Desobsessão is the spiritual treatment that Spiritism offers for cases of obsession, when a disincarnate Spirit begins to negatively influence a person. Forgotten in horror movies and exorcism stories, real desobsessão is the opposite of violence: it treats through the word, through prayer, and through love, caring for both the one suffering the influence and the Spirit that exerts it.
This article explains what obsession is in the doctrine of Allan Kardec, its degrees, who the obsessing spirit is, and how a desobsession meeting works. And it makes one essential point clear from the start: desobsession does not replace the doctor, and not all suffering is obsession.
What is obsession in Spiritism
In Spiritism, obsession is the persistent action of a Spirit over an incarnate person, dominating them to a greater or lesser degree. Allan Kardec dedicated the entire chapter "Of Obsession" in The Book of Mediums to this theme, and defined it as the dominance that certain Spirits manage to acquire over someone.
It is important to separate this from popular imagination. Spiritist obsession is not the possession from horror movies, in which a body is "taken" and the person disappears. In Spiritism, the Spirit influences, disturbs, and induces, but does not steal anyone's body. And the obsessing spirit is not a demon: the doctrine teaches that there are no entities evil by nature, only Spirits who are still imperfect, who suffer and who also need help.
The degrees of obsession
Kardec described three degrees of obsession, ranging from the mildest to the most intense. Understanding this difference helps to dispel much unnecessary fear.
- Simple obsession: the Spirit bothers, hinders, and imposes itself, but the person is aware that they are under a strange influence. It is the lightest degree, and the easiest to treat.
- Fascination: more dangerous precisely because it is silent. The Spirit produces an illusion in the person's thoughts, who begins to believe in his ideas as if they were their own, without noticing the influence. Here, judgment becomes paralyzed.
- Subjugation: the most intense degree, in which the person's will is constrained, leading them to act against themselves. It can be moral, affecting decisions, or physical, with involuntary movements. The extreme cases of subjugation are what popular tradition would call "possession."
Even in subjugation, Spiritism does not speak of a body "taken" by an evil force. It speaks of an intense influence that can and must be undone by enlightenment, by the person's reform, and by fraternal help.
Who is the obsessor
The obsessor is, almost always, a suffering Spirit, imperfect or moved by resentment and a desire for revenge. Often, there is an old bond between him and the obsessed person, a debt from the past, from this or another life, that keeps them linked.
Here enters a central law of Spiritism, the law of affinity: we attract what we vibrate. Repeated thoughts of hatred, fear, envy, or discouragement create a kind of field that tunes into and attracts Spirits in a similar state. It is not a matter of guilt or punishment, but of affinity.
Therefore, the spiritist view of the obsessing spirit is one of compassion, not hatred. He is not an enemy to be destroyed, but someone who lost themselves in their own pain and who carries their own suffering. The treatment, as we will see, cares for both sides, because liberating the obsessed person almost always involves also helping the one who disturbs them.
How disobsession works
Dispossession happens, above all, in the dispossession mediumship meeting, a reserved and doctrinal work performed inside the spiritist house, conducted by a prepared team. The process is serene and follows a logic of welcoming, not of combat.
It works like this: the obsessing spirit is welcomed by a medium and enlightened by the word, in a fraternal dialogue conducted by the instructor. With the help of prayer, the passe, and good fluids, the goal is to lead that spirit to reflection, repentance, and light. The objective is to convince through love, never to expel by force. There are no shouts, no struggle, no violence.
The meeting usually gathers a leader, an instructor, who sustains through prayer, a passer, and the medium who gives voice to the spirit. This mediumship work requires preparation, and that is why it is done by studied teams, as explained in the article about what mediumship is.
But there is a detail that many people forget: the obsessed person is not passive. The spiritist house helps, however, the most important part belongs to the person themselves. Inner reform, the vigilance of thoughts, and moral elevation are what actually remove the tuning that fed the connection. Without this internal change, the treatment remains incomplete.
