
A Beginner's Guide to Telling Shadow from Spirit
Using Self-Reflection, Guru Wisdom & Tibetan MO Divination

🧭 Why This Matters
As we journey deeper into the spiritual path—through mantra, meditation, energy work, or yogic practice—strange things can begin to stir. For many sincere practitioners, subtle disturbances begin to arise: dreams turn dark, anxiety appears out of nowhere, or a strange heaviness seems to enter the body. It may feel as though something outside has intruded... or maybe, something inside has awakened.
You may ask:
“Am I dealing with unresolved karma and shadow… or with an external force?”
This is not an abstract inquiry—it’s essential for healing and safety.
If we assume everything is our fault, we may ignore harmful influences that need boundaries.If we blame spirits too quickly, we may miss a chance for genuine transformation.True discernment helps us meet each experience with the right remedy.
That’s what this guide is for.
We’ll walk through the three sources of wisdom we rely on—self-reflection, guru guidance, and MO divination—and show how they work together to reveal truth in complexity.
You’ll learn the signs, the questions to ask, and the tools to respond with clarity.
Let's open the scroll...
On the spiritual path—especially as we deepen into mantra, meditation, or subtle-body work—many of us eventually encounter disturbances that seem to come from nowhere:
💭 Nightmares or dark dreams
😨 Sudden anxiety or dread
👁️ Feeling “watched” or hijacked during practice
🤯 Thought-loops or intrusive emotions that don’t feel like you
This raises the age-old question:
“Am I dealing with something inside me… or something outside me?”
If we treat everything as internal, we may ignore real energetic intrusions.If we blame everything on demons, we’ll never grow.That’s where discernment comes in.
✨ Step 1: Reflect with Study and Self-Inquiry
Before you turn to oracles or rituals, pause.
Ask yourself:
“Has anything happened recently that stirred strong emotions?”
“Is this feeling familiar—or totally foreign?”
“Does this feel like an unhealed wound… or a foreign presence?”
You can journal your symptoms, feelings, and dreams.
🌿 Often, simply sitting in awareness with compassion will reveal the origin:Internal energies carry a trace of story or personal emotion.
External forces often feel sudden, untraceable, or invasive.
🧙♂️ Step 2: Ask a Trusted Guru
If you have access to a spiritual teacher—especially one with training in subtle energies or the Vajrayana path—this is the best time to seek counsel.
🙏 “The Guru sees what your ordinary mind cannot.” A realized teacher sees not just what’s happening now, but its roots—past lives, vows, karmic triggers, or subtle beings you’ve drawn in. They can give precise, personalized advice.
🎲 Step 3: Use MO Divination to Clarify the Pattern
When a teacher is not available, MO Divination becomes your mirror.
You ask the question:
“Is this energy arising from my own karma and mental afflictions—or is it an external spirit or entity?”
Then roll the MO dice or consult the oracle.
Each MO result comes from the mind of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom. It’s not random. It’s a window into cause and effect, given through symbolic language.
🌀 What Makes MO Powerful?
While there are 36 MO combinations, the deeper power is in:
Rolling twice or three times on the same issue
Looking at the trend or layering of results
Combining MO with your own reflection, feelings, and symptoms
This isn’t superstition—it’s pattern recognition guided by enlightened wisdom.
⚖️ Internal vs. External – What to Look For
Here are some practical signs to help guide your own discernment:
Symptom or Clue | Likely Internal | Likely External |
Sudden emotion linked to memory | ✅ | ❌ |
Dream of harming self, family, or lovers | ✅ | ❌ |
Dream of being attacked by stranger or monstrous being | ❌ | ✅ |
Mood shift after certain people, places, or online interactions | ❓ Both | ✅ Strong possibility |
🎲 MO Rolls That Often Indicate Internal Karma
These reveal your own shadow, egoic knots, or karmic residues:
PA AH – The Vase of Nectar → You must face the emotional wound and apply healing balm.
PA PA – The Ocean of Nectar → You are in karmic overwhelm; purification is key.
NA AH – The Golden Mountain → A great gift is buried under delusion.
DHI DHI – The Jeweled Banner → This is a test of your spiritual clarity.
🎲 MO Rolls That Often Indicate External Interference
These point to external spirits, entities, or uninvited presences:
RA PA – The Demon of Death → An entity may be draining you or nesting in weakness.
NA RA – The Demon of the Heavenly Son → An elite or prideful spirit is nearby.
TSA RA – The Fiery Weapon → You’ve triggered an energetic battle—shielding is needed.
PA TSA – Demon of Afflictions → An external spirit is feeding on your internal conflict.
🌗 If Both Are Present (Double Karmic Trouble)
Some rolls, like RA RA, mean your own shadow is feeding an entity. You're burning karma and leaking power. In this case:
Perform Chöd (feeding practice)
Offer Torma (Gektor) to hostile spirits
Meditate on Black Dharmakaya Sphere as a binding field
🛡️ Remedies: What to Do Based on Cause
✅ If Internal:
Do Chöd or Trekchöd
Read Diamond Sutra, Lotus Sutra, or Vajra Cutter Sutra
Apply triphala, fasting, repentance, and generosity
✅ If External:
Offer Serkyem and Protector prayers
Burn incense or Sang offerings
Use Flaming Phurba clearing
Use sacred waters or Mendrup pills
Rest in the Dharmadātu Sphere
🕊️ Final Reflection
“The difference between a demon and a projection is the compassion you give it.”
You don’t need to fear these energies. You need to understand them.
With clarity, lineage, and right methods, even the darkest interference becomes fuel for awakening.
🔮 Need Clarity Now?
MO divination doesn't replace a teacher—it reveals the part of you that already knows.
Let it clarify, not control. Let wisdom rise. Let your clarity ripple.
If you'd like to receive a personalized MO Divination Reading—to clarify whether you're dealing with internal karma or external interference:
👉 Click here to request your MO reading
Let the Wisdom Mind of Manjushri shine where confusion once lived.