Trance work

Part 1:

Define trance, meditation, and altered states of consciousness.

I have mentioned several times that I use trance work as part of my religious and spiritual practices. For many people this is a scary and confusing subject. A lot of people are not comfortable with sensations of being out of the body or even of being slightly out of touch with their bodies. This is a perfectly normal fear. However there are many reasons to use some sort of trance work, and there are ways of overcoming those sensations.

One of the first things that people who chose to work with trance and meditation need to know is that there are many ways to achieve these states and there are going to be ways that will work for you and ways that will not work for you. Going into trance and meditation isn’t scary or complicated. It can seem to be that way because many people associate meditation with sitting still and emptying their minds of all thoughts. I’m sorry but no. That doesn’t work for some one with ADHD. I found other methods and other ways to define trance and meditative states.

Ok. So you mentioned that there are many different ways of getting into trance, and there are many different types of trances. I’m following you so far. What I need to know now is how exactly do you define trance and meditative states? Then I have more questions.

For me trance work is essentially any work that takes place in an altered state of mind done for spiritual or religious purposes.   If a person is going for a walk along the ocean and drifts off into a space where they start to commune or have inspiration or understanding they have been in a trance state of some sort.  That’s why I say there are many ways of getting into trance.

The Temple tradition of witchcraft gives a scientific outlook on trance and meditation.  This outlook is one that states that meditative and trance states occur when your mind has reached a different brain wave state.  There is some debate about these states and the wave lengths and their importance in psychology.  Needless to say I think that there is something about brain waves shifting frequency but that may be sue to my understanding of the principle of vibration.

Wait psychology?  Brain waves?  I don’t want science I want metaphysics, and the mystical and occult.  This is after all a blog and essay on trance work and how it relates to religion, spirituality, and magic right?

Yes.  This is a blog on witchcraft, religion, spirituality, magic, and the occult.  However I am a member of the Temple tradition.  I do hold that there are some scientific possibilities that may explain why and how magic and the universe works the way it does.  As a former psychology student and a member of the Temple tradition the fields of psychology and neuroscience have been influential in how I understand the mind and trance work.  That is why I mentioned it.

Ok.  Science is important to you.  I get that, but what does that mean to some one who hasn’t studied psychology or brainwaves?

In the most basic sense it’s kinda like daydreaming and sleeping in class.  When you are in a meditative or trance state your brain is no longer functioning as if you were driving, watching tv, playing a game, ect.  It is in an altered state.  There are many different depths to the states of consciousness (psychology).

There are also many ways of altering consciousness.  There are ways to elevate your minds state (ecstatic work is common here) and there are ways to slow your mind (deep breathing, muscle relation, ect).  For some people the states that are more active and energetic are not effective for trance and spiritual work, and the opposite is true.  You also have people who find that sometimes one things works and sometimes it doesn’t (that would be me).

Ok.  So trance work and meditative work are essentially religious and spiritual work that occur when your mind is not in your normal every day consciousness right?  If I understand you a Rave might be a higher energy vibration and mental state than a countdown relaxation would be?  Sort of like chillin out or hyping yourself up before an activity or action?  So those would be altered states of consciousness right?

Exactly.  You got it.  Trance and meditative work is spiritual work that is done purposely under those states of mind.  The idea is that you get into those states of mind with the intent of doing some sort of spiritual work.  Then when you are done with the work you are able to return to your day to day consciousness at will with the lessons learned.

That sounds reasonable.  So how can we get into these states?

Part 2:

A few trance techniques

The first thing I can suggest is that you make sure you are in a place where you can be alone and quiet.  Many people set up a meditation shrine or altar where they have candles and incense and in some cases soft music that they play.  The idea is to set up an atmosphere where you will be relaxed and able to focus on your intent.

So with that in mind I am going to give two techniques for relaxation meditation and one technique for more ecstatic trance and motion.  I figure that these will provide a start.  I hope that you will take these techniques and then find some more.  There will be some recommended reading material at the end of this post.

These techniques are for your first starting into trance work.  I provide no guides for what work can be done at this point.  These are simply techniques to help you ease into trance work.  Trance work takes a lot of time and effort to get anything out of it.  The first techniques that you learn are often simply to help you train your mind into focusing at those states as they are “not normal waking consciousness”.

