POSSESSION - A PRELIMINARY STUDY
by P. J. Rasch.
In Round Robin for October, 1946, Clarkson Dye ("Concerning Spirit Possession") reported on replies to a questionnaire which he sent to all mental institutions in California. Mr. Dye inquired whether the Heads of the Psychiatric Departments had noted any cases in which the presumption of "possession" could be logically entertained as a cause of supposed insanity. In every case the hospital authorities denied the possibility of such an explanation. The editor added:
We refrain, with unbelievable self-control, from making any extended comment at this time; merely mark the whole thing exhibit A in the case for and against contemporary psychiatry - and wait hopefully for comments from our readers.
Mr. Dye's report was of particular interest to the writer, who, in his profession as a corrective therapist in one of the largest of the Veterans' Administration Neuropsychiatric hospitals, is in daily contact with hundreds of mentally ill patients. It appeared a matter which he had a particularly favorable opportunity to investigate and which offered the probability of reaching definite conclusions - a situation all too seldom encountered in psychic research. Like all readers of Round Robin, the writer had a general concept of the term "possession", but when he faced the concrete problem of setting up specific criteria by which to judge actual cases, he immediately realized that considerable study would be necessary in order to translate this generalized understanding into practical techniques. It is hoped that what follows will be of some value in clarifying the question of possession in the minds of Round Robin readers who may have a similar vague grasp of the subject.
Historically the existence of evil spirits and their potential menace to mankind has been recognized by all ethnic religions. There is only one case - and that doubtful - of possible possession recorded in the Old Testament (I Kings XVI:14), and there is no instance noted there of demons being expelled by man. In the New Testament we find a marked change in this respect. Christ cast out demons and empowered his Apostles and Disciples to do likewise in his name. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are especially rich in accounts of the dispossession of demons. The higher criticism of the scriptures which seemed so devastating in the last century regarded all such instances as being cases of insanity or hysteria - a conclusion which appears hardly tenable in view of the clear distinction drawn between insanity and possession in Matthew IV:24 --
So Jesus went about the whole of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every kind of disease and infirmity among the people; so that his fame spread throughout the whole of Syria, and they brought to him all those who were in affliction, distressed with pain and sickness of every sort, the possessed, the lunatics, the palsied; and he healed them.
Christian theologians early recognized that demons may attack man from without (obsession), or assume control from within (possession). Today, however, this conception seems to be maintained only in the writings of spokesmen of the Roman Catholic Church. No mention of the term will be found in the texts of representative psychic researchers (Price, Fifty Years of Psychical Research; Carrington, The Psychic World; Garland, Forty Years of Psychic Research), psychologists (McDougall, Outline of Abnormal Psychology; Pillsbury, An Elementary Psychology of the Abnormal), psychiatrists (Freud, A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis; Menninger, The Human Mind; Barker, Psychotherapy), etc. The fact that such cases are seriously noted even [7] today by churchmen whose observations can hardly be questioned on the grounds of good faith affords a valuable record of events to which the writer believes psychic researchers have given far too little attention. The Fortean Society has mentioned some of these cases but only to jeer at them -- an attitude which ill becomes an organization whose avowed purpose is to study phenomena which seem to lie outside of scientific explanation, as these are alleged to do. The fact that these documented cases of alleged possession have been studied only from a pre-conceived religious viewpoint is unfortunate; in the words of Dr. Dingwall, whatever happens tends to be looked upon as "demonstrations rather than experiments." At the same time it has resulted in some rather grim humor: the author Pierre van Paassen, for instance, is rather virulently antic-Catholic, yet when his home was invaded by a phantom dog he made haste to send for a priest. (Days of Our Years, pp. 246-251).
The Catholic Church has laid down certain definite rules to be followed in cases of exorcism:
- Each case is to be carefully examined on its merits and every precaution taken to distinguish possession from disease.
- The exorcist must be of blameless life and prepare for the exorcism by prayer and fasting.
- Medical aspects of the case must be left to qualified physicians. Anything savouring of superstition must be avoided.
- The possessed should be admonished to cooperate by prayer and fasting and by resignation to God's will.
- Preferably exorcism should take place in the church. Witnesses, preferably members of the family, should be present, especially if the possessed is a woman.
