The music is the origin, the pumping lifeblood and soulfire. Psychedelics and sound are a powerful combination, and when dance, vibration and movement are introduced, we are suddenly communicating with ourselves in very challenging ways, as well as with an infinite myriad of other energies, entities, ideas and emotions. Trance may seem to be such a personal and selfish activity on the surface but in actuality there are many layers of communicating happening on various levels among diverse entities, human and beyond.

 The essence of the experience involves the secret "language" of sound, psychedelics and movement, and the tacit realization that the dance ritual is the inter-stellar conduit for such happenings. We are creating a Temporary Autonomous Zone for our minds to investigate the mysteries of the universe, as we once again, like our distant ancestors, cajole the spirits of the trees and the sky, the earth and the cosmos to come out to play - as one. Ancient earth drums dance in symbiotic merriment with the metallic inter-galactic beats as the circles of sound expand and astound our imagination with vibratory awareness.

 In this changeling world of chance, shape shifters from distant corners find themselves sharing these profound wonders, and learning the empowerment of the mystical dance space. There is a pulsating awareness of sharing archaic understandings, reviving lost traditions, particularly unwritten traditions, and which are all invested with new technological innovation. The sounds are the new epic poetry of this century, and the modern wandering minstrels are fine tuning their harmonious and transcendental harps. We are returning to a relationship with ourselves and others which is removed from written language, and which undermines our absolute reliance on finding meaning within the world of words. The emerging magicians of imagination understand the realm of r-evolutionary connectedness, and that these experiences are not the property or production of a single person or corporation, but rather the combined manifestation of the community of sweaty heads. The knowledge is beyond consumerism and materialism, and the associated disaffected, alienated and generally self-destructive style of the industrial being. We are whirling the energy together, as one, rather than battling the forces alone. We're each a ripple, expanding ever outward, and learning how to recreate wondrous tales together.

 Our convenient industrial cultures have practically negated our direct relationship with the earth and its seasons and cycles, and it seems that there is less and less reason to rely on, let alone investigate our instinctual being. Our experiences with sound, psychedelics and the dance ritual are the stirrings of communicating via the ebb and flow of the earth's rhythms and letting it seep into our collective emotions. It is a simple exercise in the tremendous "power" of a group mind.

 The resulting aspects of this form of communication can be life changing. The heartfelt rhythm of trance dance ritual is often one of the most liberating methods of communication and self-exploration that many Westerners have discovered. Mindblowing interactions happen through movement and into that intense white light of psychedelic shamanism which may tip us over into mysterious realms of animal spirits and alien possession.

 The sounds and jewel-drenched rhythms produced by trance tekno artistis seem to be more and more profound in their ability to communicate the most extraordinary thoughts, feelings and deeply resonating primal understandings. It's the re-discovered "language" of transcendence which transports us to many "places" within and outside oneself, some pleasant, some frightening, but always enlightening. In the thrall of dark possession, the sounds may take on "physical" forms as the possibilities of personal spectacle are revealed as boundless. From Gothic subterranean Vampyric cathedrals through to tacky eerie 1970s lollypop spiral lands, and beyond the divide of time to the r-evolutionary chants of the Dreamtime of our ancestors, we shimmy and shake through a kaleidoscope of bizarre and boundless scenes.

 In forest settings this magickal transcendence is very potent, as the energies are charging and morphing and zinging around people and the ether. We may become little "animals" investigating the primal, orgiastic, instinctual aspects of our nature. We may find ourselves in swirling vortexes and see people moving as one with each other - completely tranced out and sharing some unknown luv. Swings between 'light' and 'dark' in the music show that the sonic wizards are in tune with a universal life journey - the cycle of birth and death. Here is the "coming of age" ritual which Western culture has long forgotten. Here is the rich manifestation of the cycle of life and death and rebirth, and we're creating and sharing this together. It is about learning the joys of numinous contemplation, and sharing the lust of awareness with others. This is such a powerful way to investigate the heart of darkness, and we should be passionate in letting it flourish! It's the taboos and secrets that give energy to the "sicknesses" and imbalance.

 In creating spaces of mystery and providing points of departure and return for exploration, the sounds can be "blasting off" as well as "grounding" points. One may feel incredibly "aged" after such experiences, but not necessarily in terms of lost physical vitality and exhuberance, but rather the proces of the "exhumation" of the ultimate reality can leave one feeling exposed to the understandings and underbelly of all the crones who have come before, or may exist elsewhere. Western communities are very happy to challenge and stretch themselves physically - in fact, this is considered a very healthy and acceptable activity - but investigating the depths of the mind in a similarly extreme way can be considered illegal, if not heretical. However, one could consider this rhythmic transcendentalism as the "bungey" jump of the mind.

 It's liberating and self-expansive to explore all the ways in which our consciousness can interact with ultimate reality. Psychedelics like darkness, intensity and movement to activate the supernatural transmissions, and these gatherings often seem to provide that. It's important, too, to find the psychedelic tekno parties. Tekno is not a homogenous culture. Seek out the gatherings held by and populated by your fellow freaks, and once you've found the psy parties, you then need to find the gatherings where most of the people there are using psychedelics (and I'm not including ecstasy here) with the intent to explore this very illuminating method of trance magick. It's this exchange of collective "high" energy which may prove to be outstandingly potent in the manifestation of the "group mind", and the higher people are prepared to vibrate, the "madder" and more diverse, the resulting energies can be.

 Tekno anarcho-activists understand the power of the gnosis of trance, and may use lots of tricks and techniques to "direct" the energy of the dance in a certain direction. Sound, as discussed above, is the most obvious one in initiating inner-knowledge and journeying, but artists have also buried crystals under dance areas, used static visual art or computer generated visuals, and in particular, there are investigations into the symbology and iconography of ancient magickal and spiritual traditions. Very recently, I found myself dancing on a black floor covered in a 22 pointed star - the artist is perhaps a Qabbalist - and I soon found myself gyrating in sweat drenched orgiastic communion with the other trancers. These gatherings may also provide a space for the exploration of geometric designs and how they may affect the consciousness of humans and their environment. There are often "healing" areas as well including yoga, massage, mind machines, aromatherapy and so on. Meditative rituals, drumming sessions and chanting often open and close gatherings.

 Let's celebrate this new found awareness, and continue to lovingly co-create such psychedelic playgrounds - the alien circus has come to town - where the playfully serious explorers, all possessed by the sounds, writhing and shaking wildly in unison, have suddenly found their minds in the same sonic whirlpool. We're all "seeing" or "understanding" the experience in many and varied ways but there are many moments when powerful energies - lifeforces and spirits and understandings - are created and exchanged with those around. A vibe of openness and friendliness is the least that that these gatherings can achieve - that's the bottom line. Socialising in the conventional sense is not really necessary. One psychonaut's mind is good but a lot of them coming together in this vibratory symbiosis can be a potent experience when exploring those indescribable states of being.

By Kath, from www.hofmann.org, the Albert Hofmann foundation