I started seriously exploring Judaism when it became clear to me that there's a metaphysical dimension to antisemitism. The Jews are mysteriously and irrationally hated in all eras because something ancient and evil seeks their destruction. This is widely known but I can't believe it isn't obvious to everyone.
The biggest problem with that supposition, I think, is that historically, the biggest anti-Semites have been fellow Abrahamites, Christians and Muslims. I'm not sure how to square that circle myself.
Perhaps because they have unwittingly succumbed to a form of temptation; wouldn't hatred of Judaism for a Christian ultimately be a hatred of Christianity?
William Dalrymple is one of my favourite authors and historians, this one is part travelogue, part history book, exploring the last decades of the Byzantine empire through its holy sites.
I read that book by the young Greek folks , highly recommend. Chris , do not poke the Bear ever again!!!! You were lucky and should be thankful for Grace. I’m finding your blog very interesting .
Chris, I read most of what you wrote, and it filled me with dread for you. You've spent a lot of time investigating what could possibly be the source of these experiences. Obviously, it isn't God, but anti-God. You've given them access to your mind by participating in their contact with you. They are not neutral but malevolent. I suggest that you contact a priest about exorcism. Your curiosity opened a door and gave them access to you. You know that these beings are real. You don't want to further involve yourself with them. Nothing good and light-filled will come from it.
Yes, you're obviously right about that. There was certainly a danger of that happening. I am well aware that I was naïve at the time and did not take the danger seriously enough. That is why I wrote about this experience, as a warning to others. I avoided using religious language as much as possible, as this is meant to take a non-denominational, somewhat rational look at the experience. It would have been much easier to put the whole thing in a religious context and I'm sure that is what most readers would prefer.
What I experienced, was indeed demonic oppression and it could have easily become possession, had I given in to it. I believe that the entity in question, was in fact trying to do just that. However, in general that is not so straightforward and it requires for the person being possessed to invite the demonic into them and willingly give themselves over.
At the time I was very confused, essentially slowly recovering from my previous atheistic convictions and coming to terms with the existence of the spiritual and the divine. No doubt, this fact was seen as an opening, through which the demonic could enter. It took a while, but I managed to overcome any such influences. It is a common experience for those undergoing a spiritual transformation or awakening, that they are visited and essentially tempted by such entities, which in itself is a necessary part of the process. Through rejecting the call of the demonic and accepting God instead, you can overcome it and lead a spiritual life.
BTW, thank you for concern, it is understandable and touching.
Interestingly, the entity you refer to was just discussed at length in the last episode of Lord of Spirits, on the devil, and all the different entities that are connected to the evil one. They actually talked about how ambiguous a lot of these characters are in the scriptures and beyond.
I started watching it. I'm 15 minutes in and they haven't really spoken about anything yet, hopefully they will get to the point eventually. One of the first remarks they made immediately jumped out at me as incorrect and based on false assumptions. They say these beings aren't physical, so any drawings or depictions of them are like marvel fanfic, they have no physical form. That indicates to me that they don't really understand the metaphysics behind it, what they write is based purely on their interpretation of scripture. I do have a problem with people relying on scriptural interpretation alone, that can be important, but their modern prejudices and biases seem to be getting in the way.
The drawings and depictions are there for a reason, that's what they actually look like (or somewhat like that in fact), in their spirit bodies, which is not physical, granted, but it is still a body, just as concrete and solid in their world as ours is in this one. That is why I started this series with establishing the cosmology and metaphysics first, because without that grounding you can't understand this topic.
Anyway, I don't know if I will have time to watch the whole thing, but I will watch it for a while longer.
Lord of Spirits tends to be longwinded, but they usually draw from a lot of other background. If you have never listened to it, you should probably listen to some of the very early and shorter episodes. That being said, they certainly do not rely on scripture alone. They bring in Plato, Aristotle, Ancient Near East Cultures, Roman and Greek history, and of course the occasional pop culture reference. There is actually an episode on bodies, and the spiritual and physical form. I think you might be thinking about physical in a different way. The references to certain entities come a bit later. LoS is something to really get into, but the last episode is 3.5 h, maybe not the easiest to start with.
Michael Heiser was a gem in the scholarly world. I refer to him often in my comments. He has completely opened my mind to the realities of the spiritual world and the Old Testament. And his passing has led me to explore further, culminating in Eastern Orthodoxy.
