TACO, TACO, TACO – Is It Stock Market Gains that You Are After?

Trump’s Backdown
I am in Melbourne and was anxiously waiting for the outcome of the psychopath’s 48-hour ultimatum on Iran.

At 10pm yesterday (7pm Kuala Lumpur time), news came through that Donald Trump had backed down from his ultimatum, claiming that Iran had agreed to negotiate. However, Iran stated that no such agreement existed.

The contradiction is entirely understandable. You can never trust Trump’s words, and therefore the true reason behind his decision remains unclear.

I would strongly suggest that it is the U.S.’s ultimate strategic realisation, combined with domestic political pressure, that has caused the TACO to “chicken out” again—albeit for five days, as I understand it.

Trump issued the ultimatum on March 21, demanding that Iran open the Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on its power plants. Yet, two hours before the deadline, he de-escalated, claiming that the U.S. had “very good and productive conversations” with Iran. In his dreams? (Just a day earlier, Scott Bessent said the U.S. would escalate in order to de-escalate. You really do not know what Auntie Bessent meant!)

What Likely Really Happened

While public accounts differ, the underlying reality is likely a combination of factors:

·       Iran’s credible military threat: Iranian officials and media consistently stated that Trump “retreated” after Iran warned it would target “all power plants in West Asia” in retaliation. Iran understands that disruption of the global oil market is its “last remaining super-weapon.” The Strait of Hormuz blockade had already caused one of the largest oil supply disruptions in history, with Brent crude reaching approximately $112 per barrel.

The threat to Gulf states’ desalination plants is also real and would have severe consequences for countries that host U.S. bases.

U.S. strategic calculation: Despite his public claims, Trump appears to have been seeking an “exit” from what he calls an “excursion” into Iran. The war has not produced the quick capitulation he expected. The Revolutionary Guard remains in power, the new Supreme Leader (Mojtaba Khamenei) is still in place, and no uprising has materialised.

Domestic political pressure: The oil price spike from the Strait closure has been fuelling inflation and hurting American consumers, with gasoline prices approaching $4 per gallon. This poses a serious political threat to Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.

Military logistics: This pause may allow the U.S. military to resupply ammunition after heavy use of expensive precision-guided missiles in the early weeks of the conflict.

The conflicting narratives reveal several important strategic realities:

·       Iran is not collapsing: Despite significant strikes, Iran’s leadership structure remains intact, and its military capabilities remain dangerous.

It also dispels the mistaken belief that Iranians would come out en masse to celebrate the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. On the contrary, it has likely deepened hostility toward the U.S. and Israel.

Energy markets are the key leverage point: Iran’s ability to disrupt global oil flows gives it bargaining power that military strikes alone cannot eliminate.

The TACO phenomenon is real: Trump has shifted from demanding “unconditional surrender” to suggesting that the U.S. will not be responsible for permanently policing the Strait. (Notably, most allies are not sending warships to the area.)

The five-day postponement does not mean the crisis is over. The coming days will reveal whether this is a genuine diplomatic opening or merely a temporary pause before further escalation. We need to see:

• Whether talks begin between U.S. and Iranian representatives
• Oil price movements and shipping activity in the Strait
• Any resumption of U.S. or Israeli strikes after the five-day period
• Reports of U.S. military repositioning or resupply

Iran’s Vulnerability
We have often seen that Iran’s retaliatory threats are not always carried out decisively. Its actions tend to be reactive rather than proactive. Nonetheless, it has endured.

Based on recent assessments from U.S. intelligence and independent analysts, Iran is highly unlikely to capitulate anytime soon. Despite significant military losses and the killing of its long-time Supreme Leader, it has adopted a strategy of attrition designed to outlast the U.S. and Israel.

A Resilient, Hardline Government

As mentioned earlier, rather than creating cracks in the power structure, the conflict has made the regime more hardline. The system has become more entrenched under the control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The transition of power to Mojtaba Khamenei has been relatively orderly and has not led to the expected paralysis.

Shift to “Asymmetric” Warfare

Iran’s conventional military capabilities—its air force, navy, and air defence systems—have been significantly degraded. However, Iran has never relied primarily on conventional warfare.

