Alterations in Consciousness: A Study on the Neurophysiology of Shamanic Trance

The nature and clinical significance of trance states remains a subject of much debate in the scientific community. Despite numerous electrophysiological and neuroimaging studies on altered states of consciousness, including dissociative conditions, hypnosis, and meditation, the mechanisms behind these states are still largely unknown. In order to gain a deeper understanding of these states and their effects on the brain, researchers have turned to the study of shamanic trance.

Shamanic trance is a volitional, self-induced state of consciousness that has been used for social cohesion and healing purposes in tribal settings for centuries. This state is characterized by a shift in the subject’s self-experience, from the normally dominant left analytical mode to the right experiential mode, and from the normally dominant anterior prefrontal mode to the posterior somatosensory mode.

In a recent study, researchers sought to examine the neurophysiology of shamanic trance in a subject who had received extensive training in the Mongolian shamanic tradition and was capable of inducing a trance state without external stimulation. Using quantitative EEG mapping and LORETA (low resolution electromagnetic tomography) source imaging, the researchers found that the shamanic state of consciousness (SSC) involved a shift in the subject’s self-experience from the left analytical to the right experiential mode, and from the anterior prefrontal to the posterior somatosensory mode.

These findings have important implications for the psychobiology of the normative conscious mode of awareness and the neurophysiological processes contributing to dissociative, psychotic, and transpersonal domains of self-experience. They also provide a foundation for bridging Western and traditional healing techniques, offering a deeper understanding of how these techniques may be used to improve the quality of life for individuals experiencing these conditions.

While much more research is needed in this field, the study of shamanic trance has already provided valuable insights into the workings of the brain and the mechanisms behind altered states of consciousness. By examining the neurophysiology of these states, we can gain a deeper understanding of the subjective experience of the self and how this experience is altered in various pathological and transpersonal domains. This knowledge can then be used to develop new and innovative treatments for a variety of brain disorders and diseases, including depression, anxiety, and dissociative conditions.

In conclusion, the study of shamanic trance provides a unique and valuable opportunity to understand the nature and clinical significance of trance states and how they alter the subjective experience of the self. By exploring the neurophysiology of these states, we can gain a deeper understanding of the brain networks contributing to these experiences and how they may be used to improve the quality of life for individuals experiencing brain disorders and diseases.