Demon Research Articles

F. M. Dostoevsky’s “Foreign Events” cycle of articles published in the weekly “Grazhdanin” (“The Citizen”) from 1873–1874 remains one of the writer’s least studied works. Its understanding is possible only through contextual analysis, that is, by comparing it with other publications in this periodical on current events in Europe and their historical background. The proposed research methodology assumes the collective nature of editorial work. In this case, Dostoevsky acts as both the author and the editor, coordinating the formation of the publication’s overall position. The foreign policy stance of “Grazhdanin” was built, as shown in the article, by publications by S. A. Nikolaevsky, V. P. Meshchersky, F. I. Tyutchev, K. P. Pobedonostsev, and N. N. Strakhov, and then condensed in Dostoevsky’s “Foreign Events” series. As a result, “The Citizen” led its reader to an understanding of the true roots of the political crisis unfolding at that time in European countries. The destructive processes in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Austria (the rupture between power and people, the secession of political parties, the triumph of the state over the church, the exhaustion of national unity, which escalated into chaos and turmoil, the loss of traditional values), as the publication’s authors and then the editor himself demonstrate, stem from an ongoing mental breakdown, expressed primarily in Europe’s growing alienation from Christianity. For the first time, the sense of an ongoing civilizational upheaval, interpreted by Dostoevsky as the manifestation of an anti-Christian “evil spirit,” was expressed so acutely and openly in journalism.

Patients and physicians are often dissatisfied with the diagnosis of back pain. Terms such as lumbago ( "Hexenschuss" in German) and sciatica ("Ischias" in German) are frequently used, but their medical meaning remains imprecise. Lumbago traditionally describes pain in the lumbar spine, buttock, and thigh regions. The term sciatica ("Hexenschuss" in German) comes from the medieval idea that diseases were transmitted to humans by evil spirits using bows and arrows. Sciatica is acute back pain with asudden onset, often triggered by everyday movements or strain. Possible pathophysiological mechanisms include muscular strains, discogenic pain due to annular tears, and blockages in the facet joints. The latter could result from the entrapment of ameniscoid, which stretches the joint capsule, leading to severe pain and reflex muscle contraction. This theory offers aplausible explanation for the effectiveness of manual therapies, in which ashort-term expansion of the joint space could reposition the meniscoid.

The project examines the different types of chemical compounds responsible for the sensation of spiciness: Capsaicin (in chili peppers), piperine (in black and white pepper), gingerol (in ginger), allyl isothiocyanate (in wasabi and mustard) and allicin (in onions and garlic). Their beneficial properties and effects on the human body are also discussed. Most of them support the immune system and digestion, and some have other, more specific properties. Some myths and beliefs related to spicy foods are also examined, such as why it was believed that garlic works against evil spirits or why ginger is more useful when consumed as tea. Two experiments involving spicy foods are also presented. The first used black pepper to demonstrate how soap reduces surface tension. The second experiment examined the electrical conductivity and electrolyte properties of mustard and ginger.

This article examines Shvot or Ishvut, an evil spirit well-known in Armenian lower mythology and folk beliefs. Drawing on ethnographic materials collected from various regions of Armenia and among Armenian communities in the Kessab region of Syria, the study employs primarily historical methods, including historical-comparative and chronological approaches, alongside specialized ethnographic methods such as in-depth qualitative analysis. The research delineates the defining characteristics, functions, manifestations, and associated attributes of Shvot. The primary objective is to analyze this lower mythological figure through a synchronic approach, utilizing folklore and ethnographic sources documented from the mid-19th century to the present. Etymological considerations, name verification, and related issues are addressed peripherally using an asynchronous approach with historical sources, though these remain secondary to the study’s main focus. Shvot is identified as a calendar spirit, predominantly associated with the Terendez holiday and the New Year. According to folk beliefs, the Shvot spirits reside in human dwellings during winter and are expelled through specialized exorcism rituals at the onset of spring, rituals that symbolically reflect the transition from winter to spring. The name Shvot exhibits phonetic variations across Armenian dialects, yet its functions remain consistent. The spirit is believed to inhabit homes, barns, and storerooms during winter, consuming food stored in barns, harming livestock, and deceiving women as an untrustworthy entity. Shvot is situated within a broader spectrum of spirits in Armenian lower mythology, and its parallels within the Armenian belief system are explored in detail in this study.