Instead, it has shifted to asymmetric tactics, for which it has prepared for years. This includes the use of low-cost drones and missiles, as well as leveraging control over critical chokepoints. With U.S. interception capabilities in Gulf bases degraded, Iran can increasingly deploy more advanced missiles against Israel.

Iran’s goal is not to win a conventional war, but to make the conflict so costly that the U.S. and Israel are forced to seek a ceasefire on Iran’s terms.

By effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz—through which about 20% of the world’s oil passes—Iran has driven up global oil prices, fuelling inflation and increasing political pressure on the Trump administration.

By deploying low-cost weapons such as the Shahed-136 drone (around $2,000), Iran forces the U.S. and Israel to expend extremely expensive interceptors, such as Patriot missiles (around $4 million each), creating a significant economic burden.

By utilising its vast mountainous terrain (1.6 million sq km) and a network of underground “missile cities,” Iran presents a dilemma: air power can inflict damage but cannot permanently eliminate a dispersed, hidden, and resilient force.

Are They Negotiating?

I believe it is all in TACO's dreams the night before.

I t

Contradictory signals: While Trump claimed “very good and productive conversations,” Iranian officials have firmly denied that any direct or indirect contact took place. Iranian media suggest Trump delayed strikes because Iran’s military threats had become more credible.

·       Iran’s conditions: President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated that Iran is open to ending the war—but only if its conditions are met. These include recognition of Iran’s rights, payment of war reparations, and firm international guarantees against future aggression. The U.S. has already rejected the idea of reparations, making a quick breakthrough unlikely.

In summary, while Iran is weakened and under strain, its leadership remains stable, its core retaliatory capabilities intact, and its strategy focused on fighting a long war of attrition rather than surrendering quickly.

The Fibre Optic Factor

Some have speculated that Iran’s ability to cut fibre optic cables in the Strait of Hormuz could be “the straw that breaks the camel’s back,” potentially crippling IT and data infrastructure across the Gulf.

While the threat is real, the situation is not quite so dire. The Strait is indeed a major digital artery, with several key undersea cable systems—such as AAE-1, FALCON, Gulf Bridge International, and Tata TGN-Gulf—connecting Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

However, the greatest danger may not be deliberate sabotage, but the chaos of war itself.

·       Collateral damage: The most likely cause of disruption is accidental damage from naval activity, mines, or ships dragging anchors across the seabed.

·       Iran’s constraints: While Iran has the capability to damage cables, doing so would also harm its own connectivity, which is already heavily restricted.

The real danger lies in the inability to repair damaged cables during active conflict.

·       Repair ships cannot operate safely in a war zone, meaning outages could last weeks or months.

·       This creates a global digital bottleneck, especially with both the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea under disruption.

·       India is particularly vulnerable, as a significant portion of its westbound internet traffic passes through these routes, affecting finance, banking systems like SWIFT, and cloud services.

Or Is This About the Stock Market?
The U.S. stock market has reportedly climbed following these developments. Does this mean Trump or his insiders are profiting?

There is currently no public evidence that Trump or his associates have directly profited from this specific market movement. However, the sequence of events has drawn scrutiny and accusations of potential market manipulation.

A Pattern

The market reaction follows a suspicious pattern: Markets fell after Trump’s ultimatum; Markets surged after the postponement; and markets dipped again after Iran’s defiance.

The “Who Profited?” Question
There are two areas of concern: traditional stock trading and “war betting” markets.

Earlier in March, calls were made for an insider trading investigation after Trump posted “IT’S TIME TO BUY” shortly before announcing a tariff suspension that triggered a market rebound.

While there is no conclusive proof of his wrongdoing, the market did create opportunities for insiders like Trump, and by some accounts he did profit in suspicious ways.

(However, a rumour that Barron Trump bought $30 million in oil before the war was investigated and found to be baseless.)

I hate to think that a president can stoop so low to make money out of situations like this. However, one can never be sure what this chaotic psychopath might do.

Regardless of the speculations, this psychopath is putting the entire global economy at risk through his whims and fancies.

Let’s tune in again in five days’ time.

End

The 'Tangki' Phenomenon

This phenomenon, commonly seen in Chinese temples across Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan, has always fascinated me. My late father was a firm believer, and I was too in my younger years. However, I no longer believe it is real; nonetheless, it continues to puzzle me.

