First
off, let's make sure we are NOT using
Judaeo-Christian definitions here! Organised
religious definitions have no place in this
discussion because the terms have been used for many
more years with different meanings, predating the
Christian era by many centuries if not millennia.
Let's define these terms now.
An
ENTITY is any non-corporeal energetic structure
or mind like structure which demonstrates cohesion
and [at least the hint of] intent. Virotes of
the Amazon shaman (poison darts and arrows shot
psychically at others), Siberian curses and many
others are negative examples of simple entities at
their 'upper' boundary.
A
DEMON, in shamanic terms is a semi-independent,
semi-self-perpetuating energetic entity. It
can not survive outside of its host (for long or at
all).
A DEMON
may also be an independent, self-perpetuating
energetic energy with intent, some level of
sentience and can survive without a host
indefinitely.
A
GHOST is similar to the description of the
independent demon above but is always the dislocated
energetic corpus of a passed, sentient individual
(not necessarily human though).
SLIME, is the energetic detritus of stagnant
energy. Any strong thoughts not channelled,
strong desires left unaddressed right through to the
energetic residue left by a séance where amateur
practitioners fail to clear any energies raised.
Like water, it has to be moving to be healthy.
Stagnant energy turns toxic; energy's purpose is
to move. Often physical ills can be triggered
or worsened by slime. A resentful teenager
thinking resentful thoughts may actually accrue
enough slime to manifest a physically expressive
entity made totally of resentment. Probably no
need to say that this entity is not beneficial?
[Ed. - there really is no common definition for
this, so let's stick with 'slime' in homage to
the 1980's movie, Ghostbusters.]
OK, now
we've defined these terms, let's look at their uses.
Demons may be created by a shaman to eat cancer and
excrete pure life force energy, building in numbers
until the cancer is gone, and then expiring of their
own accord with nothing further to eat. This
being a single example of a myriad of beneficial
uses of demons. Naturally there are nasty ones
too, but more on this in Shadow and Dark Work.
A
shaman might use a demon to exist with a person
(also called a watcher in wiccan terms) and give
accurate connection and feedback from that person.
Particularly strong watchers (made of a shaman's
spirit) are Guardians or Protectors,
capable of channelling the abilities and actions of
the shaman directly in response to any attack or
other trigger. Caution - this is not something
to do lightly or without great reason, a lot can go
wrong, substantially weakening the incautious
practitioner.
Ghosts
may act as companions if of the right motivation.
The Australian creature known as a Bunyip is an
amalgam of many generations of shamans, each of whom
gave a piece of themselves to the Bunyip in exchange
