What are imps? Are they demons? Little devils?
Imps in Culture
The idea of smaller entities that may choose to bring trouble to humans, especially if disrespected, can be found within the lore of different cultures. Leprechauns, gremlins, brownies, fairies and pixies (Scotland, Ireland, England, Celtic lore), domovik (Russia), and djinn, jinn or genies (Middle East, Arabic lore) are some examples of beings that share similarities with the imps of German folklore. Often, with most of these beings, ancient tales share both good and bad stories about them. They may be loving and helpful, kid-like pranksters, powerful protectors or downright evil emissaries.
Are Imps Real? Are Imps Bad?
We've heard horror stories of people who are plagued by what they call "imps," for lack of a better label, describing them as dark, smaller entities that they can sometimes see. These evil beings are said to continuously torment the minds of those who are haunted by them. The accounts are quite frightening: tales of bands of imps being under the authority of a larger demon who seeks to possess the soul of the man or woman. If the demon's imps are able to weaken the mind of the plaged, it is believed, the demon will be able to take residence within the person. The power to take over one's soul is said to occur if the victim succumbs, giving into attack and imp-inspired thoughts of condemnation. Feeling weakened and in despair, the person may eventually give up hope and lose the war over control. This might bring to mind the old addage of "battling one's demons," a metaphor for the struggle of duality we battle within ourselves - choosing between right and wrong, good and bad, light and dark, etc. If control over the mind is lost, then it said that the person will be possessed and do the demon's bidding.
Dark Entities and Thoughts
In Tibetan culture, it has been long known that we have the power to create entities (tulpas), living thought forms that can do the bidding of another, through the power of the mind (see Create Ghosts). These soul-less, mental creations, if they truly exist, could reveal that, perhaps, we are creating our own darkness; we could be unknowingly creating our own devils - thoughts - when we put our intellectual power behind negative thinking and actions. If so, what happens to all of the collective, negative energy that we mistakenly create? Could all of our living thought forms, both negative and positive, be passed down within families, from generation to generation?
Insight Into Imps?
Through meditation, we pondered the question of imps, or dark entities, as to what they may be. Our understanding, what we are hearing, is that such beings, even if they exist and are alive, have been given power by us (humanity - not to insinuate that the victims created their own attackers, though, this could be possible). In fact, the only power they have is what we have given or continue to give them. Seeing something outside of us that is frightening, dark and menacing may naturally lead us to believe we are dealing with another being that is separate, more powerful and larger than ourselves. But, this is not true. We strongly feel that if we can create negative thoughts (darkness), we can also create positive thoughts (light) that will overcome all adversaries. If such dark entities bring condemnation, guilt, self-loathing, hatred, etc. upon us, then we have the power, along with those who are with us in the ethereal realms, to refute such attacks with love and truth which is more powerful. Light always overcomes darkness, dispelling it for what it is: falsehoods.