Universal Landscape: Release of pent-up rage without regard to responsibility.
Dreaming Lens: Are you possessed in the dream or is someone else? Do you know the person who is possessed? Do you know what force is responsible for the possession? Is the image from the film The Exorcist, or is it some other image of possession?
Personal Focus: Many of the associations in this term connect to the film The Exorcist. This enormously popular and infamous movie in which a twelve-year-old girl suffers demonic possession created several permanent images in the collective about this phenomenon. It is a fairly common dream image and represents a sudden outburst of any number of pent-up, dark emotions, such as guilt or rage. At the heart of this symbol, however, is the concept of not feeling responsible for the behavior in question or the intensity of the feelings being expressed. As the saying goes, “The devil made me do it.”
In Aboriginal cultures before written history, demonic possession was a community illness that was treated by the local shaman. It was frequently a way for hidden grievances to be expressed in a public way. A person possessed by a demon was free to say things and express that which normally would be kept private. This could be as simple as marital dissatisfaction or resentment between family members. The appearance of the symptoms of possession and the public exorcism that followed, allowed for such conflicts to be aired, addressed, and resolved.
This illuminates how to interpret such an image in a dream. When someone is possessed by a demonic force, deeply hidden frustrations, resentments, and pain are at the root. The only way to free yourself from such a challenge is to express that which has been held back. This is often true of anger and other hostile expressions over which we either have no control, or about which we fear we may lose control. When these pent-up feelings gather enough force, the image of demonic possession may be the dream expression of daytime frustrations.
A person who has trouble controlling outbursts of rage may dream of being possessed. Examining this can help them identify the small feelings that spark the fear of being overtaken by bigger feelings. If possession shows up in your dream, it is a call to action to investigate the authenticity of any of your expressions and your willingness to take responsibility for all of them—both the pleasant and not so pleasant.
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