Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

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Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by Seraphin »

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One of the most frequent things we're asked here in this Forum is to determine the possibility of curses and hexes in one's life. The typical question goes something like this: "Here's my problem. Nothing else has worked so could it be that a curse or hex may have been placed upon me and/or my family?"

If seemingly unbearable sufferings and terrifying experiences in any form is present in one's life, we can be sure there's a reason for it. But we often fail to recognize the great variety of possible reasons for our afflictions –- everything from our negative thoughts to chemical imbalance to childhood trauma. I have noticed a troublesome tendency. Novices in magick or those who are generally naive to these stuffs are often too quick to attribute 'curse' to certain symptoms. We need to be very careful here.

I have developed a checklist which should be useful to both to the person who is suffering and to the witch or practitioner called upon to help. Knowledge and discernment involve more than just recognizing the effects of curses and hexes. It also means understanding the many forms of suffering and affliction which can beset us. The more we know about the nature of human vulnerabilities -- physical, mental, emotional and spiritual -- the greater chance our discernment will be on target. Appropriate knowledge and accurate discernment are therefore the two important steps in dealing with curses.

Consult the Oracle


Certain kinds of problems can make us wonder whether harmful magick or maleficium may exist. These include: prolonged depression, attacks of fear and anxiety, nightmares, paranormal activities, unexplained anomalies, violent thoughts, chemical dependencies, compulsive behaviors, sickness and illnesses, financial struggles and constant tribulations. When we can't see the cause clearly, we could ask our Oracle to guide us in determining the truth.

Whatever Oracle we desire to use, whether it be tarot, oracle cards, scrying ball, runes, tea leaves, mirrors or anything else, use them. Lay out some cards, gaze to our crystal balls or pick some runes and focus our attention on our struggles, look to see the sources or roots of them, the possible solutions to them, find out if we can see more obstacles standing in our way. When we consult the Oracle, it can give us opportunities to see and determine things which aren't visible to the naked eye, as well as many other hidden stuffs about our problems from our subconscious mind. If we are a beginner and inexperienced, seek help from people who are psychically or spiritually skilled.

We could also directly and personally seek our Deities or our spirit community (spirit guides, gatekeepers, familiars, angels, Daemons, etc.) in the place of trouble. Mediate, talk to Them and place ourselves in the position of benefiting from Their guidance, protection and aid.

It is also interesting to note that what is seen in our Oracles are guidance and illumination. If somehow the Oracle gives us bad probabilities of the future because of the work of a possible curse then that doesn't mean they aren't necessarily unalterable. Remember that no power is greater than the will of man. A foreseen course of events can be changed by man's will. A vision or a prophecy can be thwarted. This doesn't necessarily prove that they are wrong but that the will of man can overpower what could have been a certain course of events.

An interesting example of this is given in the life of the Greek Philosopher Socrates. The story goes that when Socrates was young, the Oracles prophesied that he would become a drunkard, a criminal and a good-for-nothing. The Oracles at that time were to believe to be divine and thus, they have remarkable accuracy in their predictions. Having discovered such a sorry picture of his future life, young Socrates then determined that he would train himself to become a philosopher, a lover of wisdom and of virtue. He succeeded in doing so, thus proving that Oracles can be defied by our own will.

Consider Carefully Other Causes of Problems

Do not presume too quickly, on the basis of symptoms or behaviors alone, that maleficium or sorcery is the cause of our struggle. A number of what I call curse look-alikes are actually normal phenomena or disorders with spiritual, physiological, psychological and emotional roots. Listed below are examples of problems that shouldn't be quickly labeled curses or hexes or spirit possessions. Professional help should be sought out first when dealing with these as there's a whole spectrum of potential causes that requires other remedies than counter-spells, uncrossing/unhexing spells or curse-breakers. For instance, problem(s) may be rooted in any one or combination of the following factors:

Spiritual/Psychic

  • Negative Thoughts, Emotions and Actions. Laboring under the weight of an unclean mind and soul. Some forces are the result of human thought and emotion. Negative or vampiric thoughtforms and projected poltergeists are examples of this. These often occur in a house where there are adolescents or highly developed psychic individuals experiencing forces of new and uncontrolled energy. Such energetic beings are often powerful enough to move objects which cause fear and other negative emotions.
  • Heightened Extra-Sensory Perception. A particular spiritual ability or power (like clairvoyance, precognition, astral projection, bilocation, etc.) is in progress of development thus giving us spontaneous and uncommon psychic manifestations. Some may even feel some difficulty or heaviness in breathing, headaches, dizziness, nausea, goosebumps for unknwon reasons and see shadows or apparitions (skeptics call this visual hallucinations).
  • Hauntings and Attachments. Wrestling with the bondages, opressions and harrasments of spirits and entities such as otherworld parasites, auric leeches, earthbound spirits, mischievous imps and other beings that sometimes cross over to our side and and latch onto our bodies to feed upon our auras and/or spiritual/life forces.
  • Isolated Psychic Attacks. Evil eye, evil tongue, psychic vampirism, imprints and such. Any assaults that emanate from an external source and stick to the vulnerable area of our mind, emotions, or even body, especially when our shields drop down.
  • Spiritually or Energetically Unprotected. Weak or irregular protection, shield and defense (Tower of Light, Lesser Banishing Ritual Pentagram, etc.), against subtle forces and energies, deficient exposure to the Higher Worlds, insufficient nourishment of protective astral gatekeepers, guardians, sentinels, servitors, egregores, ancestral spirits (egun), unbalanced chakras, unclean auras or uncut ethereal cords.
  • Soul Fragmentation. A person's soul or part of it become too weak and shattered and fragments of it scatter throughout the otherworlds and become loss there. Folks may experience negative impulses, misfortunes, loss of appetite, psychosis, even choma state and a myriad of other symptoms.
Psychological/Emotional
  • Emotional Damage or Trauma. Scars the result from rejection, harsh discipline, a broken home, sexual, emotional or physical abuse or negative parenting.
  • Anxiety Attacks. Often anxiety traces to a root cause in one's experience, to a chemical deficiency, or personality disorder. Unexplained intense fear may feel someone has cursed you and even a spirit or entity possessed you.
  • Clinical Depression. I've often worked with agonized people who thought they were either hopelessly sick, insane, unfortunate, cursed, hexed or useless because of their depression. Anyone suffering from prolonged depression should be checked for chemical complications. Sometimes proper medication can bring remarkable relief and enhance progress in counseling therapy.
  • Compulsive Addictions. Primarily, alcoholism, drug or substance abuse, sexual compulsions, and eating disorders. Understandably, the difficulty in finding solutions for these problems leads us to suspect we're cursed or possessed. It's worth checking though, for sometimes, sorcerers use them to inflict more harm and malediction. But these are also behavioral issues themselves.
  • Schizophrenia. I believe this problem can be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Paranoia, delusions and voices are a function of illness. In some cases however, baneful energies and malignant entities are also present, adding more affliction to psychiatric suffering. Their destruction and expulsion makes the symptoms of the illness more manageable.
Physiological
  • Organic Brain Syndromes. Epilepsy, senility, Alzheimer's, migraine headaches.
  • Tourette's Syndrome. Also known as 'ticking', this neurological problem prompts a person to utter strange-sounding ticking noises and often curse words or foul language. At first glance, it seems a maleficium or spirit possession is occurring. But after having worked with several cases, I've realized that the part of the brain that stores negative data is physically affected in this disorder.
  • Brain Injuries. Distinct change in behavior, new abilities and some other symptoms just surface and appear suddenly and unconsciously after an accident and head injuries.
  • Biochemical Imbalances. Premenstrual syndrome, menopause, postpartum depression, hypoglycemia, diabetes, anxiety disease, allergies, manic-depression, Eipstein-Barr virus and other imbalances of body chemistry.
  • Stress or Fatigue. Consequences of exceeding the laws of nature, including such areas as diet, exercise, work and rest.
Circumstancial
  • Personal Problems. Marital or family disharmony, financial stress, personal tragedies, occupational changes, family illnesses, tragic accidents and other fortuitous events.
  • Relational Conflicts. Hurt, tension, resentment that comes from a refusal to reconcile, forgive and admit mistakes.
Environmental
  • Electromagnetic Fields or Currents. Subtle energies produced by electricity as it circulates throughout wires, cables and electrical equipment. Many paranormal investigators rely on a device known as an EMF detector -- a device used to detect the presence and intensity of EMFs within an environment. Those people who live near high-tension power lines or who use a lot of electrical appliances such as microwave ovens with strong EMF can experience a variety of curse look-alike symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, paranoia, visual hallucinations and even psychosis.
  • Geopathic Stress. There are also negative energies found underground. People live or stay on top of a negative earth rays or geopathic stress are more likely to develop certain dis-eases and illnesses than those living away from geopathic stress areas. These radiations are caused by changes, distortions and anomalies in the natural underground movements and vibrations of the earth caused by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
  • Surrounding Factors. Any factors that affect how we think and feel such as weather, traffic jams, a depressing or frightening television programs or stories, and seasonal stresses.
After reviewing the above factors we may pinpoint one or more factors that may contribute to the problem. If so, pursue a plan to correct the problem. Or we determine that none of these factors apply, and that maleficium is a possibility.

