Premier Paranormal Researcher Victoria Jaye
About Demonic Folklorist and Premier Paranormal Researcher Victoria Jaye:
"I received my Master’s from Utah State University in folklore in 2021 from writing my thesis on demonic phenomena. I created a classification system designed to organize things that could happen in the presence of the demonic. It’s called “In the Presence of Evil: Demonic Perception Narratives” and is available through the USU Digital
Commons. I am a supernatural folklorist overall (because if it’s spooky whatsoever, I’m already interested), but I specialize in demonic phenomena, narratives, and experiences. At the time of writing it, I believed I’d had possession experience with a demon; my research yielded that it was not a demon at all.
I’m currently writing about demons, folklore, and horror movies online as a guest contributor on other sites and on my own website, demonfolklorist.com. I can’t call myself a demonologist because I neither walk into those spaces with malicious entities nor do I investigate old languages/documents; I look at people’s experiences and give advice/information. I openly believe in the demonic as well as other types of spirits because of my experiences with them. Currently, I am psychic in that I am clairaudient, claircognizant, clairsentient, geomantic, have a little bit of psychometry (from photographs), the tiniest edge of mind-reading, and mediumship. I want to clarify that not everyone who is interested in the paranormal has psychic abilities; this seems to be a connection most people assume when the supernatural is simply fascinating, which is the real draw to being an investigator/researcher. I just happen to be psychic, as well."
Is It A Demon? Advice From A Demonic Folklorist by Victoria Jaye
What is a Demon?
I define them by what they can do, not what they are—the truth is, we don't fully know. Christianity's interpretation is that they’re fallen angels after a war in heaven led by Lucifer (who became Satan), but we weren’t there to substantiate that interpretation. Demons are spirits in that they exist without bodies, possess abilities greater than that of humans (rendering them inhuman), are hyperintelligent, react negatively to Christian religious iconography, and are malevolent in their behavior towards humans.
How Do Demons Enter People’s Lives?
There are a few main ways that we know of. The Law of Invitation means that you opened the door through magic or channeling practices without safety precautions and invited them right in. The Law of Attraction tells us that if a person is doing enough sick, twisted activities that go against their own humanity, then a demon can be attracted to one’s soul (think of the most heinous activities a person could perpetrate). Already Inhabited means that a demon already lives in the space you moved into, so technically, you’re encroaching on their territory. If a practitioner of dark magic sends a demon your way, that’s another way they can enter your life; for a short period, the demon is bound to the conjurer’s will.
Other Types of Possessing Spirits
There are other types of spirits known for possession; demons do not have that corner on the market. Namely, dybbukim and jinn are known for it. A dybbuk is a spirit from Jewish folklore that has been banned from both heaven and hell; they wander, waiting for the perfect opportunity to live again in someone else’s body. Jinn are from Islamic religion/folklore, born of smokeless fire and known for their free will like humans. Evil ones are called shaytan, and are determined to do evil in the world. Other entities are ready to hop in if the body/mind have been oppressed (meaning their will was broken down) or if the body was left open. Further examples can be found on my website for reference.
One Question First
First, when someone tells me they had a demonic experience, I always ask: did you feel you were in the presence of evil? If the answer is no, then the entity you dealt with is always something else. If the answer is yes, I want to clarify my definition of evil: deeply malicious, wants to hurt you; hatred emanates from them because they despise humans. People who say they have ever had a happy or pleasurable experience with demons aren’t experiencing a demon; I’ve looked at hundreds of cases of supposed demonic activity and everyone wants to run in the presence of one. Demons are also different from other paranormal experiences because the phenomena is 1000x worse in intensity. Anybody without an agenda knows how incredibly rare demonic infestations are. Paranormal TV is irresponsible when upping the ante, implying demons are everywhere. 9 times out of 10, it isn't a demon one is dealing with in general. Hundreds of people have contacted me after my thesis was published last year and only one of them sounded like a genuine demonic presence. A real psychic will never walk into a space with a demon inhabiting it. You won’t find me out investigating demons or other types of the supernatural, not out of fear, but from knowing my psychic abilities will be used against me. I never sought out the supernatural; it found me throughout my life.
What I’m Listening For
In my custom demonic classification system, I used sight, sound, smell, and feeling to separate categories. I did this because most demonic phenomena fit somewhere into those four senses. When someone tells me their supernatural experience, I listen for common demonic patterns, such as seeing blacker-than-night figures, extreme temperature drops/risings, horrific smells, and feeling a distinct feeling that something is deeply wrong when entering a space, and when in the entity’s presence, feeling great evil. These are all my starting points, but there are other indicators that it’s indeed demonic instead of something else. My system can be used as a checklist for the person wondering if it was a demon they experienced.
Demons, to me, aren't that mysterious. They have behavioral patterns and though they act unpredictably, it is still usually within this system of phenomena. In this way, demons appear to be limited in what they can/cannot do. They can't just enter one’s life, for instance; otherwise, there would be more experiences happening. They need an explicit doorway to walk through.
If you look at my classification system and see things that have happened to you are listed there, I suggest you seek help immediately either through the clergy or paranormal groups (or through your cultural protections/rituals for cleansing; note that many practices are closed so don't use them if you’re not part of that culture!) I'm not an expert in getting rid of them, unfortunately—I can only offer information. Most people simply want to talk about their experience with someone who believes in this sort of thing.
Do you recommend Victoria Jaye?
- Yes