With that in mind, I asked both DeepSeek and ChatGPT to offer their explanations.

Here they are - draw your own conclusions!

From DeepSeek

This phenomenon sits at the intersection of anthropology, religious studies, and psychology. The "one kind" of movements you observe – stiffening, shaking, gestures with ritual objects, or specific stylized actions – is a key to understanding it. This isn't random; it's a culturally scripted, learned, and sanctioned behaviour.

Let's break down the explanation into several interconnected layers.

1. It's Not "Possession" in a Supernatural Sense, but a Cultural Frame
First, it's crucial to distinguish between the emic (insider) explanation and the etic (outsider/academic) explanation.

· The Emic View: From the perspective of the devotees and the temple community, this is a genuine spiritual possession. A deity (like a local Tua Di Ya Pek, a general from the Chinese pantheon, or a local guardian spirit), a departed ancestor, or a celestial being descends upon the medium (tang-ki in Hokkien) to communicate with the living, offer blessings, perform exorcisms, or answer questions. The "one kind" of movements are seen as the signature of that specific spirit – is unique way of "riding" the human host.

· The Etic View: Academics (anthropologists, sociologists, psychologists) explain this as a culturally patterned dissociative trance state. It's not a sign of mental illness but a ritual role that is learned, valued, and integrated into the community.

2. The Role of Cultural Scripting and Learning
The "invariably one kind" of movement is the most telling clue. This is not random, chaotic behaviour. It is a highly structured performance.

· Apprenticeship: Future tang-ki often undergo a period of training under a master. They learn the lore of the spirits, the ritual protocols, and crucially, the embodied practices. They observe how a spirit "arrives" – the characteristic jerks, the specific hand gestures (mudras), the way a sword or whip is wielded, the particular gait, and the style of speech (often archaic or in a distinct dialect).

· Iconographic Models: The movements are often direct physical enactments of popular religious iconography. A devotee's body becomes a living statue of the deity. The stiff, wide-legged stance with a heavy sword is a replication of a Daoist martial deity. The swaying and soft gestures might mimic a compassionate goddess like Mazu.

· Community Expectation: The audience – the temple committee and other devotees – expects a certain performance. If a medium’s trance doesn’t conform to the established repertoire for that deity, it will be considered inauthentic. This community pressure reinforces the "one kind" of movements, ensuring the ritual is efficacious and legitimate.

3. The Psychological Mechanism: Dissociative Trance
This is the engine that powers the phenomenon. The medium enters a dissociative trance state, a naturally occurring altered state of consciousness.

· Dissociation: This is a psychological process where there is a temporary disruption in the normally integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity, or perception. The medium dissociates their everyday self (their "personality") to make way for the ritual persona (the deity).

· Hypnosis-like State: The process leading up to the trance – burning incense, rhythmic drumming, chanting, holding the breath, focusing on a divine image – acts as a powerful induction ritual, similar to hypnosis. It creates sensory overload or focused concentration that allows the individual to enter the trance state.

· The "One Kind" as an Anchor: The stereotyped movements serve as a psychological anchor. By performing these learned, predictable actions, the medium signals to their own mind – and to the community – that the transition has occurred. The act of picking up a specific sword, for example, becomes a conditioned trigger for entering the trance state.

4. Social Function and Communal Validation
This phenomenon persists because it serves powerful social functions within the Chinese diaspora communities of Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore.

· A Legitimate Social Role: The tang-ki is a respected community figure. They are consulted for everything from medical diagnoses and business decisions to resolving family disputes and locating lost items. This role provides the medium with status, identity, and a sense of purpose.

· Reinforcing Community Bonds: These trance rituals are public events. They are a form of religious theatre that validates the community's shared cosmology. When a deity "shows up" and performs as expected, it reaffirms the community's beliefs and strengthens social cohesion.

· Providing Tangible Solutions: The trance is almost always instrumental. It produces tangible outcomes: a talisman for protection, a prescribed herbal remedy, a ritual to appease restless spirits. This practical problem-solving function gives the phenomenon its enduring power.

