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Trance, Possession, Shamanism and Sex

I. M. Lewis

Anthropology of Consciousness March 1, 2003 DOI: 10.1525/ac.2003.14.1.20 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Review Peer reviewed
Topics Shamanism
Citations 18
Key findings Altered states of consciousness are central to the anthropology of religion, with trance, possession, and shamanism all involving complex and problematic links to music and pervasive sexual imagery.

Abstract

Altered States of Consciousness is an umbrella term applied in the study of psychological, sociological and religious phenomena that are regularly encountered experientially in the study of trance, possession, and shamanism, all of which have complex and problematic links with music. Beginning with trance, and stressing the pervasive sexual imagery invoked, this paper reviews the role ofASC in these three areas in the anthropology of religion.