The resources of the spiritist house
The disobsession meeting is reserved and mediumistic, but Spiritism treatment is not limited to it. Someone seeking a Spiritist house finds a set of resources open to everyone:
- Fraternal assistance: a conversation of listening and guidance, often the first step for those who arrive in distress.
- Passe and fluidified water: the transmission of good fluids that rebalances and strengthens.
- Lecture and study: the enlightenment that gradually changes the way of thinking and feeling.
- Group prayer: the collective vibration of good, which supports those in need.
These resources sustain the person in daily life, while inner reform does its silent work. None of them have a scheduled time to "resolve" a case: they are continuous support, not a formula for quick results. And the Spiritist house does not charge for any of this, because charity is the foundation of everything.
Obsession is not a mental illness
This is the most delicate and most important point of the entire theme, and it needs to be said clearly.
Obsession is not a medical diagnosis, and not all psychic suffering is obsession. Spiritual treatment must walk side by side with medical and psychological treatment, never in its place.
Anxiety, depression, disorders, and other mental health conditions have their own causes and treatments, and require a doctor, psychiatrist, and psychologist. Attributing all suffering to a Spirit is a serious error, which keeps people away from the care they need. Serious Spiritism recognizes this and always advises seeking professional help. Spirituality adds to it, it does not replace it.
How to prevent obsession
More than treating, Spiritism teaches how to prevent. And prevention is not in amulets or protection rituals, but in the inner work of each individual:
- Inner reform: knowing and correcting one's own imperfections is the basis of everything.
- Vigilance of thoughts: cultivating elevated thoughts and avoiding feeding resentment and fears.
- Prayer: the sincere habit of prayer harmonizes and protects.
- Gospel at Home: the meeting to study the Gospel at home attracts good Spirits to the environment.
- Study and charity: understanding the doctrine and practicing good strengthen the person from within.
Those who wish to go deeper can find much on the subject in the mediumistic work of Chico Xavier, especially in the psychographed books that deal with obsessive processes in depth.
Frequently asked questions
What is dispossession in Spiritism?
Dispossession is the spiritual treatment for cases of obsession, when a Spirit negatively influences a person. It happens in a mediumistic meeting where the obsessing spirit is enlightened by the word, by prayer and by the spiritual pass, with the objective of leading it to reflection and liberating whoever suffered the influence.
What are the degrees of obsession according to Kardec?
Kardec described three degrees. Simple obsession, in which the person perceives the influence. Fascination, in which they believe in the ideas of the obsessor without noticing. And subjugation, the most intense degree, in which the will is constrained. Each one requires welcoming and inner reform to be overcome.
Is dispossession the same thing as exorcism?
No. Exorcism, from the Christian imagination, tries to expel a "demon" by force. Spiritist dispossession does the opposite: it welcomes the obsessing spirit, who is seen as someone who suffers, and enlightens it through the word and through love. There is no fight, expulsion or violence, but rather dialogue and compassion.
Is spiritual obsession a mental illness?
No. Obsession is not a medical diagnosis, and not all psychic suffering has a spiritual cause. Conditions such as anxiety and depression require the follow-up of a doctor and a psychologist. Spiritual treatment can add to it, but it never replaces professional healthcare. If in doubt, seek a doctor.
How can I prevent obsession?
The best prevention is inner reform: cultivating good thoughts, practicing prayer and charity, studying the doctrine, and keeping the Gospel in the Home. These attitudes raise a person's vibration and naturally push away negative influences, without the need for protection rituals.
Where to find Spiritist books
At Joia Mística Laroyê, you find support for your study of the doctrine:
- Works by Allan Kardec: The Book of Mediums, The Gospel According to Spiritism and more
- Psychographed books: classics by Chico Xavier about mediumship and obsession
- White candles: for moments of prayer and concentration
- Cups and moringas: for fluidified water at home
Visit our shop in Extrema, Minas Gerais or talk to us via WhatsApp and we ship all over Brazil.
References
- Kardecpedia: chapter "Of Obsession", in The Book of Mediums, by Allan Kardec
- Wikipedia: article on obsession in Spiritism
- Wikipedia: article about spiritist desobsessão