Yes. I said trance work is training and hard work.  In order to get the deep trance work that will lead to the unveiling of the mysteries of the universe you need to train your mind and body to be comfortable with these various states of consciousness.  How long this will take I can not tell you.  I can only tell you that it will be beneficial.

Technique 1: Breathing and focusing

In order to get the most out of this technique you should set aside 5 to 10 minutes a day for two weeks.  This should be at the same time every day.  This is done to ensure you build a practice and discipline.  The training of discipline in the mind is part of the training that is done in trance work.

Get yourself into a place where you can be alone and quiet.  If you feel that it will help light a candle and some incense and play some low soft gentle music.  Sit in a straight back chair with your feet on the floor if possible.  Sit as straight as you comfortably can, not like a board but comfortable.

Due to the nature of this technique set a timer for 5 minutes and stop after 5 minutes for first several times.  This is done to ensure that you do not make yourself dizzy.  I also suggest that there be some peanuts or cheese available after the exercise to try and bring yourself back to normal.  There will be another exercise on grounding later on.

With that said here is the material list for the exercise:

• Note book or journal for results
• food and drink for grounding
• chair
• Optional: Candles, incense, music and the like

Set up the area you are going to be doing the exercise in.  Make sure you have your chair and notebook handy.  Have some sort of food waiting for when you are done.  I recommend protein, salt, and a little sugar.  Trail mix would be ideal.

Close your eyes.  Take a deep breath and with your breath exhale all images and feelings you have towards your day and all other worries.  Do this a few times until you feel the stress of the day or the tensions of the day further back in your mind.  As you do so let your mussels relax by enjoying the air flowing through you.

Now focus.  Exhale for the count of  4 and hold for 4.  Slowly and deeply inhale for 8 counts and hold for 8 counts.  Exhale for 8 counts and hold for 8 counts.  Repeat  for a few minutes.  After a while you will find that you stop counting and your body and breathing has reached a natural relaxed deep breathing.  Keep in this state.  If you see any thoughts or images keep them in your mind.   Don;t think about the images just hold them and remember them.

Try to stay in this state until the timer goes off.  If you can’t then let yourself out of it and record in your notebook your impressions.  If you can stay in the trance and meditative state until the timer goes off do so. Once the timer goes off write in your notebook your impressions.  If you felt silly or odd or anything write it down.  This is also the place to write down thoughts you had during the exercise as well as any images.

Eat and drink.  Don’t stand or move until you know you are back in your normal conscious mind.

Technique 2: Count down with breathing

This technique comes second as in some ways it goes beyond the first and utilizes the first.  This is the technique that I use to this day when I am having difficulties getting into a trance or meditative state.

In order to get the most out of this technique you should set aside 5 to 10 minutes a day for two weeks.  This should be at the same time every day.  This is done to ensure you build a practice and discipline.  The training of discipline in the mind is part of the training that is done in trance work.

Get yourself into a place where you can be alone and quiet.  If you feel that it will help light a candle and some incense and play some low soft gentle music.  Sit in a straight back chair with your feet on the floor if possible.  Sit as straight as you comfortably can, not like a board but comfortable.

Due to the nature of this technique set a timer for 5 minutes and stop after 5 minutes for first several times.  This is done to ensure that you do not make yourself dizzy.  I also suggest that there be some peanuts or cheese available after the exercise to try and bring yourself back to normal.  There will be another exercise on grounding later on.

With that said here is the material list for the exercise:

• Note book or journal for results
• food and drink for grounding
• chair
• Optional: Candles, incense, music and the like

Set up the area you are going to be doing the exercise in.  Make sure you have your chair and notebook handy.  Have some sort of food waiting for when you are done.  I recommend protein, salt, and a little sugar.  Trail mix would be ideal.

Close your eyes.  Take a deep breath and with your breath exhale all images and feelings you have towards your day and all other worries.  Do this a few times until you feel the stress of the day or the tensions of the day further back in your mind.  As you do so let your mussels relax by enjoying the air flowing through you.

