Ikiryō

In Japanese mythology, an ikiryō (生霊?) (also read shōryō, seirei, or ikisudama) is a manifestation of the soul of a living person separately from their body.[1]

Description

Traditionally, if someone holds a sufficient grudge against another person, it is believed that a part or the whole of their soul can temporarily leave their body and appear before the target of their hate in order to curse or otherwise harm them, similar to an evil eye.[2] However, this temporary separation would result in sickness. "If the separation became permanent, the person who held the grudge would die."[3]

The Ikiryo are said to be able "to possess another living person without the originator even being aware of it."[4] The spirits are not "tied to whomever they possess," however, and "may freely move about bodies."[5]

Buddhist literature describes the Ikiryo as being particularly difficult to exorcise.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ Clarke, Peter Bernard (2000), Japanese new religions: in global perspective, Volume 1999 (annotated ed.), Routledge, p. 247, ISBN 9780700711857 
  2. ^ Anderson, Richard W. (April 1995). "Vengeful Ancestors and Animal Spirits: Personal Narratives of the Supernatural in a Japanese New Religion". Western Folklore (Western States Folklore Society) 54 (2): 113. JSTOR 1500400. 
  3. ^ Fairchild, William P. (1962). "Shamanism in Japan". Folklore Studies (Nanzan University) 21: 33. JSTOR 1177349. 
  4. ^ Yunesuko Higashi Ajia Bunka Kenkyū Sentā (Tokyo, Japan) (1972). East Asian cultural studies. Centre for East Asian Cultural Studies. pp. 48–53. http://books.google.com/books?id=6QIWAQAAMAAJ. Retrieved 20 September 2011. 
  5. ^ Ellis S. Krauss; Thomas P. Rohlen; Patricia G. Steinhoff; Joint Committee on Japanese Studies, Social Science Research Council (U.S.) (1984). Conflict in Japan. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 88–. ISBN 978-0-8248-0867-9. http://books.google.com/books?id=pMebnnqB_e0C&pg=PA88. Retrieved 20 September 2011. 
  6. ^ "Ikiryoh". The Element Encyclopedia of the Psychic World. 1. Harper Element. 2006. pp. 317. 
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