How does one (Who is a Greco-Roman polytheist) perform an excorcism? Really weird and off question, but I am curious.
This is, indeed, a bit off-the-wall, Anon - but researching the question has had the salutary effect of distracting me from reading about the strange goings-on at the White House, so thanks for offering me a little relief.
Spiritual possession by deities was a welcome experience in some historic religions, and is still considered a sign of divine favor among practitioners of modern religions such as Vodoun, Santeria, Macumba, Wicca, and indigenous shamans.
Exorcism is presumably a practice that began in prehistoric times, intended to evict evil spirits believed to torment a person, or even an area. Exorcism regimens are found today in Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, as well as in indigenous religions.
The modern Western view is that early misunderstanding of the causes and treatment of physical and mental illnesses, such as epilepsy, hormone and dietary imbalances, hysteria, and multiple personality disorder, led to the concept of “demonic possession”.
I have been unable to find much in the way of pagan Greek or Roman anecdotes that describe “involuntary demonic possession”. In the 5th century B.C.E., Hippocrates recognized that epilepsy and mental illness had understandable causes in physical or chemical imbalances. He also stated that unscrupulous people tried to take advantage of supposedly “incurable” conditions caused by malevolent spirits by offering magical “cures”. Meanwhile, as early as the 7th century B.C.E.in Egypt, mental illness was being treated with the same therapeutic approaches as were used to manage physical illness.
In the theoretical (and in my opinion highly unlikely) case of a modern person exhibiting behavioral symptoms for which medical science would be unable to provide explanation, diagnosis, or treatment, like any other polytheist, I would definitely turn to prayer. For an actual exorcism, I find the form practiced in modern Hinduism most applicable, for the reason that the religion is similar in many ways to modern Graeco-Roman polytheism, but most importantly because it does no harm. The Hindu practice, as I understand it, is to pray out loud and offer incense to the deities on behalf of the afflicted person, to sprinkle the patient with sanctified water (for Hellenic polytheists, that would be khernips), and, if possible, to keep sacred images of the gods in the proximity of the sufferer. Apollon/Apollo and Artemis, Asclepius, Dionysus, Hermes Psychopompos and Hekate would seem to be appropriate deities upon whom to call for healing in such a case, along with the patient’s own pantheon and patron deity/ies, if applicable.
For steps to evict an uninvited spirit, ghost, or negative energy from an area, see these posts.
Readers, please feel free to offer your own comments and suggestions!