Navigating the Super Senses

Occultural discourse—an interpretation of esotericism and occultism within popular culture that pursues genuine psychological transformation—shapes how rituals are structured to help people make sense of psychedelic liminal states. Drawing on Victor Turner's theories of ritual, the paper examines how controlled liminal spaces are formed for self-transformation. It explores the sense-making narratives that accompany psychedelic enhancement of the senses, showing that Occultural frameworks provide a narrative structure for interpreting these altered states.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how Occultural discourse has influenced the structuring of rituals to facilitate sense-making in psychedelic liminal states. Occulture is an interpretation of esotericism and occultism within a popular culture framework, which, however, has a genuine psychologically transformative agenda. To address this question, it will draw on the theories of ritual, as understood by Victor Turner, within the context of contemporary psychedelic culture. This theory addresses the purpose of ritual and the controlled formation of liminal spaces for selftransformation. In particular, it will explore the sense-making narratives that surround the psychedelic enhancement of the senses through the lens of Occultural discourse.