- One of the darkest moments in Santeria

was accepting the identitythat the demons gave me,

that I was one of them,and me being a witch.

- [Narrator] All her life,Iliana Soltani was searching

for acceptance, she says shefound it through the occult.

- To me, it was the beauty of the rituals

and the connection with the community.

You felt that you were in power.

- [Narrator] Iliana's parents divorced

right before she was born.

Her father's absence left herwith feelings of rejection,

she would carry for years to come.

- That I was not loved, thatI was not good enough for him,

and due to that, I grewup with low self-esteem.

- [Narrator] Iliana's journey

into the occult started at age 12.

While playing her Ouijaboard with friends,

she discovered she had agift to foretell the future.

Some started calling her a witch,

a title she would embracefor several years.

- I was finding my identityas the gifts manifesting,

that maybe that's who Iwas, that I was a witch.

I felt empowered that I wasable to make them feel good.

- [Narrator] By thetime she was in college,

Iliana was reading tarot cards for people.

She pushed aside the thingsshe learned going to church

with her grandmother as a child,

in search of what shecalled higher enlightenment.

- When I read cards, I didn'tthought I was doing darkness.

I will still think I wasdoing, I was in the light.

- [Narrator] Iliana, putaway the tarot cards.

However, it didn't stop her from venturing

into another occult religion, Santeria,

which originated in Cuba.

Practitioners of Santeriaclaim to follow God,

while practicing dark rituals,magic, and animal sacrifices.

Iliana, now an accountant, wasdrawn deeper into Santeria.

By the end of three years, shehad earned the title bruja,

or little witch.

The change had been so subtle,

she didn't realize who'd she become.

Until one day, she sawsomething disturbing

in the mirror, in her sleep.

- My eyes were on fire, fromthe mirror, like red on fire.

And I knew there was a power,

and I didn't want to gointo practicing dark magic.

Now you're talking about Voodoo.

Now you're talking aboutraising, also, the dead.

- [Narrator] Iliana, threwaway the idols and tools

and left Santeria.

Within the week, she was in the hospital,

violently ill with internal bleeding.

Unable to find a cause, doctors suspected

she had an unknown virusand feared she might die.

While they had no answers,

Iliana had a visit fromsome people who did.

- The santos, the saints,were very upset at me.

They told me to come back, thatjust to do several rituals,

to do several sacrifices,

and then everything should be fine,

which I told them, "No",that I was not going back.

- [Narrator] Iliana wouldstay in the hospital

for two weeks before thesymptoms and bleeding stopped.

Then, after getting out, she lost her job.

The battle continued, and she blamed God.

- I end up losing everything,which at that time I said

to God, "Why are you allowing this?"

I started having intense dreamswhere demons will show up

in my house, and theywill try to choke me.

I just want a normal life.

All I want to do is just leaveeverything that has to do

with the spirit round alone.

And don't see demons.

And just move with my life.

- [Narrator] Over the next five years,

Iliana dedicated her life to her career.

While working at a bank,

she met a Christian coworker

who told her God had a message for her.

- And she said, "God wantsme to give you this verse."

And she gave me Jeremiah 29:11,

"For, I know the plans that Ihave for you, says the Lord,

"plans not to harm you."

And at that moment, I was so mad at God

that I didn't want to hear that.

- [Narrator] While ather job, a month later,

Iliana says she heard God's voice.

- And he said to me, "Wakeup, the time is near."

And right there, I feltlike all my spiritual senses

were awakening again.

- [Narrator] When Ilianawent home, she prayed.

- I said, "Jesus, forgive me

"for everything that I have done.

"And I really want to follow you.

"I want to serve you."

So that night, as I go to sleep,

I didn't see anything in a dream.

But I heard, audibly,

"We're rejoicing because you are back."

And I said to him, "Whoam I for you to do this?"

And he said, "You're my beloved."

- [Narrator] For one year, she spent time

with God, and learnedhow to hear his voice.

- He removed all falseidentities that I had.

I was not a witch.

I was his beloved daughter.

I was not an orphaned.

No more demonic manifestations.

No more anxiety.

No more fear.

I just walk in this life of peace,

trusting Him completely.

- [Narrator] Today, Iliana is married,

has a son, and is a realtor.

She's written a book

about her journey offreedom from the occult.

She also has a Facebook show

where she gives encouragementto those in need.

- No matter what you're going through,

God always will turnthings around for you,

if you decide to say yes to him.

God loves you.

And that God, wants to havea relationship with you.

Seek the true God.

The only true God throughhis son, Jesus Christ.

(pensive music)