- This topic is empty.
-
AuthorPosts
-
RobyoParticipantI've been thinking about the psychology of trance. The trance state has ancient roots, yet only recently (since 1200's or so with the invention of the mechanical clock) have we been subjected to mechanized hypnotic phenomena. At present, with such steady tempo and prolonged duration, it's certainly become devoid of any natural counterparts. I question the healthful applications of such exercise, but it certainly has powerful implications. So what is the hypnotic state? Is it myth that higher IQ individuals are more easily hypnotized?
As a species we have adapted to unnatural rhythms, but are we any healthier mentally or physically because of it? It certainly feels good to get your dance on, and cut loose from a stressful life, but is that another symptom of an unhealthy society?cool article:
Trance and Healing: Psychology, Biology, and Culture
Journal article by Jürgen W. Kremer, Jeanne Achterberg; Re-vision, Vol. 16, 1994
Journal Article ExcerptTrance and Healing: Psychology, Biology, and Culture
U nderstanding trance states
or altered states of con-
sciousness seems essential
for our insights into the
healing process. The ma-
jority of indigenous peoples have
always (and still are) employing par-
ticular forms of what anthropologists
would call trances in their healing
endeavors. During recent years, re-
lated approaches have been adopted
in First World countries within the
neo-shamanic movement and alterna-
tive medical approaches (this adop-
tion of native ways is frequently seen
as politically and ethically problem-
atic by indigenous peoples).The choice of the word trance in this
issue's theme is not without problems.
It is primarily used within the disci-
pline of anthropology. Some psychol-
ogists prefer the term altered states of
consciousness, others want to speak of
states of consciousness only (since we
all go through a variety of different
states of consciousness during each
day, each state presenting an altera-
tion from the previous one). Most in-
digenous peoples have their own cul-
turally specific and accurate terminol-
ogies that seem inadequately rendered
into the generic categories of trance or
altered state (however, some people do
not seem to distinguish it from ordi-
nary consciousness in their language).
We have made no attempt to resolve
these terminological issues, and the
difference in the language of our con-
tributors reflects their disciplinary
backgrounds and predilections.This issue on “Trance and Healing:
Biology, Psychology, and Culture”
presents a wide spectrum of ap-
proaches. This multiplicity of
perspectives and intermingling of
academic disciplines is significant for
the adequate exploration of such an
important topic. Psychological,
psychobiological, anthropological,
and philosophical perspectives are
represented in the articles. The reader
will find case studies, experimental
studies, theoretical explorations, and
cultural criticism in the different
essays. It should be apparent that any
reduction to a mono-causal explana-
tion of trance behavior and healing is
utterly misguided in the eyes of the
editors. Neither the psychobiology
nor the psychology nor the anthro-
pology of trance can offer ultimate
explanations of the process and the
effects of this intriguing process of
consciousness. The significance of
this issue may be the multiple viewing
of this important and complex human
potential. Each article adds a piece of
understanding to this puzzle in the
eyes of the contemporary Western
reseacher.Jeanne Achterberg's article offers a
taxonomy of symbols that occur dur-
ing visionary and healing work. She
covers the entire range of levels from
neurological functioning to the arche-
typal and spiritual. This is the first
attempt at such a comprehensive tax-
onomy.Melinda Maxfield's study of sha-
manic drumming looks at ancient phe-
nomena with modern technology and
in a modern setting. She analyzes the
shifts in brainwave patterns during
creative or visionary experiences.This is a landmark study because of
the level of controls for artifacts in
the measurements. The use of EEG
recordings presents an important
research avenue, without attempting
to reduce trance experiences to the
psychobiological level.Peggy Wright offers a comprehen-
sive overview of the past research in
the psychobiology of trance. She dis-
cusses the literature critically, com-
pares the different research perspec-
tives, and makes her own contribu-
tion by offering an integrative model
of the psychobiology of trance.Jürgen Kremer and Stanley Kripp-
ner report on their attempt to validate
Felicitas Goodman's work on trance
postures. Goodman's claim of the re-
discovery of an ancient ritual behav-
ior is critically explored from two
perspectives: (1) supportive anthro-
pological evidence, and (2) a con-
trolled psychological investigation of
the trance experiences that partici-
pants report.The concluding article by Jürgen
Kremer discusses how we construct
trance and altered states of con-
sciousness culturally, how we relate
to the strange and culturally dif-
ferent. Chaos theory is used in an at-
tempt to develop a generic model of
healing. He goes on to explore the
possibility of an indigenous science
for Euro-American peoples. How
could scientists gain access to their
own indigenous voice?— Jürgen W. Kremer
— Jeanne Achterberg
-147-
To continue reading this publication, you must have a Questia Subscription.
Try Us Today! Click HereQuestia provides the world's largest online library of scholarly books and journal articles, with integrated footnote and bibliography tools, highlighting, note taking and book marking. With a Questia subscription, you'll have access to the full text of more than 67,000 books and 1.5 million articles.
PookztAMemberhell yeah this article rocks 🙂 glad science is examining the physiology behind “trance” using ancient drumming and cultures. that is awesome. Hopefully they do a similar study of the electronic music tribes that are forming and growing so that the data can be compared to the ancient cultures 🙂 cool post Rob!
RobyoParticipantHopefully they do a similar study of the electronic music tribes that are forming and growing so that the data can be compared to the ancient cultures 🙂
We're making that study.
😉RobyoParticipantI've also been thinking about the use of drones and how it they affect the listener. A drone is simply a long sustained note that is keyed to the root of the scale. The use of drones as a tool for healing is as ancient as music itself.