When common parlance speaks of « the march of history », it apprehends in perspective the image of a graduated ladder stretched between a point of departure and a point of arrival. In fact, it’s clear that the narrative of taught history borrows from the typical model of the telling story in the Aristotelian tradition. Cognitive dissonance thus arises whenever milestones from the past find their way onto the highway of the present, and aesthetic deviation whenever the linearity of a narrative breaks down. Camus’s La Peste is part of this double gap, on the one hand by confronting a city with the old demons of humanity – which the all-powerful medicine had, it seems, exorcised – and on the other by refusing the reassuring, good old-fashioned conclusion on the last page, leaving, on the contrary, doubt as to the death of the evil spirits. The COVID-19 pandemic took hold, triggering a veritable fever for rereading the novel, not only because of the almost premonitory coincidence between some of its notable passages and situations that have become the fundamental images of the confined world. There are also definite aesthetic choices that have had a major influence on the treatment of the material, with an original perspective that makes the text open to a number of connotative virtualities, including Camus’s profound pessimism in the face of peoples who forget viruses.

Abstract In 1 Sam 16:14–23, Saul comes under attack by an evil spirit from YHWH. The exact nature of Saul’s affliction has long troubled interpreters. Past examinations have labeled the evil spirit as an agent of YHWH, a symptom of divine abandonment, a troublesome spirit, or a representation of mental illness. However, none of these interpretations has prevailed. Recently, some have found parallels between Saul’s tormentor and demons in ancient Near Eastern literature. Yet another denizen of the underworld is a more likely culprit: a ghost. Mesopotamian medical diagnostic texts speak of ghost-induced illnesses, maladies in which ghosts inflict symptoms such as terror, suffocation, and mental instability on individuals at the behest of their personal gods. These symptoms, often diagnosed as evil winds sent by ghosts, are routinely treated through musical therapy. An examination of Saul’s symptoms, etiology, diagnosis, and treatment in the narrative of 1 Sam 16–19 suggests that Saul’s malady, in its ancient context, could be considered a ghost-induced illness.

The Sartang tribe of Arunachal Pradesh is a less known minor tribe formerly clubbed under the category of Monpa. The people observes an annual calendar ritual to ward off evil spirits from harm and dismay of the people and their village. A boy called Maasi is selected by a priest from among a group of teenage boys who is considered to be the spouse of a female evil spirit. The data was collected by interviewing key informants. The researcher also employed observation of the ritual event and recording using research tools such as audio and camera. The analysis of the data was done using ethnographic methods. The paper describes the power, role and different stages of the Maasi in the annual calendar ritual. The rites and ceremonies practised by the Sartang people are believed to atone for one’s misdeeds, bring good fortune and longevity and avoid malicious gossip to keep harmonious relationships in the community.

Rafał B. Reichert Wood, Trade, and Spanish Naval Power (c. 1740–1795) Leiden, Boston, Brill, 2024, 260 pp. James D. Fisher The Enclosure of Knowledge: Books, Power and Agrarian Capitalism in Britain, 1660-1800 Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022, 330 pp. Jakub S. Beneš The Last Peasant War. Violence and Revolution in Twentieth- Century Eastern Europe Princeton University Press, 2025, 383 pp. Cristóbal Kay Pensadores rebeldes Santiago de Chile, Ediciones Universidad Diego Portales, 2023, 195 pp. Santiago Colmenares Guerra Cosechar para el mundo, pastar para la región. Una historia de globalización en los Montes de María, 1850-1914, Bogotá, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Banco de la República, 2023, 365 pp. Arnau Barquer i Cerdà «Visch de mon treball y seguint los amos». Francesos i treballadors a la Catalunya de mas (bisbat de Girona, ss. xvi-xvii), Girona, Associació d’Història Rural, Documenta Universitaria, 2023, 223 pp. Pierre Gresser Les forêts princières dans le comté de Bourgogne aux XIVe et XVe siècles Turnhout, Brepols, 2023, 253 pp. Aleksandar Panjek (Ed.) Integrated Peasant Economy in Central and Eastern Europe. A Comparative Approach Turnhout, Brepols 2024, 264 pp.

