The Warriors of St. Elijah: Weather Sorcerers and Spirit Combat in Balkan Folk Magic with Katarina Pejović

When the storm crests upon the horizon, the caul-born shaman will fall  to the ground. Entering a deep, lifeless trance, lying still in the  fields or, if lucky, in his own bed where his wife protects his empty  body from intruders and possession—the sorcerer will remain away from  his flesh until the enemy spirit, demon, manifestation of ill-weather,  witch, or even his own rival in another village is vanquished. The  clashes are nothing short of violent, the claps of thunder being the  gouging of eyes, the howling of wind being the tearing of flesh, and the  flashes of lightning the piercing of their magical tools: implements  ranging from staves of sacred wood to household kitchenware used in  sorcery. When the dust at last settles, the triumphant warrior returns  to his body and sleeps for three nights, licking the wounds mirrored on  his flesh that he sustained in spirit, while the…