Fascinating with good, practical advice. I myself have noticed that I am "messed with" by demons or bad actors of the spiritual realm when I give into fear of them: unexplained noises, menacing shadows, dreams, visits in the space of sleep and awakening. When I focus on God and remind myself I belong to Jesus and ignore what they're doing, they go away. I was into cannabis for a long time and my naivete (I believe) protected me for much of my using it, but once I began to believe in a true spiritual realm and realized I was addicted to smoking it and that it was taking the place of a relationship with God, the demons would "attack" whenever I would try to quit using it. One time, they even stole my rosary! (It was returned a few days later after earnest prayer to Mary followed by the small of roses.) Since speaking with my priest and going to confession, I have found quitting it much easier this time around.
As for underground realms, I live near Mt. Shasta, though a little north of it in southern Oregon. Many people believe the interdimensional Lemurians live under the mountain. There's even an account of a respected and accomplished geologist who was in a cave there in the early 1900s who swears he was visited by one of the inhabitants. The Native people know not to stay above the treeline either (it's for the tall beings) and also understand the mountain belongs to the little people that live there as well. Tons of UAP activity there and many people go missing near there, Crater Lake, and Mt. Bachelor. We're a hot spot for UAP and cryptids and we're teaching our children to take precautions (don't go in the woods alone, if you find yourself in a circle of boulders or stones get out of it, stay on Trail, and if something feels strange start praying and GET OUT). Sounds wild but around here it's necessary. Check out David Paulides and Missing 411. Naturally the New Agers are all over Mt. Shasta trying to channel the beings which in their view, can only be pure Goodness. Oy.
Question: did you have OBEs before your NDE or only after?
Psychedelics are definitely a gateway to the spirit world and that would include marijuana. They can be used wisely by trained shamans, but even then they are well aware of the dangers and don't use them recreationally, usually it is to serve the tribe in some manner and they're considered heroes for taking the risk, with things sometimes going wrong. Usually there's another shaman buddy with them during journeying, to help pull them out of any bad situation they might encounter, particularly in terms of entities that might trap them in the spirit realm.
I heard about Mt Shasta, it always comes up in connection with cryptid and UAP sightings. Must be fascinating to live nearby and witness that high strangeness energy. Probably one of those portals between worlds, where realities intersect.
I did have one OBE before my NDE (which in fairness was not a full-blown NDE, more like an OBE as well, lasting only a few minutes, whilst i was outside my body due to an accident), but it was so much more than that, it was a full-blown mystical experience of union with the Godhead. In that state, I didn't have any body at all, but was pure spirit, existing as pure light and bliss, expanding into infinity.
Yes, cannabis is not all upside and no downside. In the libertarian push to decriminalize it (which might be the right decision, though selling it in stores every 1/4 mile where it's legal is NOT) a lot of its dangers have been minimized. I think its dissociative elements are contributing to the dissolution of our society (among other elements of course). While I have taken psychedelics several times (only good experiences were with salvia), I have come to believe they're a cheat, a shortcut to actually doing the work of continual spiritual discipline, and therefore, can be disastrous.
Yes, living in/near a "thin place" is definitely interesting!
And thank you for clarifying about your NDE/OBE. I was wondering if the NDE is what prompted the OBEs. That must have been an incredible experience you had, having a mystical union with the Godhead. Is that why you're a non-dualist?
Yes, indeed. In Hindu terms, I experienced Nirvikalpa Samadhi, which is union with the Godhead. It is an indescribable experience, a million times better, than anything one can experience in the physical realm. They call it liberation for a reason, it liberates you from all material ties and constraints and removes all layers of ignorance. The bliss, love and ecstasy is something out of this world.
Natalie, have you or anyone you know had personal experience with any of the phenomenon you describe re: Mt. Shasta, Crater Lake, etc.? I would be interested to hear more if you are willing to share.
Also, what is the significance/danger of a stone circle?
Sorry for the belated response! Well, we have seen a UAP in the sky, at night from our backyard (we live in town). I have a friend who has seen 2 UAP, one during the day while hiking and another time out the window of her house at night. Since moving into our home we had 2 strange incidents--1 requiring a house blessing to solve (infestation? Just a mischievous fairy spirit?), and another incident where my stolen rosary (I say stolen because it completely disappeared from my bedroom) was returned to me, along with the smell of roses and complete inner peace--though that is obviously a Marian miracle (the return from whatever took it).
