From: mjmh@doc.bu.edu (Michael J M Holmes)
Newsgroups: alt.magick,alt.pagan,alt.satanism
Subject: Questions...
Date: 2 Oct 92 14:00:55 GMT
Followup-To: alt.magick
Organization: Boston University Center for Remote Sensing

Greetings to all!  I am one of those lurkers who have been 
enjoying these conversations for a while.

I am interested in getting comments, reactions, interpretations, 
extrapolations, etc. on a situation I was peripherally involved
with about eight years ago.  It involved several people of 
diverse backgrounds, over a period of about a year, involving a 
variety of operations, workings, divinations, and belief systems.

I will list the types of questions I have, then I will give a 
rough (but lengthier) synopsis of the situation.  That way, 
anyone not interested can just skip this post.  I am very 
willing to have people e-mail to me, rather than turning this 
into a long-term "thread," if that is what people prefer.  I 
would like input from a variety of backgrounds on this; I am 
not a firm believer in any one religion, tradition, philosophy,
or mode of thought.

->My questions are of the following type:

1) What could have/should have happenned?
2) How effective was the group's activities?
3) Was this magickal, demonic, religious, or psychodrama?

and, most importantly:

4) What type of fallout would this have?
5) How would it affect the lives of those involved?
6) Are there any potential rebound/flashback/effects possible, 
even so many years later?

->THE SITUATION
In August, 1984, a group of [about-to-be] college freshmen and 
sophomores started using a Ouija Board.  We all came from Catholic 
backgrounds, most of us going to Catholic High School.  Standard 
Ouija board questions and answers at first, but after a while, 
some strange 'spirits' appeared on the scene.  Resdesist, supposedly 
from a circle of Hell, was the most popular at this point.

At the start of school, some of us were in Boston, others in 
Providence.  More people began to be involved (nearby dorm-mates, 
mostly).  Tiamat, Marduk, and Enki appeared regularly on the board.  
The board encouraged some of the Providence group to get involved 
with the Necronomicon and the Satanic Bible, among other texts. 
Some of the spells and bindings in these books were recited during 
board sessions.

The ghost of a suicide victim started to communicate on the board 
(this is now October '84).  He was supposedly from one of the dorm 
rooms two of the people in this group lived in.  Some of the facts 
this ghost relayed through the board were later validated by the 
school's records.  Cold spots, strange noises, lights flashing, 
and strange dreams affected the people in this dorm room and nearby.  
More rituals from the previously named sources were used, and more 
frequently.  Some Christian imagery was invoked (Crosses, archangels, 
rosary beads - sometimes all of these were used negatively or 
inverted).  At this point in time, about a dozen people 
were involved one way or another.  During board sessions, people's 
hands would become ice-cold, verified by observers.  One person 
began seeing Resdesist outside her window at night, in the image 
of a flaming triangular face.

At this point, people were frenetic, delving into a variety of 
occult sources, including Crowley, the Tarot, numerology, and 
Egyptian sources.  Some of the girls became involved in some 
witchcraft (more on the 'black' or 'Satanic' side, less to do 
with Wicca or any benevolent tradition).  Some of 
the boarders allowed, or invited, the 'spirits' to use/enter 
their physical bodies.  This is where things got very dangerous and
inexplicable, in my mind.

A myriad of 'embodiments' took place, including the 
aforementioned entities, and additionally some named Resisolobus, 
Pazuzu, Enigma, and Tana.  Satan as well made appearances on the 
board, and 'possessed' some users.  Many complained of physical 
ailments, strange sharp pains, increasing bad dreams; most felt 
that someone was always around, trying to get them.

Shields and wards were set.  Visualization techniques were used; 
people would focus on making the walls glow to keep negative or 
evil entities out.  Also, tracing pentagrams on the walls, 
floor, and ceiling, was another technique tried.  After the 
'wards' were set, operations were performed, 
uisng spells and language from a variety of sources to 'attack' 
those who were harming the group, and any people thought 
associated with them.  Candles, blood, and incense were used, 
and 'spirits' embodying a person often aided the efforts.  
Images and drawings from the Necronomicon were 
often used, although these were usually adapted, not copied exactly.

No matter what was tried, some residual effects continued.  
It sometimes seemed as though some people wanted this strange 
situation to continue.  Strange ailments and injuries occured, 
and one of us ended up in the infirmary for a week for symptoms 
that baffled the medical staff, although they eventually 
disappeared (some feel through the efforts of a positive 
visualization effort long-distance by others in this group).  

The group broke into ever changing smaller segments of twos 
and threes.  Some of these smaller groups allegedly attempted 
some sexual rituals.  What once was a tight group of very close 
friends started to turn on each other, very suspiciously.  
Anonymous phone calls and letters were received; these all had 
occult content.  An entity called Fenriz was supposedly behind 
them all; he soon appeared on the Ouija board many times.  
Two women went to an outsider, supposedly a practicing witch,
 to cast some spells against some of the group (myself included).  
Some final rituals were done by the majority, involving Tarot imagery,
Christian imagery (especially calling on archangels), and many 
symbols that came from a variety of sources.

The spring semester ended with most in the group accusing 
each other of provoking magickal attacks on each other, and 
many of the accusations were ludicrous and unsubstantiated.  
But there were serious problems among those involved: Two breakups, 
three dropouts, at least five suicide attempts, and many dangerous
drug and alcohol over-abuses occurred in the 
aftermath of this (the summer months that followed).  

Some of the people involved, despite all the negative outcomes, 
remained involved in one aspect or another; some kept using 
Ouija boards, others continued to develop spells and imagery 
rituals, some focused on the Tarot.But the "large group" never 
again got together.  Some of those involved 
have very negative feelings about others, even so many years later.

So, does anyone have any thoughts as to what was really going on?  
How much of this was imagination, how much was really effective 
and/or dangerous?  And do any of the names of the 'spirits' 
ring any bells with people out there?  Was it mostly shadows 
and fog, or did some dangerous things get stirred up?

Any ideas on what after-effects could be?  And any that could 
occur even eight years later?  Any other advice, comments?

As for myself: I spent a great deal of this situation as a 
semi-outsider, and missed much of the more serious ritualistic 
aspects.  I also was open-minded, yet not a serious believer 
of all that happened, or of all the traditions and authorities 
used.  I tried to be the "rationalizng force," the 
"down-to-earth" one.  Yet, a few events, actions, circumstances 
occurred that had no seemingly 'rational' or 'non-magickal' 
explanation.  These concern me enough to ask for some aid in 
understanding or interpretation.  

I have maintained some level of friendship with most of the 
participants, though not all.  Accessing these newsgroups 
got me thinking about this situation again.  Many involved still 
have trouble discussing these events, some remain obsessed 
with the situation (even though it effectively ended about 
seven years ago), and I fear there are some residual effects - 
how can I help?

Any and all insights are welcome.  My email is mjmh@crsa.bu.edu.  
Thanks for reading my ramble.

Mike Holmes
Boston University Department of Geography
{no .sig ->and do I really need a disclaimer? Isn't that assumed anyway?}

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