Positive Impact of Emotional Excitement and Movement Performance in Zar Ceremony As Psychological Healing

Positive Impact of Emotional  Excitement and Movement  Performance in Zar Ceremony As Psychological Healing

Ph.D. thesis

Department of Psychology

College of Education

University of Khartoum

Amal Elnur Hamid  email  < umtaharka@yahoo.com >

ABSTRACT

This study aims at assessing the impact of zar as a symbolic dancing ritual accompanied by emotional excitement on psychological healing. To achieve this, the study uses an empirical method applying pre and post test simultaneously with direct observation from an actual ritual. In addition a descriptive methods was also used to overcome some of the shortcomings in certain cases. Our sample included the following:

-        A Zar Sheikha (Ritual leader).

-        An addictive Zar patient.

-        A patient who have been healed by Zar rituals.

          A random sample of Zar rituals users was selected (N+21) representing 31.8% of the community under study.

Study Hypothesis:

          This main hypothesis of the study is: There is a positive correlation between dancing ritual and the accompanying excitement and psychological healing. 

In order to verify such hypothesis a number of secondary hypothesis were suggested:

Firstly: That there are physiological quantitative changes resulting form physical and emotional excitement using that can be measured using the following indicators:

1 .      Respiratory frequency.

2 .      Heart beat frequency.

3 .      Body temperature.

4 .      Rate of change in the skin-electrical vibration.

5 .      Rate of change in oxygen-saturation rate.

Secondly: That there is an Impact of ritual on glucose sugar  percentage in blood.

Thirdly: That the rituals impact on blood pressure (congestion, relaxation).

Fourthly: That the rituals impact on the psychology of the patient.

Fifthly: That the rituals are accompanied by emotional excitement as a nonverbal means of expression.

Sixthly: That rituals acquires some of the psychological healer.

The study falls under four sections. Section I addressed the cultural, psychological and social background of the Zar focusing on the history of symbolic dancing and emotional rituals; part II addressed issues related to zar from the perspectives of some psychological healing approaches and the dynamics between the healer (the Sheikha) and the patient (practitioner); part III addressed issues related to possible impact of physical action accompanying dancing and emotional rituals and the IV section reviewed previous studies.

The study concluded the following:

Firstly: There were physiological changes resulting from the dancing and accompanying emotional excitements reflected in the following:.

1 -      An increase in the respiration rate as was shown in the results of the pre-and post test with significant statistical variation (2 tailed) (0.000) and a high degree of correlation (0.159) of statistical significance (0.490).

2 .      An increase in heart beat as was shown in the results of pre-and post-test with a significant statistical variations (0.028) and correlation (0.200) of statistical significance (0.386).

3 .      Increase in electro-skin vibrations of statistical significance (0.000) and correlation (0.380) of Z 386 significance.

4 .      Increase in body temperature, despite sweating, pre-and post-tests results as well as averages were of statistical significance and correlation rate of 0.162 with a 0.483 significance.

5 .      A decrease in oxygen-saturation rate of percentage signifying a statistical significance of 000 and a correlation of 0l.700.

Secondly: Sugar percentage in blood showed important variation of statistical significance (000) and a correlation of 0.007.

Thirdly: Changes in blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic). In pre-test the variations with a statistical significant (0.000) and high level of correlation 0.775. there were also important variations in the pre-and post-test of both systolic and diastolic with statistical significance (0.100) and correlation of .525 of a (.015) significance.

Fourthly: The rituals are practiced in a symbolic rhythm with impact on the psychology of the performer.

Fifthly: The dancing nature of performing expression is accompanied by emotions signifying a non-verbal means of communication.

Sixthly: The Zar sheikha posses some of the psychiatrist characteristics.