Book excerpt: For centuries Eastern traditions have taken the subject of entity possession quite seriously. Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, recognizes bhutas or entities and their influence on mental and physical well-being, as well as the ways they can be evicted from the individual. Now, in a work that is unique in Western literature, Dr. Samuel Sagan examines the problem of these incorporeal beings that attach themselves to human beings as parasites, causing various emotional, mental and physical problems. A landmark study that presents sound analysis and treatment of this phenomenon, Entity Possession demystifies a topic that has long been overdramatized by the folklore surrounding possession and exorcism. Using actual case studies of the "hungry ghost" phenomenon, Dr. Sagan analyzes their mechanisms and motivations, presenting the facts of entity possession, and including many tips on how to dislodge these parasites from the individuals whose lives are thrown out of balance by their presence.