DOCSLIB.ORG

The 'Vines of the Self': an Assessment of Entheogenic Shamanic Tourism In

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The 'Vines of the Self': an Assessment of Entheogenic Shamanic Tourism In Social Cosmos – URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-101270 The ‘Vines of the Self’: An assessment of entheogenic shamanic tourism in light of modern identity Henrike Prudon Abstract The hallucinogenic brew ayahuasca - „the vines of the soul‟ - has become a coveted commodity for tourists who seek out shamans for spiritual guidance through indigenous rituals. The increase in this type of spirituality tourism seems to be a negating reaction to the malaises of modernity. However, by determining that the particulars of the three mayor components - the entheogen ayahuasca, the ritual and the tourist - are all in support of the individualist search for self-exploration, this paper will show that the use of ayahuasca by tourists in its authentic setting is actually very much in line with modernity and its concept of identity. Keywords: ayahuasca, entheogen, shamanic tourism, spirituality, individualism Introduction collective instead of the individual, and the The most common critique of modern society spiritual instead of the rational. Especially when often focuses on how it has embraced mediated by hallucinogens such as the ayahuasca individualism and secularism, its emphasis on brew, these rituals are met with skepticism, rationalism and the loss of collectivity. Somehow because they are perceived to facilitate drug- feelings of disconnection abound in the 21st seeking behavior instead of creating “true” century, as expressed by the growing need for spiritual experiences (Winkelman, 2005). psychological help, the emphasis on group By uncovering the motives for seeking identity markers by ethnic and religious out entheogenic shamanistic practice and its segments of society, and many other forms of impact on personal spirituality, I will try to show resistance seemingly designed to take back that increased use of these techniques does not control over identity in any way possible. For signal a rise in drug-seeking behavior or provide some, this has led to an interest in forms of a romantic hideaway from modernity, but that spiritually that place less emphasis on the they are actually very much in line with modern reverence of deities and more on the connection Western discourse on identity. To start with, with the self. Practices such as yoga, meditation, pivotal concepts such as “entheogens” and their use of the Tao Te Ching and mindfulness are all associated rituals will be explained, as well as derived from this category of spirituality, as they their contemporary connection in certain tend to place the focus on unraveling the cultures, their reported effect on personal authentic “self” from the structures of daily life. spirituality, and their transformation into tools Besides incorporating “other” spiritual for modern exploration of identity. Using mostly themes into Western society, certain elements are qualitative data, we will then turn towards an actively sought out in their native environment assessment of the motives of shamanic tourists, because of a perceived authenticity that cannot and conclude that the use of entheogens in a be duplicated elsewhere (Cremers, 2010). ritualistic environment is not a form of resistance Shamanism has especially become a to the philosophy of identity that marks modern romanticized ideal of enjoying a close, almost society, but a continuation of it. In this context, idyllic relationship with the natural environment the importance of entheogens lies in their role as which stands in sharp contrast to perceptions of tools, as “mediators between mind and the disconnected world of modern technological environment” (Tupper, 2002:4). society (Foutiou 2010). This stereotype has led With regards to the differing nature of to a view of shamanism as an inherently anti- these tourists, I will follow Cremer (2010) and modern pursuit that places its emphasis on the make a clear distinction between two groups of 158 Social Cosmos – URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-101270 people: “shamanic tourists,” who usually come to achieve a feeling of transcendence, and while through travel agencies and have few shamanic their effects are not completely universal, a set of intentions or experience, and “shamanic settlers,” “typical” experiences have been defined. For who often stay for a longer period of time to example, while depending on dosage and explore their own spirituality and/or to come environment, those who label their experience as under the tutelage of a local shaman (Cremer, “spiritual,” often report ego dissolution or ego 2010:28). death, rebirth and feelings of unity with nature. In almost all cases, a loss of positioning in time Entheogens and space occurs (Roberts, 2006), as described A relatively new concept, entheogens, can best by Aldous Huxley in his work The Doors of be defined as all