What is Trance Work?
Trance work is the intentional practice of entering altered states of consciousness—states distinct from ordinary waking awareness—for the purposes of spiritual exploration, healing, divination, or communication with what practitioners describe as non-ordinary realms. These states involve a shift in which a person is neither fully awake nor fully asleep, where attention becomes narrowed and external awareness fades. Unlike spontaneous trance experiences (daydreaming, hypnotic absorption, flow states), trance work involves structured techniques: rhythmic drumming, breathwork, ritual body postures, chanting, dance, sensory deprivation, or visualization.
Practitioners across traditions use trance work to bypass what they regard as the limitations of ordinary consciousness, accessing states where intuition, visionary experience, and direct spiritual encounter are heightened. Shamanic trance is a volitional, self-induced state of consciousness that historically served the purposes of social cohesion and healing interventions in diverse tribal settings. The practice assumes that these altered states grant access to information, guidance, or healing energies not available through rational thought alone.
Origins & Lineage
Trance work is an ancient and primal practice; for thousands of years, humanity has utilized various approaches to enter altered states of consciousness, opening a door into the spirit realm, from shamanic ancestors and indigenous traditions found on every continent to contemporary meditative states. Based on commonalities to shamanic practices of Australian aborigines, who became culturally isolated between 50,000 and 65,000 years ago, shamanism can be traced to the middle Paleolithic period at the onset of the Cognitive Revolution around 70,000 BP.
The term shamanism comes from the Manchu-Tungus word šaman, meaning “one who knows.” Shamanism is believed to have originated in the ancient cultures of Siberia and Central Asia, particularly among the indigenous tribes of Siberia and Mongolia. There are several broad domains of shamanic practices including African; Siberian/Mongolian; native South and North American (seen as descendants of the Siberian tradition); and Asian-Pacific, including Australian aborigines. The origin of the “shaman” term stems from the Evenki people in the Tungus region of southwestern Siberia (“šamán” meaning “one who knows”).
Ecstatic forms of worship are also known from the early Christian church, but its origin in shamanism is much older. Ecstatic experience is typically associated with shamanistic performance and trance. Trance states appear in Sufi dhikr ceremonies, Hindu yoga traditions, Buddhist meditation practices, Pentecostal Christian worship, and West African possession rituals.
In the late 20th century, anthropologist Felicitas D. Goodman conducted groundbreaking research into what she termed “ecstatic trance.” Dr. Felicitas D. Goodman (1914–2005) was a pioneering anthropologist, linguist, author, and consciousness researcher whose groundbreaking work explored altered states of consciousness, ecstatic trance, ritual body postures, and humanity’s ancient relationship with the sacred. Founder of the Cuyamungue Institute in northern New Mexico, her work bridged anthropology, spirituality, ritual practice, and direct human experience. In 1978, Dr. Goodman formally established the Cuyamungue Institute as an independent educational and research organization devoted to the study of ecstatic trance, ritual body postures, sacred experience, and direct spiritual practice.
How It’s Practiced
In the well-recognized state of shamanic trance, an absorptive state of consciousness, is achieved by practitioners using specific procedures. Typically, they alter their state of consciousness using rhythmic drumming. Drumming at 4–7 beats per second is the most widely documented induction method across cultures. This rhythmic percussion entrains brainwave activity, shifting from normal waking beta waves (12-35 Hz) toward slower alpha and theta rhythms associated with relaxation and visionary states.
Breathwork techniques form another core pathway. There are many yogic breathing practices such as pranayama which is used to remove mental and emotional obstacles – but can also induce a trance-like state. Holotropic breathwork by Stanislav and Christina Grof is another form of altered breathing which involves breathing rapidly and rhythmically and can lead to intense altered states of consciousness.
Goodman used a fast, monotone beat with a skin drum or gourd rattle for the sound induction, and drew up a canon of Ritual Body Postures from select ancient art the world over. These artifacts depict humans, and sometimes spirit animals, standing, or sitting — in chairs, cross-legged on the ground, or kneeling, with arms and hands placed just so — in postures that aren’t relaxed, but intentional. The earliest of the Cuyamungue Institute canon of postures traces back to artifacts created during the Ice Age, some 40,000 years old. Practitioners assume these specific physical postures while listening to monotonous percussion for 15 minutes.
