Ego Boundaries, Shamanic‐Like Techniques, and Subjective Experience: An Experimental Study

Abstract

The subjective effects and therapeutic potential of the shamanic practice of journeying is well known. However, previous research has neglected to provide a comprehensive assessment of the subjective effects of shamanic‐like journeying techniques on non‐shamans. Shamanic‐like techniques are those that demonstrate some similarity to shamanic practices and yet deviate from what may genuinely be considered shamanism. Furthermore, the personality traits that influence individual susceptibility to shamanic‐like techniques are unclear. The aim of the present study was, thus, to investigate experimentally the effect of shamanic‐like techniques and a personality trait referred to as “ego boundaries” on subjective experience including mood disturbance. Forty‐three non‐shamans were administered a composite questionnaire consisting of demographic items and a measure of ego boundaries (i.e., the Short Boundary Questionnaire; BQ‐Sh). Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: listening to monotonous drumming for 15 minutes coupled with one of two sets of journeying instructions; or sitting quietly with eyes closed for 15 minutes. Participants' subjective experience and mood disturbance were retrospectively assessed using the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI) and the Profile of Mood States‐Short Form, respectively. The results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference between conditions with regard to the PCI major dimensions of visual imagery, attention and rationality, and minor dimensions of imagery amount and absorption. However, the shamanic‐like conditions were not associated with a major reorganization of the pattern of subjective experience compared to the sitting quietly condition, suggesting that what is typically referred to as an altered state of consciousness effect was not evident. One shamanic‐like condition and the BQ‐Sh subscales need for order, childlikeness, and sensitivity were statistically significant predictors of total mood disturbance. Implications of the findings for the anthropology of consciousness are also considered.

Researching states of consciousness and anomalous experiences.

“…the PCI has been translated into 12 languages and used in reference to such stimulus conditions (besides hypnosis) as meditation (Venkatesh, Raju, Shivani, tompkins, & meti, 1997), firewalking (Hillig & Holroyd, 1997/1998Pekala & Ersek, 1992/1993, an out-of-body experience within a neardeath experience (maitz & Pekala, 1990Pekala, /1991, shamanistic experiences (Rock, Wilson, Johnston, & Levesque, 2008), a virtual reality environment (Huang, Himle, & Alessi, 2000), and drumming (maurer, Kumar, Woodside, & Pekala, 1997).…”

Reply to Wagstaff: “Hypnosis and the Relationship between Trance, Suggestion, Expectancy, and Depth: Some Semantic and Conceptual Issues”

“…Hence, much more basic research on retrospective phenomenological assessment (Pekala, 1991a), and its use with baseline (eyes open and eyes closed sitting quietly) and other types of stimulus conditions still needs to be addressed. To date, the PCI has been used in reference to such stimulus conditions (other than hypnotism) as: meditation (Venkatesh, Raju, Shivani, Tompkins, & Meti, 1997), fire-walking (Hillig, & Holroyd, 1997/98;Pekala & Ersek, 1992/93), an OBE within an NDE (Maitz & Pekala, 1991), shamanistic trances (Rock, Wilson, Johnston, & Levesque, 2008), religious/spiritual narratives Downloaded by [University of Waikato] at 12:36 10 July 2014 (Wildman & McNamara, 2010), a virtual reality environment (Huang, Himle & Alessi, 2000), drumming (Maurer Kumar, Woodside, & Pekala, 1997), and psi phenomena associated with "shamanic-like journeying" (Rock & Storm, 2010).…”

Hypnosis as a “State of Consciousness”: How Quantifying the Mind Can Help Us Better Understand Hypnosis

“…In addition, the PCI has also been used to quantify such stimulus conditions (besides hypnosis) as meditation (Venkatesh, Raju, Shivani, Tompkins, & Meti, 1997), fire-walking (Hillig & Holroyd, 1997/1998Pekala & Ersek, 1992/1993, an out-of-thebody experience (OBE) within a near death experience (NDE; Maitz & Pekala, 1991), shamanistic trances (Rock, Wilson, Johnston, & Levesque, 2008), charismatic leadership (Churches, 2015), religious/spiritual narratives (Wildman & McNamara, 2010), a virtual reality environment (Huang, Himle, & Alessi, 2000), drumming (Maurer, Kumar, Woodside, & Pekala, 1997), schizophrenia (Roussel & Bachelor, 2000/2001, epilepsy (Johanson, Valli, & Revonsuo, 2011), music perception (Nagy & Szabo, 2004), and psi phenomena (Rock & Storm, 2010). Whereas the PCI has been translated into 12 languages, the DAQ has been translated into 4 (see www.quantifyingconsciousness.com).…”