non-addictive, mind-altering Perception: drugs used for their religious or spiritual effects, whether or not in a formal religious or traditional “At ordinary times the eye concerns itself structure. The term entheogen - literally meaning with such problems as Where? - How far? “god-containing” - is separated from the general - How situated in relation to what? In the category of hallucinogens by scientists in order mescaline experience, the implied to limit the effects of bias towards use of questions to which the eye responds are of hallucinogens by providing a terminological another order. Place and distance cease to contrast detaching it from recreational use be of much interest. […] The mind was (Tupper, 2002:2). Besides determining primarily concerned, not with measures motivations for use as an important distinction, and locations, but with being and meaning. certain general effects on the psyche can also And along with indifference to space, there used to define the concept. As Smith (2000) has went an even completer indifference to argued, entheogens are only those substances time.” (Huxley, 1954: 14) that facilitate a deep and abiding sense of “ontological wonder”. The Marsh Chapel These common denominators make these plant experiment of 1962 has proven that psilocybin, tools especially useful for cross-cultural research the active psychedelic ingredient of on spiritual phenomena; the inherently hallucinogenic mushrooms, does in fact provide incomprehensible nature of spiritual experience an effect similar to that of a religious experience can now be undergone and described in an (Pahnke, 1966); since then, numerous studies academic setting, as was done by Huxley. have shown that other entheogens such as the Although there remains debate on whether Peyote cactus and the ayahuasca brew induce having the same state of mind also means that comparable experiences (Walsh, 2003; Smith, the experience is the same for religious and non- 2000). It has even been suggested by several religious people, it is a step towards a more scholars that the typical effects produced by comprehensive understanding of what the entheogens have contributed to general definition spiritual experience entails. After all, the of the human spiritual experience (Walsh, 2003; common effects of entheogens imply that the Roberts, 2006). spiritual experience can simply be a byproduct of Many other strategies conducive to a chemical imbalance in the body that we can achieving an “alternate state of mind,” such as rationally understand (Dobkin de Rios, 1984). In breathing exercises and deep meditation this context, spirituality does not have to pertain techniques, have also experienced an increase in to a belief in the metaphysical; as we shall see outside interest; yet they are less popular and further on, perceiving the ayahuasca ritual as an attract a type of spirituality seeker that is often assertion of any higher being is more often than more willing to disconnect from modern society not of little importance in the motivations of completely because acquiring these skills often shamanic tourists (Winkelman, 2005). takes months if not years of intensive tutelage. Entheogens are a relatively quick and easy way Ayahuasca - the ‘vine of the soul’ and its rituals 159 Social Cosmos – URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-101270 traditional ritual, the specifics may vary greatly. Ayahuasca - translating into „vine of the soul‟ - Rituals in which the shaman imbibes the drink is a tea brewed out of two indigenous Amazonian and “journeys” or communes with the deities are plants, Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria common (Eliade, 1964); yet one should be viridis. While not psychoactive separately, cautious of generalizing the form and meaning of together they can have a strong psychological these rituals. For example, in some cultures the and physical effect on the imbiber (Tupper, brew is said to imbue the taker with clairvoyance 2008). Used since pre-colonial times, it has while in others it is an extension of the shaman‟s served roughly three functions: as a sacrament in healing ability, allowing him to see what is magico-religious practice, as a rite of passage making a person ill. Here, the shaman has a and as a medicinal tool. Especially as a religious socio-cultural role and the rituals themselves are sacrament, ayahuasca is bound up in an a way of reproducing social structure (Tirri, indigenous paradigm of supernatural forces and 2006). spirits, “an account corroborated if not validated However, ongoing tourism has had a by the phenomenology of the ayahuasca mayor effect on the ayahuasca rituals and their experience” (Tupper, 2008:2). While the meanings. As Cremer (2010), Fotiou (2010) and experience itself is of the same category as that Winkelman (2005) note, some of the shamans
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Remote Viewing by Tim Rifat Introduction