Trance dance is practiced in traditions from Sufi whirling to contemporary ecstatic dance events. Trance dance is deeply rooted in shamanic traditions, where it has been used for thousands of years as a tool for healing, spiritual communication, and transformation. Shamans across various cultures, from Siberia to the Americas, have long recognized the power of dance to bridge the physical and spiritual realms.
Other methods include chanting or mantra repetition, sensory deprivation, fasting, sleep deprivation (though not recommended for safety reasons), psychotropic plant medicines in traditional contexts, and visualization techniques combined with relaxation.
Trance Work Today
Contemporary seekers encounter trance work through multiple avenues. Sandra Ingerman, a prominent teacher since the 1980s, has trained thousands in core shamanic journeying techniques. Sandra Ingerman is one of the most highly regarded teachers of shamanism today. She has been teaching and practicing shamanism for 40 years. Sandra teaches workshops internationally on shamanic journeying, healing, and reversing environmental pollution using spiritual methods. Her books, including Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner’s Guide and Soul Retrieval: Mending the Fragmented Self, offer accessible entry points.
The Cuyamungue Institute continues Goodman’s work in ritual body postures, offering workshops and online training. Practitioners can also access guided journey recordings with drumming tracks on platforms like Insight Timer, YouTube, and Sounds True.
Trance work appears in contemporary contexts including shamanic practitioner training programs, psychedelic integration circles (where trance techniques prepare for or integrate plant medicine experiences), ecstatic dance communities, holotropic breathwork sessions, and some progressive spiritual counseling practices. Some meditation retreats now incorporate shamanic journey sessions alongside silent sitting practices.
Common Misconceptions
Trance work is not possession in the Hollywood sense. Trance is not “losing control” - it’s tapping into the part of you that operates beneath language and analysis. The trance medium always has control over whether they enter into the trance state. It is a willing and loving working partnership between spirit and medium, built up through years of training and familiarity to form an absolute bond of trust.
It is not a parlor trick or performance art. While light trance states occur naturally throughout daily life, deliberate trance work requires practice, preparation, and often the presence of trained facilitators or community holders. The further you shift away from common consciousness, and the more your practice involves interacting with other people, the greater the danger to you and others from your trance practice.
Trance work is not inherently safe for everyone. Individuals with certain psychological conditions (dissociative disorders, psychosis, severe trauma without therapeutic support) should approach with caution or avoid entirely. The practice can surface repressed material and destabilize fragile psychological structures.
It is not a substitute for medical or mental health treatment. Responsible practitioners acknowledge that trance work complements but does not replace evidence-based medical and psychological care.
Finally, trance work does not belong to any single tradition. While core shamanism courses have standardized certain techniques, indigenous lineages maintain their own protocols, and some practitioners question whether non-indigenous people can authentically practice what they regard as culturally-specific technologies.
How to Begin
Begin with Sandra Ingerman’s Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner’s Guide (includes instructional CD with drumming tracks). With Shamanic Journeying, readers join world-renowned teacher Sandra Ingerman to learn the core teachings of this ancient practice and apply these skills in their own journey. Includes drumming for three shamanic journeys.
For breathwork approaches, seek certified holotropic breathwork facilitators or pranayama instruction from experienced yoga teachers who emphasize safety protocols.
For ritual body postures, explore the Cuyamungue Institute’s online offerings or publications by Felicitas Goodman (Where the Spirits Ride the Wind) and Belinda Gore (Ecstatic Body Postures).
Find a local shamanic circle, drum circle, or ecstatic dance community. Practicing in the presence of experienced holders provides both safety and guidance during early explorations. Many practitioners emphasize that trance work unfolds most safely and meaningfully within community contexts, not as solo spiritual entrepreneurship.
If working alone initially, create a designated space, set a clear intention before entering trance, time your session (15-30 minutes for beginners), and allow time afterward to journal and reorient to ordinary consciousness. Consider working with a therapist trained in somatic or transpersonal approaches if the work surfaces challenging material.