‘Bhakt Mein Mata Aayi Hai’ — Can Someone Really Be ‘Possessed’ By Deities? Religion Vs Science Explained | Viral News

The man explained the process through brainwave entrainment, a scientific condition. (Photo Credits: Reddit)

In India, countless incidents are reported where people claim to be “possessed” by an unknown entity. In Hindu communities, this is often described as “Mata ka aana” (the coming of the goddess),” while in Muslim culture, such experiences are associated with jinns. These moments are deeply tied to faith, ritual and centuries-old beliefs but science looks at them through a very different lens.

A recent Reddit post has brought this subject back into conversation. It opens up a discussion on what actually goes on during such possessions and what science says about them.

What Really Happens When One Gets Possessed By ‘Divine Energy’

The post, shared on Reddit, featured a man discussing the phenomenon of “divine possession” through a scientific perspective. The title read, “What really happens when people feel divine possession ya Mata ka aana?”

In the video, the man explained that there can be many factors behind such states. During these rituals, there is often loud music, chanting and fire around the person believed to be possessed. According to him, these elements can affect the brain’s activity that creates a scientific condition known as brainwave entrainment where brain’s waves synchronise with external rhythmic sounds.

He said, “Jab dimag active hota hai, alert hota hai toh us time wo beta waves par hota hai. Lekin jab dimag music ke waves par synchronise karta hai aur jaise hi dimag beta waves se hat kar alpha ya theta waves ki taraf jata hai, decision ya jo rationale thinking ki jo ability hai, wo kam hoti hai (When the brain is active and alert, it functions in beta waves. But when it synchronises with music and shifts from beta to alpha or theta waves, the ability for decision-making and rational thinking decreases).”

This, he explained, leads to an altered state of consciousness where a person temporarily loses their usual control and reasoning abilities. In that charged environment,the frontal lobe, the part of the brain responsible for planning and logical thinking, becomes less active.

“Us mahol me observe karoge toh music ke alawa bahut si chize hai jaise – logo ki bheed ya jo aag lagi hai – ye sabhi factors sensory overload ke liye responsible hote hai jo humare dimag me ke frontal lobe ko inactive kardeta hai (If you observe that environment, apart from music there are many things like the crowd or fire — all these factors cause sensory overload that deactivates the brain’s frontal lobe),” he said.

Chemical Changes In The Brain

According to the video, during such states, the brain also releases natural chemicals like endorphins and dopamine which are known to act as painkillers and induce a sense of pleasure or relief. These biochemical reactions further intensify the feeling of divine presence or energy flow within the body.

The man added that social and environmental factors also play a huge role. “Jo vyakti hai wo kis mahol mein hai pala bada hai, uski upbringing kaisi hai aur wo jin logo ke as pas rehta hai, un logo ka kya kehna hai – ye sab factors bhi bahut hadd tak responsible hai (The kind of environment a person has grown up in, their upbringing, and the beliefs of the people around them — all these factors play a big role).”

The Role Of Placebo And Ritual Healing

The man in the video also addressed what happens when “possessed” individuals are treated by priests and seem to recover almost instantly. He explained this through the placebo effect where a person’s belief in a treatment brings real improvement even when no actual medical change occurs.

To make his point clearer, he gave the example of the Bollywood movie Bhool Bhulaiyaa where Akshay Kumar’s character asks his guru to recreate the same “jhad-phook (exorcism-like)” setting to bring the spirit under control. The man said that in many real-life cases, “Jo conditions medical help lekar sudhari ja sakti thi, keval jhad phook ke chakkr mein us state ko aur worse kar di jati hai (Conditions that could have been improved with medical help are often made worse by relying only on exorcism rituals).”

Possession Beliefs Beyond India

The man also mentioned that possession-like experiences are not unique to India only. Similar traditions exist in other parts of the world such as Voodoo practices in Africa and Shamanism in Korea.

Religious Beliefs And Cultural Context

In India, divine possession or mata ka aana is seen as something sacred as many Hindu communities believe that a goddess comes into a devotee’s body to deliver messages, take part in rituals or bless people.

A branch of Ayurveda called Bhūtavidyā (spirit knowledge) describes how spirit possession and rituals are used to restore balance or remove negative energy. Even today, in may rural folk festivals and temple rituals, trance states are respected as signs of divine presence.

How Psychologists Understand It

Psychologists describe possession experiences as altered states of consciousness often linked to dissociation or trance disorders. During these episodes, a person may speak, act or move in ways they later cannot recall and suggest that behaviour that appears come from another identity or being.

Researchers note that these states are culturally rooted. In many societies, such behavior is accepted and even celebrated. Some cases are classified as possession syndrome or hysterical possession from a psychiatric viewpoint. For many, such moments provide as a mode to release emotional stress and brings sense of connection or social recognition. Experts say that these experiences can sometimes be a way to dealwith stress, grief or trauma in a culturally acceptable form.

Documented Medical Diagnoses

In medical terms, such episodes are often recognised as Trance and Possession Disorder (TPD) or Dissociative Trance Disorder (DTD) in global diagnostic manuals like ICD-10 and ICD-11. In such moments, a person’s consciousness and identity can alter which makes them feel as if someone else has taken over their body’s control.

Some possession-like states may also appear in Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), psychotic disorders or temporal lobe epilepsy. These are neurological conditions that can produce vivid hallucinations or altered experiences.

Doctors have also identified something called Possession Syndrome where one loses control over them, change in voice or manner and memory gaps, often triggered by emotional or social stress.

Treatment And Approach

Experts recommend a multidisciplinary approach for such cases involving psychiatric evaluation, psychotherapy and medication when necessary along with sensitivity to the person’s cultural and spiritual background.

Psychologists stress that while rituals may provide comfort or symbolic healing, medical help is crucial when the symptoms are rooted in psychological or neurological conditions.