Kenaz Filan

Kaldera and Filan provide a fascinating introduction to spirit possession as it is practiced by contemporary religious communities. Their perspective is unique in that both are experienced "horses" who have direct experience of divine possession.

This is *not* a how-to guide. In fact, the authors state again and again that spirit possession is an intense and potentially dangerous undertaking, one which should be ventured only by those who have been called by the gods, lwas, or other spirits.

Instead, they describe what we know of spirit possession historically and cross-culturally, types and degrees of divine possession, purposes for possession, how to discern when someone is faking a possession, what to do when an unwelcome entity takes over, what it's like to experience as a horse and as a ritual participant, and how to plan a possession ritual if your spiritual community has one or more horses.


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