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120-466: Manbos and oungans are called into power via spirit possession or the revelations in a dream . They become qualified after completing several initiation rituals and technical training exercises where they learn the Vodou spirits by their names, attributes, and symbols. The first step in initiation is lave tèt (head washing), which is aimed at the spirits housed in an individual's head. The second step

240-649: A dybbuk is a disembodied spirit that wanders restlessly until it inhabits the body of a living person. The Baal Shem could expel a harmful dybbuk through exorcism . Possession-trance and adorcism are also engaged with by some Jews. Notably, Ethiopian Jewish women may participate in zār , and Tuisinian Jewish women have a practice called Stambali. Stambali uses incense, music (traditionally performed by Black musicians from fraternal orders), dance, animal sacrifice, and large spreads of food to induce trance and to appease jinn which may be afflicting someone, and ceremonies may be regularly repeated by that person. Stambali

360-401: A jinn might seek to possess an individual, such as falling in love with them, taking revenge for hurting them or their relatives, or other undefined reasons. At an intended possession, the covenant with the jinn must be renewed. Soothsayers ( kāhin pl. kuhhān ), would use such possession to gain hidden knowledge. Inspirations from jinn by poets requires neither possession nor obedience to

480-549: A 'dietary supplement', though the FDA may withdraw a product from sale should it prove harmful. Canadian regulations are described by the Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate which requires an eight-digit Natural Product Number or Homeopathic Medicine Number on the label of licensed herbal medicines or dietary supplements. Some herbs, such as cannabis and coca , are outright banned in most countries though coca

600-507: A 2018 study, the FDA identified active pharmaceutical additives in over 700 analyzed dietary supplements sold as "herbal", "natural" or "traditional". The undisclosed additives included "unapproved antidepressants and designer steroids", as well as prescription drugs , such as sildenafil or sibutramine . Researchers at the University of Adelaide found in 2014 that almost 20 percent of herbal remedies surveyed were not registered with

720-503: A basis as herbal remedies, including artemisinin , digitalis , quinine and taxanes . In 2015, the Australian Government's Department of Health published the results of a review of alternative therapies that sought to determine if any were suitable for being covered by health insurance ; herbalism was one of 17 topics evaluated for which no clear evidence of effectiveness was found. Establishing guidelines to assess

840-520: A catalyst for the Haitian Revolution . This historical Vodou priestess inspired the first act of the uprising by sacrificing a black pig and sharing the blood with other slaves. Following the ceremony at Bois Caïman, a slave revolt began on August 21 , 1791, resulting in the destruction of plantations surrounding Cap Français (modern-day Cap Haitien ) and the deaths of thousands of French men, women and children . Another notable manbo

960-409: A connection between human beings and the Vodou deities or spirits. Although loas can "mount" whomever they choose, those outside the Vodou priesthood do not have the skills to communicate directly with the spirits or gods. This is because the human body is merely flesh, which the spirits can borrow to reveal themselves via possession. manbos , however, can speak to and hear from the Vodou spirits. As

1080-465: A customer should inform a herbalist of their consumption of actual prescription and other medication. For example, dangerously low blood pressure may result from the combination of a herbal remedy that lowers blood pressure together with prescription medicine that has the same effect. Some herbs may amplify the effects of anticoagulants. Certain herbs as well as common fruit interfere with cytochrome P450, an enzyme critical to much drug metabolism. In

1200-513: A dominant role in New Orleans Voodoo. Approximately eighty percent of Voodoo leaders were said to be women during Laveau's time. Laveau herself gained great fame for her personal charm and Voodoo practices. Today, she is still renowned as Louisiana's "voodoo queen". Her legacy and image as a Voodoo practitioner lives on in modern-day popular culture. For instance, a fictionalized Marie Laveau (played by actress Angela Bassett ) appears in

1320-459: A graveyard or a tomb is believed to enable contact with the ghosts of the dead, who visit the sleeper in dreams and provide hidden knowledge. Possession by ʻafarit (a vengeful ghost) are said to grant the possessed some supernatural powers, but it drives them insane as well. Jinn are much more physical than spirits. Due to their subtle bodies , which are composed of fire and air ( marijin min nar ), they are purported to be able to possess

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1440-416: A household with holy water , placing wax and herbs on thresholds to "ward off witches occult ", and avoiding certain areas of townships known to be frequented by witches and Devil worshippers after dark. Afflicted persons were restricted from entering the church, but might share the shelter of the porch with lepers and persons of offensive life. After the prayers, if quiet, they might come in to receive

1560-479: A human might find pleasure in obeying the demons first, according to Islamic thought, the human soul can only be free if the demons are bound by the spirit (ruh). Sufi literature, as in the writings of Rumi and Attar of Nishapur , pay a lot of attention to how to bind the inner demons. Attar of Nishapur writes: "If you bind the div , you will set out for the royal pavilion with Solomon" and "You have no command over your self's kingdom [body and mind], for in your case

1680-846: A knowledge of future events (Acts 16:16) and great strength (Act 19:13–16), among others, and shows that those with evil spirits can speak of Christ (Mark 3:7–11). Some Evangelical denominations believe that demonic possession is not possible if one has already professed their faith in Christ, because the Holy Spirit already occupies the body and a demon cannot enter. Various types of creatures, such as jinn , shayatin , ʻafarit , found within Islamic culture, are often held to be responsible for spirit possession. Spirit possession appears in both Islamic theology and wider cultural tradition. Although opposed by some Muslim scholars, sleeping near

1800-500: A long and colorful history in Europe, associated with "sorcery", "magic" and intrigue. Although not frequent, adverse reactions have been reported for herbs in widespread use. On occasion serious untoward outcomes have been linked to herb consumption. A case of major potassium depletion has been attributed to chronic licorice ingestion, and consequently professional herbalists avoid the use of licorice where they recognize that this may be