    Remote Viewing by Tim Rifat Introduction At the height of the Cold War, a new twist to weapons development occurred. The Soviet Union systematised its investigations in to how to harness the paranormal and use it for military purposes. What in other times was seen as magic or witchcraft -laying a curse, predicting the future, having second sight - had already gained scientific respectability in the USSR with the recognition of clairvoyance and the acceptance of psychic phenomena; research into telepathy had started in the Soviet Union in the twenties and thirties. However it was stopped by Stalin, who thought it smacked of idealism and superstition. Now the Russians plunged into a large-scale research programme. Billions of roubles were poured into the investigation and development of psychic energy (psi) and electronic mind-control technology. To convince hard-nosed military men that psychic phenomena can win wars may, on the face of it, appear to be a forlorn task. In fact, it happened the other way, around as some of the leading minds in the Russian military convinced their leaders to spend fortunes on this effort. Science fiction writers have not come close to the reality of the actual research undertaken since then. The aim was no less than to produce psychic agents, capable of visualizing top-secret sites and installations located thousands of miles away, reading the minds of their country’s enemies, intervening and altering thought processes, and even killing through psychic attack. The first step was the development of remote viewing. People displaying psychic sensitivity were sought out all over the USSR and trained under the strictest secrecy as spies with a difference.
    [Show full text]
  • A Brief History of the Women's Entheogen Fund
    34 m a p s • v o l u m e x v i n u m b e r 2 • a u t u m n 2 o o 6 A Brief History of The Women’s Entheogen Fund The Women’s Entheogen Fund (WEF) nated women for funding. When Carla was created in 2002 to support the work passed away earlier this year, another Annie Harrison of women who spend a significant portion woman made a generous grant in Carla’s memory, thus expanding the pool of [email protected] of their professional lives researching psychoactive plants and chemicals. donors to the fund. Other women have While women have historically now stepped forward to make donations played a central role in investigating the in Carla’s honor and create more aware- use of entheogens, their work has been ness of the WEF. funded less frequently and has been I am very pleased to see the WEF consistently underrepresented in the community continue to grow and ac- scientific and popular entheogenic knowledge the contributions of its literature. members. I would like to thank WEF It has been especially distressing to recipients Sylvia Thyssen and Fire Erowid see relatively few female entheogenic for taking the time to document their researchers presenting their work at valuable research here in the MAPS relevant conferences over the years. This Bulletin. These women form the center of continuing disparity was illustrated once a community that I hope will continue to more at the International Symposium on support the work of female entheogenic the Occasion of the 100th Birthday of investigators–a proud and sacred tradition …as I began Albert Hofmann that took place in Basel, that stretches forward from the first wise Switzerland earlier this year.
    [Show full text]
  • The Entheogens: Technology of Sacred from the Shamanic Experience
    The Entheogens: technology of Sacred from the shamanic experience The term "entheogen" comes from the greek "entheos" which means "God inside". It was used for the first time by Gordon Wasson to point out those aubatances which lead the human being to recognize the divine inside themselves. We are talking about "the sacred plants" which have always been used, in the sciamanic culture, to extabilish a contact with the parallel world of spirits in order to recognize the enemies and anything which can demage the human beeing. This in its intuitive and clairvoyant powers. Regarding the entheogenic experience, interesting hypotesis have been advanced, which consider it to be the origin of religions (G. Wasson), and history of humanity could be divided into three Eras. (J. OTT). The first one is the Era of Entheogens, which had been developing itself in at least 50 millenniums, was characterized by the shamanic spiritual demostration as the entheogenic religious experience of Iron Age. This Era is considered to end with the destruction of the sanctuary of Eleusis, the last great mystery-entheogenic curt of the past. Then the Era of the Pharmacocratic Inquisition would follow. It was symbolically born in America with the fall of the Atzeca (1591) and officially set ill) in 1620 with the Spanish Inquisition, which forbade the use of "peyote" and other plants with the sauce effects, This period, which lasted over 1500 years, is characterized by the violent settlement of Christianity considered as a power of deconsecration and in open conflict with the entheogenic experience of the cult in the previous Era.
