Glossolalia is the ecstatic practice of "speaking in tongues". While this practice has largely become associated with charismatic Christianity, it is a pre-Christian practice and persists in many religions, including modern Santeria. Glossolalia has traditionally been understood to be a marker of possession by a God. The oracular priestess at Delphi (first an Earth Goddess shrine and later re-dedicated to the God of Prophecy, Apollo) is known to have engaged in glossolalia. Glossolalia is a chthonic phenomena and is under the aegis of the Earth Goddesses. Glossolalia can also be seen as a means of accessing the non-linear aspects of consciousness and can improve ones' ability to access the deeper aspects of the self. It often brings a feeling of deep peace and the fulfillment that comes from creative self-expression.
Glossolalia has been associated with snakes since the ancient world and even some charismatic Christians handle poisonous snakes in glossolalic rituals; this assoication suggests the relationship of the practice to primal power (shakti, kundalini) that may be used for many purposes, especially healing, creativity and prophecy. Glossolalia is known to be among the most powerful techniques for raising energy. With a working partner or group, this energy may be directed by someone who retains greater willful awareness than those who are speaking in tongues. It is possible with practice, however, to both speak in tongues and direct energy at the same time. Few (if any) can retain willfulness and emobody a God at the same time.
Some receive glossolalia passively by opening themselves to the possibility and waiting on the movements of Deity to possess or dramatically inspire them. The practice may be engaged in actively, however, and is remarkably easy and rewarding. Pagan Universalism teaches the practice of glossolalia as an adjunct to personal medition, prayer and ritual working. The only bar to the experience of glossolalia is self-consciousness or fear of embarrassment. A set of guidelines is included below.
In order to use glossolalia actively, it is important to understand the function of "seed sounds". Seed sounds are the doorway to ecstatic experience though glossolalia. One utters these seeds, then begins to play with them on the tongue and with the body, allowing them to change consciouness and approach deific possession. Any sound may become a seed sound, but the names of Deity, the vowels and hard consonants seem to yield the best results. Utilization of the names of Deity is an invitation for possession by that Deity. For example, one may invoke Gaia by repeating her name over and over until it is felt that one has reached a threshold of consciousness--when the name has ceased to carry its linear meaning and perception seems both inward and elevated. At this point, the name will start to break into its separate sounds "guy, guy, guy, gay, gay, ge ge, aye, aye, aye, uh, uh, uh," and awareness will take wing, transforming the sounds and following inspiration to utter whatever stream of sound presents itself. If the technique is working, you will feel emotional and physical ecstasy. Accurate prophecies, in an intelligible language, sometimes emerge in the middle of a glossolalic utterance. Let those emerge.
1) Choose a seed sound and a place in which to do the practice. 2) Center and Ground. Establish an energetic connection with the Earth. Sky energy will help to retain willfillness if you are working magic alone, but sky energy is generally not helpful in deific possession unless you are seeking possession by a sky god. The Earth Goddess is easier and safer for most people to work with. 3) Begin uttering your seed sound. 4) Surrender to ecstasy and let the sounds emerge. 5) When you feel that the practice has run its course (your consciousness will begin to return to normal), "earth" the power by visualizing it streaming through your hand into the ground. Re-center and e-ground.
You may want to create a full ritual for the use of glossolalia--either to engender ecstasy, raise power, get in touch with the Core Self and its creativity, or to work an oracle. You may want to especially include Earth Goddesses and earth correspondences. In partnerships or group workings, it will be more effective if a "designated driver" refrains from glossolalia and contains and directs the energy.