The role of imitation in induction of ritual trance : a neurocognitive perspective

A shamanic trance ritual begins with the introductory part, which can be defined as invocation of shamanic spirits. The formal structure of this invocation assumes playing a role, which in the practice of the ritual means imitation of the types of behaviour characterising a given spirit. Entering a trance is synonymous with the loss of the cognitive barrier dividing the persona of the shaman from the persona of the portrayed spirit; the shaman becomes the spirit. The conceptions of evolutionary psychologists are insufficient to explain this situation. The theoretical model proposed instead describes the transition from inductive actions to a trance state in terms of disinhibition of the system preventing repetition of an action recorded at the level of the mirror neurons.