Trait absorption relates to experiences of spirit communication

Absorption is a propensity to be focused on or become absorbed in internal or external events, and experience alterations of consciousness. Various authors have proposed that it plays a key role in religious experiences. This study investigated whether trait Absorption relates to experiences of Spirit Communication among practitioners of Afro-Caribbean traditions. We distributed a questionnaire (the Tellegen Absorption Scale), and questions about experiences of spirit communication to a group of self-assessed practitioners (N = 342). The overall score on absorption revealed moderate to strong correlations with spirit communication. Furthermore proneness to Imaginative and Altered States was more strongly correlated to spirit communication than the Sentient subscale. Similarly, the Enhanced Cognition and Enhanced Awareness factors had significantly stronger correlations than other factors. Those who never or rarely experienced spirit communication had significantly lower absorption scores than others. This work adds experiences of spirit communication in non-Western traditions to the religious experiences related to Absorption.