Dealing with demons may be rare, but it still happens more often than most realize. This may sound cheesy, but the best way to get rid of a demon is to prevent it from attaching itself to you. Never summon what you can’t banish. That means avoiding things that would cause them to attach themselves to you. They can prove challenging to get rid of. However, you do have actionable steps to get rid of demons.
Method #1: Mental Control
Most demons feed off our negativity, and they attack the vulnerable. Those who frequently think negatively will see themselves even more depressed with a demon in their presence because they use them as a source of food. In some cases, demons may try to convert a happy household into a negative one because it will give them a feeding source.
Beware of demons trying to introduce vices into your life since this demonstrates one of the ways that they can feed off you.
Every thought that passes through your head will require rigorous checking before you let it go. Don’t feed negative thoughts. A demon that can’t spur negative thoughts in you will have nowhere left to feed. As a consequence, they will go elsewhere.
Admittedly, this method can prove extraordinarily difficult for most people. It requires a strong mind that can keep things in control, and it may take time to see results. Thoughts may come from us, but in some cases, they come from elsewhere to destroy our peace.
Some people may deal with this in a phenomenon known as intrusive thoughts. Everyone’s intrusive thoughts will differ based on their unique psychological profile, but the underlying theme is always that the person doesn’t want those thoughts.
If you are a ghost hunter or paranormal investigator, I invite you to read my article on protecting yourself from the demonic.
Related article: 10 Ways to Protect Yourself from Demonic Attacks
Method #2: Burn Incense
One of the more passive methods that you can use to combat demons trying to get a hold of your life, incense was once thought of as a form of protection against demonic energies. We see this across multiple cultures that, include Egyptians, Native Americans, Buddhists, Pagans, and Catholics.
Some of the most popular ingredients of incense that Egyptians would use against demonic influence included:
- Black cumin
- Thyme
- Booh
- Ein al-Afreet (Genie’s eye)
- Kaff Mariam
The Native American tribes would burn sage to clear spaces of negative energies. They call this practice smudging.
Smudging has become increasingly popular with non-native peoples, and even some Catholics have taken to burning sage in their space. Not all Catholics agree with this, but others see it the same as burning incense.
One person points out that Catholic exorcists don’t use incense at all to exorcise someone of their demons. They will instead use holy water and prayer.
You might use this for less serious cases to keep the demons away, but you may need something more serious for worse situations. For example, burning sage may help if the demon hasn’t yet sunk its claws into you, such as hearing bangs on the walls, scratches on your body, or losing your sense of time. When burning sage, most recommend opening the windows to let the demon flee.
Method #3: Prayer
Every religion will have its own prayers against demons, and a person might read those prayers as a way to rid themselves of the demons. Remember that they may become more aggressive toward you as you do this since they rarely go away willingly. Especially if you attempt to rid yourself of them, they may fight back. However, leaving them as they are is not an option.
Let’s cover some of the examples of prayers across religions as a way to rid yourself. For example, Psalm 91 was meant as a prayer to ward off evil spirits. Many may think of it as a prayer in Christianity, but it also has a special significance in Judaism. Jews often use it as a charm against evil spirits in four ways:
- Protection at home
- Protection at night
- Protection in death
- Protection during travel
An interesting fact about Psalm 91 and Judaism, the Jews would often use this on Aramaic Jewish magic bowls found in ancient Nippur, Iraq. The Jews would set the bowls into their foundations or under their home to catch the demons by trapping them in the bowl that had Psalm 91 inscribed on it.
You have countless other prayers that a person could use to get rid of demons. Another example is when Buddhism uses more of a mantra, like in Hinduism. They will use the Vajrapani mantra or the Kilaya mantra. In the Japanese religion of Shintoism, they would pull a rope to ring a bell and expel the demons that way.
Method #4: Communicating with the Demon
This one is dangerous without the right assistance and is not always advisable, but some paranormal ghost-hunting groups will communicate with the demon to learn why it haunts that person. For example, maybe they invited it into their life in one way or another. They may also have had a vulnerability about them that attracted the demon, and during this communication, they will often figure out what they can do to rid themselves of the demon.
This way is basically appeasing a demon with the hopes that it will leave you alone after—and demons aren’t moral.
Never do this alone since dealing with demons requires an expert who understands how to deal with them. It’s very dangerous. Even those who understand them still struggle because this remains a mysterious field where even the experts often make mistakes. We don’t know what lies on the other side or exactly how it works.
A common tool for communicating with the demonic is the Ouija board. I know it can be tempting to reach out for the “easy solution.” But don’t do it.
It is not recommended to use an Ouija board as it poses dangers if you are not an expert (and even then). If you want to learn more about the dangers of talking boards, I invite you to read the article below.
