ABOUT THE TRANCE STATE
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May I revise what I say above about the meaning of trance by adding: It is often said of people in riots: The mob was so angry, they seemed beside themselves, so out of their minds with anger that they acted as though they were crazy. Armed with nothing more than sticks and stones, willingly it seems they faced fully armed soldiers at the ready to shoot them dead. Blood flowed in the streets.
But a large group of people singing and dancing can also be out of their minds, with joy. The trance state itself, therefore, is neutral. What makes it good or evil is what we do with it.
It is probably because of the dictionary meaning that the word has such a bad rap.
Obviously, in the trance it is possible to tap into powerful emotions which can be harnessed for good of ill, for better or for worse. In the 1960's, like many before us no doubt, this is what a group of us set out to do. What follows are some stories, anecdotes of what happened--and is still happening.
