Mata Ana-The Trance Dance of the Devis

Culture is the sum of all shared customary beliefs, social forms, and practices, or a set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices, more specifically, an integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behaviour that is dependent on the ability to learn and transmit knowledge to succeeding generations. With this description, we can confidently claim that India is a land of many cultures, faiths, and languages.

It is also famous for innumerable superstitions and weird beliefs and adheres to resulting from wrong interpretations of unknown cultural customs. It is illustrated here that blackouts are typical during the procedure because they are in a trance, and once out of that trance, they forget everything. However, forgetting does not always imply that the memory has disappeared.

The public, on the other hand, is prone to seeing such things via a spiritual lens. This prevalent explanation may be a culture-bound condition because deities or demons’ possession is typical in similar societies. The findings show that most of the time cures with a religious flavour work when such a possessed person is carried to religious locations, shrines, etc. because doing so indirectly gains the possessed respect and attention from the targeted individuals around them.

When people are having difficulty with respect, they gain comfort or confidence in themselves that their situation is being addressed. As a result, when escorted to such holy locations, they heal mentally because their attitude towards the injured individual changes. I believe that the study will serve as a springboard for further such discoveries. What causes this? Is it a divinity or a demon possessing you? This might be a remnant of a previous life or DNA memory. When a society or family accepts such phenomena, and it seldom becomes an issue, a trance possession like the “Mata Ana” is rarely reported as a problem.

Read More: How Culture Shapes Mental Health and Influences Our Well-being

Introduction

Culture is the sum of all customary beliefs, social forms, and practices shared by people, or a set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices, more so an integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behaviour that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations. With this definition, we can safely state that India is a place with various cultures, religions, and languages.

It is also infamous for countless superstitions, and strange beliefs and practices stemming from the incorrect interpretations of those cultural protocols. You will encounter a huge number of astonishing practices and never fathom when they particularly started. Apropos this discussion, you will hear this phenomenon called “Mata Ana” or “Devi Ana”, described in various other words depending upon local language and lingo, prevalent in all quarters of the sub-continent where suddenly an individual begins acting peculiarly, apparently taken over by a local deity in a sort of a trance or say a possession syndrome.

This phenomenon is more frequent where and when an individual from any place is a dedicated devotee of a local deity or has loved a divine being constantly for a long time, enough to surrender to its control completely. And also more frequently seen among those who have experienced traumatic situations in their past

Adding a Parapsychological perspective, it can be stated that such possessions are not only confined to India. Rather, these have a known history across the world, spanning countries across continents. There have been recorded accounts of such practices in folklore spanning some Southeast Asian, Indian, African, Wiccan, Greek, Aboriginal, and Egyptian cultures. And yes, as experienced paranormalists would concur, it is not always the perceived deity that possesses the individual; sometimes the possessions also have a demonic twist or a spirit-attachment spin to it or most of the time, a case of purely psychiatric interest.

What we are more interested in is the medical and scientific dissection of this phenomenon, threading out the other syndromes and evaluating this particular kind of possession in isolation. Thus, as far as possible, we will leave out the baselessly perceived beliefs and explanations that emanate from hand-me-down explanations of these crafts, while only focussing on the facts.

Read More: Parapsychology: Why is it a controversial topic?

Basics

Some psychiatric disorders are local to societies/cultures. These disorders are known as culture-specific or culture-bound syndromes. A culture-bound disorder is a collection of symptoms and side effects that are restricted to a certain number of civilizations due to psychological factors. Culture-bound situations are often restricted to a certain context and have an unusual connection to that setting.

Because culture-bound disorders are classified based on their aetiology (culture-explicit or culture-bound), the condition is a combination of mental and physical symptoms that are recognized as a sickness only within a certain civilization or culture. There are no target biochemical or auxiliary changes in body organs or capacities.

Also, since these conditions are considered to be innate to certain regions, they are only subject to concern and study by practitioners and researchers from those specific regions. Because of this inherent assumption of cultural localization of these conditions, they are naturally alien to other regions and cultures. Consequently, they cease to spark interest in clinicians and researchers from foreign settings.

