Research on Speaking in Tongues
by Al
The New York Times had an article recently on “Speaking in Tongues,” which is also known as “Glossalalia.”
This is a topic that has interested me ever since I read Felicitas Goodmans’ book on the topic that is derived from her doctoral dissertation years ago. That book covers here academic work where she went and compared vocal patterns in Pentacostal groups between native English speakers and native Spanish speakers to try to determine if the sounds created during sessions were language dependent or not.
My friend, Richard, once new a witch (I believe) back in the 1970′s or so that used glossalalia as a technique in her spiritual work even though she was not a Christian. Since that time, I’ve heard of Chaos magicians, such as Jan Fries, espousing this as well.
If I was 18 and into developing a new career for myself, I would considering going into neuroscience. There is an incredible amount of work being done on meditative or altered states of consciousness, especially now that the tools are so much better.
Interesting stuff.
Comments
You are familiar with Austin’s Zen and the Brain, right?
Of course. I have a copy at home.
I haven’t bought the sequel to it that came out this last year yet though.
this is fascinating, i’m glad they’re starting to delve into neuroimaging these mystical states.
i’m very interested in seeing the glossolalia data also contrasted with brain images of:
a. trance state during performance of a native-tongue mantra
b. as a. but induced from a non-native-tongue mantra where the meaning is known
c. same, with meaning not known
d. same, using an randomly generated gibberish mantra
e. trance state during kabalistic letter permutation exercise
f. during a long winded recital of the psalms or somesuch, from memory
g. during a long winded evocation with an artificial language like Enochian.