    [Show full text]
  • An Examination of the Concept of Reincarnation in African Philosophy
    AN EXAMINATION OF THE CONCEPT OF REINCARNATION IN AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY by HASSKEI MOHAMMED MAJEED submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY in the subject PHILOSOPHY at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROF. M. B. RAMOSE JANUARY 2012 CONTENTS Declaration vi Acknowledgement vii Key Terms viii Summary ix INTRODUCTION x Problem Statement x Methodology xi Structure of the Dissertation xii PART ONE 1 Belief in Reincarnation in some Ancient Cultures 1 CHAPTER ONE: EGYPTIAN BELIEF 2 1.1 Immortality and Reincarnation 7 1.2 Egypt and Africa 12 1.3 On the Meaning of Africa 17 CHAPTER TWO: GREEK BELIEF 19 CHAPTER THREE: INDIAN BELIEF 25 ii CHAPTER FOUR: CHINESE BELIEF 36 CHAPTER FIVE: INCA BELIEF 40 Conclusion for Part One 49 PART TWO 52 Personal Identity: A Prelude to Reincarnation 52 CHAPTER SIX: PERSONAL IDENTITY 52 6.0.0 On What Does Personal Identity Depend? 52 6.1.0 The Ontological Question in African Philosophy of Mind 55 6.1.1. Mind as a Disembodied Self-knowing Entity 56 6.1.2. Some Criticisms 64 6.1.2.1 Mind has no Akan Equivalent 65 6.1.2.2 Mind is Meaningless, Nonsensical, and Nonexistent 86 6.1.2.3 Mind is Bodily 96 6.1.2.3.1 Mind Signifies Mental or Brain Processes Identifiable with the Body 96 6.1.2.3.2 Bodily Identity as either a Fundament or Consequent 97 (a) Body as a Fundament 97 (b) Body as Consequent 106 6.1.2.4 Mind is neither Body-dependent nor a Disembodied Entity 107 6.1.3 Synthesis: Materialism, Physicalism, and Quasi-physicalism 111 6.2.0 The Normative Question in African Philosophy of Mind 121 6.3.0 Persistence (Survival) 123 iii PART THREE 128 Reincarnation in African Philosophy 128 CHAPTER SEVEN: THE DOCTRINE OF REINCARNATION IN AFRICAN THOUGHT 128 7.
    [Show full text]
  • Soma and Haoma: Ayahuasca Analogues from the Late Bronze Age
    ORIGINAL ARTICLE Journal of Psychedelic Studies 3(2), pp. 104–116 (2019) DOI: 10.1556/2054.2019.013 First published online July 25, 2019 Soma and Haoma: Ayahuasca analogues from the Late Bronze Age MATTHEW CLARK* School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), Department of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, University of London, London, UK (Received: October 19, 2018; accepted: March 14, 2019) In this article, the origins of the cult of the ritual drink known as soma/haoma are explored. Various shortcomings of the main botanical candidates that have so far been proposed for this so-called “nectar of immortality” are assessed. Attention is brought to a variety of plants identified as soma/haoma in ancient Asian literature. Some of these plants are included in complex formulas and are sources of dimethyl tryptamine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and other psychedelic substances. It is suggested that through trial and error the same kinds of formulas that are used to make ayahuasca in South America were developed in antiquity in Central Asia and that the knowledge of the psychoactive properties of certain plants spreads through migrants from Central Asia to Persia and India. This article summarizes the main arguments for the botanical identity of soma/haoma, which is presented in my book, The Tawny One: Soma, Haoma and Ayahuasca (Muswell Hill Press, London/New York). However, in this article, all the topics dealt with in that publication, such as the possible ingredients of the potion used in Greek mystery rites, an extensive discussion of cannabis, or criteria that we might use to demarcate non-ordinary states of consciousness, have not been elaborated.
