CC Reinforcement of The Efficacy of The Ritual & Altered States Essay – Description
Some of you may be in recovery or have negative associations with drugs or alcohol and do not want to discuss states of intoxication. That’s fine. It is also fine if you want to share an experience you have had that did involve the use of substances to induce an altered state of consciousness. An altered state of consciousness often does include mind-altering substances, but they are not essential for doings so. Altered states can occur when you lose yourself in a daydream, dream while sleeping, get lost in a book or TV show, meditate, have a high fever, do strenuous exercise, say a prayer, or any other number of experiences that allow you to step outside of your conscious mind.
Choose an experience from your life that could be described as a ritual that involved an altered state of consciousness, and write a narrative describing the experience. It may be you or someone else who entered into the altered state. Be sure to include definitions and cite your source(s).Your narrative should include:
a description of the ritual and its purpose.
a description of the person(s) who performed the ritual. Was it yourself, a priest, shaman, healer, herbalist, diviner, or prophet?
an explanation of the myths and worldview that are important to the practice of the ritual.
a description of some of the important symbols and objects used and what they represent.
how the altered state of consciousness was achieved and the role it plays in the ritual experience for the group (if it is a group event), and for you personally.
After writing your own essay, please read through your peers’ posts and consider your peers’ ritual narratives. How do you make sense of their experiences? If there is something you don’t understand, ask questions. Have you participated in a similar ritual? If so, how was your experience similar or different? What type of rituals are being described, and how would you classify them? What myths are used to define the worldview and how does performing the ritual reinforce those ideals, behaviors, and beliefs? How does the ritual act to and reaffirm group solidarity?Choose two or more of your peers’ posts to respond to. In your conversations with them, apply a culturally relative approach to explain how your interpretations of the article align or differ.
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