Communion

1. A Sudden, Terrifying Awakening

On December 26, 1985, at a secluded cabin in upstate New York, Whitley Strieber went skiing with his wife and son, ate Christmas dinner leftovers, and went to bed early. Six hours later, he found himself suddenly awake... and forever changed.

An ordinary night shattered. The author describes a peaceful evening at his cabin that abruptly turned terrifying. Awakened by strange noises, he witnessed a small, non-human figure enter his bedroom despite the house alarm being set. This initial encounter was so shocking it felt like a dream, yet his mind was sharp and fully awake.

Paralysis and abduction. Following the figure's entry, Strieber experienced profound paralysis and a blackout. His next conscious memory was being moved, naked and unable to control his body, out of the room and into the night. This terrifying sensation of helplessness marked the beginning of an ordeal that felt intensely real.

Screen memories emerge. After the experience, Strieber awoke with a vivid, yet false, memory of seeing a barn owl outside his window. This "screen memory" served to mask the traumatic events, a psychological defense mechanism noted by Freud. Physical symptoms like extreme fatigue, chills, and a mysterious finger infection also appeared, hinting at the hidden trauma.

2. Unlocking Buried Memories Through Hypnosis

This is an actual transcript of my first hypnosis. Nothing has been left out. This is what happened when my memories were examined under hypnotic regression.

Seeking professional help. Tormented by unexplained symptoms and fragmented, disturbing recollections, Strieber sought help from UFO researcher Budd Hopkins, who connected him with psychiatrist and expert hypnotist Dr. Donald Klein. Strieber was initially skeptical of hypnosis but desperate for answers, fearing he was losing his mind.

Reliving the trauma. Under hypnosis, deeply buried memories of the December 26th night and an earlier incident on October 4th, 1985, began to surface. The October 4th memory involved seeing a hooded figure, experiencing intense fear, and being shown terrifying images of global destruction and his son's death via a silver wand touching his forehead. The December 26th memory detailed being carried, examined in a small room, and subjected to invasive procedures.

Witness corroboration. Crucially, Strieber's wife and houseguests from the October 4th night also recalled strange events, including a loud bang, unusual lights, and sounds of movement, although their conscious memories were fragmented and confused. His son also reported a dream of "little doctors" taking him out on the porch. This external corroboration challenged the idea that Strieber's experiences were purely psychological.

3. Physical Signs and Strange Effects

An infection appeared on my right forefinger. It looked like a splinter injury, but I could not remember getting a splinter... I noticed that I was uncomfortable sitting because of rectal pain... In the middle of this sensitive area my wife could see a tiny pinpoint of a scab.

Unexplained physical symptoms. Beyond the psychological distress, Strieber experienced a range of physical anomalies following the encounters. These included:

• A festering splinter-like injury on his forefinger.
• Uncomfortable rectal pain.
• A tiny scab behind his right ear.
• Bouts of extreme fatigue and chills without fever.
• A period of "missing time" and disorientation.

Nasal probe and temporal lobe. Months later, Strieber developed a knot and bleeding in his left nostril, similar to injuries his wife and son had experienced earlier. This coincided with learning that temporal lobe abnormalities, which can cause symptoms like panic and strange perceptions, are sometimes tested with nasal probes. However, subsequent temporal lobe EEG tests found no abnormalities, suggesting the physical effects were not due to a known medical condition.

Electronic interference. Strieber and others in a support group reported strange effects on electronic devices, such as car engines dying, televisions turning on/off, and lights flickering. Strieber himself noted he could sometimes affect electronics by placing his hand near them. These physical effects, while anecdotal, added another layer of strangeness that defied simple psychological explanation.

4. A Pattern of Encounters Across a Lifetime

For most of my life I was running from this, whatever it is.

Beyond isolated incidents. As Strieber delved deeper, he began to suspect the encounters were not limited to 1985 but were part of a lifelong pattern. Hypnosis revealed a terrifying experience at age twelve, seemingly involving his father and sister, which he had no conscious memory of. This suggested a history of hidden interactions.

Screen memories and running. Throughout his life, Strieber realized he had numerous "screen memories" – vivid, yet false, recollections like seeing a wolf or being present at a shooting – that may have masked traumatic events. He also recognized a pattern of inexplicable fear and a compulsion to move frequently, constantly "running" from an unknown source of anxiety.

Childhood hints. Further investigation into his past and conversations with childhood friends unearthed odd incidents, such as building an "antigravity machine" based on alleged "spacemen" instructions and a strange event in a cornfield involving a large, hovering object, which his son also later described in a "dream." These scattered memories, often dismissed at the time, suggested a long-standing, hidden involvement.

5. Descriptions of Enigmatic Beings

Their eyes are often described as "limitless," "haunting," and "baring the soul."

Multiple types observed. Strieber and others reported encountering different types of non-human figures. Descriptions included:

• Small, stocky beings in dark blue coveralls, sometimes perceived as a "good army."
• A small, robot-like figure with a round hat and chest plates.
• Taller, slender, delicate beings with prominent, mesmerizing black slanted eyes and minimal facial features.
• Smaller, huddled figures with similarly shaped heads but round, black button-like eyes.