1920-410: A lower ethanol percentage than tinctures. They are usually made by vacuum distilling tinctures. Dry extracts are extracts of plant material that are evaporated into a dry mass. They can then be further refined to a capsule or tablet. The exact composition of a herbal product is influenced by the method of extraction. A tea will be rich in polar components because water is a polar solvent . Oil on

2040-506: A mixture of pure ethanol with water) with the herb. A completed tincture has an ethanol percentage of at least 25% (sometimes up to 90%). Non-alcoholic tinctures can be made with glycerin but it is believed to be less absorbed by the body than alcohol based tinctures and has a shorter shelf life. Herbal wine and elixirs are alcoholic extracts of herbs, usually with an ethanol percentage of 12–38%. Extracts include liquid extracts, dry extracts, and nebulisates. Liquid extracts are liquids with

2160-604: A result, Vodou has elements that can be traced back to the Fon people . For instance, the term manbo stems from the Fon term nanbo , which means "mother of magic ". Like the nanbo in West African Vodun , Haitian manbos play a vital role in Vodou temples and rituals. Contact with deities or spirits is considered dangerous. For this reason, many West African religions require male and/or female professionals (priests, priestesses, diviners , herbalists , etc.) who know

2280-736: A result, they can interpret the advice or warnings sent by a spirit to specific individuals or communities. Cécile Fatiman is a Haitian manbo famously known for sacrificing a black pig in the August 1791 Vodou ceremony at Bois Caïman —an act that is said to have ignited the Haitian Revolution . There are also notable manbos within the United States. Marie Laveau (1801-1888), for example, gained fame in New Orleans , Louisiana , for her personal charm and Louisiana Voodoo practices. Renowned as Louisiana's "voodoo queen", Laveau's legacy

2400-425: A risk. Black cohosh has been implicated in a case of liver failure. Few studies are available on the safety of herbs for pregnant women, and one study found that use of complementary and alternative medicines is associated with a 30% lower ongoing pregnancy and live birth rate during fertility treatment. Examples of herbal treatments with likely cause-effect relationships with adverse events include aconite (which

2520-525: A sample of 488 societies in all parts of the world, with the highest numbers of believing societies in Pacific cultures and the lowest incidence among Native Americans of both North and South America . As Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian churches move into both African and Oceanic areas, a merger of belief can take place, with demons becoming representative of the "old" indigenous religions, which Christian ministers attempt to exorcise . From

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2640-402: A sermon in which he presented the cause of autism as, "the devil's attacked them, he's brought this infirmity upon them, he's got them where he wants them". He asserted that the cure for the neurodevelopmental disorder was prayer by claiming to "know a minister who has seen lots of kids that are autistic, that he cast that demon out, and they were healed, and then he had to pray and their brain

2760-523: A social worker, and a priest". Mama Lola conducted most of her spiritual work in Brooklyn, played an active role in her hometown through visits and material support, and performed rituals and healing work throughout the eastern United States, Canada, elsewhere in the Caribbean, and Benin. Her greater visibility after the publication of Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn and growing participation in

2880-640: A specific profession of herb mixer and combiner (herbalist), called Acaraki . The book from Mataram dated from circa 1700 contains 3,000 entries of jamu herbal recipes, while Javanese classical literature Serat Centhini (1814) describes some jamu herbal concoction recipes. Though possibly influenced by Indian Ayurveda systems, the Indonesia archipelago holds numerous indigenous plants not found in India, including plants similar to those in Australia beyond

3000-551: A topical. Salves , oils, balms , creams, and lotions are other forms of topical delivery mechanisms. Most topical applications are oil extractions of herbs. Taking a food grade oil and soaking herbs in it for anywhere from weeks to months allows certain phytochemicals to be extracted into the oil. This oil can then be made into salves, creams, lotions, or simply used as an oil for topical application. Many massage oils, antibacterial salves, and wound healing compounds are made this way. Inhalation , as in aromatherapy , can be used as

3120-558: A traditional Chinese treatment for intermittent fevers. In India, Ayurvedic medicine has quite complex formulas with 30 or more ingredients, including a sizable number of ingredients that have undergone " alchemical processing ", chosen to balance dosha . In Ladakh, Lahul-Spiti, and Tibet, the Tibetan Medical System is prevalent, also called the "Amichi Medical System". Over 337 species of medicinal plants have been documented by C.P. Kala . Those are used by Amchis,

3240-402: A treatment. It is a popular misconception that herbal medicines are safe and side-effect free. Consumption of herbs may cause adverse effects . Furthermore, "adulteration, inappropriate formulation, or lack of understanding of plant and drug interactions have led to adverse reactions that are sometimes life threatening or lethal." Proper double-blind clinical trials are needed to determine

3360-438: Is a conspiracy to suppress safe and effective herbs, herbs cannot cause harm, whole herbs are more effective than molecules isolated from the plants, herbs are superior to drugs, the doctrine of signatures (the belief that the shape of the plant indicates its function) is valid, dilution of substances increases their potency (a doctrine of the pseudoscience of homeopathy ), astrological alignments are significant, animal testing

3480-601: Is a form of compensation among deprived men in the deeply competitive society of the Sidama, for if a man cannot gain prestige as an orator , warrior, or farmer, he may still gain prestige as a spirit healer. Women are sometimes accused of faking possession, but men never are. Kenya Mayote Mozambique Uganda Tanzania In many of the African diaspora religions possessing spirits are not necessarily harmful or evil, but are rather seeking to rebuke misconduct in

