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53-558: Berava may refer to: Berava (people) , a social group or caste in Sri Lanka Berava (river) , a river in eastern Croatia Berava, Iran , a village in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Berava . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change

106-649: A dybbuk is a disembodied spirit that wanders restlessly until it inhabits the body of a living person. The Baal Shem could expel a harmful dybbuk through exorcism . Possession-trance and adorcism are also engaged with by some Jews. Notably, Ethiopian Jewish women may participate in zār , and Tuisinian Jewish women have a practice called Stambali. Stambali uses incense, music (traditionally performed by Black musicians from fraternal orders), dance, animal sacrifice, and large spreads of food to induce trance and to appease jinn which may be afflicting someone, and ceremonies may be regularly repeated by that person. Stambali

159-401: A jinn might seek to possess an individual, such as falling in love with them, taking revenge for hurting them or their relatives, or other undefined reasons. At an intended possession, the covenant with the jinn must be renewed. Soothsayers ( kāhin pl. kuhhān ), would use such possession to gain hidden knowledge. Inspirations from jinn by poets requires neither possession nor obedience to

212-459: A graveyard or a tomb is believed to enable contact with the ghosts of the dead, who visit the sleeper in dreams and provide hidden knowledge. Possession by ʻafarit (a vengeful ghost) are said to grant the possessed some supernatural powers, but it drives them insane as well. Jinn are much more physical than spirits. Due to their subtle bodies , which are composed of fire and air ( marijin min nar ), they are purported to be able to possess

265-416: A household with holy water , placing wax and herbs on thresholds to "ward off witches occult ", and avoiding certain areas of townships known to be frequented by witches and Devil worshippers after dark. Afflicted persons were restricted from entering the church, but might share the shelter of the porch with lepers and persons of offensive life. After the prayers, if quiet, they might come in to receive

318-479: A human might find pleasure in obeying the demons first, according to Islamic thought, the human soul can only be free if the demons are bound by the spirit (ruh). Sufi literature, as in the writings of Rumi and Attar of Nishapur , pay a lot of attention to how to bind the inner demons. Attar of Nishapur writes: "If you bind the div , you will set out for the royal pavilion with Solomon" and "You have no command over your self's kingdom [body and mind], for in your case

371-831: A knowledge of future events (Acts 16:16) and great strength (Act 19:13–16), among others, and shows that those with evil spirits can speak of Christ (Mark 3:7–11). Some Evangelical denominations believe that demonic possession is not possible if one has already professed their faith in Christ, because the Holy Spirit already occupies the body and a demon cannot enter. Various types of creatures, such as jinn , shayatin , ʻafarit , found within Islamic culture, are often held to be responsible for spirit possession. Spirit possession appears in both Islamic theology and wider cultural tradition. Although opposed by some Muslim scholars, sleeping near

424-520: A sample of 488 societies in all parts of the world, with the highest numbers of believing societies in Pacific cultures and the lowest incidence among Native Americans of both North and South America . As Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian churches move into both African and Oceanic areas, a merger of belief can take place, with demons becoming representative of the "old" indigenous religions, which Christian ministers attempt to exorcise . From

477-402: A sermon in which he presented the cause of autism as, "the devil's attacked them, he's brought this infirmity upon them, he's got them where he wants them". He asserted that the cure for the neurodevelopmental disorder was prayer by claiming to "know a minister who has seen lots of kids that are autistic, that he cast that demon out, and they were healed, and then he had to pray and their brain

530-592: Is a form of compensation among deprived men in the deeply competitive society of the Sidama, for if a man cannot gain prestige as an orator , warrior, or farmer, he may still gain prestige as a spirit healer. Women are sometimes accused of faking possession, but men never are. Kenya Mayote Mozambique Uganda Tanzania In many of the African diaspora religions possessing spirits are not necessarily harmful or evil, but are rather seeking to rebuke misconduct in