Ouija Board Dangers [12 Signs to STOP the Session!]
Method #5: Seek an Exorcist
Perhaps one of the best ways, especially if you tried everything else, is that an exorcist could come from any of the religions. You have minor exorcisms and more major exorcisms depending on the severity of the demon.
In minor exorcisms, they may be said at the end of a religious meeting in private. The prayers for a minor exorcism may be simple, and you can see examples of it here.
On the other hand, major exorcisms can only be performed by a priest or bishop—someone with the permission of the local ordinary. First, they will assess to determine the condition of the person. They may go through medical, psychological, and psychiatric evaluations. This determines a clear source for the exorcist.
One should also understand how most reputable exorcists will evaluate you thoroughly beforehand. They do this not to disrespect the person but to keep the practice from becoming sensationalist or turning into a sideshow circus. One doesn’t have to think too hard about this to understand how it can quickly derail from the tracks of reality.
They understand how there will be genuine cases of demon possession, but they look at the afflicted to determine a real need before going this far.
4 Action Steps to Get Rid of a Demon
We have looked at the different methods one might try to get rid of a demon. However, let’s look at the steps you can take along the way to getting rid of your demons.
Step #1: Determine the Source
Not everyone who thinks a demon haunts them will truly have one haunting them. Many cases exist where it may be a simple psychological trick on themselves, or they may have other issues. First, you must determine the source of the problem. Most demons follow those with negative attitudes and negative mindsets because they can feed off them. They like to feed on fear, negative thoughts, and anxiety.
Examples where a demon may be the cause include:
- Unexplainable dangerous urges
- Poor and odd behaviors
- Unwanted thoughts
You will feel overwhelming desires with no discernible source or reason. It doesn’t appear to come from you. Other examples include scratches on the body or bruises, and some people will hear voices in their heads. In some cases, this can mix with mental illness, making it somewhat tricky to discern. You may want to visit a psychiatrist if you suspect mental health problems.
Step #2: Where Did It Come From
In all cases, demons receive an invitation to bother that person. Some of the most common activities known to cause issues with demons haunting people include:
- Occult practices
- Ouija board use
- Summoning a demon
- Entering a haunted house
- Attending a seance
- Summoning through black magic
- Seeking assistance from sorcerers, voodoo priests, or witches
Looking for where the demon originally came from will help you figure out what led to it haunting you. In many cases, an exorcist will go to remove the demon, and the demon will shout back that they have a right to be there because the person invited them in.
Step #3: Decide on Your Method
You can try all the methods mentioned above to get rid of the demon once you determine it is real. First, figure out the method that you think would work best for you. You may want to start with some of the minor methods and go more extreme as required. You often don’t need a long-winded exorcism to eliminate the demon.
Try to eliminate the sources that it can feed from since this will starve them out. It’s like having a certain kind of pest in your home. You figure out the sources that they feed from and remove those sources until it no longer becomes a viable place for them to stick around.
In fact, that may explain why many exorcists say that it can be very hard to get rid of a demon. You must eliminate the sources they use to feed since this will continue attracting them even if you remove them in the short term. Think of it as a long-term goal to slowly improve yourself and your habits over time to make yourself a happier and healthier individual.
In some cases, this may mean that a person requires therapy since they will have specific issues that they can’t overcome without the help of an expert. However, it will eliminate the food sources that the demons prey on.
Step #4: Take Action and Evaluate Results
Whatever method you choose, you will want to take the time to evaluate your results afterward. In some cases, it may appear to work for a while, but the demon will come back. You may continue trying the method you used if it worked, or you could try another one. Keep trying until you have found a method that will free you.
Exorcism is one of the most extreme ways that someone can get rid of their demons. To learn more about the real-life thoughts of an exorcist, check out the article here. He describes it as a type of illness that medicine can’t explain.
Don’t get discouraged if the first or second attempt fails to rid you of your demon. Sometimes, you may need to see an exorcist since demons can be incredibly difficult to get rid of. It’s similar to other things where you may need to call in a professional to free yourself from it.
Protecting yourself against psychic attacks, like most demonic attacks, requires building inner strength and spiritual resilience. I have written an article on the subject that might be beneficial to read if you are trying to get rid of stubborn negative energies.
The 5 Best Ways to Get Rid of a Demon [+Action Steps]
Final Thoughts
Getting rid of a demon can be difficult because we have so much that we don’t understand about it. It remains a realm of mystery even to the experts. For that reason, you should beware of anyone who tries to sell themselves as the omniscient expert in this space. Anyone who charges you exorbitant amounts of money for an exorcism probably doesn’t have your best interests at heart. I don’t know about the other religions, and I think it works the same with the others, but the Catholic church doesn’t charge to perform exorcisms even though they do have an offering where the people may choose to give what they can afford.