5. Regional Differences within a Shared Tradition
While the core phenomenon is similar, the "one kind" of movement will have distinct flavours across the three regions you mentioned, reflecting their unique histories:

· Taiwan: Often highly elaborate and theatrical. Tang-ki may perform dramatic acts of self-mortification (like piercing cheeks with spikes or whipping their backs) as a display of divine power and to demonstrate that the possessing spirit protects them from pain. This is a more extreme, public form of the "one kind."

· Malaysia and Singapore: The tradition is deeply influenced by the Hokkien and Teochew heritage of the early Chinese migrants. The movements are often more focused on spirit-medium tasks: writing fu (talismans) in a trance state, performing rituals with a rang gu (divine pestle), and acting as an interlocutor between the spirit and the supplicant. In multi-ethnic Malaysia and Singapore, these rituals are often performed in a way that strongly asserts a distinct Chinese religious identity.

Conclusion
The “invariably one kind” of movements are not evidence of a supernatural entity forcing a body to move, but rather the result of a sophisticated, culturally transmitted system. A trained individual, using learned techniques of dissociation, enters a trance state and performs a structured, community-validated ritual role. This role is a powerful cultural institution that provides a sense of connection to the divine, offers practical solutions to life’s problems and serves as a vital anchor for community identity within the Chinese diaspora.

It is a profound example of how human culture, psychology, and faith can intertwine to create a deeply meaningful and enduring spiritual practice.

I further asked: Are they not for real?

The answer:

Based on my previous answer, you might have inferred that I was suggesting it’s “all in their heads” or a kind of performance. So let me address the question of “realness” directly, because the answer depends entirely on what you mean by “real”.

There isn’t one single answer. Instead, there are two different frameworks for understanding reality, and which one you accept will determine your conclusion.

1. The Empirical/Scientific Framework: "Not Supernaturally Real"
If we define "real" as a supernatural entity literally taking control of a human body, then from a scientific, empirical standpoint, the answer is no, it's not real.

There is no scientific evidence to support the literal existence of deities, spirits, or ancestors that can possess a human being. What we can observe and measure is:

· A learned behaviour: People train for this role. They are not random individuals but chosen apprentices who learn the specific movements, speech patterns, and rituals.

· An induced altered state: The trance is a real neuropsychological state (dissociative trance), but it is induced by predictable techniques (rhythmic drumming, incense, chanting, sensory focus) that are known to alter consciousness.

· A culturally prescribed role: The "possessed" person behaves in ways that match cultural expectations. A deity from one tradition will always move in a specific, recognizable way—not because the deity is real, but because the medium has learned that role.

From this perspective, the phenomenon is a form of ritual theater, psychological self-conditioning, and social performance. It is subjectively real to the devotee, but objectively not a case of supernatural possession.

2. The Insider/Religious Framework: "Absolutely Real"
If you ask a devotee, the temple committee, or the tang-ki themselves whether it's real, the answer is a resounding yes.

Within their worldview, the reality is this:

· The deities are real. They have power, personalities, and histories.

· The tang-ki has been chosen and trained by the gods. The trance is the moment the deity descends and uses the human body as a vessel to help the community.

· The "one kind" of movements are proof of authenticity. If a deity's movements were inconsistent or varied wildly, that would be a sign of a fake medium or a trickster spirit. The consistency is evidence that the same genuine spirit is returning each time.

· The results validate the reality. If someone receives a talisman and their illness improves, or if a spirit gives advice that resolves a family conflict, the community takes this as proof that the deity was truly present and acting through the medium.

Within this framework, questioning whether it's "real" is like questioning whether a doctor's diagnosis is real. The efficacy – the tangible help provided – is itself the evidence.

The Key Distinction: Subjective Experience vs. Supernatural Claim
Here's where it gets nuanced.

The subjective experience of the medium is undeniably real. They genuinely enter a trance state. They genuinely feel themselves "step aside" and the deity "step in." They may have no memory of what happened during the trance. This is not faking – it is a profound altered state of consciousness that feels completely authentic to the person experiencing it.

The supernatural claim – that a literal, independent deity has physically taken over their body – is a matter of faith. Science cannot verify it, but neither can it definitively disprove it to a believer. It operates outside the realm of empirical measurement.

A Helpful Analogy: A Powerful Dream
Imagine someone tells you: "Last night, I flew over my childhood home. It was completely real. I felt the wind, I saw the roof, I could even smell the garden."

You could respond in two ways:

· Empirically: "No, you didn't. Your body was in bed. Your senses were not actually interacting with the physical world. It was a dream."

· Experientially: "That sounds incredibly vivid. The emotions and sensations you felt were real, even if your body was in bed. That experience mattered to you."

The trance state is similar. The medium's experience is genuine. The trance is a real psychological event. The community's healing and cohesion are real social outcomes. But whether a literal deity was present is a claim that rests on faith, not empirical proof.

As an AI, I don't have a position on the supernatural. I can describe the phenomenon from both frameworks and leave the question of ultimate reality to you.

If you are asking whether the people are faking it: generally, no. Most are sincere practitioners who have undergone training and genuinely enter a trance state. Fraudulent mediums certainly exist, but the core tradition is one of sincere religious practice.

 If you are asking whether deities are truly possessing them: that is a question of faith. Science describes the mechanism (dissociative trance, cultural conditioning, social function) but does not rule on the metaphysical truth of what the practitioner experiences.

 

From ChatGPT:

What you’re asking is a well-known phenomenon in Chinese folk religion, often called spirit mediumship (乩童 / tang-ki). It appears in temples across places like Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore, especially in traditions linked to deities such as Nezha, Guan Yu, or the Eight Immortals.

There are a few main ways to understand it – religious, psychological, and social – and they don’t necessarily cancel each other out.

1. Religious interpretation (insider view)
Within the belief system itself, devotees are not “acting” at all. They are seen as temporarily inhabited by a deity or spirit.

• The medium enters a trance through ritual (drumming, chanting, incense, fasting).
• The deity “descends” and takes control.
• The characteristic movements reflect the identity of the deity—e.g. martial, childlike, fierce.

From this perspective, the consistency you noticed (“one kind” of movement) actually supports authenticity: each deity has a recognizable style.

2. Psychological explanation
From a scientific standpoint, this is usually understood as a form of dissociative trance:

• The brain shifts into an altered state of consciousness (similar to hypnosis).
• The person’s sense of self is temporarily suppressed.
• Stored cultural scripts (how a deity “should” behave) are enacted automatically.

This is related to what psychology calls dissociative identity or trance states, not necessarily mental illness, but a culturally shaped experience.

The uniformity of movements happens because:

• Participants share the same cultural expectations
• They’ve observed similar rituals since young
• The brain reproduces learned patterns under trance

3. Neurobiological angle
Research on trance and possession shows:

• Reduced activity in parts of the brain responsible for self-awareness (prefrontal cortex)
• Increased emotional and motor activity
• Strong influence of rhythm (drums, gongs) in inducing trance

So the “possession” feels very real to the person—even involuntary.

4. Social and cultural function
These rituals also serve important roles:

• Authority: The medium becomes a voice of the divine
• Healing: People seek advice, blessings, or cures
• Community bonding: Shared belief reinforces identity

In Southeast Asian Chinese communities, temple mediums often act as informal counsellors, especially where formal systems are less accessible or trusted.

5. Why the movements look similar
This is the part you noticed most, and it’s key:

• Movements are learned templates, not random
• Each temple tradition has a “style guide”
• New mediums often apprentice under experienced ones
• Rhythmic cues (drums, chants) produce repeatable motor patterns 

It’s similar to how people in different churches may “speak in tongues” in similar ways, or how dancers trained in the same school move alike.

Bottom line
You can interpret the phenomenon in two parallel ways:

• Believer’s view: real spirit possession, with distinct divine personalities
• Scientific view: culturally shaped dissociative trance, reinforced by ritual, expectation, and neurobiology

Both explain why the behaviours are consistent rather than random.

On why participants often report little or no pain.
The more extreme rituals you’re referring to – piercing the cheeks, walking on blades, cutting the tongue, etc – are among the most striking aspects of spirit-medium practices in places like Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore. They are often associated with festivals such as Nine Emperor Gods Festival or temple anniversaries and linked to deities like Nezha or Guan Yu.

Let’s break this down carefully—because while it looks supernatural, there are several grounded explanations.

