Exploring shamanic journeying: repetitive drumming with shamanic instructions induces specific subjective experiences but no larger cortisol decrease than instrumental meditation music.
Bruno Gingras, Gerald Pohler, W. Tecumseh Fitch
PLoS One July 7, 2014 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102103 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 39 |
| Population | Adults inexperienced in shamanic journeying (24 females) |
| Interventions | Repetitive drumming Instrumental meditation music Relaxation instructions |
| Duration | 15 minutes of music exposure |
| Measures | Salivary cortisol concentration, mood questionnaire, post-experiment questionnaire on experiences |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation Shamanism |
| Keywords | Saliva Humans Hydrocortisone Relaxation Music therapy Pilot projects Stress, psychological Emotions Middle aged Female Mind-body therapies Young adult |
| Citations | 33 |
| Key findings | Salivary cortisol decreased significantly after 15 minutes of listening to either repetitive drumming or instrumental meditation music while lying down, with no differences across music styles or instruction conditions. Participants exposed to repetitive drumming combined with shamanic instructions reported heaviness, decreased heart rate, and dreamlike experiences significantly more often than those given relaxation instructions. The authors suggest the subjective effects attributed to drumming and shamanic journeying may not be reflected in differential endocrine responses. |
Abstract
Exposure to repetitive drumming combined with instructions for shamanic journeying has been associated with physiological and therapeutic effects, such as an increase in salivary immunoglobulin A. In order to assess whether the combination of repetitive drumming and shamanic instructions is specifically associated with these effects, we compared the effect of listening to either repetitive drumming or instrumental meditation music for 15 minutes on salivary cortisol concentration and on self-reported physiological and psychological states. For each musical style, two groups of participants were exposed to two conditions: instructions for shamanic journeying or relaxation instructions. A total of 39 participants (24 females) inexperienced in shamanic journeying completed the experiment. Salivary cortisol concentrations were measured before and after exposure to music. In addition, participants filled out a mood questionnaire before and after the experiment and completed a post experiment questionnaire on their experiences. A significant decrease in the concentration in salivary cortisol was observed across all musical styles and instructions, indicating that exposure to 15 minutes of either repetitive drumming or instrumental meditation music, while lying down, was sufficient to induce a decrease in cortisol levels. However, no differences were observed across conditions. Significant differences in reported emotional states and subjective experiences were observed between the groups. Notably, participants exposed to repetitive drumming combined with shamanic instructions reported experiencing heaviness, decreased heart rate, and dreamlike experiences significantly more often than participants exposed to repetitive drumming combined with relaxation instructions. Our findings suggest that the subjective effects specifically attributed to repetitive drumming and shamanic journeying may not be reflected in differential endocrine responses.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The globalization of traditional medicine in northern peru: from shamanism to molecules. Healers, collectors, and sellers of medicinal plants in northern Peru | 2013 | Qualitative and experimental study | |
| Technological Analysis of the World's Earliest Shamanic Costume: A Multi-Scalar, Experimental Study of a Red Deer Headdress from the Early Holocene Site of Star Carr, North Yorkshire, UK. Modified red deer crania from the Early Holocene site of Star Carr, Britain, dated to... | 2016 | Archaeological artefact analysis with experimental replication |
Citations in the library
Cited by 19
- Brain Network Reconfiguration and Perceptual Decoupling During an Absorptive State of Consciousness. Cerebral Cortex July 1, 2016
- Rhythmic Chanting and Mystical States across Traditions. Brain Sciences January 13, 2021
- ‘I Get High With a Little Help From My Friends’ - How Raves Can Invoke Identity Fusion and Lasting Co-operation via Transformative Experiences Frontiers in Psychology September 24, 2021
- Exploration of trance states: phenomenology, brain correlates, and clinical applications Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences May 9, 2024
- Scoping review on shamanistic trances practices. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies November 4, 2024
and 14 more in the library
Cites 6
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- Phenomenological experience in response to monotonous drumming and hypnotizability. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis October 1, 1997
- Impact of Integrated Amrita Meditation Technique on Adrenaline and Cortisol Levels in Healthy Volunteers Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2011
- Altered States During Shamanic Drumming: A Phenomenological Study International Journal of Transpersonal Studies July 1, 2010
- Experimental Study of Ostensibly Shamanic Journeying Imagery in Naïve Participants II: Phenomenological Mapping and Modified Affect Bridge Anthropology of Consciousness March 1, 2006
and 1 more in the library