Religious Cultural Milieu

Religious Cultural Milieu
Surrounding an altered state of consciousness a number of phenomenon are purported to occur causing shifts from the conscious perception of awareness, these include: Changes to sense of time, fears of losing control, emotional alterations, attribution of meaning to events for example, peak experiences and alterations in thinking to mention a few (Tart, 1972). Whilst some altered states of consciousness are associated with psychological pathology those associated with world religions are for the purposes of healing, divination and communicating with spirits. The relationship between the supernatural the sacred and the religious in order to transcend the bounds of reality provides a basis from which to propel when searching for a definition of world religious practices and their associated states of altered consciousness (Stein & Stein, 2008). Within the first article Bevir (1994), in an attempt to "reconcile religious life with a modern world dominated by a scientific spirit" presents Blavatsky a prominent spiritualist. Within the second article Abram (1997) contrasts traditional sorcerers and shamans to an industrialised western world and lastly Metzner (1998) compares psychedelic substances and the utilisation of their potency for therapeutic effect within therapies from traditional shamanic practices and those of modern western society. The stark differences between altered states of consciousness embedded within a foreign cultural religious milieu for example by the dzankris of Nepal and altered states of consciousness from those same religious practices produced within a western cultural milieu is highlighted.
Bevir (1994) provides Blavatsky's argument in order to introduce the idea of occultism, which is neglected within the literature. For the purpose of validating the underlying sacred dimensions of the truth as presented by Blavatsky, reductionism within the sciences is declared. An array of secularists, theologists and theosophists provide an exploratory feel to the point at hand. Blavatsky's statement (1977 as cited in Bevir, 1994) " Occultism or magic…stands in relation to spiritualism as the infinite to the finite, as the cause to the effect, or the unitary to the multifariousness" is utilised to exhibit her approach. Creationist theories were debunked via scientific discoveries made by geologists and natural scientists within the Victorian schools, as a response occultism is thought to gap the schism. Within Blavatsky's proposed cosmology the perfected will can influence the third plane, that is the plane that links the material with the divine of all things, this is the place where magicians and occultists reside, her argument is that all laws of nature are not known. Ancient wisdom is allegedly the source of all religions and where it once resided in ancient Egypt it is now residing with the Brahmans. Buddha is thought to have picked up these ideas, which run along a similar vein. The underlying esoteric understanding is believed to be out of reach for scientists and scholars. Bevir's (1994) critic of Blavatsky's tendency to be biased and selective in her sources when building her argument is obvious. Replacement for Christianity's moral grounding by "vicarious atonement" is via responsibility for oneself, as "unity with the divine" requires a moral obligation. Obviously an altered state of consciousness within this domain is utilised for the purposes of relating to and influencing the spirit world and the cosmology within which it resides.
In the second article altered states of consciousness are described from the standpoint of a magician on a sojourn to find traditional dukuns and dzankris where perception is thought to be the medium of alteration. For the shaman an altered state of consciousness is utilised to access the spirit world for the purposes of healing, divination and the promotion of a successful hunt this benefits the community and the individuals that reside within it (Stein & Stein, 2008). Abram's experience as a slight-of-hand magician combined with his background in psychology lead him to explore this medium within a therapeutic context. Successes with highly distressed individuals began his interest in folk medicine. Abram's melodic account of his sojourn to Indonesia presents magic from an alternate perspective in contrast to his contemporary's ethnocentric western lens. His descriptive, flowing prose creates an environment within which he can expand and contrast his experiences with the sensuous landscape. His encounter with the myriad of insects begins his trip into alternate states of consciousness enhanced by the local magicians and his experiences. Whilst residing within communities in Nepal and Indonesia Abrams participation in rituals and ceremonies allows him to procure experience. The magicians place lay between the human community and that of the natural world where their influence extended to include weather patterns, landforms, forests, animals and plants. An altered state of consciousness is practiced constantly in the form of "rituals, trances, ecstasies and journeys" in order to restore and maintain equilibrium. Abrams reflection back to western industrialised society highlights our loss of contact with the natural environment as animals become biologically determined.
In the third article hallucinogenic drugs and plants are imbibed to induce altered states of consciousness in a therapeutic sense. A number of issues are presented related to the induction, maintenance and experience of altered states of consciousness. Tart (1972) has listed a number of methods that can be utilised in order to induce altered states of consciousness, firstly he presents reduction in or changes to sensory input for example sensory deprivation or repetitive stimulation, secondly is heightened sensory input from bombardment, thirdly is mental involvement, fourthly decreased alertness for example meditative states and finally from alterations in body chemistry for example hallucinogens. Metzner (1998) discusses consciousness transformation utilising psychoactive substances. A comparison is made between western psychotherapies and shamanic rituals of healing and divination. The psycholytic properties of LSD were discovered and experiments were conducted within therapeutic guidelines with the aim to resolve conflicts and experience transcendence. Empathogens such as ecstasy appear next in the literature and induce expansion and centred awareness (Metzner, 1998). Grof (1985 as cited in Metzner, 1998) found individuals had transpersonal experiences once underlying conflicts and peri natal trauma were resolved. Metzner (1998) then leaps to Shamanic and spiritual literature in order to contrast it to therapy utilising psychoactive substances. Shamanic drumming and singing are utilised within their journeys to facilitate the individual through the experience, as is low lighting, there is the perception that the individual is in contact with another world containing spiritual beings. These spiritual beings once again, can belong to animals, plants, places, ancestors or other entities. The introduction of folk religious ceremonies introduces another use for altered consciousness that of community cohesion and protection against western consumerism. Hybrid therapeutic shamanism is briefly discussed.
In Conclusion different religious philosophies present alternate ways of entering into altered states of consciousness, for example chanting, drumming, dancing, music and hallucinogens. The purposes of entering the alternate states are varied from healing to divining and finding oneself. A common theme running throughout the articles is the attention to contact with the spirit world for the purposes of divination and healing. Miller (1995 as cited in Stein & Stein, 2008), conducted experiments with clown doctors within a New York based hospital and likened this practice to shamanic healing, for example, costumes, music, sleight-of-hand, providing social and group support whilst manipulating cultural symbolism. Metzner (1998) discusses hybrid shamanic rituals and religious folk ceremonies as western counterparts to traditional shamanic ritual healing. A number of arguments present themselves that is, whether or not western civilisation is losing touch with nature, whether or not science is contraindicated with spirituality and can western practitioners practice eastern cultural religions?


References

Abram, D. 1997. Ecology of Magic .New York: Random House. Vintage Books.
Bevir, M. 1994. West turns Eastward. Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 62. 3. pp747-767
Metzner, R. 1998. Hallucinogenic Drugs and Plants in Psychotherapy and Shamanism. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. 30(4).
Stein, R. L. 2008. The Anthropology of Religion, Magic and Witchcraft. 2nd ed. United States of America: Pearson Education.
Tart, C. T. 1972. Altered States of Consciousness. New York: Anchor Books, Doubleday & Company Inc.
Baruss, I. 2003. Alterations of Consciousness: An Empirical Analysis for Social Scientists. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
Bourguignon, E. 1973. Religion, Altered States of Consciousness and Social Change. Columbus: Ohio State University Press.