Sport and Altered States: Secular or Spiritual?

As part of my doctorate research I studied a Sport group and their altered state of consciousness (ASC) experiences, which are presented here. I begin with some literature from sport psychology. I consider the work of Csikszentmihalyi and his ‘Flow’ model of ASCs used in some sport literature. I also note literature which identifies spiritual experience within sport. I introduce the Sport group and explain the deep spirituality of many members. I consider the dynamic of the group centred on Dan their instructor and how he created a family ethos, helping each individual to achieve their best. I report on collective ASC experience in class which created a kind of lifeworld separate from the external world. I examine accounts of individual ASCs, including content-less states, and a ‘triple sport “ASC” pattern’. I report therapeutic effects, particularly ASCs used to alleviate negative states. Other ASC inducers used included personal prayer, daydream, television and music.