Abstract The Coptic magical corpus, a collection of manuscripts produced in Egypt between the fourth and twelfth centuries CE for private ritual purposes, provides a rich source concerning non-institutional and private healing practices. Because the magical healing manuscripts from the corpus are not self-reflexive, unlike Hippocratic writings, the work of interpretation and reconstruction of the taxonomies of the healing practices is left to modern researchers. The researcher has several etic interrelated categories to understand and interpret: symptoms (i.e., tooth pain), causes (i.e., evil spirits), and treatments (i.e., binding of an amulet to the forearm). In understanding the relationships between these three categories, the modern reader might more easily comprehend the logic of healing practices witnessed by the corpus. However, not only healing texts provide an insight into the causes of diseases, but also curses causing them (called here health curses). In this article, I discuss and compare both of these corpora and focus especially on lists of illnesses and agents causing them, as they appear in both healing texts and health curses.

This study aims to examine the Kuda Kepang performance in Alue Leuhob Village, Cot Girek District, North Aceh Regency. Kuda Kepang is a traditional art form that combines elements of dance, music, drama, visual arts, and magic, and has unique cultural and religious values for the local community. This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach to describe the Kuda Kepang performance. The performance consists of three main parts: the opening, the main body, and the closing. In the main body, magical elements are a distinctive feature, involving interaction with the spiritual realm, which is believed to provide protection and healing for both individuals and the community involved. The results of the study show that the Kuda Kepang performance in Alue Leuhob Village is not merely an art form for entertainment but also serves as a medium for spiritual communication and the preservation of ancestral values. The magical elements in this performance are evident through phenomena such as possession, the use of mantras, and the role of the shaman as a mediator between the real world and the spiritual realm. The dance typically consists of 13 movements, which are adapted to the condition of the dancers as they enter a trance. There are 6-8 or more male dancers, and the floor pattern is circular with two vertical/horizontal rows covering a wide area. The dancers' costumes are uniform in accordance with the regulations. The community believes that this performance possesses healing powers, protection from evil spirits, and serves as an expression of gratitude for a bountiful harvest and safety. Thus, the Kuda Kepang performance acts as a bridge between cultural, spiritual, and social dimensions, and strengthens the cultural identity of the Alue Leuhob village community.

This paper focuses upon African witchcraft and the impact of Christianity on this. After discussing the notion of mystical mentality, it examines the role of Pentecostalism with its emphasis on evil spirits and deliverance on the perpetuation of witchcraft convictions in Africa using Ghana as an illustrative example. There are clear parallels between the spiritual cosmology in African traditional religion and the Pentecostal demonic world. It moves on to examine the inequality, capitalism and the Prosperity Gospel in the process of maintaining witchcraft beliefs. Overall, evidence supports the assertion that Pentecostalism in Africa maintains or even intensifies the phenomenon of witchcraft.

