A term for when a "being" puts part of itself elsewhere for safe-keeping
January 1, 2020 11:46 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for a term that describes when a "being" (supernatural, magic, or just as a part of ritual) puts part of itself or its power into another organism or inanimate object, usually for safe-keeping and without the knowledge or permission of the host.
Sort of like horcruxes, sort of like the recent example from Watchmen. But I have the distinct memory of reading about this previously in various religions and/or mythologies, or classic literature. "Secrete" is close. "Send" is getting there. But I think there's a different esoteric word I'm looking for.
Sort of like horcruxes, sort of like the recent example from Watchmen. But I have the distinct memory of reading about this previously in various religions and/or mythologies, or classic literature. "Secrete" is close. "Send" is getting there. But I think there's a different esoteric word I'm looking for.
Some D&D books and various associated fiction refer to these as phylacteries. A google search tells me that term may also refer to Jewish tefillin, so it's possible that that's misappropriated.
posted by mrgoat at 12:08 PM on January 1, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by mrgoat at 12:08 PM on January 1, 2020 [3 favorites]
Tolkien mentions a related idea in On Fairy-Stories, iirc. The idea is you put part of your life force into an object (a horcrux, the One Ring, etc.) so that even if you're attacked, you don't die.
I don't know stories about putting it inside someone else, without their knowledge.
posted by zadcat at 12:50 PM on January 1, 2020
I don't know stories about putting it inside someone else, without their knowledge.
posted by zadcat at 12:50 PM on January 1, 2020
In Star Trek III the Search for Spock, it is revealed that Spock put his “katra” or soul in McCoy’s body. Then he died, but his katra was able to be transferred to a reborn body. All this was without knowledge or permission, and Spock was able to function normally after he’d made the transfer, so it seems to tick all your boxes, except for not being folkloric.
posted by rikschell at 1:24 PM on January 1, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by rikschell at 1:24 PM on January 1, 2020 [2 favorites]
In Doctor Who, the Tenth Doctor placed his "Time Lord essence" (for lack of a better term) into a fob watch in order to hide it from aliens who were seeking it. This effectively rendered him human (from Being Human/The Family of Blood).
posted by Roger Pittman at 1:51 PM on January 1, 2020
posted by Roger Pittman at 1:51 PM on January 1, 2020
Best answer: it can be called the "life-token" or "life index", although sometimes that's also used for objects that only register a person's health & wellness without housing it per se. or "external soul," there's a whole chapter in the Golden Bough on that. (not to recommend TGB as a reference, just to note it.)
but that's old-fashioned folklore classification business, that might not be the kind of vocabulary you're looking for. it is as you say such an old and widespread idea that I'm not sure there's a single cross-cultural standard piece of terminology for it. I imagine most practitioners just think of it as the deal where you put your heart in an egg when the neighbors come over and hope nobody asks for an omelet
posted by queenofbithynia at 3:48 PM on January 1, 2020 [3 favorites]
but that's old-fashioned folklore classification business, that might not be the kind of vocabulary you're looking for. it is as you say such an old and widespread idea that I'm not sure there's a single cross-cultural standard piece of terminology for it. I imagine most practitioners just think of it as the deal where you put your heart in an egg when the neighbors come over and hope nobody asks for an omelet
posted by queenofbithynia at 3:48 PM on January 1, 2020 [3 favorites]
Reliquary? That’s what I thought of when I read this question although the definition doesn’t quite fit.
posted by caitcadieux at 4:22 PM on January 1, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by caitcadieux at 4:22 PM on January 1, 2020 [1 favorite]
How about Ancient Egyptian practices? A three part soul, akh, ba and ka, that can all do different things.
There's also the concept of Transubstantiation, which I leave to you to pursue if that sounds interesting.
Just some suggestions, I'm no expert on any of those topics.
posted by effluvia at 6:03 PM on January 1, 2020
There's also the concept of Transubstantiation, which I leave to you to pursue if that sounds interesting.
Just some suggestions, I'm no expert on any of those topics.
posted by effluvia at 6:03 PM on January 1, 2020
Are you thinking of terma? They are of an object/atmospheric nature, not animal, but some of your concepts apply.
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 10:18 AM on January 2, 2020
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 10:18 AM on January 2, 2020
Horcruxes?
I honestly have come across this storytelling device/feature in many different cultures (Ukranian/Russian folk tales, Indian folk tales, Chinese and Malay folk tales told in Singapore). I have never seen a specific term that describes all of them as a type. Maybe invent one?
posted by MiraK at 12:11 PM on January 3, 2020
I honestly have come across this storytelling device/feature in many different cultures (Ukranian/Russian folk tales, Indian folk tales, Chinese and Malay folk tales told in Singapore). I have never seen a specific term that describes all of them as a type. Maybe invent one?
posted by MiraK at 12:11 PM on January 3, 2020
Response by poster: I guess my question wasn't clear enough. I'm specifically looking for the verb of this action on the part of the being, and not the names of different kinds of examples. Interestingly the question came up because I was trying to describe something like a non-religious analog for transubstantiation, a la effluvia's mention, and thought I'd run into a term before.
After reading the Golden Bough excerpt (helpful, thank you!) I think if there were an esoteric term it would have shown up there, and I didn't see anything more unusual than: hide, put, send, keep, place, lock, etc.
posted by cocoagirl at 4:22 PM on January 3, 2020
After reading the Golden Bough excerpt (helpful, thank you!) I think if there were an esoteric term it would have shown up there, and I didn't see anything more unusual than: hide, put, send, keep, place, lock, etc.
posted by cocoagirl at 4:22 PM on January 3, 2020
Mod note: Final update from the OP:
Well, four years later I just found the sticky note where I'd written the term I was trying to remember (which I'd misremembered as an action vs. an object): spirit lock.posted by travelingthyme (staff) at 5:50 PM on February 4, 2024
Spirit locks are metal amulets worn by the Hmong, who consider them a way to keep a person's spirit safe and connected to the physical body in the event of various events like illness or malign intentions. (https://kashgar.com.au/blogs/ritual-objects/spirit-locks-spiritual-beliefs-of-the-hmong)
« Older Problems putting jpegs onto a thumb drive | He burns even in the shade. Sun clothing... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
A variant makes an appearance in Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series - the mage Ma'ar had found a way to keep his soul in a sanctuary after death, and tied it to his own lineage, so that he would be effectively reincarnated in one of his descendants when they first practiced magic.
I'm not sure there is a specific term for "wizard keeping a piece of their soul inside another person," with or without consent or hostile intent.
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 12:06 PM on January 1, 2020 [2 favorites]