In the area around us--from Mt. Shasta up to Bend--lots of people go missing. Especially if you look at it on a longer timeline. Strange stories surround Mt. Shasta (several documentary episodes on Netflix or Discovery channel series) and the Crater Lake area. One of my husbands employees had an experience with a "cryptid" near Crater Lake, I think it may have been a Sasquatch. Anyway, if you watch Missing 411: The Hunted by David Paulides, (available on YouTube for free I think), you'll get an idea of why stone circles aren't a good idea to hang out near (traditionally they are also associated with fairies, a "fairy ring").
I'll update you if I have any new encounters. Though we have a new baby so I'm not camping or getting into the woods much these days.
Something I've wondered about for a while as someone with an extremely powerful and vivid imagination... Where does my strong imagination end and something like a "vision" or a spiritual experience begin? As I'm reading your account of floating in the cave I can "see" everything very vividly and detailed in my imagination, and even "feel" what it'd be like to be floating but struggling to turn yourself (seems similar to accounts from astronauts experiencing the weightlessness of being in orbit, it's not like swimming where you can push against the water to reorient yourself).
For example, prior to becoming Orthodox, I dipped my toes into dealing with the Norse runic system. I did some runic meditation. As something of a recovering materialist, my understanding of what I was doing was akin to Carl Jung in the Red Book: letting my imagination run free on the topic and seeing what came up. I had different things come up with different runes (one of them spoke; thurisaz I remember kept bumping in to me), but all of these things occupied the same "mental space" as the images of the cave when reading your account above. I was still very much sitting in my chair with my eyes closed, arguably daydreaming. From everything I've read I could make the argument that there isn't so much of a line between the two, that what we think of as the subconscious is influenced greatly by spiritual influences (in fact the steps of a passion becoming a sin described in the Philokalia make a lot of sense to me), etc etc... Yet in my own experience of the world I've not really ever been convinced that it's not just "all in my head."
I think by getting married and starting a family, you are also serving God, the monastic life is not for everyone.
I don't quite see the battle between good and evil in dualistic terms, or as a binary. I see it as more of a spectrum, where there is a bit of good and evil in every person and they must endeavour to bring out the good and holy in themselves. I am a fan of the philosophical concept of nonduality, which sees everything as infinite expressions of the same consciousness, including demons. That is why I think demonic possession happens so easily and temptation is such an ever-present danger. Demons are outside entities on the one hand, but from another point of view, they are also part of us. That is why we talk about our inner demons. To put it more clearly, the microcosm and the macrocosm are mirrors of each other and there is no real difference between our inner world and the outside world, they are reflections of each other.
Oh yes, it's definitely hard to express that, which has no parallel in the physical world, but I can see that you do understand.
The angel-devil duality on the shoulder always intriqued me and I have come to my own understanding of what it may mean, based on the teachings of nonduality and perhaps even Jungian psychology. I believe the angel represents our true, higher self, that which is from God and was made in the image of God. It is our true core, our conscience, that which resides in the heart.
The little devil, on the other hand is our ego, our little self so to speak, the one constructed out of illusion, our material, non-spiritual self. It is driven mostly by fear, but also anger, hatred, lust, etc... You could call it our animalistic, instinctive nature, which in truth is mostly directed by lower brain function, reflecting our evolutionary journey through the animal kingdom in prehistoric times, so literally lizard-brain stuff.
I have noticed, this little ego is always scared, it always wants to stop me from doing things, it puts insecurities in me and is constantly chattering in my ear about how inadequate I am and often getting quite angry and desperate. I have learnt to recognise it as separate from the real me and to shut up the mind chatter through mental techniques, all the better to abide in bliss instead, whereby I bathe in the grace and love of God.
Recognising this ego and learning to disocciate from it, bringing your true divine nature forward instead and abiding in the Love of God is a very important step towards salvation in my view.
Sent here by Dreher and I'm glad I came.
I started seriously exploring Judaism when it became clear to me that there's a metaphysical dimension to antisemitism. The Jews are mysteriously and irrationally hated in all eras because something ancient and evil seeks their destruction. This is widely known but I can't believe it isn't obvious to everyone.
The biggest problem with that supposition, I think, is that historically, the biggest anti-Semites have been fellow Abrahamites, Christians and Muslims. I'm not sure how to square that circle myself.
They are fighting for the same metaphysical territory (and often the physical territory now that I come to think of it).
Like Catholics and Protestants fighting each other even though they are very similar while ignoring Hindus and Buddhists.
