You have seen demons dispelled from victims of possession on TV and in the movies. The Rite of Exorcism is known to most of us from the classic horror movie “The Exorcist.” Do people get exorcisms, or is it just made-up stories?
The number of people getting an exorcism is on the rise. People get exorcisms or spirit releasement when there is a strong indication, or belief, of demonic possession or oppression. Minor exorcisms and cleansing are standard practices in many religions and belief systems.
The interest in exorcisms has risen in recent years. This might be due to the portrayal of demonic possession in pop culture. Victims or loved ones seek help from exorcists when they suspect demonic influence.
How common are exorcisms today?
To determine how common exorcisms are today, we must understand what they are. Exorcism is a sacramental rite of the Catholic Church. Expelling of the demonic is not confined only to exorcisms, though. It is a bit more complicated than this.
Exorcisms are done by other religious practices than the Church as well. These rituals are often called spirit releasement or cleansing
. The popularity of cleansing negative energies is rising due to the New Age movement, neo-paganism, and pop culture.
Important: There is no proof of demonic possession, so the rite of exorcisms is debated. Suppose you believe you might be possessed and in need of an exorcism. In that case, it is recommended that you consult a medical professional to rule out any natural causes of your discomfort. The chances for demonic possession are very slim to none.
The demand for exorcisms is rising, according to most information I have come across researching this article. According to Christopher Lamb, the number of exorcisms has tripled, and over 500,000 requests are made yearly. The number of actual exorcisms performed was not disclosed in any records I found researching.
In this video, a priest reveals a scary statement. The time we live in is appealing to demons. This is why the number of people possessed is on the rise. The turmoil in the world has led to a stronghold of negative energies.
Even if we had the records of exorcisms performed by the Church every year, it does not show the whole “truth.” The Neo-pagan religions, New Age Movement, Wicca, Spiritualism, and other religious practices use spirit releasement and cleansing to remove unwanted energies; it is tough to get reliable numbers. There are no churches or places of worship to consult to get numbers.
According to YouGov, 18% of Brits believe in demonic possession. The number is even higher in the US. 51% of Americans think you can be possessed by evil spirits or the wicked if the belief in the existence of the demonic and the view in exorcisms must go hand in hand.
The study also shows that if you have a Christian background, the probability of you believing in the demonic is much higher than if you are not.
It is not uncommon for laypeople to be practicing demonologists nowadays. Paranormal experts, shamans, and psychics perform exorcism-like rituals and evict nasty evil spirits from persons, objects, and places. As they are not in line with the standards of the Church, they are not, per definition, “exorcisms,” but the end goal is the same – dispelling the demonic from a haunted person.
It is becoming increasingly common for people to engage in cleansing rituals and other energy work. It is done not only by experts but also by DIY spiritualists and enthusiasts of the supernatural. It is easy to find YouTube videos on self-exorcism rituals and cleansing rituals.
The market for cleansing tools such as incense, herbs, and oils is readily available in most markets. Frankincense, a powerful incense used foremost in religious rituals, is an over-the-counter product.
Minor exorcisms
Many think of exorcisms as the horrific scene from “The Exorcist.” In reality, there are different types of exorcisms and rites. Few of them display such a terrible scene. Depending on the severity of the possession or oppression, the exorcist chose a proper ceremony.
A major exorcism is when a priest exorcists a person possessed by a demon. A minor exorcism is used before baptism. They are also used to bless a house or business. It is used when the priest wants to make the person less susceptible to demonic influence.
As minor exorcisms are far more common than expelling a demon from a possessed person, the number is higher. It is not uncommon for people to ask for house blessings when they move into a new home.
The neo-pagans, spiritualists, Wicca, and other religions and belief systems also have similar rituals. It is not uncommon to sage smudge a home to get rid of negative vibes or getting rid of bad luck in business.
As with major exorcisms, it is tough to know how many get minor exorcisms, but it is not uncommon as there are products, services, DIY videos, and books readily available.
Self-exorcism and alternative techiques
As there are stringent rules in the Church for getting a major exorcism, my qualified guess is that most people get exorcisms from a non-specialist or perform self-exorcism. As it is hard to get an exorcism performed by the Church, it is no wonder there are lots of options available.
When you browse YouTube, many videos show different self-exorcism techniques. It is not hard to notice a demand for these videos as they have high watch numbers.
You don’t need to be a demonologist to perform exorcisms. The video below shows how a woman expels demons from victims believed to suffer from oppression and possession.
In the video below you find a woman describing a technique of spirit releasement. She is mostly talking about negative energy, not only the demonic.
If you want to learn the best ways to get rid of nasty demons and negative energies, check out the article below. These are my best tips and tricks on how you can dispel dark entities.
The 5 Best Ways to Get Rid of a Demon [+Action Steps]
Final thoughts
There is no question about the rising interest in exorcisms, spirit releasement, and cleansing. There is a need for this service as there are tons of videos, products over the counter, classes, books, and services available for those who need to dispel dark energy.
When people think they are possessed by the demonic, they get desperate and take what is offered. It is not hard to see how con artists and fakes may play on people in distress. It is debated if “possession” are caused by illnesses and emotional trauma. It is easy to trick people into believing they need expensive exorcisms or religious rites.
If you think about it, the power of God can only be shown if there is a counterpart – Satan and his demons. If you take away the darkness, there can’t be light. This might be why the rite of Exorcism is key to positioning God as the ultimate force. An exorcism is like the ultimate battle, where God has one ringside and the demonic the other.
If the demonic doesn’t exist there will be no need for God’s existence as well. They are closely combined and in need of each other. If there is no need to comply with the rules of God if there is no risk of getting yourself sent to hell.
Many psychological issues are similar to the symptoms of possession. It is hard not to feel a bit torn about the victims getting help from someone that is not a medical professional.
Another strange thing is that it seems most people getting exorcisms are Christian or believers in the existence of demons or negative energies. I have not found any videos or articles about a possessed person that was not in any way religious or interested in the occult. This is strange to me and makes me wonder if the concept of possession and Exorcism is more connected to the faith than “real” devils and demons.