- All idle and curious questioning of the demons should be avoided.
- The Blessed Sacrament must not be brought near the obsessed, for fear of possible irreverence.
- If expulsion of the evil spirit is not obtained at once, the rite should be repeated, if necessary several times.
- The exorcist should be vested in surplice and violet stole.
The available literature descriptive of actual cases of alleged possession consists mainly of pamphlets of one kind or another published by various Catholic organizations with the approval of the Church authorities. As typical examples the following might be mentioned:
Are There Devils Today? -- Deals with the possession of Germana Cole and Engelberta, two Negro girls at St. Michael's Mission, Natal, Africa, in 1906. Notable for demonstrations of levitation and of fire phenomena.
Lucifer -- Recites the possession of Thiebaut and Joseph Burner, of Illfurt, Alsace in 1865-1869. Featured by great quantities of apported feathers and seaweed.
Lautien -- Tells of the possession of a girl in Honan, China, in 1926. Unique in that ten demons identified themselves as former Chinese robbers and other criminals, giving such facts about themselves that their former actual existence could be verified.
Begone Satan! -- The possession of Mary ------- in Earling, Iowa, in 1928. Particularly interesting for revelations regarding the coming of the Antichrist in 1952, the subsequent persecution of the Catholic Church, and the destruction [8] of the Antichrist in 1955, during the reign of Otto of Hapsburg -- predictions whose validity will be established in the next few years.
There appears to have been another interesting case of possession of one Maria Addolorata in Rockford, Illinois, in 1939-1940, but details are not available.
From centuries of experience with such cases the Church has come to accept the following as indications of possession:
- Knowledge of foreign languages hitherto unknown to the possessed.
- Striking ability to solve scientific problems in persons of little or no education.
- Knowledge of secret or distant things.
- Strength far above that normal for the possessed.
- The "binding" of bodily organs, resulting in blindness, deafness, or muteness.
Rule 5 is often typical of hysteria and certain other mental illnesses, but in an experience involving personal contact with hundreds of cases of mental illness, plus the reading of hundreds of other case histories, plus daily contact with many other professional workers in the field, the writer has never seen or heard of a patient who exhibited any of the first four rules.
From this preliminary study of possession, the writer believes the following conclusions may be drawn:
- There exists a condition, termed "possession" by theologians, which exhibits symptoms differing from those of physical or mental diseases.
- While it cannot be said that those suffering from such a condition are never committed to mental institutions for treatment, the evidence indicates that such commitments must be extremely rare, if they occur at all.
- Cases of possession appear to have been studied almost exclusively by theologians. It is believed they offer a fertile field for investigation by psychic researchers.
-- end --
ADDENDA TO "POSSESSION" AND COMMENT -
The conditions known to theologians (and to some extent popularly) as 'obsession' and 'possession' do not seem to be basically different - though the first is usually regarded as a permanent condition, the second as temporary. A trance control has 'possession' of the organism of the medium; the present writer would not know how to make a distinction between attack from 'within' and from 'without.' In psychical studies mediumship is trance possession; it is temporary and does not bring about dissociation or disintegration. The term possession, however, is little used; Nandor Fodor's Encyclopedia of Psychic Science does not treat 'possession' at all, but has some two and a half pages under the heading 'Obsession'.
This work defines 'obsession' as meaning, in psychiatry, "that the mind of the patient is dominated by fixed ideas to which an abnormal mental condition corresponds." In psychical research it is "an invasion of the living by a discarnate spirit, tending to a complete displacement of the normal personality which is more or less permanent ... Obsession is always abnormal and accompanies shock, organic lesion, or in cases of psychics a low morale and weakened will power, unstable character and debility of health." A belief in the existence of spirits, or even in telepathy, implies obsession as a logical possibility.
It is only with the term 'obsession', therefore, that the present writer can deal, and it does not seem accurate to give the impression that the term obsession is not used by representative psychologists and psychiatrists. James Hervey Hyslop (Professor of Logic and Ethics at Columbia) made "a deep study of multiple personality and obsession" and after ten years of work came to the conclusion that obsession ... "is in many cases due to spirit possession" (Life After Death). He found what seemed to be a satisfactory method of distinguishing between obsession and multiple personality in his device of "cross reference". The chief interest in the cases he studied, he writes, "is their revolutionary effect in the field of medicine ... it is high time for the medical world to wake up and learn something." This expression indicates that the condition itself, though not under the name of obsession, is familiar to the medical profession.