If we see this from a psychological perspective, we majorly use the terms such as dissociative disorder or conversion disorder. In the present era or in current society, we start analyzing every such single episode on logical grounds as we have come to erroneously accept that the already discovered science is the supreme truth. No doubt, so far, science has designed or found many simple glimpses of something larger, like the tip of the iceberg and not the entire iceberg.

Dissociative disorders are defined by involuntary disruption or discontinuity in the normal integration of one or more of the following: identity, sensations, perceptions, effects, thoughts, memories, control over bodily movements, or behaviour, according to ICD 11 MMS (International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics).

And they should not be acceptable cultural, religious, or spiritual practices. According to the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), dissociative symptoms can potentially disrupt every area of psychological functioning, resulting in a) uninvited intrusions into awareness and behaviour, with accompanying losses of continuity in subjective experience (i.e., “positive” dissociative symptoms such as fragmentation of identity, depersonalization, and derealisation) and/or b) inability to access information or control mental functions that are generally easy to access or regulate (i.e., “negative” dissociative symptoms like forgetfulness). Dissociative disorders are typically discovered in the aftermath of trauma, and many of the symptoms, such as shame and bewilderment regarding the symptoms or a desire to conceal them, are impacted by the trauma’s closeness.

Read More: Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder: Symptoms and Treatment

Magnification

The general populace, however, usually tends to always look at such things marred with a spiritual vision. This explanation, which is a common view, can also be a culture-bound syndrome because, in similar cultures, possession by deities or demons is considered normal. But if we look at it from a clinical perspective, the psychology of some individuals, in many cases, like these possessions, are used to attain some secondary gain.

The motive of the supposedly possessed individual might be to gain something, either in the family environment or from the immediate society. The gain desired might be real, tangible, in kind, or abstract. Moreover, these individuals would get encouraged when they get the tiniest of acknowledgements from the targeted audience for their trancelike acts. When such behaviour becomes psychopathological, we call it a dissociative disorder, which otherwise wouldn’t be termed such.

Read More: Psychology of Spiritual Awakening: Transforming Self and Society

Sharpening the focus

Possession becomes a dissociative disorder only when the person diagnosed with such behaviour has the motive to gain something. Earlier, there was thought to be no reason for such possessions to self-trigger, but in several cases witnessed by counsellors, it is seen that the client will observe the whole situation, target audience, and environment, thereafter conceiving clues about when and how to resort to the whole possession episode or not, according to a favourable tide in the environment.

For example, if a certain daughter-in-law gets a feeling of neglect or isolation from her husband and in-laws, then she might opt to display such symptoms of possessions involving any household deity or goddess. The perception is that by acting possessed by a commonly revered deity, probably the family would attribute more respect towards her, or at least she would secure the desired attention from the family without much personal effort or crossing cultural lines. Besides the subject, it does not seem to be collaterally harmful to anyone. It is a kind of contingency technique born unconsciously or subconsciously, used to get the desired respect or place in the family, which they would not get earlier.

Furthering this same example, if the lady realizes that their family members are die-hard devotees of a particular household deity, then there are more chances of her conjuring up that same deity in her possessions so that she can secure their respect and attention in the act.

This kind of syndrome doesn’t achieve fruition overnight. It is the result of a keen machination, the planning of which spans a considerable length of time. What comes first is the reconnaissance, where observations are mentally recorded regarding the affiliations of various unit members, the pecking order, and their collective devotion or abhorrence.

In this stage, the decision to act appears merely as a last-ditch effort or option if dialogue and other tactics are refuted, knowing that one slip in the act would cause the subject’s respect to be lost forever, contrary to the initial aim. The subject might himself/herself start worshipping and venerating the particular deity in a quest to attain that familial reverence as a boon.

Then, several anecdotes and beliefs are studied and believed to get acquainted with the deity and after-effects of any such manifestation. Ultimately, the pent-up emotions, a feeling of helplessness, and being cornered finally egg the subject over to get ready to be possessed as a kind of final desperate measure. Whether the possession is real or superficial is a subject of individual scrutiny. Thus, let it be said that such kind of manifestations wouldn’t be possible where the alpha audience majorly consists of unbelievers of such deities as the gain from such an act would have minimal to zero impact.