In Ayurveda Varna, is considered as marker of good health. The Varna is a parameter useful for healthy and glowing skin. It is influenced by a several circumstances before and after birth. In Ayurveda classics Acharyas mentioned about various factors like Panchmahabhuta, Dosha, Dhatu, Ahara, Agni, genes, are responsible for different varna. The effective and unique concept about beauty in Ayurveda has steered to the exposure of Ayur-cosmaceuticals. The concept of prabha,varna, chhaya described in Ayurveda are inborn being of beauty. A Sanskrit term varna meaning outer appearance, shape, figure, texture of thes kin. Chhaya is the organization whichlimitprabha and varna and it highlight to the complexion. Thus, anything which carries beauty and softness and rejuvenates and maintain the natural texture and tone of the skin along with multiplication of glow, lustre and complexion is known as Varnya. In modern science term Varnya is corelated with term complexion. In human’scomplexion can be described as the natural colour, appearance of the skin, texture especially of the face. A person’s complexion is a biological trait. Melanin is a biological pigment which is mainly responsible for in the tone. Few factors are responsible for colour of the skin apart from melanin pigments are as nutritional, environment and developmental status of granular layer, absorption coefficient of the dermis and epidermis, reflection coefficient of skin surface, content of UV light absorbing component, thickness of overlaying tissue, amongst them melanin is the major determinant of colour and which depends upon racial, ethnic difference, number of melanin, size ,shape, distribution and degradation of melanin. In Ayurveda, Kashyap Samhita is one of the ancient literatures, where a Lehana based unique concept of Swarnaprashan which is prepared with Swarna Bhasma (incinerated gold), Madhu (honey), Ghrita isdescribed. Acharya Kashyap explained benefits of administration of Swarnaprashan is medhavardhak (intellect), agnivardhak(digestion and metabolism), balvardhanam (physical strength), ayuvardhak(longevity), mangalkarak (auspicious), purnyakarak(righteous), vrishyam(aphrodisiac), varnyam(complexion), grahapaham (protection from evil spirits and microorganisms). This review is an effort to research the mode of action of Swarnaprashan in Varnya(complexion) according to Ayurveda and contemporary science.

In Ayurveda Varna, is considered as marker of good health. The Varna is a parameter useful for healthy and glowing skin. It is influenced by a several circumstances before and after birth. In Ayurveda classics Acharyas mentioned about various factors like Panchmahabhuta, Dosha, Dhatu, Ahara, Agni, genes, are responsible for different varna. The effective and unique concept about beauty in Ayurveda has steered to the exposure of Ayur-cosmaceuticals. The concept of prabha, varna, chhaya described in Ayurveda are inborn being of beauty. A Sanskrit term varna meaning outer appearance, shape, figure, texture of the skin. Chhaya is the organization which limit prabha and varna and it highlight to the complexion. Thus, anything which carries beauty and softness and rejuvenates and maintain the natural texture and tone of the skin along with multiplication ofglow, lustre and complexion is known as Varnya. In modern science term Varnya is correlated with term complexion. In human’s complexion can be described as the natural colour, appearance of the skin, texture especially of the face. A person’s complexion is a biological trait. Melanin is a biological pigment which is mainly responsible for in the tone. Few factors are responsible for colour of the skin apart from melanin pigments are as nutritional, environment and developmental status of granular layer, absorption coefficient of the dermis and epidermis, reflection coefficient of skin surface, content of UV light absorbing component, thickness of overlaying tissue, amongst them melanin is the major determinant of colour and which depends upon racial, ethnic difference, number of melanin, size, shape, distribution and degradation of melanin. In Ayurveda, Kashyap Samhita is one of the ancient literatures, where a Lehana based unique concept of Swarnaprashan which is prepared with Swarna Bhasma (incinerated gold), Madhu (honey), Ghrita is described. Acharya Kashyap explained benefits of administration of Swarnaprashan is medhavardhak (intellect), agnivardhak (digestion and metabolism), balvardhanam (physical strength), ayuvardhak (longevity), mangalkarak (auspicious), purnyakarak (righteous), vrishyam (aphrodisiac), varnyam (complexion), grahapaham (protection from evil spirits and microorganisms). This review is an effort to research the mode of action of Swarnaprashan in Varnya(complexion) according to Ayurveda and contemporary science.