3600-420: Is a form of compensation for being deprived within Sidama society, although they do not draw from I.M. Lewis (see Cultural anthropology section under Scientific views). The majority of the possessed are women whose spirits demand luxury goods to alleviate their condition, but men can be possessed as well. Possessed individuals of both sexes can become healers due to their condition. Hamer and Hamer suggest that this

3720-401: Is also sometimes done preventatively as part of wedding, bnei mitzvah, and housewarming festivities to ward away the evil eye. The afflictions of jinn may simply be buildups of emotional stress or more serious illness. During trance, the jinn enter the body, and the participants do not remember what occurred during trance afterwards. If a particular person has needed a Stambali ceremony organized,

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3840-471: Is an involuntary affliction, some biblical verses have been interpreted as indicating that possession can be voluntary. For example, Alfred Plummer writes that when Devil entered into Judas Iscariot in John 13 :27, this was because Judas had continually agreed to Satan's suggestions to betray Jesus and had wholly submitted to him. The New Testament indicates that people can be possessed by demons, but that

3960-479: Is an unusual or an altered state of consciousness and associated behaviors which are purportedly caused by the control of a human body and its functions by spirits , ghosts , demons , angels , or gods . The concept of spirit possession exists in many cultures and religions, including Buddhism , Christianity , Haitian Vodou , Dominican Vudú , Hinduism , Islam , Judaism , Wicca , and Southeast Asian , African , and Native American traditions. Depending on

4080-546: Is banned in the European Union), St. John's wort , khat , betel nut , the restricted herb ephedra , and guarana . There is also concern with respect to the numerous well-established interactions of herbs and drugs. In consultation with a physician, usage of herbal remedies should be clarified, as some herbal remedies have the potential to cause adverse drug interactions when used in combination with various prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, just as

4200-494: Is believed that the head contains the gwo bonanj (big guardian angel )—a spirit that directs a person's consciousness and provides ancestral/spiritual wisdom. An agitated gwo bonanj can cause an individual to lose their insight and understanding. Head washing works to circumvent this issue by "refreshing" these restive head spirits. Kanzo , a trial by fire , is the second step of initiation. During this rite of passage , hot materials from boiling pots are pressed into

4320-406: Is believed to be caused by a spirit called awre . This affliction presents itself by loss of appetite, nausea, and attacks from severe stomach pains. If it persists, the victim may enter a trance-like stupor, in which he sometimes regains consciousness long enough to take food and water. Breathing is often labored. Seizures and trembling overcome the patient, and in extreme cases, partial paralysis of

4440-427: Is important because Vodou spirits can offer advice, healing, or even warnings to the individuals in a place of worship. Although loa can incarnate themselves in whomever they choose, the intimacy afforded to the devotees does not include a direct communication with the spirits or gods. This is because the human body is merely flesh, which the spirits can borrow to reveal themselves via possession. manbos , however, have

4560-564: Is kept alive in American popular culture (e.g., the television series American Horror Story: Coven ). Mama Lola is another prominent manbo and Vodou spiritual leader in the United States. She rose to fame after the publication of Karen McCarthy Brown 's ethnographic account Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn . Mama Lola's success provided her with a platform to challenge Western misconceptions of Haitian Vodou and make television appearances. Haitian Vodou gains its historic roots from

4680-468: Is known as kouche (to lie down), which is when the initiate enters a period of seclusion. Typically, the final step is the possession of the ason (sacred rattle), which enables the manbos or oungans to begin their work. One of the main goals of Vodou initiation ceremonies is to strengthen the manbo ' s konesans ( knowledge ), which determines priestly power. The specific skills and knowledge gained by manbos enable them to mediate between

4800-584: Is legal in most of the South American countries where it is grown. The Cannabis plant is used as a herbal medicine , and as such is legal in some parts of the world. Since 2004, the sales of ephedra as a dietary supplement is prohibited in the United States by the FDA, and subject to Schedule III restrictions in the United Kingdom. Herbalism has been criticized as a potential " minefield " of unreliable product quality, safety hazards, and

4920-522: Is not appropriate to indicate human effects, anecdotal evidence is an effective means of proving a substance works and herbs were created by God to cure disease. Tyler suggests that none of these beliefs have any basis in fact. Up to 80% of the population in Africa uses traditional medicine as primary health care. Native Americans used about 2,500 of the approximately 20,000 plant species that are native to North America. In Andean healing practices,

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5040-437: Is not mandated in the United States, but even products made to the same specification may differ as a result of biochemical variations within a species of plant. Plants have chemical defense mechanisms against predators that can have adverse or lethal effects on humans. Examples of highly toxic herbs include poison hemlock and nightshade. They are not marketed to the public as herbs, because the risks are well known, partly due to

5160-462: Is often a legally restricted herb), Ayurvedic remedies , broom , chaparral , Chinese herb mixtures, comfrey , herbs containing certain flavonoids, germander , guar gum , liquorice root , and pennyroyal . Examples of herbs that may have long-term adverse effects include ginseng , the endangered herb goldenseal , milk thistle , senna , aloe vera juice , buckthorn bark and berry , cascara sagrada bark , saw palmetto , valerian , kava (which

5280-420: Is safer and potentially more effective, for which there is no evidence either condition applies. Phytochemical researcher Varro Eugene Tyler described paraherbalism as "faulty or inferior herbalism based on pseudoscience", using scientific terminology but lacking scientific evidence for safety and efficacy. Tyler listed ten fallacies that distinguished herbalism from paraherbalism, including claims that there

5400-429: Is the pseudoscientific use of extracts of plant or animal origin as supposed medicines or health-promoting agents. Phytotherapy differs from plant-derived medicines in standard pharmacology because it does not isolate and standardize the compounds from a given plant believed to be biologically active. It relies on the false belief that preserving the complexity of substances from a given plant with less processing