The kind of behaviour displayed in such a type of possession is mainly governed by intentions. The manifestations and intensity will vary depending upon whether it is chiefly to gain lost ground in social or familial position, pronouncing judgment on someone for wrongdoings against the subject or any other person, abstinence from unpleasant and forced chores, or as divine vengeance.

If one’s intention is merely to be respected and not categorically punish anyone, then the subject might choose a positive and much calmer deity, whereas on the other side, if one intends to strike or kick some targeted individual or individuals without having to face any repercussions then a much impish or violent entity will be invoked. However, in most cases, if the subject hasn’t seen this kind of ‘deity-based’ possession, then the chances of them acting in such a manner are minimal.

Read More: Breaking Stigmas: Modern Perspectives on Hysteria and Possession

Explanation

We generally use the term “Excited delirium” to describe this condition, where a person displays bizarre expressions, unacceptable social behaviour, unexplained violence, and sometimes superhuman strength. Delirium is an organic mental state, that causes mental confusion and emotional disruption, making it difficult for an affected person to think, remember, sleep, and pay attention, besides some other effects.

Excited delirium is also a part of this. This is like the catatonic features of schizophrenia (one of the sub-types of schizophrenia), which can occur in two phases: one where the subject displays an excited behaviour, whereas the other phase where the condition of the subject is akin to dwelling in a coma. Delirium, too, causes a few individuals to become extremely excited, displaying a superhuman kind of strength, sometimes putting out an emotional or motor excitement or both, while a few others may display quite the opposite and dull behaviour. But precisely, delirium is still an organic disorder.

These kinds of behaviours are majorly displayed by such individuals in some or the other way in their lifetime, and they have adopted them subconsciously or unconsciously, which is why such behaviour is most likely to be called a “learned behaviour.”

This kind of possession was majorly prevalent in rural pockets earlier, but it gradually waned off as more and more villagers started getting educated. Nowadays, such cases have reduced noticeably, owing to a dilution of faith in superstitions and an amalgamation of scientific attitudes in culture. For ladies, the drop in such cases was triggered by the advent of feminism which augured a welcome departure from the oppression and suppression of a predominantly patriarchal society. They no longer had to cling to such tactics to regain value.

Having said that, such possessions have lately been increasingly witnessed in children of very young age. The reason is, as mentioned earlier, a result of keen observation of adult behaviour, beliefs, and practices in the family and surroundings at their tender, impressionable age. As mentioned by Albert Bandura, a Canadian-American psychologist who talked about “social cognitive theory” or observational learning, this theory states that “in a society, kids are surrounded by plenty of persuasive models such as parents in the family, peer, TV characters, teachers at school, et cetera, and these people (models) set an example for them about a particular behaviour to observe and imitate. These children focus on any particular behaviour of their model, encode it, and later mimic the same which they have observed whenever the need strikes. Such possessions in children can be called mass hysteria, too.

For example, there was an incident where a schoolgirl started manifesting in a vibrational trance (Darshana). During a counselling session, the girl’s family informed her that she was possessed by some spirit. It was learnt that the child had unintentionally found herself passing by a well even after being forbidden from it. She immediately got afraid as she recollected a story about the well being haunted by the spirit of some person who had died by committing suicide in it. Then she started showing symptoms as if possessed by the same spirit.

Now, in that case, it wasn’t a case of exacting any revenge, or to punish anyone, but it was majorly due to fear. Later, encouraged by her example, other children from her school also started displaying such same behaviour whenever they faced a bit of dissatisfaction or other minor problems in life. It became a sort of a creative and easy vent for them, whenever there wasn’t anybody listening to them. They continued such behaviour by imitating the others.