Professor William James, says Fodor (p.266 op.cit.), "shortly before his death surrendered to the same belief" and expressed the belief "that the demon theory (not necessarily a devil theory) will have its innings again, is to my mind absolutely certain." It was the Thompson-Gifford case which convinced James. "Two physicians diagnosed it as paranoia. Hyslop took Mr. Thompson to three different mediums, all of whom sensed the presence of Gifford and described him. As soon as the case was proved one of spirit obsession, treatment was comparatively simple. Gifford was reasoned with and persuaded to desist."
Hyslop established a Foundation for the treatment of obsession, in New York, under the directorship of Dr. Titus Bull, after he had studied the work done in the Temple of Light in Kansas City, and in the Wickland Psychopathic Institute in Chicago (and later in Los Angeles). Now, in the great number of case histories found in the published records of these institutions, and particularly of the Wickland Institute, there is nothing to show that they were dealing with mental cases of some peculiar type which is not familiar to the medical profession, or which are not admitted to mental hospitals generally; they are simply cases of 'insanity', variously described by medical terminology, it is true, but such as are found in nearly all institutions for the care of the mentally deranged.
A digest of the opinions of Dr. Titus Bull was published in Round Robin IV-2 (February 1948); his Report appeared in 1932. And the thirty-odd years of work of Dr. Wickland should not be put aside, simply because 'orthodox' psychology and psychiatry have neglected it. In this connection, exception should be taken to the designation of all obsessing entities as 'demons', unless the word demon be greatly extended in meaning (perhaps A.J.D.'s DIAKKAS would be a good substitute). According [10] to Dr. Bull's opinion, "an obsessing personality is not composed of the soul, mind and will of one disembodied being, but is in reality a composite personality made up of many beings." There is a "pivot obsessor" which opens the way for others. But the work of Wickland seems sufficient proof that obsession is often caused by entities who become 'entangled in the aura' of the victim, often without realizing the situation; they can usually be induced to enter the body of a trance medium, and then can be reasoned with and persuaded to depart. Usually they are not aware that they are dead. Even contemporary psychiatrists are aware that shock treatment (electric shock, static machines) will give relief in certain mental cases. But since they by no means admit the possibility of obsession in the spiritist sense, they make no attempt to deal with the obsessing entity, hence the relief is temporary and the entity soon returns. But once again, from all printed descriptions of symptoms and conduct of patients it is impossible to differentiate them from thousands of other cases of insanity, everywhere confined but almost never cured by professional practitioners. And to return to the point about "demons", that word is certainly not a proper designation for earthbound, bewildered and ignorant human beings - or even for such a 'composite personality' as Dr. Bull describes. The term is a vestige of ecclesiastical usage, wherein it seems to have applied to every kind of obsessing entity regardless of its character... As to exorcism, it is of course efficacious provided the entities dealt with themselves accept it and believe in its power, and provided it is worked with intention and power by the exorcist himself; otherwise it is entirely futile. Such at any rate is a common understanding among occultists, spiritists, and students of psychism generally, and this belief is derived experimentally and not as a matter of authority and faith.
There is such a thing, too, as beneficent obsession. In the case of Larancy Vennum (the Watseka Wonder), the malicious obsessors were forced out by the spirit of one Mary Roff, and after sixteen weeks of possession by this latter the ego of the subject returned, and her mental and physical health were reestablished. In both the Beauchamp case and the Doris Fischer case, there is good reason to believe that one of the entities was an obsessing power. The B III control in the first of these indeed claimed to be a spirit, but the "Margaret" of the Fischer case never made such a claim. These two famous cases suggest the ease with which cases of multiple personality may involve obsession, though under the closest observation by mental specialists.
