What is hosting?
A lot has been misunderstood about hosting in the past, which is understandable given that it is an areas within which little is known. No easy definition can encompass all situations, as they are as varied and individual as the stars in the sky. However, an explanation is necessary, even if it is thus far incomplete. So, to that end: Hosting, in simplest form, is described as the situation of having two or more souls in the one physical body. It is, in effect, somewhat similar to possession in that way, and that is often the root of the misconceptions. The major difference is that hosting is always completely consensual on both sides, and the person who ‘owns’ the body has complete control over the resident hosted. There are situations where the hosted exerts more influence than is usual, and can sometimes make the person do something they would otherwise not do, but such circumstances show an unhealthy relationship where guidelines are either not set or not respected.
To my knowledge, it is always the case that the physical body has one original owner, and may acquire one or more hosting spirits after time. I have not heard of any situations where a person was born with multiple spirits.
How does it start?
The process of hosting can begin in numerous ways, and through the actions of either the host or the hosted (original spirit and newcomer). Spirits can be invited, called, be the product of an agreement, or for all intents and purposes, simply appear. They can stay for days, months, years, or even pass along through several lifetimes, depending on that spirit’s purpose or desire. Hosted spirits are by no means required to be the same age, gender, race, or even species of the host - in fact, any such similarities would probably be the exception rather than the rule.
Who is in control?
Dealing with hosted spirits can often be quite trying, for everyone involved. They are free willed spirits, not subservient in any way, and must be treated as such. Being guests to the body does not give them any less of a say in what happens to the whole, although the original spirit - as ‘landlord’
- should have final say. Conflicting personalities can sometimes become a problem in this instance, when responses to a certain situation would vary greatly, and it’s usually easiest to find a middle ground. There are times when either one or the other spirits has near to complete control over the physical body, determined by prior agreement. This is referred to as being ‘in front’. As with everything, there are many degrees of being in front, from total control, to having the original owner watching like a hawk - or, as I like to put it, peeking over the shoulder. At the other end of the spectrum, it’s not unusual for host and hosted to become integrated or merged together if the situation requires. In fact, in my experience, this often happens unintentionally when both spirits are wanting control at the same time, much like two people moving to sit on the same chair without realizing the other person is doing the same. This can be uncomfortable for both the spirits in the body - as it makes it more difficult to distinguish whose thoughts are whose - and the people surrounding them, who often have no idea behind the cause of this sudden leap-frogging of personality.
Hosting and society
Which leads to another major problem: Who to tell? Of course, society is such that we cannot simply approach a friend or family member with the information that we’re not always ‘ourselves’, and indeed share our body with a person (or other) who has most probably been dead for hundreds, if not thousands of years, and possibly came from a place very far away. At best, we’d be faced with disbelief and possibly ridicule. At worst, and it would be a quick trip to the psychiatrist and/or padded cell.
For a host to find people who are understanding and accepting, it is truly a blessing. Not only can they talk openly and let their inherent nature reign free, but they can also let their spirit house guests out before cabin fever sets in.
A blessing and a curse
The sharing of responsibility between the spirits that inhabit the body can be greatly rewarding. It is our nature, and the nature of all things, to have shortcomings in certain areas. If, by chance, there comes a situation that would be easier handled by another, then tasks can be delegated accordingly. Of course, this doesn’t always work, and perhaps that’s just as well - no one, spirit or otherwise, wants to be stuck with all the ‘dirty jobs’, and obstacles are always but the means by which we learn. When one particular spirit is in front, there are often changes that are not evident in the original person. For instance, it is not uncommon for a host to regain the skills of the hosted while they are active, whether physically (such as martial arts, archery, or sword fighting), or linguistically and literary. Often there are also ‘memory dumps’ associated with hosting, which can be quite disturbing. It is, quite literally, a flood of old memories in a giant rush, or sometimes several. It can be an incredibly interesting experience. Also of important note; although it’s generally the case that everyone has access to each other’s memories, to a greater or lesser degree, as with all memories this is not instantaneous. If hosted spirits are new to this place or time, then it’s likely that they know nothing about what is considered ‘everyday’ here, and it will take some time for them to become acquainted with it by sifting through old memories. Most extreme in this case is when a hosted appears without knowledge of the spoken language. Believe me, this can be a very uncomfortable situation. Hosts and hosteds generally communicate through mindspeech, which may or may not include a spoken language like English. Regardless of that, any other sort of interaction is made infinitely more difficult by this. It may take weeks for the hosted to learn enough to become semi-fluent, at least enough so that communication is not an arduous chore.
Now, I know that many people would look at this and say, ‘schizophrenia’, but that is far from the case. First, and most importantly is that the host has control over who comes out and when, not to mention some measure of control over what they say or do - as long as they keep a close eye and stay close by, ie, ‘peeking over the shoulder’. Equally important is the shared memory, where a host is aware at all times what their hosted is doing while in front. There are no blackouts or loss of time in a normal hosting, to my knowledge. Last of the major differences, the spirits are real people. They often have knowledge and experience that the host could not possibly have otherwise.
In all, hosting can be either a blessing or a curse, but generally turns out for the best provided that there is understanding all around. It can be an uncomfortable and even frightening experience for one who is not aware of what is happening. The same goes for both sides, with inexperienced hosted spirits becoming alarmed at the new and unfamiliar surrounding. It takes time, as do all good things, to have everything sorted out and running smoothly, but it’s well worth the effort in the end.
Personal Comments
On a more personal note, I’ve hosted Jonqui since November, and D’rge since February (affectionately referred to as Joni and Tige, respectively). According to her, Jonqui has been with me for several lifetimes, and has offered information to back that up. With those circumstances, we integrated easily this life, and she joined me with little hassle. D’rge, on the other hand, is a newcomer to hosting, and is even more inexperienced than I. We both had little idea of what to expect, and so made many mistakes in the first couple of weeks, some real whoppers. Things were eventually sorted out, and now we all live in relative harmony - as much as can be said, given both of their warrior/hunter attitudes. It makes life a bit confusing sometimes, having to hear two extra opinions before embarking on any major decision, but I always appreciate their input, even when I decide to ignore it.
All in all, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Any questions or comments are welcome.
This was written for and dedicated to Petey, who has endured a lot over the months from Jonqui, D’rge, and not to mention myself. Normal people are hard enough to get to know these days, let alone a three-in-one - thank you for being my friend.
