On demons as manifestations of the unintegrated psyche

Consciousness and unconsciousness

Today I would like to talk about demons as manifestations of the unintegrated human psyche and show that the devil is not as scary as they paint him. Almost all of us were frightened in childhood by demons and various “terrors” to enforce obedience. We heard: “If you're not good, the devil will come and kidnap you” or ”Disobedient children go to hell.” In my case, the latter phrase became so deeply engrained in my nervous system that to this day I still unscrew this belief. My body reacts with fear, for example, when I put up boundaries and am “unkind,” i.e. not meeting someone's expectations. Such seemingly innocent phrases can have a devastating effect on a child. They block natural reactions: objecting, putting up boundaries or being yourself. These “curses” drag on for years, sabotaging development and authenticity. Breaking them can cause anxiety, internal conflicts and requires tremendous work on oneself. A child's brain can't recognize that it's fiction - so it freezes the fear in the body and psyche. And that's how a demon can arise.

The struggle between good and evil

n many cultures, demons are portrayed as the personification of evil - forces that must be defeated because they possess, enslave and lead to perdition. Catholic doctrine is based on the constant struggle between good and evil: Jesus defeats Satan, Archangel Michael casts Lucifer down to hell, God rewards good and punishes evil. Good deeds equal salvation, bad deeds equal damnation.Is it really necessary to fight evil? Why can't we just accept the fact that we have a “dark” side within us? What is this “evil alter ego” of ours? Imagine your consciousness as a glass ball. Inside it are all the parts you know: character traits, emotions, talents, desires, fears. Everything accepted and “x-rayed” by consciousness. But outside the sphere - beyond the reach of light - are all the repressed parts: traumas, repressed emotions, shamed sexuality, unrealized dreams. Perhaps they were banished there in childhood because “being themselves” was associated with punishment or rejection. And now they are waiting to be seen and accepted.

Integration of demons

Now imagine that this glass sphere is made of concrete - and you believe that nothing exists outside of it. In moments of intense emotion, dreams, psychedelic travel or spiritual awakening - the concrete begins to crack, and matter from outside the sphere breaks through. You call it a “demon,” because it is foreign, unknown, arouses fear. The thicker the wall, the more fixated you are on one image of yourself - the greater the resistance and fear of what is different. Some time ago, I led an asexual lifestyle - not because I suppressed sexuality, but to get to know myself more deeply. However, a long-term disconnection from sexual energy led to an internal conflict: between “purity” and the primal drive. As a result, nightmares began to appear - sexual entities, known in tradition as succubi and incubi. For someone unaware, this could be a borderline experience. For me, it was a signal that my sexuality - banished beyond the confines of the sphere - was trying to break through to consciousness. “Demons” were not bad - they were rejected parts of myself. Instead of fighting them, I began to accept them, understand them, integrate them. Today they are one of my greatest resources. And the nighttime harassment has stopped.

Don't be afraid of your demonic shadow

Under other circumstances, someone would probably send me for an exorcism. But trying to “exterminate” evil only adds to the neurosis. It's not the demons that are the threat - it's the unconscious. When non-integrated aspects come out of hiding in the form of outbursts of anger, violence, trauma - they hurt. Integrated - they become power. Maybe Jesus, descending into hell, did not go there to destroy Satan - but to integrate him? Maybe the devil is our greatest shadow - the fear of death, and therefore the fear of life? Maybe the resurrection is not a triumph over evil, but the full integration of the shadow? I believe that Jesus overexposed his entire existence, integrated every shadow and became fullness - God, pure consciousness. Not by fighting evil, but by embracing everything he was. The demons we rejected are our strength - buried under shame, fear and cultural programming. Their integration is the path to freedom. To true independence. To being ourselves - no matter what religions, family, society or the world says.