The process of cult and mass therapy indoctrination may involve repeated inductions of trance-like states of consciousness similar to hypnosis. Environmental (milieu) control, social manipulation, isolation and the use of prescribed consciousness-altering techniques (e.g. repetitive and/or continuous chanting, meditating, or praying) are some of the methods employed by cults to produce these altered states of awareness.
Essay: Coping With Trance States
Patrick Ryan Cult Observer, Volume 10, No. 3, 1993, “Guest Column: Coping With Trance States”; and first appeared in the Summer 1992 issue of TM EX NEWS. Trance states, derealization, dissociation, spaceyness. What are they? What strategies can we use to cope with them? By trance states we mean dissociation,…
Essay: Coping With Trance States
Patrick Ryan Cult Observer, Volume 10, No. 3, 1993 The following, which first appeared in the Summer 1992 issue of TM EX NEWS, was written by former followers of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. TM-EX is a nonprofit, educational and research organization. Trance states, derealization, dissociation, spaceyness.…