Altered states of conscious, as addressed in chapter 4, is defined “general name for phenomena that are different from normal waking consciousness and include mystic perceptual and sensory experiences, such as medication, hypnosis, trance, and possession” (Shiraev & Levy, 2016, p.128) From the altered states of conscious stated above, I’ve personally experienced meditation as a form of achieving tranquility and a stress-free state. Shiraev and Levy explain that meditation is a “quiet and relaxed state of tranquility in which a person achieves an integration of thoughts, perceptions, and attitudes (2016, p.130). Achieving this tranquility state could be performed through religious and nonreligious context, attaining great interest of many individuals.
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The first noticed was trance, a “sleeplike state marked by reduced sensitivity to stimuli, the loss of alteration of knowledge, and automatic motor activity” (Shiraev & Levy, 2016, p.128). Regan, the daughter of Mrs. MacNeil, is first seen with a visionary trance, or hallucinations, on the first visit to her physician. She is laying down and is caught wide-eyed as a horrific shadow approaches her. Throughout the scenes, Regan is seen emotionless multiple times, acting indifferent and unappealing towards questions asked towards her. There are other times, however, that a surge of supernatural abilities takes over, Regan having no control or awareness, begins to shake and lift the bed, moving chairs, throwing the dresser onto her mother and other undesirable actions. There are also several possession trance experiences, “when a person reports that his body is invaded or captured by a spirit or several spirits” (Shiraev & Levy, 2016, p.128). This is evident as she tries to notify someone to “help me” with scars in her abdomen. Her behavior developed progressively, first having visionary trance and further developing into possession trance behavior. All started with back talk and profanity towards the beginning, leading to strange behaviors including shaking of the bed, odd statements, voice alteration to sudden movements of furniture, levitation, and even
The first noticed was trance, a “sleeplike state marked by reduced sensitivity to stimuli, the loss of alteration of knowledge, and automatic motor activity” (Shiraev & Levy, 2016, p.128). Regan, the daughter of Mrs. MacNeil, is first seen with a visionary trance, or hallucinations, on the first visit to her physician. She is laying down and is caught wide-eyed as a horrific shadow approaches her. Throughout the scenes, Regan is seen emotionless multiple times, acting indifferent and unappealing towards questions asked towards her. There are other times, however, that a surge of supernatural abilities takes over, Regan having no control or awareness, begins to shake and lift the bed, moving chairs, throwing the dresser onto her mother and other undesirable actions. There are also several possession trance experiences, “when a person reports that his body is invaded or captured by a spirit or several spirits” (Shiraev & Levy, 2016, p.128). This is evident as she tries to notify someone to “help me” with scars in her abdomen. Her behavior developed progressively, first having visionary trance and further developing into possession trance behavior. All started with back talk and profanity towards the beginning, leading to strange behaviors including shaking of the bed, odd statements, voice alteration to sudden movements of furniture, levitation, and even