Perhaps because they have unwittingly succumbed to a form of temptation; wouldn't hatred of Judaism for a Christian ultimately be a hatred of Christianity?
Very true, they are the Scapegoats of the world, in a Biblical sense.
Hello Chris. Respectfully, may I suggest you might benefit from reading this book:-https://www.amazon.com.au/Gurus-Young-Man-Elder-Paisios/dp/1887904166
Sounds great, thanks for the suggestion!
My Greek friend promised he would take me to mt Athos one day, but life got in the way and we never had the chance to go.
May I also suggest a book I think you will enjoy:
https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Mountain-Journey-Christians-Middle/dp/0805061770/ref=monarch_sidesheet_image
William Dalrymple is one of my favourite authors and historians, this one is part travelogue, part history book, exploring the last decades of the Byzantine empire through its holy sites.
That's a very, very good book. I refer to it in "Living In Wonder"
I second that. I read it several years ago and it's excellent.
I read that book by the young Greek folks , highly recommend. Chris , do not poke the Bear ever again!!!! You were lucky and should be thankful for Grace. I’m finding your blog very interesting .
Thanks. Being an atheist makes one very vulnerable when it comes to dealing with this stuff. It was a good education.
Chris, I read most of what you wrote, and it filled me with dread for you. You've spent a lot of time investigating what could possibly be the source of these experiences. Obviously, it isn't God, but anti-God. You've given them access to your mind by participating in their contact with you. They are not neutral but malevolent. I suggest that you contact a priest about exorcism. Your curiosity opened a door and gave them access to you. You know that these beings are real. You don't want to further involve yourself with them. Nothing good and light-filled will come from it.
Hi Barbara,
Yes, you're obviously right about that. There was certainly a danger of that happening. I am well aware that I was naïve at the time and did not take the danger seriously enough. That is why I wrote about this experience, as a warning to others. I avoided using religious language as much as possible, as this is meant to take a non-denominational, somewhat rational look at the experience. It would have been much easier to put the whole thing in a religious context and I'm sure that is what most readers would prefer.
What I experienced, was indeed demonic oppression and it could have easily become possession, had I given in to it. I believe that the entity in question, was in fact trying to do just that. However, in general that is not so straightforward and it requires for the person being possessed to invite the demonic into them and willingly give themselves over.
At the time I was very confused, essentially slowly recovering from my previous atheistic convictions and coming to terms with the existence of the spiritual and the divine. No doubt, this fact was seen as an opening, through which the demonic could enter. It took a while, but I managed to overcome any such influences. It is a common experience for those undergoing a spiritual transformation or awakening, that they are visited and essentially tempted by such entities, which in itself is a necessary part of the process. Through rejecting the call of the demonic and accepting God instead, you can overcome it and lead a spiritual life.
BTW, thank you for concern, it is understandable and touching.
Interestingly, the entity you refer to was just discussed at length in the last episode of Lord of Spirits, on the devil, and all the different entities that are connected to the evil one. They actually talked about how ambiguous a lot of these characters are in the scriptures and beyond.
I started watching it. I'm 15 minutes in and they haven't really spoken about anything yet, hopefully they will get to the point eventually. One of the first remarks they made immediately jumped out at me as incorrect and based on false assumptions. They say these beings aren't physical, so any drawings or depictions of them are like marvel fanfic, they have no physical form. That indicates to me that they don't really understand the metaphysics behind it, what they write is based purely on their interpretation of scripture. I do have a problem with people relying on scriptural interpretation alone, that can be important, but their modern prejudices and biases seem to be getting in the way.
The drawings and depictions are there for a reason, that's what they actually look like (or somewhat like that in fact), in their spirit bodies, which is not physical, granted, but it is still a body, just as concrete and solid in their world as ours is in this one. That is why I started this series with establishing the cosmology and metaphysics first, because without that grounding you can't understand this topic.
Anyway, I don't know if I will have time to watch the whole thing, but I will watch it for a while longer.
Lord of Spirits tends to be longwinded, but they usually draw from a lot of other background. If you have never listened to it, you should probably listen to some of the very early and shorter episodes. That being said, they certainly do not rely on scripture alone. They bring in Plato, Aristotle, Ancient Near East Cultures, Roman and Greek history, and of course the occasional pop culture reference. There is actually an episode on bodies, and the spiritual and physical form. I think you might be thinking about physical in a different way. The references to certain entities come a bit later. LoS is something to really get into, but the last episode is 3.5 h, maybe not the easiest to start with.
