Sorry if this sounds ignorant but what is the Professor doing to Ellen in that scene? I read he's doing an exorcism but it doesn't look like it and you made a parallel with Orlock
You are correct, Von Franz is not doing an exorcism, and I think that’s obvious in the scene even if one isn’t versed in the occult. The Professor is doing an incantation to compell Ellen to speak what she is seeing in her trance state (“I command you; hearken to my voice. […] impart your speech unto me.”).
He conjures the protection of the angels Chamuel (“One who seeks God”, angel of peaceful relationships, and considered one of the seven Archangels), Haniel (“Joy of God”, is the Archangel of joy who's known for taking Enoch to Heaven), and Zadkiel (“Righteousness of God”, the angel of God's mercy), and the power of the Goetic demons Eligos (a “Great Duke of Hell”, ruling 60 legions of demons. He reveals hidden things and knows the future of wars), Orabas (a “Great Prince of Hell”, with 20 legions of demons under his control. He answers questions and gives one power and control over others), and Asmoday (the “King of Demons”, in the legends of Solomon and the constructing of Solomon's Temple).
This incantation is connected to Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa “De occulta philosophia” (1533), which provides instructions for invocation and communication with angelic and demonic forces, through sigils, amulets, magical alphabets, sound, perfumes, etc. The idea behind this conjuring is to infuse the lower angelic orders with the light they receive from God (a sort of binding of demons, similar to the Solomonic Magic system). The demons the Professor calls upon, however, come from the “Ars Goetia” from the anonymous 17th-century grimoire “Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis” (“The Lesser Key of Solomon”), which will explain why the Professor is so interested in the what he calls the “Solomonari codex of secrets” and his knowledge of Solomonic magic (which we see him performing later on, when he’s burning the Hardings).
The Professor uses his Abraxas stone ring (“this ancient talisman”) the same way Count Orlok uses his signet ring to aid him in his incantations. This is an actual thing in witchcraft and rings/talismans are used for several purposes (protection, amplify intention, healing, etc.).
I understand why the scene might look like an exorcism; Ellen resists the incantation with might (as she’s trying to escape it) because not only she’s a powerful Seeress but she doesn’t want to reveal what she’s seeing, which is meant for her, alone. But this incantation probably also explains why Ellen is speaking out loud her communications with Orlok during the “demonic sex scene”. They are now “exposed” by these angelic and demonic forces, and she can’t hide them anymore.







