Sensory Dimensions of Spirit Possession
Paul Stoller
Wisdom from the Edge August 15, 2023 DOI: 10.7591/cornell/9781501770654.003.0004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that sensorial elements—smell, sound, and vision—are integral to recipes of spirit possession and that their description enriches anthropological understanding. |
Abstract
This chapter examines how smell, sound, and vision become integral ingredients in recipes of and for spirit possession. Spirit possession underscores the drama of life in the world due to its embodied symbolism highlighting existential relations such as earth and sky or men and women. According to Roger Bastide, spirit possession is a dramatic religious experience during which human beings come face to face with the supernatural or deities. The chapter explains that the artful inclusion of the sensorial description of any performance enriches the anthropological record and the existential parameters of the human condition. It considers the notions of functionalism, psychoanalysis, physiological, symbolism, and theatrical framework to elaborate on the key concepts of spirit possession.