The Australian aborigines, who's culture can be traced back for 40,000 years, have mastered drones in relaying their myths and for entering the “dreamtime.” Their favorite tool for this is the yudiki or didjeridoo, also known as “dreamstick.” The didj player produces a drone effect by utilizing circular-breathing technique which produces an unbroken tone over which other sounds and vocalizations can be added. The resulting timbre is rich and varied and often other-worldly. Even the act of circular-breathing is in itself consciousness-expanding, since it causes the player to increase oxygen levels in the blood and brain.
Across the ocean in India, a culture whose art and music achievements dwarf any other culture on the planet, they have long used the drone (shruti) as a basis for musical composition. Their classical drone instrument is the tanpura, a 4-string instrument usually tuned to the root and 4th or 5th notes of the scale (raga). It is said that an Indian vocalist is lost without the tanpura in which to anchor his or her voice to.
Other instruments that can produce drones are bagpipes, pipe organs, and harmoniums. Certain brass instruments can be played with circular-breathing technique such as trombone or trumpet. Of course in modern times we have the synthesizer which is an excellent drone producer. It's interesting that the healing aspects of drones where lost to most western composers until the advent of electronic music.
justinGuestedaisGuestI've also been thinking about the use of drones and how it they affect the listener. A drone is simply a long sustained note that is keyed to the root of the scale. The use of drones as a tool for healing is as ancient as music itself.
The Australian aborigines, who's culture can be traced back for 40,000 years, have mastered drones in relaying their myths and for entering the “dreamtime.” Their favorite tool for this is the yudiki or didjeridoo, also known as “dreamstick.” The didj player produces a drone effect by utilizing circular-breathing technique which produces an unbroken tone over which other sounds and vocalizations can be added. The resulting timbre is rich and varied and often other-worldly. Even the act of circular-breathing is in itself consciousness-expanding, since it causes the player to increase oxygen levels in the blood and brain.
Across the ocean in India, a culture whose art and music achievements dwarf any other culture on the planet, they have long used the drone (shruti) as a basis for musical composition. Their classical drone instrument is the tanpura, a 4-string instrument usually tuned to the root and 4th or 5th notes of the scale (raga). It is said that an Indian vocalist is lost without the tanpura in which to anchor his or her voice to.
Other instruments that can produce drones are bagpipes, pipe organs, and harmoniums. Certain brass instruments can be played with circular-breathing technique such as trombone or trumpet. Of course in modern times we have the synthesizer which is an excellent drone producer. It's interesting that the healing aspects of drones where lost to most western composers until the advent of electronic music.
I've long been thinking about this topic. Let's not forget Gregorian Chant, which was one of the earliest forms of recorded (written) western music. This evolved into organum when it went from being purely monophonic plainchant to containing multiple voices and coincidentally marked the birth of western polyphony.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_chant
Trance, in my opinion, can be seen as a modernized reawakening of this and as Robyo stated, drone-type music. One interesting point is that plainchant/Gregorian chant did not have specified rhythm to it and was left up to the singers to decide tempo and any regularity/irregularity in rhythm. It would be really interesting to see music such as psytrance evolve in such a way where locked rhythm was taken out of the equation…something I'd coin as “free trance” (not similar to suomi) if it were to ever happen (Psykovsky comes the closest to what I'm talking about). Unfortunately, trance music nowadays is highly dance centric and not listener centric, so taking rhythm out of the equation would probably take dancing out of the equation too. Also, it would require really dedicated individuals or new software, as most modern sequencers/DAWs center around structured beats and patterned motivic development for the production of synthesized music.
Fortunately, there is beatless ambient and some more creative downtempo artists that bend and break boundaries when it comes to tempo, rhythm, and time signatures. Why trance artists don't do it too…well, there are the above stated points of the production software, but even then I'd think someone would at least try it. Probably because a lot of them are DJs first and are committed to providing mixable material. I hope to eventually get there. My most recent track made use of a 5/4 time signature at the beginning and last couple minutes of the track, meaning it would be really hard to mix. Suffice to say, I don't really care. –>http://soundcloud.com/holographic-by-nature/foxy-epoxy
RobyoParticipantThanks for mentioning the Gregorian chants, Phil. Very heady, trancey stuff for sure.
I wonder if sometime in the future, producers will be able to interface so closely with their programs that they might send midi clock using their heart beat or fill in notes using only brain impulses…
PauldoMemberAt Burning Man this past year there was an installation that consisted of an easy chair, bass bin behind it and a flashing light about the chair. There were electrodes in the arms rest were you placed your fingers tips. Once the chair caught your pulse it would vibrate, the bass thump, and the light go on/off to the pace of your heart beat. Pretty cool.
zensphereMemberTrance, in my opinion, can be seen as a modernized reawakening of this and as Robyo stated, drone-type music. One interesting point is that plainchant/Gregorian chant did not have specified rhythm to it and was left up to the singers to decide tempo and any regularity/irregularity in rhythm. It would be really interesting to see music such as psytrance evolve in such a way where locked rhythm was taken out of the equation…something I'd coin as “free trance” (not similar to suomi) if it were to ever happen (Psykovsky comes the closest to what I'm talking about). Unfortunately, trance music nowadays is highly dance centric and not listener centric, so taking rhythm out of the equation would probably take dancing out of the equation too. Also, it would require really dedicated individuals or new software, as most modern sequencers/DAWs center around structured beats and patterned motivic development for the production of synthesized music.
Sure, but it's as easy as pie in most modern DAWs to bend tempo and change time signatures… In some shamanic trance drumming, the tactus (basic rhythmic pulse) is really the only temporal consideration, with there being no structured divisive or additive rhythms at all. I think I've heard that replicated in some sloppy DJ sets, too! ;D
I think it is more a matter of the composer's intent than any real software limitations at this point.
-
AuthorPosts