5520-575: The Loa (or lwa ). When the Loa descends upon a practitioner, the practitioner's body is being used by the spirit, according to the tradition. Some spirits are believed to be able to give prophecies of upcoming events or situations pertaining to the possessed one, also called a Chwal or the "Horse of the Spirit". Practitioners describe this as a beautiful but very tiring experience. Most people who are possessed by

5640-530: The Book of Tobias . In the 16th century , Isaac Luria , a Jewish mystic , wrote about the transmigration of souls seeking perfection. His disciples took his idea a step further, creating the idea of a dybbuk , a soul inhabiting a victim until it had accomplished its task or atoned for its sin. The dybbuk appears in Jewish folklore and literature, as well as in chronicles of Jewish life. In Jewish folklore ,

5760-548: The Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products . In the United States, herbal remedies are regulated dietary supplements by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) policy for dietary supplements. Manufacturers of products falling into this category are not required to prove the safety or efficacy of their product so long as they do not make 'medical' claims or imply uses other than as

5880-610: The Ebers papyrus dates from about 1550 BCE, and covers more than 700 compounds, mainly of plant origin. The earliest known Greek herbals came from Theophrastus of Eresos who, in the 4th century BCE, wrote in Greek Historia Plantarum , from Diocles of Carystus who wrote during the 3rd century BCE, and from Krateuas who wrote in the 1st century BCE. Only a few fragments of these works have survived intact, but from what remains, scholars have noted overlap with

6000-841: The Mongo people but is also practised among various ethnic groups in Kinshasa . Among the Gurage people of Ethiopia, spirit possession is a common belief. William A. Shack postulated that it is caused by Gurage cultural attitudes about food and hunger, while they have a plentiful food supply, cultural pressures that force the Gurage to either share it to meet social obligations, or hoard it and eat it secretly cause feelings of anxiety. Distinctions are drawn between spirits that strictly possess men, spirits that possess women, and spirits that possess victims of either sex. A ritual illness that only affects men

6120-542: The Roman Ritual , true demonic or Satanic possession has been characterized since the Middle Ages , by the following four typical characteristics: The New Catholic Encyclopedia states, " Ecclesiastical authorities are reluctant to admit diabolical possession in most cases, because many can be explained by physical or mental illness alone. Therefore, medical and psychological examinations are necessary before

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6240-774: The Therapeutic Goods Administration , despite this being a condition for their sale. They also found that nearly 60 percent of products surveyed had ingredients that did not match what was on the label. Out of 121 products, only 15 had ingredients that matched their TGA listing and packaging. In 2015, the New York Attorney General issued cease and desist letters to four major U.S. retailers ( GNC , Target , Walgreens , and Walmart ) who were accused of selling herbal supplements that were mislabeled and potentially dangerous. Twenty-four products were tested by DNA barcoding as part of

6360-1036: The Wallace Line . Jamu practices may vary from region to region, and are often not recorded, especially in remote areas of the country. Although primarily herbal, some Jamu materials are acquired from animals, such as honey , royal jelly , milk, and Ayam Kampung eggs . Herbalists tend to use extracts from parts of plants, such as the roots or leaves, believing that plants are subject to environmental pressures and therefore develop resistance to threats such as radiation, reactive oxygen species and microbial attack to survive, providing defensive phytochemicals of use in herbalism. Indigenous healers often claim to have learned by observing that sick animals change their food preferences to nibble at bitter herbs they would normally reject. Field biologists have provided corroborating evidence based on observation of diverse species, such as chickens, sheep, butterflies , and chimpanzees . The habit of changing diet has been shown to be

6480-468: The awre serves to bring the possessed man to the center of social attention, and to relieve his anxieties over his inability to gain prestige from redistributing food, which is the primary way in which Gurage men gain status in their society. The belief in spirit possession is part of the native culture of the Sidama people of southwest Ethiopia . Anthropologists Irene and John Hamer postulated that it

6600-573: The div is in the place of Solomon". He further links the demons to the story alluded in the Quran (38:34) that a demon replaced the prophet Solomon: one must behave like a triumphant 'Solomon' and chain the demons of the nafs or lower self, locking the demon-prince into a 'rock', before the rūḥ (soul) can make the first steps to the Divine. Although forbidden in the Hebrew Bible , magic

6720-611: The Act [21 U.S.C. § 321(g)(1)], because they are intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease and/or intended to affect the structure or any function of the body" when no such evidence existed. During the COVID-19 pandemic , the FDA and U.S. Federal Trade Commission issued warnings to several hundred American companies for promoting false claims that herbal products could prevent or treat COVID-19 disease . The World Health Organization (WHO),

6840-649: The American Herbalist Guild, "there is currently no licensing or certification for herbalists in any state that precludes the rights of anyone to use, dispense, or recommend herbs." However, there are U.S. federal restrictions for marketing herbs as cures for medical conditions, or essentially practicing as an unlicensed physician. Over the years 2017–2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warning letters to numerous herbalism companies for illegally marketing products under "conditions that cause them to be drugs under section 201(g)(1) of

6960-701: The Baptist Deliverance Study Group of the Baptist Union of Great Britain , a Christian denomination , issued a "warning against occult spirituality following the rise in people trying to communicate with the dead". The commission reported that "becoming involved in activities such as Spiritualism can open up a doorway to great spiritual oppression which requires a Christian rite to set that person free". In September 2023, Pastor Rick Morrow of Beulah Church in Richland, Missouri gave

7080-602: The Egyptian herbals. Seeds likely used for herbalism were found in archaeological sites of Bronze Age China dating from the Shang dynasty ( c.  1600  – c.  1046 BCE ). Over a hundred of the 224 compounds mentioned in the Huangdi Neijing , an early Chinese medical text, are herbs. Herbs were also commonly used in the traditional medicine of ancient India, where the principal treatment for diseases

