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Uses of Transcendental States in India

In Karnataka, India, altered states of consciousness are not simply personal experiences; they have a social purpose as well. Shobhadevi and Bidarakoppa (1994) went to India to study "involuntary possession," a state in which victims feel they are taken over by spirits against their will. Possession victims have attacks that make them speak and behave like spirits, and render them insensitive to physical sensations like heat and pain. After the episode, they have no memory of their actions. Usually, however, victims can ask someone else what happened: 88% of first attacks occur in a public shrine or in front of a traditional healer. More strikingly, 80% of the sufferers are women under the age of 30. Though they come from all social classes, most of these women have had money troubles and bouts with ill health and depression, and have been ill-treated by family members. In a country where most women must depend on men for financial and family support, it can be difficult for women to find outlets for their frustrations. According to the women, involuntary possession allows them to communicate their problems to their families.