Body-Mind Dissociation, Altered States, and Alter Worlds

A psychosomatic model of dissociation is proposed that addresses the ever adjusting mind-body relation—the constant titration of the quality and degree of the psyche’s embeddedness in the sensorial and temporal life of the body. The model highlights the function of hypnoid mechanisms (autohypnosis, distraction, somatic autostimulation) and of altered states of consciousness in facilitating and masking the work of mind-body dissociation. Transient altered states, which enable new and creative forms of mind-body experience in everyday life and in the therapy situation, are contrasted with pathological forms of retreat into alter worlds—rigidly organized, timeless, often inescapable trancelike states of mind-body dislocation. These pathological dissociative structures reshape the life of the mind and of the body, requiring new clinical approaches to these phenomena.

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Occurrence of Altered States of Consciousness among Students: Profoundly and Superficially Altered States in Wakefulness

Imagination Cognition and Personality ◽

10.2190/3b4n-3pp4-u06y-cj9c ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 231-247 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Andrzej Kokoszka

Keyword(s):

Everyday Life ◽

Questionnaire Survey ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Integrated Model ◽

Altered States Of Consciousness ◽

The Other ◽

Altered States ◽

States Of Consciousness ◽

Natural Tendency ◽

Cognitive Disturbances

In a questionnaire survey waking altered states of consciousness (ASC) are found to be common among 174 Polish students. The experience of Superficially Altered States of Consciousness (SACS) was reported by 96 percent of subjects and more than half of them had such experiences often. Whereas an experience of Profoundly Altered States of Consciousness (PASC) was confirmed by 75 percent and about one-third of them had them often. The comparison of the experiences accompanying the ASC indicates that SASC are characterized by disturbances in experiencing the reality and oneself combined with positive, pleasant feelings and with quietness. On the other hand, PASC are accompanied by experiences related to an absolute, universal, eternal, and existential or religious matters. PASC are accompanied by extremely strong positive emotions of happiness, total love, etc. and are experienced as more rational than SASC, and with significantly less feelings of cognitive disturbances than in SASC. The comparison of circumstances of the ASC occurrence, indicates that SASC occur in usual and common states and situation of everyday life, whereas PASC mainly in the context of religion and nature. The congruence of these findings with an integrated model of the main states of consciousness suggests a natural tendency for a cyclical occurence of ASC, or more precisely, the differentiated waking states of consciousness.

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States of Mind: ESP and Altered States of Consciousness

Leonardo ◽

10.2307/1573446 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 246

Author(s):

Tim Healey ◽

Adrian Parker

Keyword(s):

Altered States Of Consciousness ◽

Altered States ◽

States Of Mind ◽

States Of Consciousness

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In the Event of Death

OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying ◽

10.2190/1q19-ghwe-gbpn-p6tm ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Susan Anthony Salladay

Keyword(s):

Death And Dying ◽

The Body ◽

Altered States Of Consciousness ◽

Altered States ◽

Contemporary Culture ◽

The Past ◽

Body Imagery ◽

States Of Consciousness ◽

Area Of Interest ◽

Professional Interest

In the past few years there has been evidence of a greatly increased public and professional interest in issues surrounding death and dying. One such area of interest, the psychomatic experiences reported as having occurred in near-death situations before resuscitation, offers many speculative considerations for philosophical psychology. These reported exosomatic experiences have many elements in common with those reported in altered states of consciousness. The vivid out-of-the-body imagery in such experiences raises potential questions concerning the specialization and evolutionary-developmental structuring of consciousness, the nature of hallucinations, and the significance of deep conceptual roots of dualism within contemporary culture. Such questions take on more than theoretical importance when ethical questions about rights and resuscitation are raised.

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Place Memory and the Body

Integral Transpersonal Journal ◽

10.32031/itibte_itj_13-km2 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (13) ◽

pp. 32-44

Author(s):

Margaret Kerr

Keyword(s):

The Body ◽

Altered States Of Consciousness ◽

Altered States ◽

Psychological Pain ◽

Place Memory ◽

States Of Consciousness ◽

The World ◽

The Individual ◽

Embodied Practice ◽

At Will

Christopher Bache’s work, Dark Night Early Dawn (2000) draws on his experiences in altered states of consciousness to illustrate how the individual psyche is deeply interlaced with the minds, emotions and life events of others across time and space. He suggests that this interconnectedness enables us to go beyond healing personal psychological pain, to help heal individual and collective suffering. Bache’s account concentrates on what might be called the world of “spirit” rather than matter. The current paper is an endeavour to extend his work into the world of matter through theoretical exploration and physical engagement with body and land. To this end, I present a heuristic enquiry into two psycho-geographic journeys made at sites of collective suffering in rural Scotland. While working in altered states of consciousness and engaging in somatic practice, I felt residues of what seemed to be this suffering, coming to consciousness through my body. The work of understanding and honouring this involved performance, ritual and artwork. My suggestion is that such embodied practice allows both a profound acknowledgement of historical events and a therapeutic release of pain. Working in this way may also show us how deeply our bodies and minds are woven into the rest of nature. Once we experience this, places can come alive to us in a different way. Matter is no longer a dead substance for humans to use at will. It is a mystery that we are all part of, and one that invites our deepest respect and care. KEYWORDS interconnectedness, parapsychology, altered states of consciousness, ecopsychology, place memory.

