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The Llewellyn Encyclopedia

Term: Altered State of Consciousness

DEFINITIONS

Altered State of Consciousness: Also known as an ASC, a state of mind that is different from normal, waking consciousness. Examples of an ASC range from dreaming and daydreaming to trance, out-of-body experiences, and drug-induced states. Besides pointing out that “normal, waking consciousness” is simply something people agree upon (“consensus reality”) and implying that there is a greater reality than what we normally accept, certain magickal, mystical, and paranormal phenomena may occur during an ASC.

Altered State of Consciousness:

Wakefulness and sleep are the two most familiar states of consciousness. Others include dreaming, meditation, trance, hypnosis and self-hypnosis, hallucination, astral projection, etc. ASCs can be induced by sleep deprivation, chanting, fasting, ecstatic dancing, drumming, sex, psychedelic drugs, and conscious self-programming. Once you’ve been "there," it is easier to get there again.


Carl Llewellyn Weschcke


ARTICLES

What Is Hypnosis?
Exactly what is hypnosis, or more accurately, self-hypnosis? Self-hypnosis is a self-induced, altered state of mental consciousness that allows you to give constructive suggestions directly to your subconscious mind. More simply put, you cause ...
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Review of the Tarot of the Sweet Twilight
Summary: The Tarot of the Sweet Twilight is a unique and beautiful place where kindnesses are more poignant and pains evoke tenderness. Opposites blend and dance highlighting the beauty in the darker aspects of life and showcasing joy tinged with ...
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How to Perform Astral PK
Introduction. This procedure is based on intentionally recognizing the astral body as a non-physical duplicate, or matrix, of the physical body, followed by energizing specific astral body parts to be ideally healthy, and then transferring healthy ...
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Precognition via OBEs—Personal and Cosmic Expose
Part One: The Personal Expose Procedure Introduction. The induction phase of the Personal Expose procedure requires a white screen which is viewed from a comfortable seated position. The screen, typically situated at a distance of about ten feet, ...
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Techniques for Astral Projection
There are two techniques which are frequently called Astral Projection. The first one is frequently mistaken for Astral Projection but is nothing of the kind. It is actually Mental Projection. In Mental Projection you send your mind and senses away ...
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The Astral Excursion Procedure
Introduction. The retrieval of past-life experiences may include extended psychic perceptions augmenting observation and understanding of events. A comfortable, reclining position in a setting with indirect lighting and free of distractions is ...
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The Shamanic Journey
Regardless of other specialities - which may include plant medicine, divination, or healing rituals - the key approach of all shamans both ancient and modern is the shamanic journey. This is a special state of trance consciousness that enables ...
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Ayahuasca – the Vine of Souls, the Medicine of Love
Shamanic healing often employs plants to good effect, though it is rarely about herbalism, per se. Indeed, most shamans are explicit that the pharmacological properties of the plants they employ are of far less importance than the spirit which is ...
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How to Have an OBE Through Levitation
Introduction. OBE Levitation is an interactive induction procedure that uses impressions of physical weightlessness to facilitate astral disengagement from the physical body. Spontaneous OBEs are often initiated by sensations of slowly drifting ...
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Enduring Beyond Oppression - The Truth About Vodou
Vodou is a religion born in slavery, which blends together a number of traditional African beliefs with elements from other faiths, notably Catholicism, the religion of the slave-owners, with which it has always been an uncomfortable bed-fellow. It ...
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Review of the Shapeshifter Tarot
Summary: A stunning and transformative artistic deck that is good as an additional deck with a focus on major life changes and magickal work including meditation, shapeshifting, and spellwork. However there are some flaws and the differences between ...
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"The soul comes from without into the human body, as into a temporary abode, and it goes out of it anew…it passes into other habitations, for the soul is immortal." - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82) Have you lived before? The answer to that question is yes. As a human soul you have lived before; many of us have even experienced many lifetimes... read this article
Seven Flower Magic Rituals
A Quick Guide to Literary Character Creation with Mercury
Using Apatite in Your Crystal Spells
Exploring the Dark Side: Identifying 3 Types of Negative Paranormal Phenomena
Evolutionary Astrology: How Our Nodal Axis Defines the Soul's Path

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