble in the occult? If you have a choice, if you can afford to leave at all, or if you are not specifically called to work with and help the negative people, and especially if you are being overwhelmed by these attacks, you may wish to consider leaving by any means possible. Pray over it with the loving God and try to find the best solution -- perhaps the key is not to leave, but to gather the right allies, or to beautify the neighborhood, or to get your friends to start a prayer vigil ... who knows! The fact is, even if you are a rescuer type, if you find you are overwhelmed in your environs, something needs to change.

• do not despair. Always keep hope.
• do not get drunk; do not abuse drugs; avoid hallucinogens! Avoid people who get extremely drunk.
• do not do psychic experimentation out of curiosity or desire for cool psychic powers
• do not do trance-inducing meditations or breathing or mantras, or even knitting or other mind-numbing tasks
• while it may work on occasion for some, in general it seems to be a bad thing to have the attitude that one is a lost and helpless little sheep in need of rescue. This kind of "I'm lost and helpless, save me" attitude attracts wolves or sharks. If you must express that sentiment, try to wait to express it to someone your heart tells you will actually help you - don't broadcast it.
• do not entertain negative, hurtful, destructive, or despairing thoughts. If you notice them happening, turn your mind to positive thoughts.
• do not turn to discarnate entities known to be less-than-holy for aid and protection. (Even the best of us may accidentally listen to a false angel, but for goodness' sake don't do it willingly!) By "holy" I mean a spirit absolutely dedicated to caring, helping, upholding truth, honor, and love (aka a servant of God).
• do not tune into bad news, do not listen to depressing/angry music, do not let your spirits tune into negativity. (Turn off the TV and radio!)
• avoid falling into too much temptation. (but if you do, pick yourself up and keep trying to do better)
• do not argue with argumentative, scornful, sarcastic, hateful, arrogant,condemning, or proud discarnate spirits. Don't listen to them; don't believe them; don't let them affect your decisions.
• don't panic! You are not alone. Others have survived these trials - you can too. (Note: while it's not a lot of email compared to what I get on other topics, every year I get at least one or two people writing to say they've gone through some nasty psychic experiences. You really are not alone!)

• Christian Andréason's Spiritual Housecleaning Advice

• Cavvvp's story with advice to those under spiritual/psychic attack.

• Detachment Therapy 101 and examples of detachment therapy (spiritual search and rescue). These are from Ben's very extensive Spirituality Site.

• Christian Andréason talks about his NDE, discarnate interference, and spiritual warfare. Be sure to read his definition of spiritual warfare!
• Demon Buster Deliverance site. I don't agree with everything they say, but I sure agree with a lot of it!
• Astral Pulse has a forum on Psychic Self-Defense. Could be worth checking out, but be warned: it has a lot of emphasis on "technique," and is not necessarily upward-leading. That is to say, it speaks of some ways in which to get rid of psychic problems, but it does not speak much about the most important spiritual "technique" of all: reaching up to God and seeking to become a truly kinder, wiser, more gracious human being. As long as we stay in the grey areas where kindness and selfishness are intermixed, we shall always be within range of, and at risk of, psychic attack.

• Unfortunately the link to the more conservative resource no longer works.
• I knew of another related resource on a New Age site, but I can't find it.

Answer: It isn't always above, but it is for most people. If it doesn't appear above, then that implies that one's orientation is a bit skewed and should ideally be fixed. This has to do with our conception of "Up" (see Ben's seminar). "Up" often means such things as "build up," "help up," "improvement," "better," "greater." So, when someone says "spiritually look up," it also means look up in terms of spirit. What, spiritually, is purest, best, holiest, most beautiful, greatest? What do we find when we seek eternal improvement, betterment, building up, and the helping of each other? God. And so when we look up spiritually, we should perceive God's Light to be above.

Question: Why does God allow evil?

Answer: The most common theory is that it's a matter of free will. God does not want us to be automata. Thus, the choice must exit.

Question: What is a psychic attack?

