Samipya 1992 Vol 09 Ank 01 02

Author(s): Pravinchandra C Parikh, Bhartiben Shelat
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan

Page 77

transcendental state. Thus the replies are not given during conscious state but given through the intuition, and it is interpreted as the replies given by the Goddess.
Further Bhūvā is believed to have power over the evil spirits which are visible to the Bhūvā only, they cannot be seen by common man. He is the guardian of the community. His duty is to protect the people from the malignant influence of the evil spirits.
The devies are supposed to appear in specially favoured Bhūvās and to endow them with prophetic powers.
The Bhūva generally belongs to Vaghari tribe. One good qualification for becoming a Bhuvā, is to possess the inborn quality of throwing one's self into 'convulsive fits' followed by a state of trance, especially on hearing the beating of dāklā (drum). At such a time, the spirit of mata or devi is supposed to penetrate into the body of the Bhūvă and to speak out her wishes on being questioned. Some Bhūvās are regularly possessed by some devi or mātā on every Sunday or Tuesday.
It appears that dancing often forms a part of the process of exorcism. Frequently, dancing is accompanied by the beating of cymbals and drums. In other words, it invokes intuitive mood or create intuitive stage which is the main objective of this celebration.
This needs to make further psychological analysis to what extent, it contains the substance of auto suggestion 'hypnotism,' 'mesmerism' and 'Tantric' sādhana in rustic method. This needs deep study to ascertain how far it is true.
The great Ancient seer Patañjali avers the supersensous experienes on three dimentions of human personality viz. (1) physical (2) mental and (3) spiritual. He further explains, how with the constant practice of special forms of concentration and meditation, extrasensory powers are acquired. Shri Ramkrişğa always warned all his disciples to beware of such powers and advised them to set a side the use of such powers, if they possess them. However, now-a-days hypnosis has been used successfully as an abjuctive tool in the treatment of a variety of psychiatric and medical conditions, including the control of pain, anxiety and phobias, habits. When used in treatment, the hypnotic state provides a receptive and attentive condition in which the patient concentrates on a primary treatment strategy deigned to promote greater mastery over the symptoms.
All Psychotherapies are composed of inter-personal intra-psychic components which facilitate change. Hypnotic trance mobilizes focused concentration, demonstrates the ability to change both psychological and somatic experience, and intensifies receptivity to imput from others. This makes the hypnotic state-a natural tool-for use in psychotherapy and fascinating psychobiological phenomenon.10
All hypnosis is really self-hypnosis. Individual capable of experiencing some or all of these changes associated with a shift into the hypontic trance state may learn to employ them as tool in facilitating therapeutic change.
[Samipya : April, '92-September, 1992
22]