As I discussed Putin’s violence against Ukraine with an old friend, he asked me, “You don’t still believe in the devil, do you?” I will paraphrase my answer in this way: “History bears testimony to a force that engenders enormous levels of violence, oppression, and destruction, not to mention ignorance. Call it what you will, but to deny the reality of this force is arrogant foolishness.” The great psychologist Carl Jung stated, “Evil is terribly real, for each and every individual. You can just as well call it the devil.”
Now, here is the key question: what do we do with the knowledge of evil? The answer begins with the wisdom given to us by Valentin Tomberg: “Good does not combat evil in the sense of destructive action… Just as darkness gives way to the presence of light, so does evil give way before the presence of God. Light drives out darkness. This simple truth is the practical key to the problem of how to combat demons. A demon perceived, that is, on whom the light of consciousness is thrown, is already a demon rendered impotent.”
Still deeper, what do we do with our own interior demons—those moods, phobias, addictions, and obsessions that take hold of our personalities? Rather than denying the existence of these influences within our own minds and hearts, we must acknowledge them, always in a spirit of compassion. Secondly, through prayer, meditation, a balanced lifestyle, and acts of service, we must courageously endeavor to rise above these temptations. Resisting temptations with the help of God’s grace is part of the process of entering into God-Consciousness. Though it may seem paradoxical, facing temptations squarely is the medicinal antidote that heals us of our spiritual ailments.
Divine Mother,
Help me remember:
A demon perceived
Is rendered impotent.