583-420: Is a form of compensation for being deprived within Sidama society, although they do not draw from I.M. Lewis (see Cultural anthropology section under Scientific views). The majority of the possessed are women whose spirits demand luxury goods to alleviate their condition, but men can be possessed as well. Possessed individuals of both sexes can become healers due to their condition. Hamer and Hamer suggest that this

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636-401: Is also sometimes done preventatively as part of wedding, bnei mitzvah, and housewarming festivities to ward away the evil eye. The afflictions of jinn may simply be buildups of emotional stress or more serious illness. During trance, the jinn enter the body, and the participants do not remember what occurred during trance afterwards. If a particular person has needed a Stambali ceremony organized,

689-467: Is an involuntary affliction, some biblical verses have been interpreted as indicating that possession can be voluntary. For example, Alfred Plummer writes that when Devil entered into Judas Iscariot in John 13 :27, this was because Judas had continually agreed to Satan's suggestions to betray Jesus and had wholly submitted to him. The New Testament indicates that people can be possessed by demons, but that

742-479: Is an unusual or an altered state of consciousness and associated behaviors which are purportedly caused by the control of a human body and its functions by spirits , ghosts , demons , angels , or gods . The concept of spirit possession exists in many cultures and religions, including Buddhism , Christianity , Haitian Vodou , Dominican Vudú , Hinduism , Islam , Judaism , Wicca , and Southeast Asian , African , and Native American traditions. Depending on

795-406: Is believed to be caused by a spirit called awre . This affliction presents itself by loss of appetite, nausea, and attacks from severe stomach pains. If it persists, the victim may enter a trance-like stupor, in which he sometimes regains consciousness long enough to take food and water. Breathing is often labored. Seizures and trembling overcome the patient, and in extreme cases, partial paralysis of

848-565: The Loa (or lwa ). When the Loa descends upon a practitioner, the practitioner's body is being used by the spirit, according to the tradition. Some spirits are believed to be able to give prophecies of upcoming events or situations pertaining to the possessed one, also called a Chwal or the "Horse of the Spirit". Practitioners describe this as a beautiful but very tiring experience. Most people who are possessed by

901-522: The Book of Tobias . In the 16th century , Isaac Luria , a Jewish mystic , wrote about the transmigration of souls seeking perfection. His disciples took his idea a step further, creating the idea of a dybbuk , a soul inhabiting a victim until it had accomplished its task or atoned for its sin. The dybbuk appears in Jewish folklore and literature, as well as in chronicles of Jewish life. In Jewish folklore ,

954-1027: The Buddhist monastic establishment has made it difficult for this community to progress. The etymology of the word Bera for Drum in Sinhalese is derived from after the Tamil word Parai which originally meant speak came to denote a drumming caste. Thus this etymology indicates that Berava were a late addition to the Sinhalese Society. There are many subdivisions within the caste, some of which are Badgam Berava and Gahala Berava indicating drumming specializations. They denote Temple drummers who occupied and cultivated Bathgam (rice producing villages) as tenant farmers and Executioner 's drummers respectively. It may indicate diverse origins for this caste as for all castes in India. Although great many Sinhalese purport to profess

1007-824: The Mongo people but is also practised among various ethnic groups in Kinshasa . Among the Gurage people of Ethiopia, spirit possession is a common belief. William A. Shack postulated that it is caused by Gurage cultural attitudes about food and hunger, while they have a plentiful food supply, cultural pressures that force the Gurage to either share it to meet social obligations, or hoard it and eat it secretly cause feelings of anxiety. Distinctions are drawn between spirits that strictly possess men, spirits that possess women, and spirits that possess victims of either sex. A ritual illness that only affects men

1060-530: The Roman Ritual , true demonic or Satanic possession has been characterized since the Middle Ages , by the following four typical characteristics: The New Catholic Encyclopedia states, " Ecclesiastical authorities are reluctant to admit diabolical possession in most cases, because many can be explained by physical or mental illness alone. Therefore, medical and psychological examinations are necessary before