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Occurrence of Altered States of Consciousness: An Overview

Imagination Cognition and Personality ◽

10.2190/kk0n-bmpu-cwd6-1jxc ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 89-96 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Andrzej Kokoszka

Keyword(s):

The Body ◽

Altered States Of Consciousness ◽

Altered States ◽

Review Of Literature ◽

Peak Experiences ◽

Comprehensive Review ◽

Normal Populations ◽

States Of Consciousness ◽

Body Experiences ◽

Existing Data

The article presents a comprehensive review of literature on the occurrence of altered states of consciousness. Only few studies directly aim at the estimation of occurrences of altered states of consciousness, therefore indirect studies are also included. They present data on the frequency, in normal populations, of such phenomena as: hallucinations, peak experiences, mystical states, hypnotic-like experiences, out-of-the-body experiences. In general, presented frequencies suggest that such phenomena are rather common. However, the author emphasizes the lack of any other clear conclusions from the existing data and expresses the need for further empirical research.

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The Continuum of Mind-Body Interplay—From Placebo Effect to Unexplained Cures

Medical Science & Healthcare Practice ◽

10.22158/mshp.v1n1p1 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marcelo Saad ◽

Roberta de Medeiros

Keyword(s):

Placebo Effect ◽

Altered States Of Consciousness ◽

The Self ◽

Self Healing ◽

Altered States ◽

States Of Consciousness ◽

Mind And Body ◽

Health And Disease ◽

The Mind ◽

The Continuum

<em>Mind and body are components of the same entity, with many relations of great importance to health and disease. The next medical frontier will be to answer what are all the mind and body relations, and how it can be explored in clinical practice. In the present manuscript, the authors collected elements that could collaborate to such advancement. The first challenge is to identify how diverse mind-body phenomena, apparently different, may share common grounds, as different manifestations from a unique self-healing mechanism. The range of such spectrum goes from the underestimated placebo effect to the unexplained cure of serious diseases. In such continuum of common and uncommon phenomena regarding mind-body interactions, small daily wonders may be found in the placebo effect and spirituality in health; unusual special marvels may be found in altered states of consciousness; and great rare miracles may be found in trance states and unexplained cures. Some informal mind-body interventions may have the potential to support the clinical treatment and they could be prescribed by every clinician. Finally, the advancement of the self-healing concept could lead to a better clinical exploration of such natural hidden potential.</em>

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Moving beyond the concept of altered state of consciousness: the Non-Ordinary Mental Expressions (NOMEs)

10.31231/osf.io/b5wyf ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

ENRICO FACCO ◽

Fabio Fracas ◽

Patrizio Tressoldi

Keyword(s):

Altered States Of Consciousness ◽

Altered States ◽

Ontological Status ◽

Altered State ◽

Conceptual Tool ◽

States Of Consciousness ◽

Theoretical Paper ◽

Altered State Of Consciousness ◽

Ordinary Consciousness ◽

The Mind

Aim of this theoretical paper is to review the ontological status of so-called altered states of consciousness, suggesting a revision of their common interpretation as abnormal, or anyway less-than-normal conditions. The term Non-Ordinary Mental Expressions (NOMEs), is described and emphasized as a new conceptual tool allowing a more comprehensive interpretation of the varieties of the normal albeit non ordinary consciousness experiences and their implications in the mind-body relationship.

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Devils in the Ink

Aries ◽

10.1163/15700593-01902012 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 167-211

Author(s):

Tommy P. Cowan

Keyword(s):

Industrial Design ◽

Altered States Of Consciousness ◽

Historical Study ◽

Altered States ◽

States Of Consciousness ◽

History Of ◽

American Author ◽

The Mind

Abstract This paper explores some of the myriad connections between geometric visuals, magic, and altered states of consciousness, more specifically looking at the colocation of geometric visuals and experiences of intermediary beings. The main focus here is on how geometric visuals relate to the consciousness experiments and magical practices of American author William Burroughs (1914–1997) and his Swiss-English collaborator Brion Gysin (1916–1986). Such an analysis will also dive into the broader intellectual currents that influenced Burroughs and Gysin’s uses of geometry, yielding more abstract conceptions of how geometry relates to altered states of consciousness and intermediary beings. Furthermore, understanding how geometric manipulation of the mind works has important consequences for multiple fields outside of the history of esotericism, including market-oriented disciplines like architecture and industrial design. As such, this essay proposes that the historical study of esotericism can promote and conduct itself as an interdisciplinary space that communicates the value of its data to market-oriented fields through “material approaches” to religion à la Birgit Meyer.

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