Spirit-possession in theory and practice: séances with Tibetan spirit-mediums in Nepal
Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis January 16, 2019 Per-Arne Berglie
Spirit mediums from a Tibetan refugee community in Nepal undergo possession by gods during séances, marked by donning a headdress; once worn, the god speaks and acts through the medium, who later reports no memory of the event. The study describes three mediums—dBang phyug, Sri gcod, and Nyi ma don grub—and notes that possession occurs by the god best suited for the evening's task. A medium's genuineness is established through training and testing, and further proof is not required if problems are solved satisfactorily; doubters may consult a lama.