Getting into a trance

efreysson · Apr 27, 2014

My fantasy WIP has a character who has a limited ability to see the future. She needs to enter a kind of trance to use it (let go of the present), and so far I've just had her sit down, do controlled breathing and meditate.
I want to do something different with a scene where she has to predict what will happen during a battle. She is in a house with two allies and I wondered if they could help in some way. I thought maybe one could beat a slow, steady beat on a makeshift drum while the other one does . . . something.

Any suggestions?

Kerosene · Apr 27, 2014

Have you thought of creating or incorporating some part of your fantasy world elements into this?
Have you thought of building a whole system around her abilities--or even her own? This would create the above.

Otherwise, her meditating would be enough for me--people who can hypnotize, mediate deeply, and go into a trance by themselves need nothing more sometimes.

King Neptune · Apr 27, 2014

It is easier to adapt existing methods to your desires, and I believe that there are people who use a steady beat to assist in going into trances. So try it, if it works for you.

arcan · Apr 27, 2014

I've used self hypnosis. I did that through closing my eyes and concentratain on what I heard, or through singing myself a simple iterative short song. don't know if it helps you but maybe getting into a trance can use the same method.

Wilde_at_heart · Apr 27, 2014

Maybe have her perform some kind of ritual first, before she goes into a trance state, or maybe have her drink some 'herbal' tea or smoke something...

Or if you're wanting to know what the other person does, maybe hums or chants or something. Or they could each have percussive instruments of some kind - one a rattle, one a drum. Some claim that holding hands in a circle concentrates 'energy' for that kind of thing.

Siri Kirpal · Apr 27, 2014

Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Chanting and drumming would both work--together or separately.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

Orianna2000 · Apr 27, 2014

Maybe humming? There's this one Enya song, I don't recall the title, but it features rhythmic humming. It usually puts me in a relaxed meditative state when I listen to it.

snafu1056 · Apr 28, 2014

Is this character a shaman? Because in many shamanistic traditions trances arent even necessary for predicting the future. For fortune telling many shamans use more hands-on methods like scapulamancy (burning an animal's shoulderblade and then "reading" the cracks that appear), haruspicy (reading the entrails of an animal), and casting lots. The kind of deep trance ceremonies most people associate with shamans are usually used more for curing the sick or performing exorcisms, etc. But for trances some shamans did use hallucinogenics.

efreysson · Apr 28, 2014

Siri Kirpal said:
Chanting and drumming would both work--together or separately.

Orianna2000 said:
Maybe humming? There's this one Enya song, I don't recall the title, but it features rhythmic humming. It usually puts me in a relaxed meditative state when I listen to it.

Well, I went with rhythmic drumming and wordless singing.

snafu1056 said:
Is this character a shaman? Because in many shamanistic traditions trances arent even necessary for predicting the future. For fortune telling many shamans use more hands-on methods like scapulamancy (burning an animal's shoulderblade and then "reading" the cracks that appear), haruspicy (reading the entrails of an animal), and casting lots. The kind of deep trance ceremonies most people associate with shamans are usually used more for curing the sick or performing exorcisms, etc. But for trances some shamans did use hallucinogenics.

No, she just has this inborn ability as part of a general package. Interesting trivia though. I'd never heard of scapulamancy.

NCIX1 · Nov 6, 2014

Try hypnosis to get into a trance.

cat_named_easter · Nov 8, 2014

Aromatherapy would suggest certain essential oils might be good for meditation, so maybe your character could burn an oil so the scent helps induce the trance. Other than that I think the controlled breathing and rhythmic beat sound good. Maybe some sort of visualisation that she talks herself through or a mantra she repeats to herself?

Getting into a trance

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