238. Simple obsession exists when a maleficent spirit imposes himself on a medium, mixing himself up, against the medium's will, with all the communications received by the latter, or preventing him from communicating with other spirits, by substituting himself for those who are evoked.

A medium is not necessarily obsessed because deceived by a lying spirit; the best medium is exposed to such deception, especially in the beginning of his development, while still deficient in experience; just as, among ourselves, the most honest men, and especially when they first enter into business, are liable to be taken in by a rogue. A medium may be deceived without being obsessed; obsession consists in the tenacity of the hold that has been taken by the spirit, rendering it difficult or impossible to get rid of him.

In simple obsession, the medium is aware that he has to do with a deceptive spirit, a fact which the obsessor rarely tries to conceal; for he usually does not attempt to hide either his evil intentions, or his determination to be troublesome. The medium, in such a case, easily recognises the deceit, keeps on his guard, and is rarely taken in. This sort of obsession is merely disagreeable, and has no other inconvenience than that of placing an obstacle in the way of the communication which it is wished to maintain with spirits of higher degree, or with those who are united to us by affection. In this category may be placed all cases of physical obsession, such as the obtrusive and obstinate manifestations of spirits who spontaneously annoy people with the sound of blows and other noises phenomena of which we have already treated in our chapter on Spontaneous Physical Manifestations (82).