7200-456: The ability to read people and heal them. This, in turn, allows them to diagnose and treat human sufferings, which they ascribe to the living, the dead, or the spirit world. The Vodou spirits choose manbos and oungans either through revelations in a dream or the utterances of a possessed person. These candidates for priesthood are then taken under the wing of a manbo or oungan for days, months or even years. Although anyone can receive

7320-720: The anti-malarial group of drugs called artemisinin isolated from Artemisia annua , a herb that was known in Chinese medicine to treat fever. There is limited scientific evidence for the safety and efficacy of many plants used in 21st-century herbalism, which generally does not provide standards for purity or dosage. The scope of herbal medicine sometimes includes fungal and bee products, as well as minerals , shells and certain animal parts. Paraherbalism describes alternative and pseudoscientific practices of using unrefined plant or animal extracts as unproven medicines or health-promoting agents. Paraherbalism relies on

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7440-472: The authority of a bishop and in accordance with strict rules; a simple exorcism also occurs during baptism . The infliction of demonic torment upon an individual has been chronicled in premodern Protestant literature. In 1597, King James discussed four methods of daemonic influence upon an individual in his book Daemonologie : King James attested that the symptoms derived from demonic possession could be discernible from natural diseases. He rejected

7560-534: The beginning of Christianity , adherents have held that possession derives from the Devil (i.e. Satan ) and demons. In the battle between Satan and Heaven , Satan is believed to engage in "spiritual attacks", including demonic possession , against human beings by the use of supernatural powers to harm them physically or psychologically. Prayer for deliverance, blessings upon the man or woman's house or body, sacraments , and exorcisms are generally used to drive

7680-899: The belief that preserving various substances from a given source with less processing is safer or more effective than manufactured products, a concept for which there is no evidence. Archaeological evidence indicates that the use of medicinal plants dates back to the Paleolithic age, approximately 60,000 years ago. Written evidence of herbal remedies dates back over 5,000 years to the Sumerians , who compiled lists of plants. Some ancient cultures wrote about plants and their medical uses in books called herbals . In ancient Egypt, herbs were mentioned in Egyptian medical papyri , depicted in tomb illustrations, or on rare occasions found in medical jars containing trace amounts of herbs. In ancient Egypt,

7800-521: The bishop's blessing and listen to the sermon . They were fed daily and prayed over by the exorcists and, in case of recovery, after a fast of from 20 to 40 days, were admitted to the Eucharist , and their names and cures entered in the church records. In 1603, the Church of England forbade its clergy from performing exorcisms because of numerous fraudulent cases of demonic possession. In May 2021,

7920-414: The bodies of humans. Such physical intrusion of the jinn is conceptually different from the whisperings of the devils. Since jinn are not necessarily evil, they are distinguished from cultural concepts of possession by devils/demons. Since such jinn are said to have free will , they can have their own reasons to possess humans and are not necessarily harmful. There are various reasons given as to why

8040-638: The call from the spirits to enter the priesthood, the oungan and manbo profession is oftentimes hereditary. Nevertheless, those called to be a manbo or oungan will rarely refuse the position in fear of being severely punished by the gods. In a humfo (Vodou temple), manbos and oungans are commonly referred to as manman (mother) and papa (father) respectively. Hounfos are highly decorated religious places of worship and contain one or more stone altars for deities or spirits. Some priests or priestesses draw large followings in their hounfo , which aid them in establishing notable reputations. Thus, with

8160-461: The casting out of Devils, is by virtue of fasting and prayer, and in-calling of the name of God, suppose many imperfections be in the person that is the instrument, as CHRIST himself teaches us (Mat. 7) of the power that false Prophets all have cast out devils". In medieval Great Britain , the Christian church had offered suggestions on safeguarding one's home. Suggestions ranged from dousing

8280-505: The cultural context in which it is found, possession may be thought of as voluntary or involuntary and may be considered to have beneficial or detrimental effects on the host. The experience of spirit possession sometimes serves as evidence in support of belief in the existence of spirits, deities or demons. In a 1969 study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health , spirit-possession beliefs were found to exist in 74% of

8400-602: The d jévò (initiation room) for nine days with an ason . The ason is a beaded rattle that manbos and oungans use in Southern Haiti to give them leverage in the spirit realm. The final step of initiation is the transferred ownership of the ason to the manbo or oungan in training. Possession of the ason enables the initiates to take on their formal roles and start their healing work. There are different reasons as why Vodou practitioners perform rituals and ceremonies . Some believers view their relationship with

8520-675: The demon out. Some theologians , such as Ángel Manuel Rodríguez , say that mediums , like the ones mentioned in Leviticus 20 :27, were possessed by demons. Another possible case of demonic possession in the Old Testament includes the false prophets that King Ahab relied upon before re-capturing Ramoth-Gilead in 1 Kings 22 . They were described as being empowered by a deceiving spirit. The New Testament mentions several episodes in which Jesus drove out demons from persons . Whilst most Christians believe that demonic possession

8640-488: The demons respond and submit to Jesus Christ's authority: In the synagogue , there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, "Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!" "Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. All

8760-449: The devils whisper from within the human body, within or next to the heart , and so "devilish whisperings" ( Arabic : waswās وَسْوَاس ) are sometimes thought of as a kind of possession. Unlike possession by jinn , the whispering of devils affects the soul instead of the body. Demons (also known as div ), though part of the human conception, get stronger through acts of sin. By acts of obedience (to God), they get weaker. Although

8880-560: The early years by Maturidite scholars such as al-Rustughfanī . The Mu'tazila are associated with substituting jinn-possession by devilish-whisperings, denying bodily possession altogether. In contrast to jinn , the devils ( shayatin ) are inherently evil. Iblis , the father of the devils, dwells in the fires of hell, although not suffering wherein, he and his children try to draw people into damnation of hell. Devils don't physically possess people, they only tempt humans into sin by following their lower nafs . Hadiths suggest that

