When about to converse with the spirits the ballyan places an offering before her and begins to chant and wail.  A distant stare comes into her eyes, her body begins to twitch convulsively until she is shivering and trembling as if seized with the ague.  In this condition she receives the messages of the spirits and under their direction conducts the ceremony.

Rosell gives the following description of the possession of a ballyan.[2] Nothing of this nature was seen by the writer.

[2] BLAIR and ROBERTSON, Vol.  XLIII, p. 218.

“They erect a sort of small altar on which they place the manaugs or images of the said gods which are made of the special wood of the bayog tree, which they destine exclusively for this use.  When the unfortunate hog which is to serve as a sacrifice is placed above the said altar, the chief bailana approaches with balarao or dagger in hand which she brandishes and drives into the poor animal, which will surely be grunting in spite of the gods and the religious solemnity, as it is fearful of what is going to happen to it; and leaves the victim weltering in its blood.  Then immediately all the bailanas drink of the blood in order to attract the prophetic spirit to themselves and to give their auguries or the supposed inspirations of their gods.  Scarcely have they drunk the blood, when they become as though possessed by an infernal spirit which agitates them and makes them tremble as does the body of a person with the ague or like one who shivers with the cold.”

SPIRITS.

The following spirits are known to the ballyan of the Mayo district: 

I. DIWATA.  A good spirit who is besought for aid against the machinations of evil beings.  The people of Mayo claim that they do not now, nor have they at any time made images of their gods, but in the vicinity of Cateel Maxey has seen wooden images called manaog, which were said to represent Diwata on earth.  According to his account “the ballyan dances for three consecutive nights before the manaog, invoking his aid and also holding conversation with the spirits.  This is invariably done while the others are asleep.”  He further states that with the aid of Diwata the ballyan is able to foretell the future by the reading of palms.  “If she should fail to read the future the first time, she dances for one night before the manaog and the following day is able to read it clearly, the Diwata having revealed the hidden meaning to her during the night conference."[1]

[1] In the Mayo district palmistry is practiced by several old people who make no claim of having the aid of the spirits.  Bagani Paglambayon read the palms of the writer and one of his assistants, but all his predictions were of an exceedingly general nature and on the safe side.