What is a Vampire/Demon?

We all have monsters in our lives. Some are small, some are annoying and some are downright terrifying. They come in all shapes and sizes and use all manner of tools to get close to us--the prize. In a way, I guess we should feel flattered, that something, or someone, values us so much that they would resort to certain tactics to acquire us. Well, I'm here to tell you (from personal experience) that being coveted by vampiric/demonic forces isn't all its cracked up to be.

First of all, I have to dispel any flawed preconceptions on what a vampire and demon is. They share many traits with a few subtle differences. For instance, they both suck your energy. That's right. These entities live to siphon off another beings essence and utilize it for their own purposes.

And no, they don't appear to you like PeeWee Herman's red-haired stepchild (as seen above). At least not all the time. They may even come to you in the form you've always desired; this makes it easier to slide into your DM's or inner circle or bedroom. However, the most important thing to remember about vampires/demons, the most crucial attribute they possess: is their identity.

Let me explain what I mean by this. Most when they hear the word "vampire" or "demon" already have an image programmed into their head. This program is due to years of horror movies, books, and bad costume parties influencing our perception. While these ideas of the creatures help us avoid shady situations and people, they also help to facilitate a blindspot.

For instance most would agree that the above picture is a demon, vampire or some other being you don't want to have a nice cup of tea with. Now would you call this person a demon:

The mythologically astute may call him an incubus (a male sex demon) and I'm not accusing this man to be the spawn of Satan. What I am doing is changing your perception of the words demon and vampire. You see, these entities do not necessarily appear as the personification of our worst nightmares. In fact, most of the time, they look like you and I and even share most of our innards.

What separates a vampire/demon from a victim is their role in the victims life. Through all the propaganda perpetuated by religious authorities I am here to tell you the truth. Demons (and by extension vampires) are simply a reflection of yourself.

That's it.

Are you confused? Lost? Unsure? That's okay. This is not a concept that everyone is aware of, but hear me out. I'm sure you've heard the story of the abused woman. She experienced abuse in an earlier stage of her life and as she grows up she can't seem to shake the shadow of it. She finds herself involved with abusive partners, over and over again, yet can't seem to escape the cycle.
Now, while this is not her fault per se, she does play a role in her life experience. To break it down, the reason she constantly encounters people who abuse her is simple. It's because they are a reflection of her own internal conflict. There is a deep-seated wound or pattern that has perpetuated itself within her psyche. It is so deeply wound up in her mind she may not even know she is displaying signs that draw these types of characters to her. She may consciously or subconsciously tell herself: "I'm weak. I don't deserve a good man" or "I always attract the wrong guys" or "All the good men are taken".

The internal narrative, over time, begins to take over and her external reality reflects her internal belief system. In order for her to break this paradigm and generate a shift is to change her story. Now this won't necessarily be a walk in the park. Changing one's belief structure takes vigilance and not just one day vigilance, but everyday vigilance.

It's a constant determination to tell yourself a new story instead of the old web you've been spinning. This is ultimately how the woman (and all of us) can exorcise the demons and vampires in our life.

So What?

By this point you've been enlightened to the true identity of so-called demons/vampires. They aren't always malformed monstrosities that hunt us in the night. They aren't the Hollywood-esque version of Dracula or Mephistopheles. No, demons and vampires are nothing more than our own shadows. They are the traits within us that we have not accepted and therefore healed.

Now that I have removed the mysticism associated with these terms, I can prepare to arm you against these forces. Be sure to check out my, "5 Ways to Identify a Vampire/Demon" article. Therein I go into detail on how exactly to spot these chameleons.