This systematic theological study critiques the utilitarian religiosity among neo-Pentecostal prophets (NPPs) for promoting a dealmaking or ‘spiritual hustling’ approach to faith, rather than fostering a personal relationship with God. Utilitarian religiosity refers to the use of spirituality as an instrument to extract material blessings from God. NPPs represent a contemporary form of African Pentecostalism, characterised by prophetic figures who claim unique divine mandates to liberate individuals from the evil spirits believed to hinder prosperity in this life. The primary question answered in the article is as follows: how does the relational nature of faith in God in Christian theology challenge the utilitarian view of spirituality among neo-Pentecostal prophets (NPPs) in Zimbabwe? The secondary question is as follows: how should Christian faith be understood and articulated to challenge NPPs to move from utilitarian spirituality to relational spirituality? Utilitarian religiosity is critiqued for promoting a works-based relationship with God, which violates the biblical teaching that faith alone is sufficient to establish a connection with God. The NPPs’ utilitarian spirituality is critiqued from a Reformed theological emphasis on salvation by faith and challenges them to propagate a relational spirituality that comforts and empowers the poor, rather than a utilitarian spirituality rooted in dealmaking that renders God distant from those who most urgently need his presence amid existential struggles.

3D Animation is a form of Animation that uses three-dimensional objects so that the visuals presented look more real and immersive. 3D objects can be rotated and viewed from various perspectives. Bali, with its unique cultural values, should not only be a tourist attraction but can also be the basis for creating multiple creations, especially in animation design, which can be an attraction and introduce Balinese culture to the international arena. In this research, the Animation tells the story of a child named Made who did not have a parental figure from childhood and lived alone with his grandfather in the village. The village where Made lives is not safe; evil demons have destroyed it. This made Made trained by his grandfather to become a strong child worthy of adventure to save the village and find his missing parents. Made's adventure is not alone; Made is accompanied by a good spirit in the form of a barong named Dharma, who will guide Made's journey. Made's efforts are constantly hampered by his older brother, who is an evil spirit with great power, and the only way Made can stop his grandfather is by joining forces with Dharma. The method used in this research is computer graphics with pre-production, production, and post-production stages. This research aims to design an animation entitled Made and The Lost Spirit inspired by the values of the Galungan holiday celebration in Bali. Apart from this, the novelty of this Animation lies in highlighting Balinese culture and ornaments in the visual elements presented in the creation of international standard quality animation with intellectual Property owned by the author.

Nachra is a traditional exorcism rite typical of the Algerian city of Constantine, reserved for women who consider themselves possessed by evil spirits. As a traditional practice, nachra aims to free women from the spirits that torment them, causing them physical and psychological suffering that conventional medicine is unable to alleviate or cure. The nachra rite is also said to have a therapeutic effect, as attested by some of the women who practice or participate in it. Drawing on research in anthropology, ethnopsychiatry and psychology, the aim of this article is to analyze the key procedures of the traditional nachra rite that explain its psychosocial therapeutic action. In fact, the nachra rite is said to have a psychotherapeutic action thanks to its cathartic dimension, which relieves the patient emotionally and physically. In addition, the nachra rite is said to have a sociotherapeutic effect, thanks to the collective appreciation and recognition gained by the patient during the ceremony.

Uterine fibroids are the leading cause of hysterectomies among women of childbearing age. This study aimed to elicit the knowledge and perceptions of childbearing women towards uterine fibroids. A quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive design was used and data were collected from a sample of 362 women of reproductive age residing in a selected township in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Ethical approval to conduct the study was obtained from the Durban University of Technology’s Institutional Research Ethics Committee (IREC – Ref No. BIREC 014/21). A pre-tested survey was conducted to collect data for this study. SPSS version 27 was used to analyze data and further employed descriptive statistics. Inferential statistics were also conducted to investigate relationships between important variables and respondents who self-reported being diagnosed with uterine fibroids. Most participants, 73.8% (n=267), had no awareness of uterine fibroids. Participants also demonstrated poor knowledge regarding the aetiology and symptoms of the condition. However, nearly half of the participants, 49.2% (n=178), perceived uterine fibroids to be of spiritual origin, citing evil spirits and witchcraft as the cause. The study findings suggest that women in the selected township lack accurate knowledge about uterine fibroids. Despite the limitations related to the use of a convenience sampling approach for data collection and the subsequently low levels of education observed among certain participants, the study findings provide useful baseline information to inform the development of tailored educational interventions for the condition.

