Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.
View your shopping cart Shopping Cart | My Account | Help | Become a Fan on Facebook Become a Fan | Follow Us on Twitter Follow Us | Watch Us on YouTube Watch Us | Subscribe to our RSS Feeds Subscribe
Browse ProductsAuthorsArticlesBlogsEncyclopediaNewslettersAffiliate ProgramContact UsBooksellers
Advanced Search
ENCYCLOPEDIA
Glossary
What's New
Most Popular
List of Articles

Email Exclusives
Sign up to receive special offers and promotions from Llewellyn.

Get the Latest Issue of New Worlds

New Worlds October/November/December 2011 (Holiday Gift Guide) Issue

New Worlds Catalog

Download the PDF File version of the latest issue of Llewellyn's New Worlds Catalog


The Llewellyn Encyclopedia
Print this Term Print this Article

Evil from Beyond the Grave

This article was written by Keith Randolph on May 13, 2002
posted under Psychic Protection

Thousands of Grade-Z horror movies and hack novels with occult themes—not to mention thousands of years of superstitious beliefs—have caused most human beings to think of the dead as a threat to the living and ghosts as entities up to no good. The evidence from human experience, documented in the serious literature of psychical research, shows us otherwise, however. While contacts between the dead and the living are in fact not at all uncommon (as any number of polls and surveys have shown), the experiences are positive in the great majority of cases. Usually they involve the return of a deceased spouse, relative, or friend, and they provide a measure of comfort to the grief-stricken living.

But it is not only good people who die and survive. There are deranged people who die but who remain, even as spirits, evil. They may also attack normal people who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Evil spirits may also come from those who were not bad people, but who led desperately unhappy lives, or who died terrible deaths. Their spirits have been affected adversely—in other words, by the circumstances of their lives or deaths. It is even possible that these spirits are not consciously evil, but simply confused, desperate, and not fully aware of the consequences of their actions. But they can still be dangerous to the living.

Malevolent discarnates are usually associated with haunted houses, of course, but they are certainly not limited to such places. They have been known to occupy other geographical locations, such as a stretch of highway (where they may cause deadly accidents), a swamp, a factory, or in fact, just about any place one can imagine. Typically the discarnate is associated with the place in some way; he may have died there, perhaps, or committed some monstrous act.

We also know that at least some evil spirits are not bound to any particular place and can follow their victims to the ends of the earth if they so desire.

When I first came up with the idea of writing the book Spells for Tough Times, I did so because I knew people out there needed help. They may need help with their finances, they may need help with their families, they may need help with their health; whatever the topic, there are people in this world in need, and it seems we often tend to forget... read this article
A Growing, Ghostly Intimacy
It's Hard to Keep a Good Vampire Down
Astrology on the Cusp
Good Magical Hygiene: Essential Personal Energy Management for The Spiritually Gifted
Put Purpose into Raising Your Frequency

Most recent posts:
Facets of Love
Inspired by the fast-approaching holiday where we all celebrate love in our own way, let's explore another pair of love-related cards. Last week we...

Getting Back on Track
Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Kerri Connor, author of Spells for Tough Times. So it's February. Chances are some of you have...

Stressed? Bubbles to the Rescue!
While rushing through my morning routine I was surprised with a little tid bit on a morning radio show. First, they dangled the carrot: According to...


Calling all gardeners! Do you have gardening tips to share? Do you read Llewellyn's Moon Sign Book? Want to see your gardening tips in print?...



Llewellyn's 2012 Astrological Calendar Llewellyn's 2012 Astrological Calendar
Horoscopes for You Plus an Introduction to Astrology

By: Llewellyn
Price: $13.99 $11.19 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2012 Witches' Calendar Llewellyn's 2012 Witches' Calendar
By: Llewellyn
Price: $13.99 $11.19 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2012 Witches' Datebook Llewellyn's 2012 Witches' Datebook
By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $8.79 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2012 Moon Sign Book Llewellyn's 2012 Moon Sign Book
Conscious Living by the Cycles of the Moon

By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $8.79 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2012 Daily Planetary Guide Llewellyn's 2012 Daily Planetary Guide
Complete Astrology At-A-Glance

By: Llewellyn
Price: $12.99 $10.39 On Sale!