1113-464: The awre serves to bring the possessed man to the center of social attention, and to relieve his anxieties over his inability to gain prestige from redistributing food, which is the primary way in which Gurage men gain status in their society. The belief in spirit possession is part of the native culture of the Sidama people of southwest Ethiopia . Anthropologists Irene and John Hamer postulated that it

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1166-559: The div is in the place of Solomon". He further links the demons to the story alluded in the Quran (38:34) that a demon replaced the prophet Solomon: one must behave like a triumphant 'Solomon' and chain the demons of the nafs or lower self, locking the demon-prince into a 'rock', before the rūḥ (soul) can make the first steps to the Divine. Although forbidden in the Hebrew Bible , magic

1219-544: The 19th century attempted to keep this caste and all other Sri Lankan castes out of colonial appointments. They also used all possible means to economically and socially marginalise and subjugate all other communities. The oppression by the Mudaliars and connected headmen extended to demanding subservience, service, appropriation of cultivation rights and even restrictions on the type of personal names that could be used by this community. Continuous oppression and prejudices created by

1272-676: The Baptist Deliverance Study Group of the Baptist Union of Great Britain , a Christian denomination , issued a "warning against occult spirituality following the rise in people trying to communicate with the dead". The commission reported that "becoming involved in activities such as Spiritualism can open up a doorway to great spiritual oppression which requires a Christian rite to set that person free". In September 2023, Pastor Rick Morrow of Beulah Church in Richland, Missouri gave

1325-472: The authority of a bishop and in accordance with strict rules; a simple exorcism also occurs during baptism . The infliction of demonic torment upon an individual has been chronicled in premodern Protestant literature. In 1597, King James discussed four methods of daemonic influence upon an individual in his book Daemonologie : King James attested that the symptoms derived from demonic possession could be discernible from natural diseases. He rejected

1378-530: The beginning of Christianity , adherents have held that possession derives from the Devil (i.e. Satan ) and demons. In the battle between Satan and Heaven , Satan is believed to engage in "spiritual attacks", including demonic possession , against human beings by the use of supernatural powers to harm them physically or psychologically. Prayer for deliverance, blessings upon the man or woman's house or body, sacraments , and exorcisms are generally used to drive

1431-512: The bishop's blessing and listen to the sermon . They were fed daily and prayed over by the exorcists and, in case of recovery, after a fast of from 20 to 40 days, were admitted to the Eucharist , and their names and cures entered in the church records. In 1603, the Church of England forbade its clergy from performing exorcisms because of numerous fraudulent cases of demonic possession. In May 2021,

1484-414: The bodies of humans. Such physical intrusion of the jinn is conceptually different from the whisperings of the devils. Since jinn are not necessarily evil, they are distinguished from cultural concepts of possession by devils/demons. Since such jinn are said to have free will , they can have their own reasons to possess humans and are not necessarily harmful. There are various reasons given as to why

1537-456: The casting out of Devils, is by virtue of fasting and prayer, and in-calling of the name of God, suppose many imperfections be in the person that is the instrument, as CHRIST himself teaches us (Mat. 7) of the power that false Prophets all have cast out devils". In medieval Great Britain , the Christian church had offered suggestions on safeguarding one's home. Suggestions ranged from dousing

1590-612: The conservative Theravada Buddhism there is a thriving belief in demons , spirits, Hindu gods and connected rituals such as spirit possession , cursing ceremonies throughout the country also referred as the Spirit Religion or Folk Tradition. Some of these are facilitated by shamans , sorcerers , and native priests and astrologers. Berava perform the needed role as sorceress in some villages and also gain respectability by building cultic shrines to attract devotees from other castes. Spirit possession Spirit possession

1643-513: The country. Some anthropologists believe that the early society of Sri Lanka has looked to neighboring South India for manpower to fulfill functional needs as land was cleared and many new villages found. Berava are believed to be descended from Paraiyar like caste of South India who also play an important role in Tom Tom or Drum or Bera beating The powerful Mudaliyar class created by the British in

