Music and the Altered State of Consciousness

Abstract

Tourists travelling to Turkey may encounter circling (mevlevi) dervishes in Konya, spinning in circles to achieve a kind of altered state of consciousness and enter a trance-like state of ecstasy. The world of popular music has also been inspired by the concepts of Christianity and ecstasy, and some rock bands have emerged from a combination of the two. This altered state of consciousness is brought about by the combined effect of dance and music, which they believe can be an ecstatic experience of dual action, freeing one from the agonies and pains of everyday life. In some religions, the ecstatic and altered state of consciousness is part of ritual and worship as a power unleashed. The question is, is there a place for music-induced ecstasy in Christian worship? In this sub-chapter, we will discuss the ecstatic effect of music, the altered state of consciousness experienced as a result, and the increasingly prevalent binaural beats and music at 432 hertz.

Keywords

• music, altered state of consciousness, ecstatic dimension, binaural beats, 440 Hz, rhythm.