Burmese folk religion
These exorcists, or "ahletan hsaya", are said to possess powers that can fend away or challenge these evil demons. These exorcists were often seen as very holy, because they had to be to combat troublesome spirits. They attempt exorcisms by giving the nat offerings. As an interesting overlap with Buddhism, exorcisms can be performed by holding the Buddha up to the possessed person, in an effort to have the Nat flee. If the exorcist cannot banish this spirit alone, they often ask for the assistance of the nat-kadaw. Sorcerers, or "weikzas" also harnessed the power of these nats through many complex rituals, to gain their own supernatural powers.
List of D.Gray-man characters
In addition to those Exorcists chosen by Innocence, there are Exorcists referred to as Second Exorcists and Third Exorcists. The Second Exorcists were created nine years ago as part of the Synthetic Disciple Project, forced upon the Chan and Epstein families by Central; they are created by transplanting the brains of deceased Exorcists into new, artificial bodies, in hopes of re-synchronizing the Innocence. Yu Kanda and Alma Karma are the only successful subjects in this group. Using a piece of the original Akuma Egg, members of the Black Order also created the Third Exorcists. The Third Exorcists are fused with dark matter and Alma's cells to become partially Akuma themselves; they gain mutated arms that can absorb and destroy Akuma.