The internal struggle of the exorcist.
I think all exorcists, battle mages, psychic questers etc. can agree on one thing. The struggle between heroism/duty and personal safety. This is because from one point of view you want to help everyone who needs the help but from the other point of view- an Exorcist is no use to anyone if he/she is dead.
This is why it is important not to jump straight into this, but to gain experience in other area's of magic to develop your way of thinking. I guess it's kinda like the US gun debate. Both sides are correct and both sides are totally opposite.
Think about it, you're in the situation where you are called out by say, an entire group of people that have got themselves into deep Demonic Doo Doo. They look at you, with the very maxima of disparity in their
eyes- their lives hang in the balance.
So you go out, do your assessment, these demons are not just possessing, they have such a strong presence that you may have to engage them in person, face to face (them in spirit), this is the stuff of legend- a full out battle. You know that you are completely out of your depth, you turn around to go home- you're no use to anyone dead. But as you walk away you hear them.
Men, women, children- crying, pleading, begging and clawing at your feet -it is their lives that hang in the balance, their community, their traditions, their culture and their families- for your help.
You try and turn around but you can't, you can't face these people. Without your help they're as good as dead and they know it. You then remember that you are an Exorcist of the calling, you have a duty to protect. Maybe you can take these demons on, maybe not. You're stuck in the middle, what do you do?
This is the situation that every exorcist dreads and unless you have thoroughly thought out what you would do in that situation and have a steel resolve, those demons etc. will latch onto that, then you're effectively as good as dead anyway. If you do walk away, you have the right to (you're no use to anyone dead), almost all exorcists will, but then you have to be 100% convicted that that is the right thing, otherwise in the future other demons will latch onto that and then you'll be the one in the deep Demonic Doo Doo.
There are just as many exorcists that would go both ways.
For example, as the Josephine McCarthy wrote "The greatest skill an exorcist can have is the skill to walk away"
Now, there is no exorcist for whom I hold more respect than her, but I fundamentally disagree with her here. I, in that situation would turn around and fight- I will tell you now, this is idiocy and she is right, but it is just a core part of who I am so that is what I would do.
It's not easy though is it?
I hope this serves as a warning, once you set off on the path of the exorcist you cannot pause, go back and learn what you now realize would really, REALLY help you, there is no such pause button. I learned this lesson the hard way. Only start when you can fully answer this question.
I know your immediate reaction would be "of course I'll turn around and fight" because you in your mind can't imagine possibly losing and dying. It's hard to make that realization, make that realization and then ask that again. This maturity and perspective only comes with magical experience, there is nothing I can say to you so that you make this realization, it must come from you. So tread carefully seeker, magic is a fickle mistress.
Yours truly.
Lucius RavenCroft.
Coven Leader of Scion- RavenCroft Coven, London.
Consultant Exorcist.
This is why it is important not to jump straight into this, but to gain experience in other area's of magic to develop your way of thinking. I guess it's kinda like the US gun debate. Both sides are correct and both sides are totally opposite.
Think about it, you're in the situation where you are called out by say, an entire group of people that have got themselves into deep Demonic Doo Doo. They look at you, with the very maxima of disparity in their
eyes- their lives hang in the balance.
So you go out, do your assessment, these demons are not just possessing, they have such a strong presence that you may have to engage them in person, face to face (them in spirit), this is the stuff of legend- a full out battle. You know that you are completely out of your depth, you turn around to go home- you're no use to anyone dead. But as you walk away you hear them.
Men, women, children- crying, pleading, begging and clawing at your feet -it is their lives that hang in the balance, their community, their traditions, their culture and their families- for your help.
You try and turn around but you can't, you can't face these people. Without your help they're as good as dead and they know it. You then remember that you are an Exorcist of the calling, you have a duty to protect. Maybe you can take these demons on, maybe not. You're stuck in the middle, what do you do?
This is the situation that every exorcist dreads and unless you have thoroughly thought out what you would do in that situation and have a steel resolve, those demons etc. will latch onto that, then you're effectively as good as dead anyway. If you do walk away, you have the right to (you're no use to anyone dead), almost all exorcists will, but then you have to be 100% convicted that that is the right thing, otherwise in the future other demons will latch onto that and then you'll be the one in the deep Demonic Doo Doo.
There are just as many exorcists that would go both ways.
For example, as the Josephine McCarthy wrote "The greatest skill an exorcist can have is the skill to walk away"
Now, there is no exorcist for whom I hold more respect than her, but I fundamentally disagree with her here. I, in that situation would turn around and fight- I will tell you now, this is idiocy and she is right, but it is just a core part of who I am so that is what I would do.
It's not easy though is it?
I hope this serves as a warning, once you set off on the path of the exorcist you cannot pause, go back and learn what you now realize would really, REALLY help you, there is no such pause button. I learned this lesson the hard way. Only start when you can fully answer this question.
I know your immediate reaction would be "of course I'll turn around and fight" because you in your mind can't imagine possibly losing and dying. It's hard to make that realization, make that realization and then ask that again. This maturity and perspective only comes with magical experience, there is nothing I can say to you so that you make this realization, it must come from you. So tread carefully seeker, magic is a fickle mistress.
Yours truly.
Lucius RavenCroft.
Coven Leader of Scion- RavenCroft Coven, London.
Consultant Exorcist.
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