Tobacco Intoxication and Posture in Medio Period Shamanic Trance

Abstract: Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) is a cultural universal—it occurs in people who are neurologically and behaviorally “normal,” regardless of how that term is defined for any given culture or context. People will reliably experience ASC under certain circumstances including extreme hunger, extreme pain, extended sleeplessness, poor nutrition, and when consuming psychoactive agents. Many factors influence ASC. Here I present a summary of collaborative research exploring the interactions of several factors that influenced shamanic trance experiences reflected in Casas Grandes Medioperiod (AD 1200 to 1450) iconography, especially the interplay between tobacco intoxication and the adoption of a specific ritual posture. We conclude that the Medio period trance practice reflects a broader ritual practice focused on tobaccoshamanism and the use of what we call the Tennessee Diviner ritual posture that was depicted in effigies from the US Southeast, West Mexico, Mesoamerica, the North American Southwest, and elsewhere around the world. We then explore the significance of this Pan-American tradition.