A Psychology of Early Sufi Samâ`: Listening and Altered States

Front Cover
Routledge, 2004 M08 5 - 256 pages

Avery explores the psychology of altered states among the early Sufis. It examines samâ` - listening to ritual recitation, music and certain other aural phenomena - and its effect in inducing unusual states of consciousness and behaviours. The focus is on the earliest personalities of the Islamic mystical tradition, as mediated by texts from the tenth to the twelfth centuries C.E. These unusual states are interpreted in the light of current research in Western psychology, and also in terms of their integration into historical Islamic culture.

A Psychology of Early Sufi Samâ` provides new insights into the work of five Sufi authors, and a fresh approach to the relation between historical accounts of altered states and current psychological thinking.

 

Contents

an overview
10
The language of sama and other key concepts
55
The psychology of sama Part 1
85
The psychology of samā Part 2
139
The psychology of sama according
150
The Sufis explanations of their altered state
159
The ritual behaviour and etiquette of samā
174
The paradigmatic experience of two ecstatics
193
Conclusions
220
Bibliography
226
Copyright

Other editions - View all

A Psychology of Early Sufi Samâ`: Listening and Altered States
Kenneth S. Avery
Limited preview - 2004
A Psychology of Early Sufi Sam `: Listening and Altered States
Kenneth S. Avery
No preview available - 2002

Common terms and phrases

Abū acceptable actions activity allowed altered appears argues argument aspects associated Aṭṭār attempt behaviour caused chapter companions concerning condition consciousness considered dealing death described discussion dissociative divine earlier early ecstasy ecstatic effects emotion encounter episode evidence example experience explanation expression factors Ghazālī given heard hearing heart Hujwīrī Ihya important indicate involved Islamic Junayd Kashf knowledge later listening Luma master means mentioned mind mystical narrative nature noted notion Nūrī occasion occurs op.cit overwhelmed particular performance perhaps Persian person poetry possible practice present provides psychology question Qur'an reaction reason recitation recorded references religious response result rising ritual samā Sarraj sayings seen sense Shiblī Shibli's shows similar situation speak spiritual statement Sufi suggests term texts tion tradition understanding unusual utterances various verse voice wajd writings

About the author (2004)

Kenneth S. Avery is a specialist in Sufi studies and Persian literature. He is a musician and a recent Ph.D. graduate in Islamic Studies from the University of Melbourne, Australia

Bibliographic information

TitleA Psychology of Early Sufi Samâ`: Listening and Altered States
Routledge Sufi Series
AuthorKenneth S. Avery
PublisherRoutledge, 2004
ISBN113438727X, 9781134387274
Length256 pages
  
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