Transe

Transe is a Portuguese noun that translates to trance in English. It refers to an altered state of consciousness characterized by changes in awareness, attention, and perception. The term is used across religious, cultural, and clinical contexts in Portuguese-speaking communities.

In ritual and spiritual settings, transe often denotes a state in which a person becomes a conduit for spirits, deities, or ancestral beings. In Afro-Brazilian religious practices such as Umbanda and Candomblé, mediums may enter transe to receive messages, heal, or perform divinatory acts. Transe in these contexts is typically produced through rhythmic music, drumming, dance, or synchronized movements, and is regarded as a meaningful, communicative experience rather than mere hypnosis.

In psychology and psychotherapy, transe describes hypnotic or highly focused states of attention. Such states can be induced by guided relaxation, suggestion, or immersive techniques and are studied for their effects on perception, memory, and behavior. Researchers note that trance-like experiences can vary widely between individuals and cultural backgrounds, and they emphasize the role of expectancy, context, and social setting in shaping the experience.

Cultural representations of transe appear in literature, film, and music, where characters undergo shifts in consciousness that drive narrative tension or spiritual insight. Although the term is most common in Portuguese, related concepts of altered states of consciousness appear worldwide.

See also: trance, hypnosis, altered state of consciousness, possession.