Sonic Spirituality: Religious Rituals as Acoustic Events 公开

Abstract

Sound has numerous functions within ritual contexts. Although functions vary according to differing cultural and religious practices, sound is a universal component of religious rituals, used to direct spiritual experiences across religious traditions. Employing a sound engineer’s framework, we can explain spiritual practices by means of their sonic characteristics and acoustics, which sound-makers have orchestrated to address people’s aesthetic preferences. An interdisciplinary approach to the study of sound and religious rituals—incorporating research from physics, sound studies, religious studies, psychology, physiology, acoustics, and psychoacoustics—helps explain how sound can foster states of altered consciousness (such as trance and meditation), religious mysticism, and feelings of awe or transcendence. By examining the sounds of religion, we can furthermore understand how sonic ritual fosters cultural identity, creates a sense of community, enables communication with the divine, and elicits a range of emotional experiences.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Sonic Spirituality.....................................................................................................1

Chapter I: Sound and Religious Rituals: An Interdisciplinary Approach........................................6

Chapter II: Sound Perception in Religious Rituals........................................................................17

Chapter III: Altered States of Consciousness: Trance...................................................................29

Chapter IV: Altered States of Consciousness: Meditation.............................................................46

Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................56

Works Cited...................................................................................................................................58

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Anthropology, Cultural Music Religion, General
关键词	Religion Acoustics Psychology Altered States of Consciousness Sound Music Spirituality
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Rose Deighton-Mohammed, Emory University
Committee Members	Adam Mirza, Emory University Mark Risjord, Emory University

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