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1696-497: The cultural context in which it is found, possession may be thought of as voluntary or involuntary and may be considered to have beneficial or detrimental effects on the host. The experience of spirit possession sometimes serves as evidence in support of belief in the existence of spirits, deities or demons. In a 1969 study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health , spirit-possession beliefs were found to exist in 74% of

1749-663: The demon out. Some theologians , such as Ángel Manuel Rodríguez , say that mediums , like the ones mentioned in Leviticus 20 :27, were possessed by demons. Another possible case of demonic possession in the Old Testament includes the false prophets that King Ahab relied upon before re-capturing Ramoth-Gilead in 1 Kings 22 . They were described as being empowered by a deceiving spirit. The New Testament mentions several episodes in which Jesus drove out demons from persons . Whilst most Christians believe that demonic possession

1802-483: The demons respond and submit to Jesus Christ's authority: In the synagogue , there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, "Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!" "Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. All

1855-449: The devils whisper from within the human body, within or next to the heart , and so "devilish whisperings" ( Arabic : waswās وَسْوَاس ) are sometimes thought of as a kind of possession. Unlike possession by jinn , the whispering of devils affects the soul instead of the body. Demons (also known as div ), though part of the human conception, get stronger through acts of sin. By acts of obedience (to God), they get weaker. Although

1908-560: The early years by Maturidite scholars such as al-Rustughfanī . The Mu'tazila are associated with substituting jinn-possession by devilish-whisperings, denying bodily possession altogether. In contrast to jinn , the devils ( shayatin ) are inherently evil. Iblis , the father of the devils, dwells in the fires of hell, although not suffering wherein, he and his children try to draw people into damnation of hell. Devils don't physically possess people, they only tempt humans into sin by following their lower nafs . Hadiths suggest that

1961-568: The evil eye directed at them. Showers are also seen as particularly vulnerable places where a jinn may attach themselves to a person. Zebola is a women's spirit possession dance ritual practised by certain ethnic groups of the Democratic Republic of the Congo . It is believed to have therapeutic qualities and has been noted in the West as a traditional form of psychotherapy . It originated among

2014-415: The extremities. If the victim does not recover naturally, a traditional healer, or sagwara , is summoned. Once the sagwara has determined the spirit's name through the use of divination, he prescribes a routine formula to exorcise the spirit. This is not a permanent cure, it merely allows the victim to form a relationship with the spirit while subject to chronic repossession, which is treated by repeating

2067-549: The formula. This formula involves the preparation and consumption of a dish of ensete , butter, and red pepper. During this ritual, the victim's head is covered with a drape, and he eats the ensete ravenously while other ritual participants participate by chanting. The ritual ends when the possessing spirit announces that it is satisfied. Shack notes that the victims are overwhelmingly poor men, and that women are not as food-deprived as men, due to ritual activities that involve food redistribution and consumption. Shack postulates that

2120-458: The jinn afflicting them will be asked what it wants as it possesses them. Usually requests involve clothes and an animal for sacrifice. The atmosphere is festive, and participants wear bright clothes and henna. Aside from musicians, the participants are all women. The dances and lyrics are improvised. Those seen as particularly susceptible to jinn affliction are the victims and perpetrators of aggression, those who are frightened, and those who may have

2173-505: The jinn. Their relationship is rather described as mutual. The concept of jinn-possession is alien to the Quran and derives from pagan notions. It is widespread among Muslims and also accepted by most Islamic scholars. It is part of the aqida (theological doctrines) in the tradition of Ashari , and the Atharis , such as ibn Taimiyya and ibn Qayyim . Among Maturidites it is debated, as some accept it, but it has been challenged since

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2226-405: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Berava&oldid=1132948969 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Berava (people) As