    [Show full text]
  • Paranormal Beliefs: Using Survey Trends from the USA to Suggest a New Area of Research in Asia
    Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research - ISSN 2288-6168 (Online) 279 Vol. 2 No.4 August 2015: 279-306 http://dx.doi.org/10.15206/ajpor.2015.2.4.279 Paranormal Beliefs: Using Survey Trends from the USA to Suggest a New Area of Research in Asia Jibum Kim1 Sungkyunkwan University, Republic of Korea Cory Wang Nick Nuñez NORC at the University of Chicago, USA Sori Kim Sungkyunkwan University, Republic of Korea Tom W. Smith NORC at the University of Chicago, USA Neha Sahgal Pew Research Center, USA Abstract Americans continue to have beliefs in the paranormal, for example in UFOs, ghosts, haunted houses, and clairvoyance. Yet, to date there has not been a systematic gathering of data on popular beliefs about the paranormal, and the question of whether or not there is a convincing trend in beliefs about the paranormal remains to be explored. Public opinion polling on paranormal beliefs shows that these beliefs have remained stable over time, and in some cases have in fact increased. Beliefs in ghosts (25% in 1990 to 32% in 2005) and haunted houses (29% in 1990, 37% in 2001) have all increased while beliefs in clairvoyance (26% in 1990 and 2005) and astrology as scientific (31% in 2006, 32% in 2014) have remained stable. Belief in UFOs (50%) is highest among all paranormal beliefs. Our findings show that people continue to hold beliefs about the paranormal despite their lack of grounding in science or religion. Key Words: Paranormal beliefs, ghosts, astrology, UFOs, clairvoyance 1 All correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jibum Kim at Department of Sociology, Sungkyunkwan University, 25-2 Sungkyunkwan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-745, Republic of Korea or by email at [email protected].
    [Show full text]
  • Clairvoyance and Conceptualism: Rudolf Steiner's Higher Modes of Cognition As a Higher- Order Theory of Consciousness
    Clairvoyance and Conceptualism (Fetterman) 41 Clairvoyance and Conceptualism: Rudolf Steiner's Higher Modes of Cognition as a Higher- Order Theory of Consciousness Loren Fetterman Department of Religious Studies, University of Chester [email protected] While it is widely accepted among scholars that mystical experiences are entirely culturally and/or linguistically constructed, in this article I argue that mystical experiences are distinct neuro-physiological events generated through a process of conceptual development. Rudolf Steiner's experiences of shifting into higher modes of cognition are interpreted as experiences of accessing the higher-order representations proposed by higher-order theories of consciousness. I suggest that clairvoyant perceptions and esoteric symbol systems may be representations of the distinctive phenomenology associated with higher-order representations, as predicted by higher-order perception theory. This article proposes that esoteric systems of spiritual development such as Steiner's are not arbitrary creations, but technical languages pertaining to the development of higher states and stages of consciousness. It is suggested that these esoteric systems may play an important role in the future if experiences of higher states and stages of consciousness become more widespread. Keywords: Steiner; conceptualism; clairvoyance; cognitive; higher-order Introduction Over the last two decades researchers in the academic study of esotericism have shifted their methods away from primarily historical and sociological
    [Show full text]
  • Archons (Commanders) [NOTICE: They Are NOT Anlien Parasites], and Then, in a Mirror Image of the Great Emanations of the Pleroma, Hundreds of Lesser Angels
    A R C H O N S HIDDEN RULERS THROUGH THE AGES A R C H O N S HIDDEN RULERS THROUGH THE AGES WATCH THIS IMPORTANT VIDEO UFOs, Aliens, and the Question of Contact MUST-SEE THE OCCULT REASON FOR PSYCHOPATHY Organic Portals: Aliens and Psychopaths KNOWLEDGE THROUGH GNOSIS Boris Mouravieff - GNOSIS IN THE BEGINNING ...1 The Gnostic core belief was a strong dualism: that the world of matter was deadening and inferior to a remote nonphysical home, to which an interior divine spark in most humans aspired to return after death. This led them to an absorption with the Jewish creation myths in Genesis, which they obsessively reinterpreted to formulate allegorical explanations of how humans ended up trapped in the world of matter. The basic Gnostic story, which varied in details from teacher to teacher, was this: In the beginning there was an unknowable, immaterial, and invisible God, sometimes called the Father of All and sometimes by other names. “He” was neither male nor female, and was composed of an implicitly finite amount of a living nonphysical substance. Surrounding this God was a great empty region called the Pleroma (the fullness). Beyond the Pleroma lay empty space. The God acted to fill the Pleroma through a series of emanations, a squeezing off of small portions of his/its nonphysical energetic divine material. In most accounts there are thirty emanations in fifteen complementary pairs, each getting slightly less of the divine material and therefore being slightly weaker. The emanations are called Aeons (eternities) and are mostly named personifications in Greek of abstract ideas.