1Sam 16:14–23 is a crux interpretum due to the fact that the evil spirit comes from the Lord. This penomenon is a rather unusual one in the Hebrew Bible, moreover, its grammatical features are also unique and isolated. The text’s statement – i.e. the evil spirit’s tormenting activity is directed by God – raises a serious theological issue abour the nature of good and evil and their relationship. In order that to understand this theological issue, it is necessary th apply a thorough exegetical approach tot he given text. The relevance of the topic is rather urging in the western civilization since the enlightenment and the Freudian, Jungian pcychoanalytic shifts questioned the possibility of demonic harassment and possession altogether. The aim of the study is to collect complex exegetical and biblical theological knowledge about the topic and nature of demonic possession in the Hebrew Bible in order that the thought of the topic could once again transcend the realms of taboo, superstition and sensational horror-fiction.

Purpose: This study investigates the symbolic and ritual functions of winter solstice food traditions—particularly red-bean porridge, wontons, and pumpkin-based dishes—in East Asian cultures (China, Korea, and Japan). The research aims to uncover how these culinary customs, rooted in folklore and seasonal cosmology, function as embodied responses to the liminality of the winter solstice, a period historically viewed as both auspicious and dangerous. Methodology: The study uses a qualitative-historical research approach, drawing from the disciplines of folklore, cultural anthropology, and historical ethnography. Data were collected through close readings of primary sources such as Jingchu Suishiji, Engishiki, and classical diaries, alongside secondary analyses by modern East Asian folklorists and scholars. Victor Turner’s theory of liminality serves as the core analytical framework, with a comparative lens applied across the three national contexts. Findings: The research finds that solstice food customs—like red-bean porridge in China and Korea, and pumpkin dishes in Japan—serve not merely as seasonal nourishment but as apotropaic rituals aimed at warding off evil spirits and maintaining social cohesion. These culinary traditions reflect broader cosmological beliefs rooted in agricultural cycles, yin-yang theory, and mythological storytelling. Furthermore, the study highlights the intergenerational transmission of these customs through oral and embodied practices, while also identifying vulnerabilities posed by urbanization and cultural erosion. Implications: The findings contribute to the growing field of intangible cultural heritage studies by positioning solstice food rituals as vital forms of vernacular cosmology and community resilience. Originality and Value: This research offers an original contribution by foregrounding food as a cosmological medium—an epistemological tool that allows communities to ritualize astronomical transitions. It departs from conventional studies of solstice marked through monuments or festivals, and instead emphasizes domestic, edible rituals. By theorizing the hearth as a cosmological site, the study invites rethinking cultural astronomy through taste, tactility, and seasonal embodiment, providing new intersections between folklore, anthropology, and food studies.

The Yasinan tradition is a social phenomenon that lives in the Sambas Malay community due to the acculturation of local culture with Islam. This discussion aims to reveal (1) mystical views in the Sambas Malay culture and (2) acculturation of Islam and local culture in the Yasinan Tradition, including the legitimacy of hadith, mysticism and post-death imagination. This study uses a field research method in the form of living hadith using an emic approach. Discussion findings: (1) The Sambas Malay community has a strong attachment between Islamic teachings and magical traditions, which are manifested in beliefs in spirits and ritual practices such asn, which are a form of acculturation between local beliefs and Islam. (2) This acculturation gives rise to perspectives and beliefs that become the motives behind the implementation of the Yasinan Tradition. The community is able to read Yasin well and knows the text of the hadith reward and recommends the privilege of reading Yasin so as to form a perspective that reading Yasin is good behaviour and in accordance with Islamic law, although not everyone knows the contents of the verses and hadith texts. The community believes that reading Yasin can exorcise ghosts and evil spirits and as a medicine in treatment. In addition, people believe that the reward for reading Yasin can be used as charity for the deceased.