Is There a Psychedelic Aspect to Childhood Games?

"When you see the word "psychedelic," a number of things might come to mind, from microdosing certain mushrooms to the combination of lights and sounds at a particularly epic rock show. The sort of games most people played during their formative years don't tend to be on that list - but maybe they should be. That, at least, is the conclusion that University of California, Davis professor Jay Mechling reached via one avenue of his research."

"What makes ilinx unique is the way that it temporarily affects participants' perception - so, things like spinning or swinging would very much qualify. In the 2021 paper "Folklore and Transmarginal Consciousness," published in the journal Western Folklore, Mechling made a convincing case for the ecstatic elements of everyday activities. "Playground swings induce the vertigo of ilinx, as do merry-go-rounds," Mechling writes. "And away from the playground, children and young people swing on ropes hung from trees or other high structures.""

Certain common play activities can induce temporary altered states of consciousness classified as ilinx. Activities such as swinging, spinning, and riding merry-go-rounds produce vertigo and perceptual disruption that generate ecstatic experiences. These ecstatic elements appear in everyday settings like playgrounds and improvised swings hung from trees, as well as in broader group rituals. Play and ritual behaviors are linked to developmental and evolutionary roles, contributing to human strategies for survival and to psychological well-being. The ecstatic dimension of ordinary play suggests a deeper functional role for seemingly trivial childhood activities in shaping consciousness and social life.

Read at InsideHook