9000-417: The earthly realms. Before they can put these skills into practice, these priests and priestesses receive a technical education wherein they learn about the different Vodou spirits and ritualistic practices. They must also cultivate a konesans ( knowledge )—typically regarded as intuition, psychic power, or the "gift of eyes". Stemming from supernatural gifts, a konesans affords Vodou priests and priestesses

9120-585: The evil eye directed at them. Showers are also seen as particularly vulnerable places where a jinn may attach themselves to a person. Zebola is a women's spirit possession dance ritual practised by certain ethnic groups of the Democratic Republic of the Congo . It is believed to have therapeutic qualities and has been noted in the West as a traditional form of psychotherapy . It originated among

9240-415: The extremities. If the victim does not recover naturally, a traditional healer, or sagwara , is summoned. Once the sagwara has determined the spirit's name through the use of divination, he prescribes a routine formula to exorcise the spirit. This is not a permanent cure, it merely allows the victim to form a relationship with the spirit while subject to chronic repossession, which is treated by repeating

9360-416: The former West African kingdom of Dahomey , which Europeans also called the "Bight of Benin". Populated by the Fon , Ewe , and Yoruba people , this region covers roughly what is known today as Benin and western Nigeria . During the slave trade , many Fon and Ewe -speaking Dahomeyans were enslaved and used as the labor force for the sugar industry of French Saint Domingue (modern-day Haiti ). As

9480-549: The formula. This formula involves the preparation and consumption of a dish of ensete , butter, and red pepper. During this ritual, the victim's head is covered with a drape, and he eats the ensete ravenously while other ritual participants participate by chanting. The ritual ends when the possessing spirit announces that it is satisfied. Shack notes that the victims are overwhelmingly poor men, and that women are not as food-deprived as men, due to ritual activities that involve food redistribution and consumption. Shack postulates that

9600-429: The gods and spirits as a binding contract in which humans are obliged to provide the spirits rituals or ceremonies in exchange for protection. By serving and communicating with the spirits via rituals, devotees can bring about good luck, ward off evil, and heal the sick. As religious specialists, manbos know the Vodou spirits by their names, attributes, and symbols. They utilize this information during rituals to call upon

9720-403: The initiate's left hand and left foot. This step is used to purify the initiate and transform their suffering into power. The kanzo ritual is important because it places the initiate under the direct care of a loa (also spelled lwa , Vodou spirits). The next step is known as kouche (to lie down), which is when the initiate enters a period of seclusion. The future manbo is locked in

9840-537: The investigation, with all but five containing DNA that did not match the product labels. In some countries, formalized training and minimum education standards exist for herbalists, although these are not necessarily uniform within or between countries. In Australia, for example, the self-regulated status of the profession (as of 2009) resulted in variable standards of training, and numerous loosely formed associations setting different educational standards. One 2009 review concluded that regulation of herbalists in Australia

9960-458: The jinn afflicting them will be asked what it wants as it possesses them. Usually requests involve clothes and an animal for sacrifice. The atmosphere is festive, and participants wear bright clothes and henna. Aside from musicians, the participants are all women. The dances and lyrics are improvised. Those seen as particularly susceptible to jinn affliction are the victims and perpetrators of aggression, those who are frightened, and those who may have

10080-510: The jinn. Their relationship is rather described as mutual. The concept of jinn-possession is alien to the Quran and derives from pagan notions. It is widespread among Muslims and also accepted by most Islamic scholars. It is part of the aqida (theological doctrines) in the tradition of Ashari , and the Atharis , such as ibn Taimiyya and ibn Qayyim . Among Maturidites it is debated, as some accept it, but it has been challenged since

10200-400: The knowledge and training necessary to speak to and hear from the Vodou spirits. Since human contact with the spiritual realm can be a dangerous endeavor, manbos use their skills to supervise possessions and actively direct individuals back to consciousness. Cécile Fatiman is famously known for her participation in the August 1791 Vodou ceremony at Bois Caïman , which is considered to be

10320-462: The living. Possession by a spirit in the African diaspora and traditional African religions can result in healing for the person possessed and information gained from possession as the spirit provides knowledge to the one they possessed. In Haitian Vodou and related African diaspora religions, one way that those who participate or practice can have a spiritual experience is by being possessed by

10440-514: The long-term boiled extracts, usually of harder substances like roots or bark. Maceration is the cold infusion of plants with high mucilage -content, such as sage or thyme . To make macerates, plants are chopped and added to cold water. They are then left to stand for 7 to 12 hours (depending on the herb used). For most macerates, 10 hours is used. Tinctures are alcoholic extracts of herbs, which are generally stronger than herbal teas. Tinctures are usually obtained by combining pure ethanol (or

10560-420: The mistreatment of female hunsi in their temples. Manbos must undergo a multi-step initiation process to enter the priesthood and establish their communication with the Vodou spirits. One of the main goals of Vodou initiation ceremonies is to strengthen the manbo ' s konesans . The first step in initiation is lave tèt (head washing), which is aimed at the spirits housed in an individual's head. It

10680-587: The office of the oungan or manbo comes power, prestige, and wealth. There are, however, other positions and roles meant to help a head priest or priestess. For instance, hunsi are devotees who have gone through the rite of fire, abide by the orders of the manbo and are qualified to assist with ritual activities. The hunsi are further subdivided based on particular tasks (e.g., the hungenikon (song leader) and laplace (master of ceremonies and sword holder)). Patriarchal structures with male priesthood often prevail in rural areas of Haiti. Female leadership, on

