I think it refers to a state of religious fervor here. Like people speaking in tongues in modern day evangelical churches.
In terms of drugs they have been used throughout history but in this era it would need to be mushrooms or potentially in a highly rare cases ergot affecting communal grain supplies. Should emphasise that there is no evidence whatsoever that these writers/artists were using psychoactive substances.
There’s neuropsychology studies on states of religious ecstasy and euphoria. The theory is that essentially the brain fucks itself up on an excess of dopamine and our own endogenic version of DMT. Certain religious sects actually train for and aim at producing such states. