The Battle Trance

Battle trance is a term denoting a specific altered state of consciousness that characterizes the psychological state of combatants during a combat situation. In this state, combatants do not feel fear (for this state, Joseph Jordania uses a term "aphobia") or pain (analgesia), and all the individual members of group (unit) are acting as one collective organism. In this state humans lose their individuality and acquire shared collective identity. In a battle trance humans may behave very differently, from extremely altruistically (to the point of sacrificing themselves to save others), to the extremely aggressively (to the point of participating in mass murders). Battle trance affects both men and women and can be induced in individuals as well as groups. Battle trance state may occur involuntarily (for example, mother acting in total disregard of her own safety when her child is suddenly attacked), or can be induced by ritualistic behavior, involving loud rhythmic group singing, stomping and drumming on external subjects, as well as the use of different psychogenic substances.

The term was proposed by Joseph Jordania. According to Jordania, the battle trance was developed by the forces of natural selection during the early stages of the evolution of hominids, as the crucial factor of the defense from predators.

According to Jordania, after shifting to the open grasslands and the Savannah in Africa, hominids were too small and weak to defend themselves against African predators individually, but in the state of the battle trance, they could scare away even the strongest predators with their intimidating visual and auditory display and fearless behavior. In the state of the battle trance they were all acting as a group, losing the feel of their individuality, disregarding their personal safety, and behaving in the best interests of the group.

As ritualized induction of the state of the battle trance (and collective identity) was supposedly based on group singing, stomping, dancing, and body painting, Jordania suggested that the phenomenon of the battle trance has a potential to explain the origin and primary evolutionary function of different human arts. (Wikipedia)

Theory Regarding the Origins of Dancing

Joseph Jordania recently suggested, that dance, together with rhythmic music and body painting, was designed by the forces of natural selection at the early stage of hominid evolution as a potent tool to put groups of human ancestors in a battle trance, a specific altered state of consciousness. In this state hominids were losing their individual identity and were acquiring collective identity. Jonathan Pieslak's research shows, that some contemporary military units use loud group singing and dancing in order to prepare themselves for the dangerous combat missions. According to Jordania, this trance-inducing ability of dance comes from human evolutionary past and includes as well a phenomenon of military drill which is also based on shared rhythmic and monotonous group activity (Wikipedia).

The Berserkers

Berserkers (or berserks) were Norse warriors who are reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word berserk. Berserkers are attested to in numerous Old Norse sources. Most historians believe that berserkers worked themselves into a rage before battle, but some think that they might have consumed drugged foods.

The Icelandic historian and poet Snorri Sturluson (1179–1241) wrote the following description of berserkers in his Ynglinga saga:

"His (Odin's) men rushed forward without armour, were as mad as dogs or wolves, bit their shields, and were strong as bears or wild oxen, and killed people at a blow, but neither fire nor iron told upon them. This was called "Berserkergang."

The actual fit of madness the berserker experienced was referred to as berserkergang ("going berserk"). This condition has been described as follows:

"This fury, which was called berserkergang, occurred not only in the heat of battle, but also during laborious work. Men who were thus seized performed things which otherwise seemed impossible for human power. This condition is said to have begun with shivering, chattering of the teeth, and chill in the body, and then the face swelled and changed its colour. With this was connected a great hot-headedness, which at last gave over into a great rage, under which they howled as wild animals, bit the edge of their shields, and cut down everything they met without discriminating between friend or foe. When this condition ceased, a great dulling of the mind and feebleness followed, which could last for one or several days."

Theories about what caused berserker behaviour include ingestion of materials with psychoactive properties, psychological processes, and medical conditions. Some scholars believe certain examples of berserker rage to have been induced voluntarily by the consumption of drugs such as the hallucinogenic mushroom "Amanita Muscaria" or massive amounts of alcohol. While such practices would fit in with ritual usages, other explanations for the berserker's madness have been put forward, including self-induced hysteria, epilepsy, mental illness or genetics. (Wikipedia)

The Origin of The Military Salute

According to modern military manuals, the modern western salute originated in the Middle Ages when knights who greeted each other raised their visors to show their faces, using a motion that resulted in what looks like a modern salute. Their helmets were equipped with protruding pins on the visors to allow the visors to be lifted using the saluting motion. The origin accounts for the common rule of not saluting when not wearing something on your head, as the salute was originally performed only when wearing a helmet (Wikipedia).

Nightingale Floors

Nightingale floors, or uguisubari, were floors designed to make a chirping sound when walked upon. These floors were used in the hallways of some temples and palaces, the most famous example being Nijo Castle, in Kyoto, Japan. Dry boards naturally creak under pressure, but these floors were designed so that the flooring nails rubbed against a jacket or clamp, causing chirping noises. The squeaking floors were used as a security device, assuring that none could sneak through the corridors undetected. According to myth these floors were developed as a means of defense against ninjas.

^{Nijo Castle.} 

^{Kyoto, Japan.}  

^{Nightingale Floor Consrtuction}

 

Kurt Waldheim's Voyager Speech

"As the Secretary General of the United Nations, an organizations of the 147 member states who represent almost all of the human inhabitants of the planet earth. I send greetings on behalf of the people of our planet. We step out of our solar system into the universe seeking only peace and friendship, to teach if we are called upon, to be taught if we are fortunate. We know full well that our planet and all its inhabitants are but a small part of the immense universe that surrounds us and it is with humility and hope that we take this step.''

-Kurt Waldheim

This speech was recorded on the "Sounds of the Earth" golden record that is on board the Voyager Spacecraft. Below is a picture of the reverse side of the record. What is shown is a description of how to play the record. It is thought that this symbolic description is so simple that an advanced civilization from another part of the cosmos can understand it.

Memento Mori

In ancient Rome, when a victorious general paraded through the streets, legend has it that he was sometimes trailed by a servant whose job it was to repeat to him "Memento Mori"; Remember you will die. A reminder of mortality would help the hero keep things in perspective, instill some humility.