Monday Musings #7: Possession, Part II–Alien Hand Syndrome, Hidden Knowledge, and Speaking in Tongues

Friends, Forteans, and Citizens of the World, I come to examine possession, not debunk it.  In this, the second part of my series on the phenomenon that is possession, I examine a few things that could explain away some cases of perceived or acknowledged demonic possession.

Cases of possession appear to be on the rise these past few years.  Some have proposed the idea that possession is purely psychological and that the current rise in cases is due to a form of mass hysteria as much as anything else.  While that’s certainly a possibility, there are also certain physical conditions that can result in a ‘diagnosis’ of possession.

Everyone knows about epilepsy, and that it might explain at least one common symptom of possession—seizures. That’s all well and good, but, according to Laura Sumrall, writing in the online journal The Conversation, a diagnosis of possession centuries ago would likely include “demonstration of hidden knowledge, prognostication, and xenoglossy, which involved speaking in unlearned languages (especially with strange vocal alterations).”

Over the next few paragraphs, we’ll examine one physical condition that can cause possession, as well as the concepts of hidden knowledge and xenoglossy.  These conditions point to, I believe, the possibility that at least some possessions really are the fruit of an unfortunate combination of conditions.

One condition that could easily lead people to believe they’re possessed is a neurological phenomenon called Alien Hand Syndrome (sometimes referred to as “Dr. Strangelove Syndrome,” after the title character of Kubrick’s classic dark comedy).  People who suffer from this rare condition (usually following brain trauma, such as a stroke) find that they have no control over their non-dominant hand (usually the left).  The hand performs actions independently, such as unbuttoning a shirt, or even slapping their ‘host’ in the face.  According to Gary Goldberg, some people with Alien Hand Syndrome believe that their hand is possessed by demons.

Obviously, those who think this are likely predisposed to believe in demonic possession.  However, over the past century, researchers have found that it’s can be put down to the aforementioned neurological disorder.  I submit that at least some cases of documented possession can be explained by Alien Hand Syndrome.  Remember, it tends to strike the left hand.  We derive our word ‘sinister’ from the Latin for ‘left-handed.’ Wouldn’t a left hand with a mind of its own be seen as demonic in more superstitious times?  The answer is almost certainly ‘yes.’ Combine that with a seizure disorder, and there’s a compelling case of ‘possession’ right in front of you.

Next, we come to the concept of hidden knowledge.  In terms of possession, hidden knowledge simply means ‘things the victim had no way of knowing.’  This one is interesting. I readily concede that there is no established physical mechanism by which a person can suddenly display a deep understanding of things unknown to them. However, there is a psychic explanation.

Over the centuries, there have been hundreds (if not more) of recorded cases of obtaining knowledge by psychic means. Knowing someone is about to call, or waking up at the moment a loved one passes away, or simply being flooded with knowledge the percipient may not have had before.  The evidence for this is nearly entirely anecdotal, but I believe there’s a connection between this sort of psychic knowledge and the hidden knowledge of possession cases.

If we accept a world in which it’s possible for some people to pick up on the thoughts of others (consciously or not), why wouldn’t it hold true that some of the ‘possessed’ would exhibit the same trait? The ‘hidden knowledge’ of possession victims is usually known by at least one person in the room, just not the possessed.  So, why couldn’t the subconscious deployment of this faculty explain such instances?  The hidden knowledge isn’t coming from a demon, but rather, someone in the room whose thoughts have been received by the victim.  If we accept a world with potential psychic phenomena, then we must accept this as a possibility in cases of possession.

And now we come to xenoglossy, which is speaking in a foreign tongue unknown to the victim.  For today’s purposes, I’m going to lump it in with glossolalia, or speaking in tongues, as practiced by some sects of Christianity, notably the Pentecostal sect.

The Encyclopedia Britannica describes glossolalia as

“…utterances approximating words and speech, usually produced during states of intense religious experience. The vocal organs of the speaker are affected; the tongue moves, in many cases without the conscious control of the speaker; and generally unintelligible speech pours forth. Speakers and witnesses may interpret the phenomenon as possession by a supernatural entity, conversation with divine beings, or the channeling of a divine proclamation or inspiration.” (Italics mine)

One of the notable symptoms in many cases of possession is the ability of the victim to speak in a foreign language.  While glossolalia doesn’t quite fit that description, many people who do speak in tongues claim that they are, actually, speaking in a decipherable language.  Again, from Encyclopedia Britannica:  “some claim that they speak in recognizable foreign tongues as the disciples of Jesus did at the first Pentecost (Acts 2:14)”.

Could it be that the ‘possessed’ had absorbed enough Latin (or another language) from attending church services that their subconscious could cause them to mimic the language? Remember that, according to Sumrall (as well as the popular conception of possession), the victim displays “strange vocal alterations.” Could the confusion caused by glossolalia be exacerbated when filtered through these roughened vocals?  I think it’s possible.  The victim could be subconsciously mimicking a language they’d heard often enough to be familiar with general pronunciation and rhythms.  In such an instance, the possessed would indeed appear to be speaking in a foreign language.

As I said in my introduction, I’m not here to debunk possession.  We know so little about this world that the phenomenon truly could be a possibility.  However, I also think that large numbers of potential possessions can be explained by applying a little bit of critical thought. 

If possession can be explained rationally, then this allows the victim to be treated via known medical practices, rather than subjecting them to the ordeals of exorcism. Keep in mind that it’s dangerous to jump to conclusions in matters of possession when the resulting exorcism is nearly always damaging to the health of the victim.  It’s important to remain open-minded.  But it’s just as important to think critically and look for earth-bound explanations instead of leaping straight to the spiritual realm.