Ecstasy
Ecstasy – Shamans are sometimes distinguished from other religious or cultural leaders by the ability to achieve an altered state of consciousness which Mircea Eliade labeled âecstasy.â The etymology of this originally Greek word implies an ability to âstand outsideâ oneself. It is often used as a synonym of journeying and an antonym of possession, because Eliade claimed that shamans control or master spirits rather than losing control.
SOURCE:
Historical Dictionary of Shamanism by Graham Harvey and Robert J. Wallis 2007