Distinct features and behavior. Common features across accounts included bald heads, gray or dun-colored skin, and large, dark, expressionless eyes often described as piercing or limitless. Their movements were often perceived as quick, stiff, or insect-like, sometimes moving in unison. They communicated through aural voices (sometimes high-pitched or deep) or seemingly telepathically, placing words directly into the mind.

The "female" presence. Strieber developed a strong sense of familiarity and even affection towards one particular being, whom he perceived as female, despite her non-human appearance. This being, often described as taller and thinner, had the piercing eyes and was associated with moments of insight and emotional intensity, including the "You are our chosen one" message and the ability to seemingly look into his soul.

6. Shared Ordeal, Shared Community

I think we're sisters and brothers not from the fact that we went through something together but from the fact that we noticed.

Finding others. Strieber's journey led him to connect with Budd Hopkins' support group, a diverse collection of individuals who also reported similar unexplained experiences. This meeting was a profound relief, confirming he was not alone or insane, but part of a larger, hidden phenomenon.

Common experiences and themes. The colloquy revealed striking similarities in reported encounters:

• Seeing similar types of beings with large, dark eyes.
• Experiences of paralysis and missing time.
• Invasive procedures, including probes in the nose or ear.
• Encounters starting in childhood.
• Feelings of being watched or monitored.
• Disorientation regarding place or time.
• Effects on electronic devices.

Coping and community. The group provided mutual support in navigating the psychological burden of these experiences. Participants discussed the difficulty of integrating the bizarre events into normal life, the fear of ridicule, and the struggle between dismissing the experiences as psychological versus accepting them as real. The shared trauma created a unique bond and a sense of belonging among the "hidden choir."

7. Speculating on Their Nature and Purpose

If intelligence is normally centered in a hive or group context, a species such as mankind with individual independence of will might be a precious thing indeed, an almost inexhaustible reservoir of new thoughts and ways of acting.

Beyond extraterrestrials. Strieber explores various hypotheses for the visitors' identity, moving beyond simple "aliens from another planet." Possibilities include:

• Beings from Earth, but fundamentally different (e.g., a hive species).
• Entities from another dimension or time.
• Manifestations from the human unconscious or collective belief.
• A natural phenomenon affecting the mind.
• A mature form of human existence (larva/adult).

Possible motives. The visitors' actions suggest complex, unclear motives. They seem to be studying humanity, but also interacting intimately, sometimes causing distress. The idea that they might be a hive mind, perhaps older and slower-thinking than humans, suggests they might view individual human autonomy as both valuable and potentially threatening, explaining their secretive and controlling behavior.

Communion or control? The term "communion" is suggested as a possible core purpose, implying a deep, perhaps spiritual, connection sought by the visitors. However, the invasive and often terrifying nature of the encounters leaves open the possibility of control or utilization rather than mutual exchange, raising ethical questions about their "right" to interact with humanity in this manner.

8. History, Secrecy, and Official Dismissal

Seven hundred fifty years, and it's still 'the wind making the stars sway.'

Ancient roots. Strieber notes that accounts of strange aerial phenomena and encounters with non-human entities are not new, citing historical examples dating back centuries, including airship sightings and interactions with figures resembling modern visitor descriptions. This suggests a long-standing, perhaps continuous, presence woven into human folklore and mythology.

Government secrecy. The author presents evidence suggesting government knowledge and secrecy regarding the phenomenon, particularly in the United States. He cites the 1947 Roswell incident, where an official press release about a recovered "flying disc" was quickly retracted and replaced with a weather balloon explanation, and later instances of denied access to related documents. This official dismissal has contributed to public confusion and the marginalization of those who report encounters.

Scientific resistance. The scientific community, influenced by official stances and inherent resistance to phenomena outside established paradigms, has largely dismissed the subject. Strieber critiques the Condon Report for its biased preface contradicting its own findings and notes how this dismissal has left individuals who experience encounters isolated and unsupported, often facing ridicule instead of serious inquiry.

9. Living with the Unexplained

Assuming the correctness of my perceptions, this book then becomes a chronicle not only of my discovery of a visitor's presence in the world but also one of how I have learned to fear them less.

The burden of uncertainty. The most significant challenge for Strieber and others is living with the profound uncertainty about the nature and source of their experiences. The constant tension between the possibility of mental illness and the compelling evidence of an external reality creates deep psychological stress and a feeling of being fundamentally separated from the normal world.

Finding strength and acceptance. Despite the terror and confusion, Strieber's journey leads to a degree of acceptance and a reduction in fear. By facing the memories, connecting with others, and exploring possible explanations, he begins to integrate the experience into his life. The process becomes less about proving the visitors' existence and more about understanding the impact on his own consciousness and identity.

A call for open inquiry. The book concludes with a plea for a more open and rigorous approach to the phenomenon, urging science, government, and society to move beyond dismissal and secrecy. Strieber suggests that understanding this mystery requires a new way of seeing, one that embraces both scientific inquiry and the rich, often bizarre, landscape of human experience, mythology, and the unconscious.

Last updated: May 5, 2025