Abstract
In place of our usual overview, in this issue we include two papers describing a detailed study of the drum and dance induced trances of participants in the Thaipusam festival, in Kuala Lumpur in 1984. This study developed out of a conference entitled "Shamans and Endorphins" held in Montreal in October 1980 (see TPRR, 21(1984) :119- 122 for a review of the proceedings). Although field conditions pre vented adequate exploration of the hypothesis that endorphins are involved in the analgesia observed during Thaipusam trances, it was felt that the findings are of sufficient interest to warrant publication here. It is hoped that the view presented, namely that drum and dance induced trances represent a specific mode of functioning of the central nervous system, will stimulate further empirical studies of the biology of trance.
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