    [Show full text]
  • The Aquarian Empath
    THE AQUARIAN EMPATH A BRIGHTSTAR EMPOWERMENT — • — IRMA KAYE SAWYER — CHAPTER ONE — WHAT IS AN EMPATH? Greetings, dear readers! I know a lot of you reading this today are probably well aware that you are empathic, but for those who are just discovering this, I have included some helpful information for you as well. So technically, what is an empath? An empath is one who intuitively picks up the feelings, energies, and thoughts of others. They tend to be connected to the world of the unseen and Spirit from an early age, communicating with their departed loved ones or “imaginary friends,” who are very much real to them. They are very sensitive individuals, and may be prone to more physical and/or emotional challenges than their non-empathic counterparts. They are heart-driven people, and take their relationships seriously. They may also have a tendency toward over-empathy, which can easily lead to codependence. Strong personal boundaries are a must for an empathic person to maintain a healthy and balanced life. If you are empathic, you know it all too well: you feel as if you’re going to scream if you see one more abandoned animal or impoverished child commercial. You tend to hide at parties and talk to the plants and animals, because they understand you and don't tell you all their problems. Ah, the life of an empath! So, is it possible to transform from a life of pain and hassle to a life of bliss and blessings? I'm here to tell you about exactly that, dear ones.
    [Show full text]
  • Academic and Neo-Pagan Interpretations of Shamanism In
    Academic and neo•pagan interpretations of shamanism in Buile Suibhne: a comparative approach1 Alexandra Bergholm University of Helsinki, Department of Comparative Religion, [email protected] Introduction n the introductory chapter to the book titled New Directions in Celtic Studies (1999), editors Amy Hale and Philip Payton expressed their concern about the general unwillingness within Celtic Studies to address the array of modern “Celticity” (Hale & Payton 1999, 1–2). I Although several scholars have already begun to acknowledge that ‘the constructed nature of contemporary Celtic identities’ in all its complexity is a topic worth studying, critics argue that the field is still dominantly focused on analysing medieval literature by outdated methods of comparative cultural analysis (Ibid, 2, 8, 10). While I personally do not embrace the claims that Celtic Studies as an academic discipline lacks methodological progress and critical discourse, I do agree with the view that modern expressions of “Celticity”, rather than being rejected at the outset as unauthentic or fabricated, deserve attention alongside with the more traditional topics of Celtic scholarship.2 In this article, I will elaborate on this outlook by bringing one aspect of modern Celtic spirituality3 • the Neo•Pagan reception of the 12th century tale Buile Suibhne (The Frenzy of Suibhne) • into comparison with scholarly discussions of the same text. Though it is arguable that the academic and Neo•Pagan approaches to early Irish material differ substantially in the aims of their inquiries, I would claim that in terms of literary interpretation, the scholarly and Neo•Pagan views of the tale’s main protagonist Suibhne as a shamanic figure share common ground in their underlying presuppositions concerning the nature of shamanism and the 1 The writing of this article has been funded by the Academy of Finland, project number 1211006.