Read More: Demonic Possession or Dissociative Identity Disorder

Derivation

If we investigate the cultural perspective, such cases occur majorly in villages to gain popularity in the whole community. And by doing so they are as such not harming anybody. In fact, they may be helping villagers in a way – by offering subconscious supportive psychotherapy and answering some questions asked by others. The answers themselves may be true or false, but since most instances turn out to be true, it hits home most of the time. What is important is that they provide consolation creating a confidence in self for others.

For example, if some person approaches a possessed individual (devi) and the devi exhorts him or her to stop worrying about others and that she is there for him or her, then it’s a case of procuring instant confidence. Likewise, they become popular in the village and the cypher continues in a cycle. It’s a kind of counselling happening over there. Securing emotional support from the devi sparks the willpower of the client and automatically increases the chances of success in ventures due to such possessions.

Now if a person was said to be possessed by a devilish entity and behaved in a way not acceptable to society, people would have gotten afraid, hounded them, and dropped them off to a mental hospital. That’s why those who are brought to such mental health care centres are said to be problematic to others. These cases do not have much psychiatric positivity since they cause harm to self and others via pent-up emotions and acts in a state of possession trance. So whatever is not possible in their real life is sought to be achieved in this state.

That’s why it is called dissociation, meaning the personality displays some of the factors as another personality. If an individual is suffering and the motive is to protest that suffering, the mental state of protest gets separated and finds a defence mechanism. And often, his or her personality poses as another being, which is termed a possessive personality. So, although it is a separate personality from the original person, the dissociation occurs only when it is triggered. It can be violent, silent, or even display respectable behaviour; anything for that matter, wherein all depends on their needs.

People tend to confuse this with schizophrenia. But what differentiates schizophrenia from dissociation is that people affected by schizophrenia do not act on a purposeful aim. It appears as a meaningless episode, a bizarre behaviour. A schizophrenic person will hit somebody not because he/she is against anyone or wants to inflict punishment.

It is just an expression of violence with no goal. Often lay people consider such behaviours of schizophrenia as being possessed because they lack the knowledge of the dynamics of these conditions. Possession, on the other hand, is a systematic behaviour without a schizophrenic symptom that keeps changing. In the case of dissociation or what we call possession, the behaviour can be clearly understood, it is very meaningful, and mostly appropriate for the situation and has a cultural connection.

Read More: Is It Possible To Work With Schizophrenia?

Analysis and Conclusion

During psychotherapy especially in such cases of dissociations, the main motive is to detect the gain that a client is trying to derive or a reinforcement that is sustaining that behaviour and the change they are expecting using such behaviour. Blackouts commonly occur in such cases as they are in a trance and once they are out of that trance, they forget everything.

But forgetting doesn’t necessarily mean the memory has completely vanished. Rather, it is only at a subconscious level where memories are present but difficult to extract. So, during psychotherapy sessions, gradually after a few sessions subjects are made to answer indirect questions related to the event and start connecting the dots to come out with the main story or cause of the behaviour.

Mind you, this is not a direct line of questioning related to their dissociative behaviour but a study of the atmosphere where the problem lies. Posing direct questions will never help as the client would never open up. The assessment will probably reveal the reason for such behaviour, the secondary gains involved, and the link between the behaviour and the problem. That’s why probing techniques are very helpful during sessions like these.

Most of the time remedies with a religious flavour work where such a possessed person is taken to religious places, shrines, etc because by doing that, indirectly the possessed are getting respect and attention from the targeted people around. When the person is in trouble with respect, they get solace or confidence in themselves that their problem is understood. And that’s why when they are taken to such holy places they heal mentally as the attitude towards that affected person changes.

Yet keeping the clinical perspective aside, we can look into a few cases where the affected individual starts speaking in a foreign language, a phenomenon termed Glossolalia. In most of these cases, the possibility arises only if the person has heard such language somewhere in their lifetime; but there are also a few reported cases wherein the individual has never come across such a language and yet speaks the tongue during the possession trance. How does this happen? Is it a possession by a deity or a demon? This may be some past life or DNA memory residue. But whenever a culture or family accepts such phenomena and it usually doesn’t become a problem, then a trance possession like the “Mata Ana” is seldom reported as trouble.