Thanks, I did continue watching and it is indeed very informative. Appreciate the suggestion
Also led here by Dreher . . . An excellent author I came across at Roswell:
https://www.amazon.com/Unseen-Realm-Recovering-Supernatural-Worldview-ebook/dp/B0141QB9XA/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1
Thanks, excellent suggestion, I'll have to add that to my reading list.
Michael Heiser was a gem in the scholarly world. I refer to him often in my comments. He has completely opened my mind to the realities of the spiritual world and the Old Testament. And his passing has led me to explore further, culminating in Eastern Orthodoxy.
Fascinating with good, practical advice. I myself have noticed that I am "messed with" by demons or bad actors of the spiritual realm when I give into fear of them: unexplained noises, menacing shadows, dreams, visits in the space of sleep and awakening. When I focus on God and remind myself I belong to Jesus and ignore what they're doing, they go away. I was into cannabis for a long time and my naivete (I believe) protected me for much of my using it, but once I began to believe in a true spiritual realm and realized I was addicted to smoking it and that it was taking the place of a relationship with God, the demons would "attack" whenever I would try to quit using it. One time, they even stole my rosary! (It was returned a few days later after earnest prayer to Mary followed by the small of roses.) Since speaking with my priest and going to confession, I have found quitting it much easier this time around.
As for underground realms, I live near Mt. Shasta, though a little north of it in southern Oregon. Many people believe the interdimensional Lemurians live under the mountain. There's even an account of a respected and accomplished geologist who was in a cave there in the early 1900s who swears he was visited by one of the inhabitants. The Native people know not to stay above the treeline either (it's for the tall beings) and also understand the mountain belongs to the little people that live there as well. Tons of UAP activity there and many people go missing near there, Crater Lake, and Mt. Bachelor. We're a hot spot for UAP and cryptids and we're teaching our children to take precautions (don't go in the woods alone, if you find yourself in a circle of boulders or stones get out of it, stay on Trail, and if something feels strange start praying and GET OUT). Sounds wild but around here it's necessary. Check out David Paulides and Missing 411. Naturally the New Agers are all over Mt. Shasta trying to channel the beings which in their view, can only be pure Goodness. Oy.
Question: did you have OBEs before your NDE or only after?
Thanks Natalie!
Psychedelics are definitely a gateway to the spirit world and that would include marijuana. They can be used wisely by trained shamans, but even then they are well aware of the dangers and don't use them recreationally, usually it is to serve the tribe in some manner and they're considered heroes for taking the risk, with things sometimes going wrong. Usually there's another shaman buddy with them during journeying, to help pull them out of any bad situation they might encounter, particularly in terms of entities that might trap them in the spirit realm.
I heard about Mt Shasta, it always comes up in connection with cryptid and UAP sightings. Must be fascinating to live nearby and witness that high strangeness energy. Probably one of those portals between worlds, where realities intersect.
I did have one OBE before my NDE (which in fairness was not a full-blown NDE, more like an OBE as well, lasting only a few minutes, whilst i was outside my body due to an accident), but it was so much more than that, it was a full-blown mystical experience of union with the Godhead. In that state, I didn't have any body at all, but was pure spirit, existing as pure light and bliss, expanding into infinity.
Yes, cannabis is not all upside and no downside. In the libertarian push to decriminalize it (which might be the right decision, though selling it in stores every 1/4 mile where it's legal is NOT) a lot of its dangers have been minimized. I think its dissociative elements are contributing to the dissolution of our society (among other elements of course). While I have taken psychedelics several times (only good experiences were with salvia), I have come to believe they're a cheat, a shortcut to actually doing the work of continual spiritual discipline, and therefore, can be disastrous.
Yes, living in/near a "thin place" is definitely interesting!
And thank you for clarifying about your NDE/OBE. I was wondering if the NDE is what prompted the OBEs. That must have been an incredible experience you had, having a mystical union with the Godhead. Is that why you're a non-dualist?
Yes, indeed. In Hindu terms, I experienced Nirvikalpa Samadhi, which is union with the Godhead. It is an indescribable experience, a million times better, than anything one can experience in the physical realm. They call it liberation for a reason, it liberates you from all material ties and constraints and removes all layers of ignorance. The bliss, love and ecstasy is something out of this world.
Natalie, have you or anyone you know had personal experience with any of the phenomenon you describe re: Mt. Shasta, Crater Lake, etc.? I would be interested to hear more if you are willing to share.