    [Show full text]
  • Dealing with Uncertainty: Shamans, Marginal Capitalism, and the Remaking of History in Postsocialist Mongolia
    MANDUHAI BUYANDELGERIYN Harvard University Dealing with uncertainty: Shamans, marginal capitalism, and the remaking of history in postsocialist Mongolia ABSTRACT ore than 15 years have passed since the collapse of social- In this article, I explore the proliferation of ism in Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and Mongolia.1 Most previously suppressed shamanic practices among people in these regions have been subjected to unexpected, ethnic Buryats in Mongolia after the collapse of contradictory, and often confusing transformations because socialism in 1990. Contrary to the Buryats’ of the “unmaking” (Humphrey 2002) of socialism and the si- expectation that shamanism would solve the Mmultaneous arrival of a market economy and implementation of neoliberal uncertainties brought about by the market economy, economic reforms. Because the economic transformations have been the it has created additional spiritual uncertainties. As most visible and pertinent aspects of the transitions to postsocialism, a rich skeptical Buryats repeatedly propitiate their angry body of work has discussed the restructuring of property and privatization, origin spirits to alleviate the causes of their state institutions, and the rethinking of political categories (Berdahl 1999; misfortunes, they reconstruct their history, which Borneman1992,1998;BurawoyandVerdery1999;Caldwell2004;Humphrey was suppressed by state socialism. The Buryats make 2002; Verdery 1996). Scholars elsewhere have also noted that the feelings of their current calamities meaningful by placing them uncertainty, insecurity, and anxiety that result from the dangerous volatil- within the shifting history of their tragic past. The ity, disorder, and opaqueness of the market are being articulated through sense of uncertainty, fear, and disillusionment the medium of popular religion, shamanism, witchcraft, and spirit posses- experienced by the Buryats also characterizes daily sion (Comaroff and Comaroff 2000; Kendall 2003; Moore and Sanders 2001; life in places other than Mongolia.
    [Show full text]
  • Neotrance and the Psychedelic Festival DC
    Neotrance and the Psychedelic Festival GRAHAM ST JOHN UNIVERSITY OF REGINA, UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND Abstract !is article explores the religio-spiritual characteristics of psytrance (psychedelic trance), attending speci"cally to the characteristics of what I call neotrance apparent within the contemporary trance event, the countercultural inheritance of the “tribal” psytrance festival, and the dramatizing of participants’ “ultimate concerns” within the festival framework. An exploration of the psychedelic festival offers insights on ecstatic (self- transcendent), performative (self-expressive) and re!exive (conscious alternative) trajectories within psytrance music culture. I address this dynamic with reference to Portugal’s Boom Festival. Keywords psytrance, neotrance, psychedelic festival, trance states, religion, new spirituality, liminality, neotribe Figure 1: Main Floor, Boom Festival 2008, Portugal – Photo by jakob kolar www.jacomedia.net As electronic dance music cultures (EDMCs) flourish in the global present, their relig- ious and/or spiritual character have become common subjects of exploration for scholars of religion, music and culture.1 This article addresses the religio-spiritual Dancecult: Journal of Electronic Dance Music Culture 1(1) 2009, 35-64 + Dancecult ISSN 1947-5403 ©2009 Dancecult http://www.dancecult.net/ DC Journal of Electronic Dance Music Culture – DOI 10.12801/1947-5403.2009.01.01.03 + D DC –C 36 Dancecult: Journal of Electronic Dance Music Culture • vol 1 no 1 characteristics of psytrance (psychedelic trance), attending specifically to the charac- teristics of the contemporary trance event which I call neotrance, the countercultural inheritance of the “tribal” psytrance festival, and the dramatizing of participants’ “ul- timate concerns” within the framework of the “visionary” music festival.
    [Show full text]