Trace the Source of Maleficium

Identify the negativities in our lives or contact with persons, places and even objects that might have cursed or hexed us.

Look for the individuals, especially those who are well-versed in magick and occultism, who hold onto hatred toward us and/or our families. Sometimes we can also acquire a curse when we come into contact with places and objects that may have been charged with baneful energies and curses. We can also encounter the influence of a curse that gained entrance into our bloodline at some point and remained powerful throughout many generations. This is called generational curse. The harmful energies or powers of the curse leave the deceased family members and attach to their children.

Perform Curse-Breaker with Authority

If the data and our discernment seem to point toward the possibility of maleficium, then prepare ourselves to perform a Curse-Breaker. Don't forget to consult our Oracle again to receive some wisdom and understanding, first and foremost.

Any curse is possible to break as long as WE are as strong or stronger than the sorcerer and our spells are also equally elaborate and powerful. If you call outside help from the Deities then it can be much, much easier. We can't just uncross, break or remove a curse by positive thinking or cleansing our aura though.

Spells to conquer a curse depends on the curse or hex itself. You have to consider a number of factors: nature of the curse (was it a magickal assault directed to a person, an execration from place or object or a jinx), the nature of the afflicted person/the victim (are they strong of will, are they experienced in magick, etc.) and the involvement of any entities and spirits like Daemons, servitors or Deities.

If we feel, we're not comfortable or qualified to figure this out on our own, seek out the assistance of other people. This may not be easy. Look for a witch or practitioner with proven effectiveness, known to be balanced and strong in his/her craft or work. If one is not available, look for a spiritual counselor, or a psychic open to this dimension. Increasingly, many advisors and psychics are noting the cases of maleficium and are learning the skills of discernment and authoritative spiritual or energetic counteracts.

Tips from the Trench: Words to the Wise

Knowledge and Discernment: Master Keys

Our human condition is indeed a vulnerable one. Body, mind, soul and spirit interact in complex ways with the different worlds and planes of existence. Such interactions make for confusing and multi-layered difficulties. Dealing with curses and hexes is ineffective and potentially hazardous without knowledge and discernment.

Significance of Harmonious Relationship

Anyone who experienced a genuine curse or got involved in breaking a curse quickly learns that it doesn't only occur in mystical and ethereal vacuum. It always connect in some way to human relationships. Our greatest protection and empowerment against negative energies and intentions therefore depends upon our practice of unconditional love.

I've seen curses and hexes that didn't work because a husband and a wife work on reconciling and resolve tensions in relationships. Some folks needs to do this first before performing any spells to break or counteract the curses.

Don't Give a Sorcerer (and Her Magick) Undue Credit

One of the dangers in this kind of work is the tendency toward attribution -- inaccurately ascribing curses done by wicked sorcerers to non-magickal or supernatural problems. Not many people receive authentic curses and hexes. Most folks seem to wrestle with their own problems rooted primarily within themselves, and secondarily in the otherworlds. Many people's struggles are related to basic psychological and emotional needs or to body chemistry gone awry. Try to avoid the trap of inventing curses that aren't really there. This does hypnotic suggestion and ultimately creates a genuine curse in your life made by yourself.