Also, what is the significance/danger of a stone circle?
Hi David,
Sorry for the belated response! Well, we have seen a UAP in the sky, at night from our backyard (we live in town). I have a friend who has seen 2 UAP, one during the day while hiking and another time out the window of her house at night. Since moving into our home we had 2 strange incidents--1 requiring a house blessing to solve (infestation? Just a mischievous fairy spirit?), and another incident where my stolen rosary (I say stolen because it completely disappeared from my bedroom) was returned to me, along with the smell of roses and complete inner peace--though that is obviously a Marian miracle (the return from whatever took it).
In the area around us--from Mt. Shasta up to Bend--lots of people go missing. Especially if you look at it on a longer timeline. Strange stories surround Mt. Shasta (several documentary episodes on Netflix or Discovery channel series) and the Crater Lake area. One of my husbands employees had an experience with a "cryptid" near Crater Lake, I think it may have been a Sasquatch. Anyway, if you watch Missing 411: The Hunted by David Paulides, (available on YouTube for free I think), you'll get an idea of why stone circles aren't a good idea to hang out near (traditionally they are also associated with fairies, a "fairy ring").
I'll update you if I have any new encounters. Though we have a new baby so I'm not camping or getting into the woods much these days.
Something I've wondered about for a while as someone with an extremely powerful and vivid imagination... Where does my strong imagination end and something like a "vision" or a spiritual experience begin? As I'm reading your account of floating in the cave I can "see" everything very vividly and detailed in my imagination, and even "feel" what it'd be like to be floating but struggling to turn yourself (seems similar to accounts from astronauts experiencing the weightlessness of being in orbit, it's not like swimming where you can push against the water to reorient yourself).
For example, prior to becoming Orthodox, I dipped my toes into dealing with the Norse runic system. I did some runic meditation. As something of a recovering materialist, my understanding of what I was doing was akin to Carl Jung in the Red Book: letting my imagination run free on the topic and seeing what came up. I had different things come up with different runes (one of them spoke; thurisaz I remember kept bumping in to me), but all of these things occupied the same "mental space" as the images of the cave when reading your account above. I was still very much sitting in my chair with my eyes closed, arguably daydreaming. From everything I've read I could make the argument that there isn't so much of a line between the two, that what we think of as the subconscious is influenced greatly by spiritual influences (in fact the steps of a passion becoming a sin described in the Philokalia make a lot of sense to me), etc etc... Yet in my own experience of the world I've not really ever been convinced that it's not just "all in my head."
Really interesting life story!
I think by getting married and starting a family, you are also serving God, the monastic life is not for everyone.
I don't quite see the battle between good and evil in dualistic terms, or as a binary. I see it as more of a spectrum, where there is a bit of good and evil in every person and they must endeavour to bring out the good and holy in themselves. I am a fan of the philosophical concept of nonduality, which sees everything as infinite expressions of the same consciousness, including demons. That is why I think demonic possession happens so easily and temptation is such an ever-present danger. Demons are outside entities on the one hand, but from another point of view, they are also part of us. That is why we talk about our inner demons. To put it more clearly, the microcosm and the macrocosm are mirrors of each other and there is no real difference between our inner world and the outside world, they are reflections of each other.
Oh yes, it's definitely hard to express that, which has no parallel in the physical world, but I can see that you do understand.
The angel-devil duality on the shoulder always intriqued me and I have come to my own understanding of what it may mean, based on the teachings of nonduality and perhaps even Jungian psychology. I believe the angel represents our true, higher self, that which is from God and was made in the image of God. It is our true core, our conscience, that which resides in the heart.
The little devil, on the other hand is our ego, our little self so to speak, the one constructed out of illusion, our material, non-spiritual self. It is driven mostly by fear, but also anger, hatred, lust, etc... You could call it our animalistic, instinctive nature, which in truth is mostly directed by lower brain function, reflecting our evolutionary journey through the animal kingdom in prehistoric times, so literally lizard-brain stuff.
I have noticed, this little ego is always scared, it always wants to stop me from doing things, it puts insecurities in me and is constantly chattering in my ear about how inadequate I am and often getting quite angry and desperate. I have learnt to recognise it as separate from the real me and to shut up the mind chatter through mental techniques, all the better to abide in bliss instead, whereby I bathe in the grace and love of God.
Recognising this ego and learning to disocciate from it, bringing your true divine nature forward instead and abiding in the Love of God is a very important step towards salvation in my view.