1. Why don’t they seem to feel pain?

Altered brain state (trance analgesia)

When a medium enters deep trance:

• The brain can suppress pain signals
• Endorphins (natural opioids) are released
• Attention is intensely focused away from the body 

This is similar to:

• Soldiers not feeling injuries in battle
• Athletes playing through serious pain
• People under hypnosis tolerating needles or surgery 

So the lack of pain is real – not faked – but neurologically mediated.

2. Why is there often little bleeding or injury?

This is where technique and experience matter a lot:

Controlled methods

Experienced mediums often:

• Pierce specific areas with fewer blood vessels (e.g. cheeks vs arteries)
• Use pre-sterilised or ritual tools
• Insert objects in ways that avoid major damage

Preparation of the body

Some undergo:

• Fasting or dietary restrictions
• Gradual conditioning over years
• Repeated exposure that builds tolerance

 Aftercare

Assistants are usually present to:

• Apply herbs, ash, or antiseptics
• Stop bleeding quickly
• Remove implements safely

So while it looks chaotic, it’s often highly controlled within the ritual system.

3. The role of belief and expectation

Belief is not just “mental”—it has physical consequences:

• If a person truly believes a deity is protecting them, fear drops sharply
• Lower fear = lower pain perception + steadier body control
• Expectation shapes how the brain processes sensation

This is closely related to the placebo effect, but much stronger because it’s embedded in culture and identity.

4. Dissociation: “It’s not me”

Many mediums report:

• Feeling detached from their body
• Watching themselves from outside
• Having no memory afterward

This is classic dissociation – the brain separates “self” from “experience,” which reduces pain and fear.

5. Social reinforcement

These practices persist because they are validated:

• Communities treat the medium with respect during trance
• Successful performances reinforce belief (“he wasn’t harmed”)
• New mediums learn by observing seniors

Over time, this creates a self-reinforcing system where:
belief → trance → controlled feat → community validation → stronger belief

6. Are there real risks?

Yes—despite the control, risks are not zero:

• Infection (especially with piercing)
• Accidental injury if trance breaks
• Long-term scarring 

But experienced temples tend to minimise these risks through ritual discipline.

7. A balanced way to understand it

You don’t have to choose a single explanation:

• Religious view: divine protection makes the body invulnerable
• Scientific view: trance, endorphins, conditioning, and technique

What’s fascinating is that both perspectives predict the same observable outcome:
reduced pain, controlled injury, and highly consistent behaviour.

Similar practices in other cultures
Once you step back and compare across cultures, the pattern becomes much clearer: what looks like something uniquely “mystical” in Chinese temples is actually part of a global human phenomenon – ritual trance and possession.

1. Hindu kavadi & body piercing (South/Southeast Asia)

Thaipusam

Observed widely in Malaysia, Singapore, and India.

• Devotees carry heavy “kavadi” structures
• Many pierce cheeks, tongue, chest, or back with hooks and skewers
• Some enter trance states and walk long distances barefoot

What’s striking:

• Very similar to Chinese medium practices
• Participants often report little or no pain
• Movements become rhythmic, repetitive, almost “programmed”

2. Afro-Caribbean spirit possession

Vodou (Haiti)

Candomblé (Brazil)

• Practitioners are “mounted” by spirits (loa/orixás)
• Each spirit has a distinct personality and movement style
• The possessed may perform feats beyond normal behaviour

Familiar pattern:

• The body becomes a “vehicle”
• Behaviour is highly stereotyped (just like Chinese deities)
• Amnesia after trance is common

3. Pentecostal Christianity

Pentecostalism

• Worshippers may:
• Speak in tongues (glossolalia)
• Shake, fall, or enter ecstatic states
• Interpreted as being filled with the Holy Spirit

Key similarity:

• The vocal patterns and movements are surprisingly uniform worldwide
• Learned subconsciously through exposure

4. Korean shamanism

Korean shamanism

• Shamans (mudang) enter trance during rituals (gut)
• They may:
• Dance intensely
• Handle knives or symbolic weapons
• Channel different spirits with distinct behaviours

Again:

• Each spirit = specific “performance style”
• Strong overlap with Chinese tang-ki traditions

5. Sufi ecstatic rituals

Sufi whirling

• Repetitive spinning, chanting, breathing
• Leads to altered states of consciousness

Less about possession, but:

• Same mechanism: rhythm + focus → trance

What ties ALL of these together?