2279-457: The living. Possession by a spirit in the African diaspora and traditional African religions can result in healing for the person possessed and information gained from possession as the spirit provides knowledge to the one they possessed. In Haitian Vodou and related African diaspora religions, one way that those who participate or practice can have a spiritual experience is by being possessed by

2332-574: The mainstream Sinhalese speakers claim North Indian ethnic origins the presence of many South Indian type Jatis like the Beravas indicate a complex migration history from India to Sri Lanka. Beravas do not indicate any tribal origins like the other formerly untouchable caste of Rodiyas . They are part and parcel of the caste structure albeit with a primary function associated with Tom Tom or drum besting in all ritual occasions. Yet they are also used as agricultural workers, weavers and domestic help throughout

2385-564: The people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!" And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area It also indicates that demons can possess animals as in the exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac . Roman Catholic doctrine states that angels are non-corporeal , spiritual beings with intelligence and will . Fallen angels , or demons , are able to "demonically possess" individuals without

2438-569: The performance of major exorcism . The standard that must be met is that of moral certitude ( De exorcismis , 16). For an exorcist to be morally certain, or beyond reasonable doubt, that he is dealing with a genuine case of demonic possession, there must be no other reasonable explanation for the phenomena in question". Official Catholic doctrine affirms that demonic possession can occur as distinguished from mental illness , but stresses that cases of mental illness should not be misdiagnosed as demonic influence. Catholic exorcisms can occur only under

2491-408: The person are possessed by a guiding spirit, the possessed person the give guidance to people that ask for consultation, they answer questions and sometimes explain rituals to help the consulting person to achieve their goals or solve problems in their life, exemples of such spirits are Pomba Gira (female guardian spirit) or Exu (male guardian spirit), who possesses both women and males. According to

2544-502: The spirit describe the onset as a feeling of blackness or energy flowing through their body. The concept of spirit possession is also found in Umbanda , an Afro-Brazilian folk religion that has origins in Yoruba people . According to tradition, there is some guiding spirits that possess a voluntary person, this normally are made when there is a person that wants to ask for some guidance, when

2597-563: The symptoms and signs prescribed by the Catholic church as vain (e.g. rage begotten from Holy Water , fear of the Cross , etc.) and found the exorcism rites to be troublesome and ineffective to recite. The Rites of the Catholic Church to remedy the torment of demonic spirits were rejected as counterfeit since few possessed could be cured by them. In James' view: "It is easy then to understand that

2650-555: The victim's knowledge or consent, leaving them morally blameless. The Catholic Encyclopedia says that there is only one apparent case of demonic possession in the Old Testament, of King Saul being tormented by an "evil spirit" ( 1 Samuel 16:14), but this depends on interpreting the Hebrew word " rûah " as implying a personal influence which it may not; as a result, even this example is described as "not very certain". In addition, Saul

2703-428: Was only described to be tormented, rather than possessed, and he was relieved from these torments by having David play the lyre to him. Catholic exorcists differentiate between "ordinary" Satanic/demonic activity or influence (mundane everyday temptations ) and "extraordinary" Satanic/demonic activity, which can take six different forms, ranging from complete control by Satan or demons to voluntary submission: In

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2756-658: Was rewired and they were fixed." Members of the pastor's community found his comment to be "derogatory toward individuals with certain disabilities." Their public outcry led to Morrow's resignation from the school board on which he was a member. In both charismatic and evangelical Christianity, exorcisms of demons are often carried out by individuals or groups belong to the deliverance ministries movement. According to these groups, symptoms of such possessions can include chronic fatigue syndrome , homosexuality , addiction to pornography , and alcoholism . The New Testament's description of people who had evil spirits includes

2809-541: Was widely practiced in the late Second Temple Period and well documented in the period following the destruction of the Temple into the 3rd, 4th, and 5th centuries C.E. Jewish magical papyri were inscriptions on amulets , ostraca and incantation bowls used in Jewish magical practices against shedim and other unclean spirits . According to the Catholic Encyclopedia , Jewish methods of exorcism were described in

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