The Sentient Sentinel

(IMDb.com)

   Last night I watched the movie Paranormal Activity written and directed by Oren Peli. The movie is a fictitious documentary of a haunted girl Katie and her idiotic boyfriend Micah. First, I'd like to mention that I don't understand why directors/writers feel that in order to make the documentary style film seem more realistic they have to have an annoying character (i.e. Matt Reeves 2008 film Cloverfield). Most films of this sort are overshadowed by this annoying individual, however, Paranormal Activity is defined by it. The film overall was well acted, the camera work fit the genre, and the VG (video graphics) were excellent. The film jumps right into the plot when Micah buys a dinosaur of a video camera to catch evidence of his girlfriend's supposed paranormal activity. Micah approaches the subject with an air of disbelief, intrigue, and blatant disrespect. Even though they are warned by a psychic/ghost hunter that it appeared to be more than a ghost and that they need to not encourage it and get it dealt with professionally (and Katie's pleas as well), Micah makes what appears to be all the wrong choices and decides that his research and experimentation will some how magically deal with the entity. The ending itself was a little far-fetched but still plausible (probably with much more and longer oppression). It's almost as if horror film directors come up with a good idea and don't know how to end it (i.e. Geoffrey Sax's 2005 film White Noise starring Michael Keaton). The film does attempt to share the possibilities of paranormal occurrences but unfortunately will be viewed as a work of fiction to the majority and not a warning. All of that said, this film is worth viewing.

   So what does this movie have to do with my column, The Sentient Sentinel? Well, as some of you are aware I am an Occult Specialist, so I have more than a passing interest on the subject. The problem that the main characters in this film are faced with is who to turn to? The ghost hunter explains that he is not equipped for such a case and recommends a demonologist that they end up not calling until it's too late. However, both of these men are doctors of some sort and therefore are believed to have knowledgeable opinions. However, what most people don't know is that an Exorcism can only be performed by an ordained priest with authority from the Vatican for that particular case, which means, hardly any real exorcisms have taken place. Especially with the skepticism in regards to religion and paranormal activity today, traditional exorcists look for any and all alternatives before requesting such a procedure. Also, thanks to the entertainment industry's recounting of these tales in books and movies, they can and have gone incredibly wrong.

   There are of course others who claim to do exorcisms, but you should be very wary. There's an entire movement of charismatics who perform deliverance on a daily basis. Deliverance is a not so fancy term for an exorcism. Sects of Christianity who are not apart of the Vatican and therefore could not obtain the rites of exorcism thought if they changed the name that it wouldn't count as an actual exorcism, therefore their need for permission was waved and yet they could still 'help' individuals in need. However, most people who perform deliverance believe that demons afflict everyone on a daily basis and "cast out" ridiculous amounts of evil entities from individuals.

   Of course, despite popular belief, Christianity is far from the only religion afflicted by evil spirits. I could write a book on all of the different evil entities, what religion they reside in, and how that particular religion deals with their own source of evil. However, since Witchmoot is a Pagan Blog Community, I will focus on Paganism. Yes, even the happy-go-lucky children of the Earth sometimes run into afflicting spirits. There are many different spells out there that claim to deal with troublesome entities. These spells may only be targeted at ghosts or may encompass or specifically be for a 'demonic' type. Whether a spell or exorcism is used, they're really the same means to an end. The individual's body is infected by a spirit (evil or good irrelevant) and the practitioner attempts to treat the infection.

   So who to turn to if you have trouble with paranormal phenomena? Well, there is surely a plethora of "Ghost Hunters" around your area that dedicate a certain amount of time (professional is a subjective term in paranormal regards) to researching these cases, but if they even offer a solution, it really is not their specialty. A parapsychologist and/or a demonologist are few and far between and really are the most controversial members of the paranormal industry. I have become aware of a couple of supposed Demonologists in Michigan, but I have not checked out their workshops since they charge $35-$40 per lecture, which I refuse to pay. Plus, every demonologist I am aware of are Christian. The head of any religious community may be willing to stop by and bless your person or residence, and often times they offer 'blessed' substances for personal 'blessings.' However, from my experience, religious figures are also unequipped to deal with such occurrences and often times will turn people away due to fear.

   So you have just been rejected by the only place you know to go, what now? Well, luckily, there are a few "Occult Specialists" out there that do 'specialize' in dealing with these sort of things. What makes one an Occult Specialist? Unfortunately there is no dictum for it. Through personal research and experience (and sometimes chance) people become Occult Specialists. Credentials are hard to come by so trusting a supposed Occult Specialist can be difficult, especially since true Occult Specialists tend to be frowned upon by the 'brighter' spiritualists (meant to include religious figures, despite their lack of spirituality at times) due to their darker nature and the subject of their work.

   There, unfortunately, is no listing for Occult Specialists and they can be rather hard to come by. Other than myself, the only people I am aware of that are capable of dealing with such cases are the Strigoi Vii, who have been known to set up websites that provide contact information. Once again, most people frown upon their community, so I present you with the same conflict as myself, how desperate are you? If you are truly afflicted, are you in enough torment to ask for help, even if it is from someone you may fear as much as the entity itself? For more knowledge on the Strigoi Vii, look into the work of Michelle Belanger.

   In summary, Paranormal Activity is worth seeing due to it's realistic portrayal that is often times exaggerated due to Hollywood's demand for cheap thrills and chills. Whether one has an active interest in the paranormal or a passing moment, this film offers entertainment to the full spectrum of adult viewers. And like other movies in it's genre, the fictitious documentary thoroughly draws the audience into the lives of the characters.