Across cultures, you consistently see five elements:

1. Rhythm

• Drumming, chanting, music
• Synchronises brain activity and induces trance

2. Expectation (cultural script)

• People already “know” how a god/spirit behaves
• The brain reproduces that script under trance

3. Dissociation

• Reduced sense of self
• “It’s not me acting” feeling

4. Pain suppression

• Endorphins + focus + belief
• Enables piercing, fire-walking, etc.

5. Social reinforcement

• Community validates the experience
• Makes it repeatable across generations

The big insight
The similarity across completely different religions suggests that

this is not about one specific deity or tradition being uniquely “real” or “fake.”

Instead, it points to a shared human capacity:

The brain can enter powerful altered states, and
culture “programs” what those states look like.

So why do they all look “the same”?
Because:

• Humans have similar brains
• Rituals use similar triggers (rhythm, repetition, emotion)
• Cultures provide templates for expression

So whether it’s:

• a Chinese medium channeling Nezha
• a devotee at Thaipusam
• or a worshipper in Pentecostalism

…the structure of the experience is strikingly alike.

A grounded way to interpret it

You can think of these phenomena as:

• Biological: brain entering trance
• Psychological: dissociation + expectation
• Cultural: scripts shaping behaviour
• Spiritual (if one believes): interpreted as divine contact

They’re not mutually exclusive—but the cross-cultural similarity strongly supports the first three.

Why some are more susceptible to go into trance than others?

1. Natural differences in the brain (trait dissociation)
Some people are simply more prone to dissociation – the ability to mentally “step outside” themselves.

• They may daydream deeply
• Get absorbed in music, prayer, or stories
• Lose track of time easily

Psychology often calls this absorption or hypnotic susceptibility.

These individuals can:

• Enter trance faster
• Go deeper
• Experience it as more “real” or involuntary

Others more analytical or control-oriented – find it much harder.

2. Personality profile
People who become mediums or enter trance often share tendencies like:

• High emotional sensitivity
• Strong imagination
• Openness to experience
• Comfort with surrendering control

Whereas people who:

• Prefer structure
• Need control
• Are sceptical or constantly self-monitoring

…tend to resist trance states.

3. Early exposure and cultural conditioning

This is crucial in places like Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore:

• If you grow up seeing trance as normal, your brain learns the script early
• Ritual cues (drums, incense, chanting) become powerful triggers
• You know—consciously or not – how to “enter” the state

Without that cultural framework, the same rituals may feel strange or ineffective.

4. Training and practice
Many mediums are not “spontaneous”—they are trained.

• Apprenticeship under experienced mediums
• Repeated exposure to rituals
• Gradual deepening of trance over time

So what looks like a sudden supernatural event is often a cultivated skill.

5. Social permission and expectation
Trance requires a kind of psychological “letting go.” This is easier when:

• The environment expects it
• The community accepts it
• There is no fear of embarrassment

If you put the same person in a sceptical audience, they may not enter trance at all.

6. Stress, trauma, and coping
This is more sensitive, but important. Some individuals who enter trance easily may have:

• Past stress or trauma
• A tendency to dissociate as a coping mechanism

Trance can function as:

• Emotional release
• Temporary escape from self
• A structured, socially accepted form of dissociation

This doesn’t apply to everyone—but it’s a known pathway.

7. Why most people don’t go into trance
Because they have:

• Strong self-monitoring (“I’m aware of myself”)
• Lower suggestibility
• Less immersion in ritual context
• Resistance to loss of control

In simple terms, some brains are wired more for control, others for absorption.

A useful analogy
Think of trance like musical ability:

• Some people naturally pick up rhythm and melody
• Others can learn with training
• Some never quite get into it

The capacity is human and widespread, but the depth varies.

Bottom line

People who enter trance more easily tend to have:

• Higher dissociative/absorptive capacity
• Cultural familiarity with the ritual
• Training or repeated exposure
• Willingness (conscious or not) to surrender control

While others remain grounded not because they are “stronger,” but because their minds are less tuned to that mode of consciousness.

 End