Concerning the "Indications of Possession" formulated by the Church and itemized by Mr. Rasch, let us substitute the following: Xenoglossy ("tongues") and special knowledge both in scientific matters and in "secret and distant things" is a familiar phenomenon of trance control, or trance possession; if they really become permanent in obsession cases, then, of course, they may be 'indications' that the obsession exists. But they do not constitute or determine obsession, as this term is understood by such investigators as have been named; nor by (e.g.) Justinus Kerner, Dr. C.H. Carson, Dr. Peebles, Dr. Carl Wickland, Godfrey Roper, and Dr. Titus Bull - nor by students of psychic and spiritistic phenomena generally. The syndromes of obsession are found in abundance among the insane - and xenoglossy and "special knowledge" do not constitute insanity, except perhaps in the ignorance of medical 'specialists' - and great numbers of insane persons have been restored to sanity, once they were able to obtain treatment based on the obsession hypothesis. This would probably be denied by the great majority of psychiatrists, but since the question then becomes one of statistics and factual data, we cannot try to argue the case here.
Though the RR editor must, for himself, reject Mr. Rasch's tentative conclusions, as well as most ecclesiastical pronouncements on this subject, it is certainly of great interest to note that in his work as corrective therapist in a large neuro-psychiatric institution he has never encountered any of the first four characteristics of obsession, as these are itemized by Catholic theologians. Interesting, but not wholly surprising - since, as it now seems to me, Mr. Rasch and I are not talking about the same subject at all, but only about the same word... And we are indebted to Mr. Rasch for a well-written and provocative discussion.
M.L.
References
- Price, Harry. Fifty Years of Psychical Research: A Critical Survey. London: Longmans, Green, 1939. Print. <http://amzn.to/1x3BcXX>
- Carrington, Hereward. The Psychic World. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1937. Print. <http://amzn.to/1P6x96U>
- Garland, Hamlin. Forty Years of Psychic Research: A Plain Narrative of Fact. New York: Macmillan Co, 1936. Print. <http://amzn.to/1HcNUad>
- McDougall, William. Outline of Abnormal Psychology. New York, Chicago: C. Scribner's Sons, 1926. Print. <http://amzn.to/1MV3vwS>
- Pillsbury, W B. An Elementary Psychology of the Abnormal. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co, 1932. Print. <http://amzn.to/1HcOHYN>
- Freud, Sigmund, and Joan Riviere. A General Introduction to Psycho-Analysis: A Course of Twenty-Eight Lectures Delivered at the University of Vienna. New York: Liveright Pub. Corp, 1935. Print. <http://amzn.to/1HcONiX>
- Menninger, Karl A. The Human Mind. New York: A.A. Knopf, 1945. Print. <http://amzn.to/1MV3Nnr>
- Barker, Lewellys F. Psychotherapy: Treatment That Attempts to Improve the Condition of a Human Being by Means of Influences That Are Brought to Bear Upon His Mind. New York: D. Appleton-Century Co., 1940. Print. <http://amzn.to/1HcOZP7>
- Van, Paassen P. Days of Our Years. New York: Hillman-Curl, Inc, 1939. Print. <http://amzn.to/1MV5hyc>
- Wanger, W. Are There Devils Today? An Authentic Report on Two Cases of Exorcism Performed in Recent Years, with Signed Testimonies of Numerous Eye-Witnesses. Detroit, Mich.: Mariannhill Mission Society, 1927. Print. <http://amzn.to/1HcLUi7>
- Sutter, Paul, and Theophilus Borer. Lucifer: Or the True Story of the Famous Diabolic Possession in Alsace; Compiled from Original Documents. London: Bouch's Printing Works, Ltd., 1922. Print. <http://amzn.to/1HcNdh3>
- Lautien. [Refers to an possession case that took place in 1926 and again in 1929, each time under Father Peter Heier. Referenced in Begone Satan!.]
- Vogel, Carl. Begone Satan!: A Soul-Stirring Account of Diabolical Possession. Collegeville, Minn: Celestine Kapsner, St. John's Abbey, 1935. Print. <http://amzn.to/1P6zYF2>
- Fodor, Nandor. Encyclopaedia of Psychic Science. London: Arthurs Press, 1933. Print. <http://amzn.to/1Rfatk5>
- Hyslop, James H. Life After Death: Problems of the Future Life and Its Nature. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co, 1918. Print. <http://amzn.to/1Rfazbp>