10800-462: The other hand is a non-polar solvent and it will absorb non-polar compounds. Alcohol lies somewhere in between. Many herbs are applied topically to the skin in a variety of forms. Essential oil extracts can be applied to the skin, usually diluted in a carrier oil. Many essential oils can burn the skin or are simply too high dose used straight; diluting them in olive oil or another food grade oil such as almond oil can allow these to be used safely as

10920-468: The other hand, is often seen in urban centers such as Port-au-Prince (the capital of Haiti). The autonomous nature of the Vodou priesthood enables manbos to exercise leadership entirely independent of male control. Despite providing female practitioners with greater social mobility, Vodou still mirrors aspects of misogyny in Haitian culture. For instance, oungans are more prone to undergo scrutiny for

11040-569: The people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!" And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area It also indicates that demons can possess animals as in the exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac . Roman Catholic doctrine states that angels are non-corporeal , spiritual beings with intelligence and will . Fallen angels , or demons , are able to "demonically possess" individuals without

11160-569: The performance of major exorcism . The standard that must be met is that of moral certitude ( De exorcismis , 16). For an exorcist to be morally certain, or beyond reasonable doubt, that he is dealing with a genuine case of demonic possession, there must be no other reasonable explanation for the phenomena in question". Official Catholic doctrine affirms that demonic possession can occur as distinguished from mental illness , but stresses that cases of mental illness should not be misdiagnosed as demonic influence. Catholic exorcisms can occur only under

11280-408: The person are possessed by a guiding spirit, the possessed person the give guidance to people that ask for consultation, they answer questions and sometimes explain rituals to help the consulting person to achieve their goals or solve problems in their life, exemples of such spirits are Pomba Gira (female guardian spirit) or Exu (male guardian spirit), who possesses both women and males. According to

11400-417: The physical and spiritual realms. They use this information to call upon the spirits through song, dance, prayer, offerings, and/or the drawing of vèvès (spiritual symbols). During these rituals, manbos may either be possessed by a loa (also spelled lwa , Vodou spirits) themselves, or may oversee the possession of other devotees. Spirit possession plays an important role in Vodou because it establishes

11520-428: The possession of other devotees. Spirit possession is one of the most important goals in Vodou rituals because it puts human beings in direct contact with the spirits. During possession, an individual's consciousness and sense of control leaves their body, which increases mental and corporeal reception of the spirits. The possessed individual becomes a vessel for the spirit to reveal its persona and cosmic knowledge. This

11640-750: The potential for misleading health advice. Globally, there are no standards across various herbal products to authenticate their contents, safety or efficacy, and there is generally an absence of high-quality scientific research on product composition or effectiveness for anti-disease activity. Presumed claims of therapeutic benefit from herbal products, without rigorous evidence of efficacy and safety, receive skeptical views by scientists. Unethical practices by some herbalists and manufacturers, which may include false advertising about health benefits on product labels or literature, and contamination or use of fillers during product preparation, may erode consumer confidence about services and products. Paraherbalism

11760-624: The practitioners of this medical system. The Indian book, Vedas, mentions treatment of diseases with plants. In Indonesia , especially among the Javanese , the jamu traditional herbal medicine may have originated in the Mataram Kingdom era, some 1300 years ago. The bas-reliefs on Borobudur depict the image of people grinding herbs with stone mortar and pestle , a drink seller, a herbalist, and masseuse treating people. The Madhawapura inscription from Majapahit period mentioned

11880-443: The prevalence of herbal remedy use. There are many forms in which herbs can be administered, the most common of which is a liquid consumed as a herbal tea or a (possibly diluted) plant extract. Herbal teas , or tisanes, are the resultant liquid of extracting herbs into water, though they are made in a few different ways. Infusions are hot water extracts of herbs, such as chamomile or mint , through steeping . Decoctions are

12000-514: The public sphere provided her with a platform to reshape American perceptions of Vodou, achieve greater recognition in New York's Haitian community, and attract the attention of people unfamiliar with Haiti and Vodou. One of her appearances in U.S. popular media included that as a 2007 guest on Season 2 Episode 7 ("Mama Lola Knows Best") of the reality TV show Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood . Spirit possession Spirit possession

12120-594: The rituals, dances, songs, and objects that can be used to approach deities or spirits without upsetting them. Enslaved Africans brought these gendered notions of religious leadership with them to the New World. As a result, female religious figures are part of the religions of the African Diaspora (e.g., manbos in Haitian Vodou ). The dominance of Vodou female practitioners later became prevalent in

12240-438: The safety and efficacy of each plant before medical use. Although many consumers believe that herbal medicines are safe because they are natural, herbal medicines and synthetic drugs may interact, causing toxicity to the consumer. Herbal remedies can also be dangerously contaminated, and herbal medicines without established efficacy, may unknowingly be used to replace prescription medicines. Standardization of purity and dosage

12360-620: The safety and efficacy of herbal products, the European Medicines Agency provided criteria in 2017 for evaluating and grading the quality of clinical research in preparing monographs about herbal products. In the United States, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health of the National Institutes of Health funds clinical trials on herbal compounds, provides fact sheets evaluating

12480-593: The safety, potential effectiveness and side effects of many plant sources, and maintains a registry of clinical research conducted on herbal products. According to Cancer Research UK as of 2015, "there is currently no strong evidence from studies in people that herbal remedies can treat, prevent or cure cancer". The use of herbal remedies is more prevalent in people with chronic diseases , such as cancer, diabetes , asthma , and end-stage kidney disease . Multiple factors such as gender, age, ethnicity, education and social class are also shown to have associations with

12600-556: The specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that is concerned with international public health, published Quality control methods for medicinal plant materials in 1998 to support WHO Member States in establishing quality standards and specifications for herbal materials, within the overall context of quality assurance and control of herbal medicines. In the European Union (EU), herbal medicines are regulated under