Watch for the Wipe-Outs

There are times when we found out we're under attack and that everything seems out of whack. You just feel dispireted, discouraged and exhausted. Be extra cautious at these times. The malicious and harmful energies of the sorcerer plays dirty and hits us when our shield is down. Sometimes we are able to trace the source of curse and we try undoing it. Other times it remains mystery. Genuine curses and hexes corresponds with a specific vulnerability or strategic activity. Sorcerers who practice maleficium try to strike us during the lows of life and drive us to despair. Their goal of course is to undermine our own power and control in our lives.

We must learn how to weather the blows. Every time you feel the curse finding its way to work again in your life, do this simple magickal/astral gymnastics. Visualize yourself as a surfer catching and riding a wave toward shore. Suddenly, the wave curls and devours you (the curse). You find yourself scraping along the sandy bottom, mouth full of seaweed and sand (effects of the curse), wondering in a panic whether you'll see the surface again. The best thing you can do is not to panic, hold onto the board (your shields, wards, protections, spells and curse-breakers), and let the movement of the surf bring you back to the surface. You just need to simply hang onto whatever magickal counteracts you have done and wait to bob back above the waterline.

Learn to Live with the Mysteries

There are times in this condition when we are perplexed by unanswered questions and issues regarding the curse that boggle our minds. Some of these questions need to be left in a box labeled "mysteries yet to be revealed". How long and how much do I need to wait before my counter-spells work? How this particular hex from this particular witch works and how it really affects my life? For answers to these and a host of other questions, we can only seek our higher self and be ready to receive whatever light it chooses to give.

Guard yourself against expectation, presumption and frustration with these mysteries and negative thoughts to charge yourself weak and powerless. Keep searching for light and understanding and accept whatever you received. When answers seem insufficient, remind yourself that you have come this far by your own power, and by your own power you will finish this course.

Learn the Secret of Affirmation

Affirmation is an act that gives you motivation and confidence to believe that your character and your own power will affect all circumstances. Regular practice of affirmation or positive thinking must be built into the lifestyle of one who is cursed or hexed. Affirmations can pour out strength in us. It releases forces and powers in the universe to transform our perspective and our response to problems.

You can do an affirmative 'solar adoration' by gazing upon the Sun every morning, bowing before him, waiting for his radiant blessings and wholeheartedly affirm and visualize your desires. The sun is a powerful celestial body that can make you see any given situation dispassionately, make you see through the illusions and maybe even falsehoods. From here, clear decisions can be taken that take all aspects into account and are both fair and kind.
Seraphin

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Re: Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by gittejohnsen11 »

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Re: Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by Red Ember »

Brilliant post Seraphin:)

There is so much information here it's going to take me more then a few reads to get all.
If cats could talk, they wouldn't. - Nan Porter
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Re: Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by Imperious »

As someone who practices malefic magic, I appreciated that post. Lots of good information in it.

A potentially worthwhile addendum would be psychic vampirism. It's not a hex or curse, but can be extremely debilitating; often, even more so.
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Re: Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by Seraphin »

Imperious wrote:As someone who practices malefic magic, I appreciated that post. Lots of good information in it.

A potentially worthwhile addendum would be psychic vampirism. It's not a hex or curse, but can be extremely debilitating; often, even more so.
I mentioned it on the Isolated Psychic Attacks... together with the evil eye, evil tongue, etc.

And thank you for appreciation.
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Re: Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by Imperious »

Seraphin Murmur wrote:I mentioned it on the Isolated Psychic Attacks... together with the evil eye, evil tongue, etc.
That's why I brought it up, my good man; it's almost a topic all on its own, and isn't really a traditional hex or curse.

Hell, deliberate psychic vampirism even has organisations or groups dedicated to it. Unintentional practitioners could probably use advice or help in order to stop them from doing it.

Big topic. :O
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Re: Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by Seraphin »

You think it should be separated from the psychic attacks category?
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Re: Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by Imperious »

Seraphin Murmur wrote:You think it should be separated from the psychic attacks category?
Well... Aye.

