Occurrence of Altered States of Consciousness: An Overview

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-96 ◽  
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.

7. Altered states of consciousness

2017 ◽  
pp. 100-116
Author(s):  
Susan Blackmore
Keyword(s):  
Normal State ◽  
Altered States Of Consciousness ◽  
Psychoactive Drugs ◽  
Altered States ◽  
States Of Consciousness ◽  
Body Experiences ◽  
The World ◽  
Altered State Of Consciousness ◽  
Near Death Experiences

‘Altered states of consciousness’ discusses the states of consciousness during sleep, dreaming, hallucinations, out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences, meditation, and after taking psychoactive drugs. Psychologist Charles Tart defines an altered state of consciousness (ASC) as ‘a qualitative alteration in the overall pattern of mental functioning, such that the experiencer feels his consciousness is radically different from the way it functions ordinarily’. This certainly captures the idea of ASCs, but also creates problems, such as knowing what a ‘normal’ state is. In both mystical experiences and long-term meditation, people describe seeing through the illusions of duality and seeing the world as it truly is.

Body-Mind Dissociation, Altered States, and Alter Worlds

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 769-806
Author(s):  
Peter Goldberg
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
The Body ◽  
Altered States Of Consciousness ◽  
Altered States ◽  
States Of Mind ◽  
Body Experience ◽  
States Of Consciousness ◽  
Life Of The Mind ◽  
The Mind

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.

In the Event of Death

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.

scholarly journals Place Memory and the Body

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.

Parapsychology, anomaly, and altered states of consciousness

1998 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 302-303
Author(s):  
John Palmer
Keyword(s):  
Noise Reduction ◽  
Altered States Of Consciousness ◽  
Altered States ◽  
Reduction Model ◽  
Extrasensory Perception ◽  
States Of Consciousness ◽  
Body Experiences ◽  
Per Se

Pseudoscience is not an appropriate label for parapsychology. Although the noise reduction model of extrasensory perception (ESP) is explanatory only in a limited sense, research does exist addressing the correlation between ESP and altered states of consciousness (ASCs). The term anomaly is not appropriately applied to experiences such as out of body experiences (OBEs) per se, but only to the question of their source. Research on both topics should be encouraged.

Sadomasochism as a path to altered states of consciousness

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
James K. Ambler ◽  
Ellen M. Lee ◽  
Kathryn R. Klement ◽  
Tonio Loewald ◽  
Brad J. Sagarin
Keyword(s):  
Altered States Of Consciousness ◽  
Altered States ◽  
States Of Consciousness
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