ASC (Altered State of Consciousness) n :
a brain state differing from normal consciousness. Sometimes
associated with the transportation to a higher realm of consciousness or
mystical experience. Feelings experienced during an altered brain
state can be both pleasant and unpleasant.
There can be a number of different reasons why an individual might enter
an altered state of consciousness and these can include: use of drugs,
sometimes hypnosis, trauma, sensory deprivation, sleep disturbance, fever
or a neurochemical imbalance. Certain behaviours such as chanting
and frenzied behaviour are also known to produce effects.