The Sounds That Induce Trance
The Sounds That Induce Trance
Every so often it’s important to return to the fundamentals of ecstatic trance. Ecstatic trance is induced by the rapid stimulation to the nervous system by such sounds as the beats as from a drum or a rattle. In my collection of such stimulation I have CDs by Michael Harner using the didjeridu, the musical bow and a singing chorus.
Sound is the essence of trance induction. The Tibetan Buddhists use chanting, and from India we see the use of chanted mantras. The conch shells from the Pacific Islands, the steer horns from northern Europe and the Shofar rams horn used in the rituals of Judaism are other examples.
One very powerful inducer of trance that I have experienced is the whistle vessels of ancient Peru. I have just finished reading Daniel Statnekov book on his research of these Peruvian whistles. I first experienced these whistles at the Cuyamungue Institute in NM, very close to Chimayo where Statnekov has lived and where he made replicas of these whistles. The whistles produce many overtones especially when several are played together, sounds that induce trance. An acoustical analysis of many of these whistles from a number of ancient Inca and pre-Inca Peruvian cultures demonstrated that within a particular culture the range of frequencies of the sound of the whistles was very narrow, though this narrow range differed from culture to culture. From this analysis Statnekov concluded that they were pitched intentionally for the produced sound, a sound that with its numerous overtones produced trance.
As a result of his research Statnekov has been frequently invited to give demonstrations of the power of these whistles. At two of these demonstrations, first with the healing Rainbow Family in their meeting in New Mexico and then on a journey to Peru he learned of other dimensions of the power of such ecstatic trance and the power of sound.
While with the Rainbow Family he observed a healing circle, and when hearing an explanation of the circle he learned that dis-ease is characterized by a disturbance in the body’s natural rhythms, the so called biorhythms. Early healers had discovered that sounds could bring about the needed balance or equilibrium within the person to provide healing. A change in a rhythm changes the whole person, e.g. the rhythm of breathing, or the heart rate.
On his second visit to Peru, this time with four others, a group that included Andrew Weil, one in the group, a Dutch woman, explained to him the legend of the acoustical key that foretells that one day a certain sound will unlock for us an ancient door the lead into an altogether different reality, a different dimension. Special priests reputed to be scientists of sound supposedly could cut large stones along precise harmonic lines and then move the stones into position through resonating sound, thus building the great megaliths found around the world. The ancients had the exceptional power to move mountains and build the pyramids, again showing Statnekov another explanation of the powers of the people of the time of the whistle.
The practice of ecstatic trance is a beginning in bringing us back to the powers of our ancient hunting-gathering ancestors. Two pipe postures we use in ecstatic trance is the Adena Pipe Posture from a burial mound in Ohio, a divination posture, and the Mayan Whistle Posture again found in a grave. These pipes or whistles likely had the same effect as the Peruvian whistles when blown.
Every so often it’s important to return to the fundamentals of ecstatic trance. Ecstatic trance is induced by the rapid stimulation to the nervous system by such sounds as the beats as from a drum or a rattle. In my collection of such stimulation I have CDs by Michael Harner using the didjeridu, the musical bow and a singing chorus.
Sound is the essence of trance induction. The Tibetan Buddhists use chanting, and from India we see the use of chanted mantras. The conch shells from the Pacific Islands, the steer horns from northern Europe and the Shofar rams horn used in the rituals of Judaism are other examples.
One very powerful inducer of trance that I have experienced is the whistle vessels of ancient Peru. I have just finished reading Daniel Statnekov book on his research of these Peruvian whistles. I first experienced these whistles at the Cuyamungue Institute in NM, very close to Chimayo where Statnekov has lived and where he made replicas of these whistles. The whistles produce many overtones especially when several are played together, sounds that induce trance. An acoustical analysis of many of these whistles from a number of ancient Inca and pre-Inca Peruvian cultures demonstrated that within a particular culture the range of frequencies of the sound of the whistles was very narrow, though this narrow range differed from culture to culture. From this analysis Statnekov concluded that they were pitched intentionally for the produced sound, a sound that with its numerous overtones produced trance.
As a result of his research Statnekov has been frequently invited to give demonstrations of the power of these whistles. At two of these demonstrations, first with the healing Rainbow Family in their meeting in New Mexico and then on a journey to Peru he learned of other dimensions of the power of such ecstatic trance and the power of sound.
While with the Rainbow Family he observed a healing circle, and when hearing an explanation of the circle he learned that dis-ease is characterized by a disturbance in the body’s natural rhythms, the so called biorhythms. Early healers had discovered that sounds could bring about the needed balance or equilibrium within the person to provide healing. A change in a rhythm changes the whole person, e.g. the rhythm of breathing, or the heart rate.
On his second visit to Peru, this time with four others, a group that included Andrew Weil, one in the group, a Dutch woman, explained to him the legend of the acoustical key that foretells that one day a certain sound will unlock for us an ancient door the lead into an altogether different reality, a different dimension. Special priests reputed to be scientists of sound supposedly could cut large stones along precise harmonic lines and then move the stones into position through resonating sound, thus building the great megaliths found around the world. The ancients had the exceptional power to move mountains and build the pyramids, again showing Statnekov another explanation of the powers of the people of the time of the whistle.
The practice of ecstatic trance is a beginning in bringing us back to the powers of our ancient hunting-gathering ancestors. Two pipe postures we use in ecstatic trance is the Adena Pipe Posture from a burial mound in Ohio, a divination posture, and the Mayan Whistle Posture again found in a grave. These pipes or whistles likely had the same effect as the Peruvian whistles when blown.
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