The Devil: Collective Unconsciousness

Does human negativity originate as thoughts to eventually become thinking patterns that are unwittingly enlivened into an opposing entity? Can human-created darkness become a false self and be what the ancients termed 'the Devil'? -

With so much misinformation about demons being promoted in various media, we feel it important to demystify the demonic.

Long before Christianity became an organized religion, what our ancestors defined as 'the devil' or 'demons' were definitely not what most consider them to be, today. This change occurred over many, many centuries and happened because of persuasive religious beliefs that impart fear to followers.

Allow us to assert that there is, however, a demonic unconsciousness that is pervasive throughout much of mankind, it would seem. And, what that means we'll attempt to explain.

Getting to Know the Devil

Throw away the idea of a red-faced fiend with horns. We're going to take his mask off and explain who the devil is.

The devil is a created identity, a false self, that a person strongly believes to be their real self. We often identify with it as being 'me' and carry its life story within our memories, living through everthing that has ever happened in the past to me. And because the false self lives in either the past or future, it can make us do the things we do not want to do.

The ancients labeled this part of us that did things contrary to what we want or who we are as "the devil" or "Satan," meaning "an adversary." This devil remains hidden to most of us because it is created by the mind and, so, we think it IS us. But do not despair; the devil is not something you should fear or fight. You only need to become aware of what it is and how it gains its power in order to lessen its grasp. And that requires you to first know who you are so you can perceive the difference between the true you and the imposter-deceiver.

Where Does the Devil Originate?

The devil within mankind is formed, individually and collectively, through human thinking that is left unchecked, the mind turning negative when thinking is not grounded in true awareness.

The false identity can be considered, even collectively, as a devil, a strong deluding energy, a blinding darkness within a person or people that can spread through shared thought - much like a virus. It is thinking that causes a person to live in the past or future and never in the present moment. That is how you can easily identify it.

• Are you thinking of something that was hurtful in your past? 
• Are you worried about how the future might turn out?

If so, in either case, you are living somewhere else other than the present moment - and it is all happening in your mind. (Dwelling on the past is the source of depression. Dwelling on the future is the source of anxiety.) 

Thoughts Are Alive

We shouldn't underestimate the power of thought. Look around you. It is likely that you are surrounded, right now, by things that were created with thinking. Thoughts are powerful and they are living.

In Tibetan culture, 'tulpas' are purposely-created ghosts made out of 'thought forms' that are said to do the sorceror's bidding. It is a negative energy manifested purposely through the power of intention. One might say this creation is "a devil" of sorts. If true, such an idea points to an important truth: our thoughts are alive.

The Demons in Our Head: Another Entity?

Demons are negative thoughts and thinking patterns that we unknowningly create and empower. They cause most all of the suffering in the world. These destructive thoughts are alive and trigger emotional and bodily suffering. Demonic thought patterns and beliefs can appear to us as a separate entity if it grows in strength to the point of becoming uncontrollable to become a possessing creature, a destructive force we unwittingly create and empower. 'The Destroyer,' as it's been called, can take complete control over the real person.

I once saw a woman at a gas pump become agitated. She was dressed smartly and likely making her way to work when she became very angry. I could hear her hitting the pump and cursing. The gas station attendant, attempting to help, told her through the nearby speaker that the pump was pre-pay to which the angry woman responded "I do not have time for this." She slammed the pump nozzle down, one more time for good measure, jumped in her car and sped off through the lot nearly hitting other travelers in her way. I watched as she turned onto the street, zipped around the corner and flipped off the gas station with her middle finger as she disappeared down the road. I was aware that who I saw that morning was not the real person. It was somebody else, and it was violently angry.

There is no doubt that when we witness someone who is behaving abominably, even one who is downright evil, it is shocking. It is as if they are possessed by an other-worldly entity. And, in a sense, they are possessed. The real person is buried, not present at that time, hidden from observers. We might say that the possessed person is unconscious.

The false self, labeled many different things in the Bible such as false prophet, antichrist, strongman, etc., is in control and manifested fully. Something unreal is alive while the real person is far away, meaning he or she is not aware of what is happening. The person is possessed and bound by something he or she cannot fully perceive as not their true self.

False teachings and misunderstandings about the devil and demons often cause people to believe that the demonic is something horrific, powerful and should thus be feared.  If we cast our fears upon the outer world of form, then we create monsters in our head, beliefs that seem real and impossible to destroy. And if we run from things we do not understand because of learned beliefs, we can never be free from that which we perceive to be a threat.

The unknown must be faced; otherwise, we strengthen fear in our lives. By exploring our darkness, meaning the unknown, humanity can face it and find freedom from suffering. So, do not fear. Be encouraged. You are about to learn a secret.

Demonic Unconsciousness: 3 Potential Possessors

While considering the idea of being possessed by thoughts, we have come up with three possible scenarios of how a person might be possessed by a demonic unconsciousness. (We must admit that the 3 scenarios are only theory at this point. Therefore, this section could be edited in the future as we gain more understanding of possessing entities.)

• A person may be possessed by their own false self and its thinking patterns. 
• A person may be possessed by their own false self and the unconscious thoughts (false beliefs) of others. 
• A person may be possessed by their own false self and another person's false self (All souls are connected and one energy, let's call this force 'spirit,' so why couldn't similar unconscious minds also share space in some cases?). This would be what is known as 'demonic possession,' 'ghost possession' or 'spirit possession.'

In all three scenarios, the possessing false self and its thoughts are created by people who are unconscious.

How to Overcome the Demonic

If humans create negativity, then demonic thinking can be dethroned and done away with through awareness: when we become conscious of who we are and, especially, who we are not. 

Ultimately, the things that are not true or real are powerless as they only masquerade as real or true to the person who doesn't understand. Some may even detect that something is not quite right and choose to war against the devil because the religious idea was put in their mind. But fighting the demonic will not work. When we give power through resistance, we strengthen the false (demonic thinking). We must learn to 'accept what is' whenever we desire to resist. This is the place of power.

When we understand our own darkness, we become aware of the devil and demons that create our own personal torments - 'hell.' If we become free from suffering, then we can help others end their darkness and the spirits (negative thoughts) that bind them into conceptual living.

We read in the Bible that Jesus reportedly spoke to demons or devils, that they were in people. People were possessed by this negativity.

You might wonder how such influences, whether self-created or group-created, could enter and remain within a person. We only need to recall the groups of people throughout human history, even entire countries, who made destructive choices as one accord because of misguided thoughts and beliefs (e.g. wars, cults, etc.). This type of mass-mindedness is known as 'tribal thinking.'

People tend to strongly identify with thinking and form beliefs. This creates mental constructs and the person lives within concepts, repeating behavior and reacting to the world around them. But most of us are unable to recognize this because we place so much value on our thoughts and what we learn: we only see ourselves as the mind. And by doing so, we are effectively blocking out the bigger part, the true essence, of who we are.

Our ability to think is not bad but, if left unchecked, the mind will keep us on a continual mind stream of thoughts. It never shuts down and may keep our focus on the past, the future - anywhere except the present. When you think, you are often not aware of the present moment.

• Have you noticed your mind jumping from one thought to another? 
• Have you ever been awakened at night, worrying over something you need to do or fretting over something you have already done? 
• Have you ever observed people talking to themselves - do you talk to yourself?
• Have you ever attempted to stop thinking but couldn't?

All of this is mind stream, a seemingly endless flow of uncontrolled chatter in our heads. It can put us in a state of torment. It can keep us from knowing the deeper part of our being.