Now focus.  Exhale for the count of  4 and hold for 4.  Slowly and deeply inhale for 8 counts and hold for 8 counts.  Exhale for 8 counts and hold for 8 counts.  Repeat  8 times.

Start a count down in your mind.  Imagine as you count down the numbers in descending order this time.  Some people see it as a series flights of stairs as they walk down.  Others have their own ways.  Start with the number 13.   As you count down count at a relaxed and natural pace.  The technique will not work if you rush the countdown. Go 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.

At this point you are in a light meditative state.  You are aware of your surroundings but yet aware of more.  This is the first trance state you get to.  Take a moment and enjoy this state.  Then count down from 12 to 1 with the same pace as before not visualizing the numbers.  Now you are at your next state of consciousness.  This is where the exercises I post with the guides post will take place.  For now keep this as your place and your trance state.

After a moment count back up going at the same pace you did before.    When you get to 12 again take a quick pause and get to know your mind and body at this state a bit.  After a moment count back up from 0 to 13.  As you reach each number your awareness comes more and more gently back to your body and your place.  It is not necessary to visualize the numbers as you ascend, but some may feel it helps.

Record all your thoughts and impressions in your note book.  Eat and drink as before and get back to your daily consciousness.

Technique 3: Chanting and motion

This technique is more about exciting your brain waves and bringing you into a higher state of consciousness where you are still seeing the world and the universe in a different view.  This technique differs in that your eyes are not closed and you are not focused on going inwards.  The idea is to go outwards and higher and inwards and lower.

This is also the first technique I will have introduced that can be directly related to magical working.

You mean we finally get to learn something that will apply to magic and spells and the like?

Yes.  However that will come later as there is another essay that needs to be written first.  The exercise here still does relate to trance work and spiritual development.  The chant I chose for this example comes from a game I played in a Theater summer camp.  That is why I see it as a perfect exercise for energy work and trance work.

Due to the nature of this technique set a timer for 5 minutes and stop after 5 minutes for first several times.  This is done to ensure that you do not make yourself dizzy.  I also suggest that there be some peanuts or cheese available after the exercise to try and bring yourself back to normal.  There will be another exercise on grounding later on.

With that said here is the material list for the exercise:

• Note book or journal for results
• food and drink for grounding
• chair
• Optional: Candles, incense, music and the like

If you have a place set up as mentioned before use that place.  This time sit in your chair comfortably.  As you sit there chant something like “Zip zap Zop” over and over again.  Start slowly but pick up pace.  As you chant rock your body back and forth with the increasing speed.  If you don’t want to rock you can stand up and move side to side or find some other swaying motion that will help you work with this.  The important thing is that you are moving with the chant.

After a while you may find yourself getting louder and louder as well as faster and faster.  That is fine.  That is what you are looking for.  These exercises and techniques are best done in a place where if you get loud it wont be to much of a problem.  The idea is that you have gone out of yourself and have become so into the motion you have lost normal reality.  Thus you have reached a trance.

Once you feel that you can’t hold the energy or the motion any more release the energy and come back to yourself.  Sit down and record everything you experience and felt in your note book.  Once you are done writing down the experience eat the food and return to your day to day life.

Part 3:

The conclusion

Ok.  There you have it.  I have given you three techniques that deal with altered states of consciousness and trance.  I have also given you a definition and an idea of what some people can mean when they say that they do a lot of trance work.  The last thing I have to say on the subject is why I ask you to record the experiences and why you may need or want to use trance in your work.

The record is simple.  It is a way for you to record your progress and see how things change.  It is something that is used for spiritual growth and development.  Many witches and pagans have these sorts of books.  Witches and magicians often call their books Books of Shadows or Grimiores.  Other pagans may call them ritual books or simply spiritual journals.  Its just a way to see what you’ve done, where you have been, and what you may yet do.

Why Trance is important?  Well it can help you contact deities, spirit guides, your higher self, gain insight into the cosmology and much more.  In the end trance work is a central part of my practice because of the versatility it has with me.  I use it in worship and I use it in communion.  I also use it to talk to my higher self and get some answers from with in.

I hope this was helpful.

May your search be fruitful