Answer: A psychic attack can be considered the non-physical aspect of any attack (attempt to harm, hurt, deceive, coerce, destroy). Someone looking at you with malice is one minor form of it. A person who sucks away your energy through negative comments and negative energy (like a black hole of resentment or envy or neediness) is also engaging in a form of psychic attack. Someone casting a powerful, complex curse on you is a more dangerous form --- this sometimes leads to dark, destructive thought-constructs (thought-forms) lodging in your body and causing you harm. Some psychic attacks are the result of people who use their thoughts to affect yours --- sort of like a forced telepathy. The other major type of psychic attack are those by discarnate (body-less) entities, like those commonly called demons. They can use the attacks listed above, and they also may partially or completely enter your body and muck with your mind. Sometimes they can even take over ("possession"). I am most concerned with getting rid of discarnate attackers as well as curses, as these seem to be the most dangerous. (Blessings, on the other hand, are gifts of good will and energy, freely given, non-binding, non-demanding, constructive, healing, helpful, and beneficial.)

Question: How do I know if I'm under psychic attack???

Answer: Good question. This is part of our jobs: to learn to notice attacks. Some attacks masquerade as illness, and others as mental illness. You should always discuss any severe symptoms with a physician. Some subtle cues of psychic attack:

• The symptoms seem to have a life of their own. For example, a sensation of paralysis may rise like a wave or a fluid through your body --- which does not make physiological sense, but which makes psychic sense. Or, pain may shift around in ways that don't make physiological sense. Or, it feels like you're fighting for your mind against something. Some attacks like this are strong enough to knock someone out --- they can be truly dangerous.
• Any pressure on your mind to let go and let something else take over.
• A preponderence to be worst at night. Generally getting worse and worse a few hours after sunset, and finally relenting near dawn. I don't know why there is a diurnal relationship, but there is.
• A preponderence to be worse while half-asleep.
• The symptoms include yucky-feeling energy. People who can feel energy may sense some nasty energy, or may see unusual darkness. If you are the victim and can sense energy, you may notice it too, especially if the energy shifts and changes within you or around you.
• You or others may simply sense another "presence" there.
• A resistance, feeling of disgust, or actual feeling of being ill when you try to pray to God, think about God, or otherwise approach God. You may think it is your own natural resistance to belief in God, but trust me, there may be external influences reinforcing it. Dark ones don't want you to pray ... it sounds like cheap Christian propaganda but it's really true!
• If others sense that your eyes seem particularly or unusually malevolent --- some may see glittery red light in your eyes --- that's another sign of a psychic attack that has already partially succeeded.
• If you are not doing drugs, and yet others say your behavior has changed for the worse suddenly, that's another sign.
• More on symptoms that seem to have a life of their own. Ever had a thought or desire that kept coming back, persistently? Especially a destructive or negative thought? A strong, non-productive desire that seems to take hold and keep banging on the door of your mind? Addictions (food, drink, sex), fascinations, odd fetishes, a particular dislike of something that keeps surfacing... these are all symptoms. I'm not joking. I wish I were.
• You may hear voices or have feelings that seem out of place, oddly harmful, or which seem far too real or intelligent. The ability to argue with voices in your own head is an indication of outside influence. Voices that urge you to do destructive things are almost certainly a result of psychic attack. Thoughts that pop up out of nowhere are suspect. Strong feelings that are particularly dark and violent are also warning signs.
• Irrational fear, sorrow, or anger. In one case, a man who had an irrational hatred of cars passing only on the right turned out to have had the ghost of someone who had been killed in a car crash --- when a car passed on the right. With the rescue of the ghost, the man lost his irrational anger. However, some irrational feelings are the result of past-life problems.
• You or others may see dark thread-like or tube-like connections leading from you elsewhere. That's another sign of psychic attack --- either dark spirits are attached to you and are communicating with their bosses, or there is some sort of curse upon you.
• Continuing nightmares, especially those that involve nasty people or entities, may be an indication someone is trying to make your life unpleasant.
• Visions, hallucinations, etc. Not just voices, but also ghostly images, visitations, and so on. You may be haunted. Or a spirit may be trying to contact you. Or a spirit may be trying to convince you that it's a your spirit guide, even if it isn't. It's hard to tell one from the other, sometimes.
• One hint: in order to better see or sense dark entities, one may need to temporarily depress oneself. But this in itself is dangerous, as depressing oneself tends to invite attack. If you have good help, then it may be safe to think negatively temporarily in order to see what lost spirits or thought-forms are around you. Remember to elevate again as soon as possible.