The Exorcists of Heian

In this episode, Nic and Molly explore exorcisms from the Heian period of Japanese history (794 - 1185 AD). The people of Heian believed that demons could possess them and affect their mental and physical health. They called on exorcists to help protect them. We explore these exorcism rituals, asking whether they might have provided care for people suffering from mental distress, especially women who were mistreated by men. Also, Molly was struck by a hiccups demon in the middle of the episode. We hope you'll check it out!