12720-511: The spirit describe the onset as a feeling of blackness or energy flowing through their body. The concept of spirit possession is also found in Umbanda , an Afro-Brazilian folk religion that has origins in Yoruba people . According to tradition, there is some guiding spirits that possess a voluntary person, this normally are made when there is a person that wants to ask for some guidance, when

12840-409: The spirits and interact with them—whether it be through song, dance, prayer, offerings, or the drawing of vèvès (spiritual symbols). Theatrical aspects such as drumming, singing, and dancing are used by manbos as a means of "heating up" the process through which a person enters a state of possession or trance . During rituals, manbos may either be possessed by a loa themselves, or may oversee

12960-579: The symptoms and signs prescribed by the Catholic church as vain (e.g. rage begotten from Holy Water , fear of the Cross , etc.) and found the exorcism rites to be troublesome and ineffective to recite. The Rites of the Catholic Church to remedy the torment of demonic spirits were rejected as counterfeit since few possessed could be cured by them. In James' view: "It is easy then to understand that

13080-597: The third season of American Horror Story . Marie Thérèse Alourdes Macena Champagne Lovinski, also known as Mama Lola (1933–2020), was a prominent manbo and Vodou spiritual leader in the United States born and raised in Haiti. She rose to public prominence after the publication of Karen McCarthy Brown 's ethnographic account , Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn . In 1963, at the age of thirty years old, Mama Lola emigrated to Brooklyn , New York, in search of greater opportunities. During one of her visits back to Haiti,

13200-530: The tradition everyone has a Pomba Gira and a Exu to can call for help and protection even if they don’t possess the person asking for help, and they can be called always the person feels necessary. Herbalist Herbal medicine (also called herbalism , phytomedicine or phytotherapy ) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants , which are a basis of traditional medicine . With worldwide research into pharmacology , some herbal medicines have been translated into modern remedies, such as

13320-479: The urban contexts of Haiti and nineteenth-century New Orleans in French Louisiana . Generally, manbos and oungans serve as the heads of autonomous Vodou religious groups—rather than clerical hierarchies—and exert their authority over the devotees or spiritual servants in their temples . They are said to have the ability to call upon deities or spirits to remove barriers between the spiritual and

13440-511: The use of entheogens , in particular the San Pedro cactus ( Echinopsis pachanoi ) is still a vital component, and has been around for millennia. Some researchers trained in both Western and traditional Chinese medicine have attempted to deconstruct ancient medical texts in the light of modern science. In 1972, Tu Youyou , a pharmaceutical chemist and Nobel Prize winner , extracted the anti-malarial drug artemisinin from sweet wormwood ,

13560-566: The victim's knowledge or consent, leaving them morally blameless. The Catholic Encyclopedia says that there is only one apparent case of demonic possession in the Old Testament, of King Saul being tormented by an "evil spirit" ( 1 Samuel 16:14), but this depends on interpreting the Hebrew word " rûah " as implying a personal influence which it may not; as a result, even this example is described as "not very certain". In addition, Saul

13680-411: The warrior spirit Ogou possessed Mama Lola's mother Philomise Macena and revealed to Mama Lola that the spirits wished that she fulfill her calling into the Vodou priesthood. She underwent a series of rituals in Haiti over multiple visits to complete this high level of initiation. Brown explains that her role as a practicing manbo was one that "combines the skills of a medical doctor, a psychotherapist,

13800-520: Was Marie Laveau (1801–1888), a Louisiana Creole woman who became a legendary Voodoo practitioner in New Orleans. Like its Haitian counterpart, New Orleans Voodoo was brought by enslaved Africans from West Africa to French Louisiana during the slave trade. Contrary to popular belief, Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo are not the same—these African diaspora religions have their own history and identity. From its beginning, female practitioners played

13920-530: Was diet. De Materia Medica , originally written in Greek by Pedanius Dioscorides ( c.  40  – c.  90 CE ) of Anazarbus , Cilicia , a physician and botanist, is one example of herbal writing used over centuries until the 1600s. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80 percent of the population of some Asian and African countries presently uses herbal medicine for some aspect of primary health care. Some prescription drugs have

14040-416: Was needed to reduce the risk of interaction of herbal medicines with prescription drugs , to implement clinical guidelines and prescription of herbal products, and to assure self-regulation for protection of public health and safety. In the United Kingdom, the training of herbalists is done by state-funded universities offering Bachelor of Science degrees in herbal medicine. In the United States, according to

14160-428: Was only described to be tormented, rather than possessed, and he was relieved from these torments by having David play the lyre to him. Catholic exorcists differentiate between "ordinary" Satanic/demonic activity or influence (mundane everyday temptations ) and "extraordinary" Satanic/demonic activity, which can take six different forms, ranging from complete control by Satan or demons to voluntary submission: In

14280-658: Was rewired and they were fixed." Members of the pastor's community found his comment to be "derogatory toward individuals with certain disabilities." Their public outcry led to Morrow's resignation from the school board on which he was a member. In both charismatic and evangelical Christianity, exorcisms of demons are often carried out by individuals or groups belong to the deliverance ministries movement. According to these groups, symptoms of such possessions can include chronic fatigue syndrome , homosexuality , addiction to pornography , and alcoholism . The New Testament's description of people who had evil spirits includes

14400-554: Was widely practiced in the late Second Temple Period and well documented in the period following the destruction of the Temple into the 3rd, 4th, and 5th centuries C.E. Jewish magical papyri were inscriptions on amulets , ostraca and incantation bowls used in Jewish magical practices against shedim and other unclean spirits . According to the Catholic Encyclopedia , Jewish methods of exorcism were described in

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