What is the state of Trance?

From Wikipedia: Trance denotes any state of awareness or consciousness other than normal waking consciousness. Trance states may occur involuntarily and unbidden. The term trance may be associated with hypnosis, meditation, magic, flow and prayer. It may also be related to the earlier generic term, altered states of consciousness.

Trance is an amazing experience. It is difficult to explain to one who hasn't been in the state himself. A state resembling deep sleep, An out-of-body experience in which one feels they have passed out of the body into another state of being, a rapture, an ecstasy.

Trance conditions include all the different states of mind, emotions, moods and daydreams that human beings experience. All activities which engage a human involve the filtering of information coming into sense modalities, and this influences brain functioning and consciousness. Therefore, trance may be understood as a way for the mind to change the way it filters information in order to provide more efficient use of the mind's resources.

Trance-like states are often interpreted as religious ecstasy or visions and can be deliberately induced using a variety of techniques, including prayer, religious rituals, meditation, pranayama (breathwork or breathing exercises), physical exercise, music, dancing, sweating (e.g. sweat lodge), fasting, thirsting, and the consumption of psychotropic drugs such as cannabis.

Sensory modality is the channel or conduit for the induction of the trance. Sometimes an ecstatic experience takes place in occasion of contact with something or somebody perceived as extremely beautiful or holy. It may also happen without any known reason. The particular technique that an individual uses to induce ecstasy is usually one that is associated with that individual's particular religious and cultural traditions. As a result, an ecstatic experience is usually interpreted within the context of a particular individual's religious and cultural traditions. These interpretations often include statements about contact with supernatural or spiritual beings, about receiving new information as a revelation, also religion-related explanations of subsequent change of values, attitudes and behavior (e.g. in case of religious conversion).

Benevolent, neutral and malevolent trances may be induced (intentionally, spontaneously and/or accidentally) by different methods: Auditory: driving through the sense of hearing by chanting, auditory story telling, mantra, overtone singing, drumming, music, etc.;

Chanting is one of the most effective ways to enter into trance. See the chanting of the bhajan "Om Namah Shivaya" in this video


Om Namah Shivaya Bhajan
Video of group Chanting Om Namah Shivaya

The first video is peppered with beautiful images from around Kolkata, the second one is of a group celebrating Shiva Ratri. For the purpose of trance this is just a distraction. Your mind keeps wandering trying to decipher and understand the images, trying to relate to it. Ignore the video all together, listen just to the bhajan with eyes closed,

the rythm is repeated over and over again, the wordings are simple but repeated over and over again. The words have exquisite meaning, as a prerequisit to chanting of a mantra you are suppose to be completely aware of the meaning of the matra while chanting it, this keeps you in the now, it holds your mind just on the edge of sublimal surrender. The body is seen to get into deeper and deeper states of relaxation.

The tempo of the Bhajan is gradually increased, very gradually almost imperceptible. The rythm itself is so cleverly constructed to include subtle highs and lows within it, the sounds don't lull the brain to sleep, instead it gentle awakens you, makes you more conscious, alert and aware.

The effect of the chanting is heightened when performed in a group, amongst other like minded individuals. It is something to do with the presence of the human body and the human mind adding positive or negative re enforcement. Notice that the tempo increases by at least 2 folds, ever so gradually. You need not be aware of this simply let your self go with the flow. Melt into the rhythm, towards the end it is just one blissful crescendo.

Namah Shivaya

Om Namah Shivaya

Hare Hare bole namah shivaya

Bheemeshwara shiva bheemeshwarayah

Har Har bole namah shivaya

Om Namah Shivaya is a very powerful mantra. It is just a 5 syllable mantra. It has been said about this mantra that if this mantra vibrates continually in your heart, then you have no need to perform austerities, to meditate, or to practise yoga. To repeat this mantra you need no rituals or ceremonies, nor must you repeat it at an auspicious time or in a particular place." This mantra is free of all restrictions. It can be repeated by anyone, young or old, rich or poor and no matter what state a person is in, it will purify him.

The Buddha's Heart Sutra

One last video of beautiful chanting, this time the Heart Sutra in Sanskrit
Chanting the Heart Sutra in a beautiful melody

Checkout the Heart Sutra at this location
The heart Sutra translated from Sanskrit

if nothing else, this will leave you stunned in silence. Pragya Paramita Vajra Chedita, the group of sutras that the Heart Sutra belongs to in Mahayana Buddhism means - perfection of wisdom that cuts like a thunderbolt!

Form is emptiness; emptiness also is form. Emptiness is no other than form; form is no other than emptiness. In the same way, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are emptiness. Thus, Shariputra, all dharmas are emptiness. There are no characteristics. There is no birth and no cessation. There is no impurity and no purity. There is no decrease and no increase. Therefore, Shariputra, in emptiness, there is no form, no feeling, no perception, no formation, no consciousness; no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind; no appearance, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no dharmas, no eye dhatu up to no mind dhatu, no dhatu of dharmas, no mind consciousness dhatu; no ignorance, no end of ignorance up to no old age and death, no end of old age and death; no suffering, no origin of suffering, no cessation of suffering, no path, no wisdom, no attainment, and no non-attainment. Therefore, Shariputra, since the bodhisattvas have no attainment, they abide by means of prajnaparamita.