In cultures that venerate shamans and also conduct rites of passage, the shamanic crisis is considered to be a form of initiation that is much superior to the rite of passage. It is seen as intervention of higher power and thus indication of divine choice and special calling.
From another perspective, rites of passage represent a further step in the cultural appreciation of the positive value of holotropic states of consciousness. Shamanic cultures accept and hold in high esteem holotropic states that occur spontaneously during initiatory crises and the healing trance experienced or induced by recognized shamans. Rites of passage introduce holotropic states into the culture on a large scale, institutionalize them and make them an integral part of ritual and spiritual life.
– Stanislav Grof