As someone who practices malefic magic, I always consider psychic vampirism a very different thing; it's not part of my grimoire. It is technically a psychic attack, but the reason I don't consider it a hex or curse, similar to the other examples in that section, is because there are (in my experience) three discrete groupings:
  • 1) Unintentional psychic vampirism: The vampire doesn't know they're doing it, and wouldn't choose to if they became aware. This isn't malevolent, but still needs addressing - there are technically two victims.
    2) Intentional psychic vampirism (consent): The vampire deliberately does it, but only with "donors" (Michelle Belanger, et al). This shouldn't need any attention at all, and is considered morally acceptable.
    3) Intentional psychic vampirism (non-consent): Deliberate, and without the consent of a donor - a predatory practice. This is where you need legitimate defence, as you're a legitimate victim of this grouping.
So, you see, depending on what's actually going on, your response to it should really be quite different. If you're under unwarranted and unwanted attack, then a requirement for defence is universal, but that doesn't treat where the intent lies.

Sadly, a conventional psychic defence isn't enough when you're dealing with the most powerful of these creatures... Be they intentional, or not.
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Re: Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by Seraphin »

Imperious wrote:
Seraphin Murmur wrote:You think it should be separated from the psychic attacks category?
Well... Aye.

As someone who practices malefic magic, I always consider psychic vampirism a very different thing; it's not part of my grimoire. It is technically a psychic attack, but the reason I don't consider it a hex or curse, similar to the other examples in that section, is because there are (in my experience) three discrete groupings...
Actually, I don't consider the examples I mentioned in the psychic attack category as curses or hexes. The symptoms I mentioned there, I classified as "CURSE LOOK-ALIKES" conditions of the spirit, mind and body. Some conditions are the result of interaction with energies and entities, others may be caused by disturbances within the environment while others are purely psychological.

Am I misunderstanding you?
  • 1) Unintentional psychic vampirism: The vampire doesn't know they're doing it, and wouldn't choose to if they became aware. This isn't malevolent, but still needs addressing - there are technically two victims.
    2) Intentional psychic vampirism (consent): The vampire deliberately does it, but only with "donors" (Michelle Belanger, et al). This shouldn't need any attention at all, and is considered morally acceptable.
    3) Intentional psychic vampirism (non-consent): Deliberate, and without the consent of a donor - a predatory practice. This is where you need legitimate defence, as you're a legitimate victim of this grouping.
So, you see, depending on what's actually going on, your response to it should really be quite different. If you're under unwarranted and unwanted attack, then a requirement for defence is universal, but that doesn't treat where the intent lies.
Fair enough, you and I have the same groupings, lovely. :)
Sadly, a conventional psychic defence isn't enough when you're dealing with the most powerful of these creatures... Be they intentional, or not.
I'm working on another post about shielding and dealing with negative energies and entities, and for me, (at least for me) this particular psychic defense I constructed works to shield me from psychic vampires and close the openness to the offensive psychic influence of others.
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Re: Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by Imperious »

No probs, bud. Don't take my criticism as... Well, criticism! I thought your opening post was excellent.

I've just spent a lot of time with psychic vampires, studying the phenomena and its practitioners, and feel that a one-liner is probably doing the topic a disservice. It's my bias that's at play here, not yours. :)

Also, your post about more advanced shielding might well cover much of what I'm suggesting. I look forward to reading it. That said, the most powerful expression of psychic vampirism I've seen was a man who managed to hit everyone in a single room... A total of seven people.

Defences were deliberately down and there was undoubtedly a fair amount of auto-suggestion, but that demonstration really was something else.
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Re: Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by Vesca »

That FAQ is glorious, Seraphin!
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Re: Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by Seraphin »

Aaaw... Thank you. :oops:
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Re: Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by EtherealMoonRose »

Thanks for this Seraphin, i really enjoyed reading this! Very informative and well written. :D
"I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night"
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Re: Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by Seraphin »

I'm so happy this little... well, I mean long-winded post is being so helpful. :D
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Re: Am I Cursed? A Checklist for Testing Possible Maleficium

Post by Imperious »

Seraphin Murmur wrote:I'm so happy this little... well, I mean long-winded post is being so helpful. :D
Not to me.

You do realise that you're blunting my nefarious deeds with this? I shall not forgive you quickly, sir. :flyingwitch:
Vesca wrote:That FAQ is glorious, Seraphin!
I think it's worth a sticky.
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