Discuss the importance of trance rituals found in Indonesia and cite examples that are covered in the text and in the lecture presentation. What is the purpose of participating in trance rituals? What insights or information can one gain from "communicating" with the spirit world?

This question is incomplete so required examples from the text cannot be given. Trance rituals are important to the people of Indonesia because they are ancient traditions that are a part of their culture. They are mostly sacred but many are dances done for entertainment and artistic expression only.

Explanation:

A trance is a half-conscious state where one is unable to respond to outside factors, normally induced by hypnosis or through being entered by a medium or spiritual being.

There are many types of trance rituals that are done and some can only be done by specified people, for example, virgins only, but some are done by whole villages. There are many different reasons for participating in rituals such as rites of passage, appeasing spiritual beings, healing and dealing with crisis matters.

One example is the ritual called Shanghyang which is a purposeful trance. It's a sacred state where helpful spirits enter the body of a willing person temporarily. This one is done to cleanse people and places of evil influences and to restore spiritual balance. Another one is called Rangda/Barong ritual. This one is done to restore the balance between the villagers and the spiritual world and is usually done after something bad has happened in the village.

Healing, instructions for which ceremonies need to be performed, finding lost things, chasing evil spirits away and attaining peace are some of the things villagers hope to get through their communication with the spirit world.

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