Altered state of consciousness

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An altered state of consciousness is any state which is significantly different from a normative waking beta wave state. The expression was coined in the 1970s by Carlos Castaneda and describes induced changes in one's mental state, almost always temporary. A synonymous phrase is "altered states of awareness".

An altered state of consciousness can come about accidentally through fever, sleep deprivation, starvation, oxygen deprivation, nitrogen narcosis (deep diving), or a traumatic accident. Intentionally it can sometimes be reached by the use of a sensory deprivation tank or mind-control techniques, hypnosis, meditation, prayer, or disciplines (e.g. Mantra Meditation, Yoga, Sufism or Surat Shabda Yoga). It is sometimes attained through the ingestion of psychoactive drugs such as alcohol and opiates, or psychoactive plants and chemicals such as LSD, 2C-I, peyote, marijuana, mescaline, MDMA, psychedelic mushrooms, or datura (Jimson weed).

Naturally occurring altered states of consciousness include dreams, lucid dreams, euphoria, ecstasy, psychosis as well as purported premonitions, out-of-body experiences, and channeling.

See also

• Psychology of religion
• Neurotheology
• Freedom of thought
• Places of power

• Aldous Huxley
• Carlos Castaneda
• Charles Tart
• Claudio Naranjo
• John C. Lilly
• Timothy Leary
• Stanislav Grof
• John Curtis Gowan

References

• James, William The varieties of religious experience (1902) ISBN 0-14-039034-0
• Tart, Charles T., editor. Altered States of Consciousness (1969) ISBN 0471845604
• Tart, Charles T. States of Consciousness (2001) ISBN 0595151965
• Wier, Dennis R. Trance: from magic to technology (1995) ISBN 1-888428-38-4

External links

• [John C. Lilly]
• [Divine Way of Spiritual Heart] A system of methods for developing the consciousness as a spiritual heart
• [Ekstasis] Journeys in trance, meditation, mysteries and altered states of consciousness
• [Mantra Meditation]
• [Trance Research Foundation - Trance Institute]
• [Mind Media Guide to Hypnosis and Altered States]

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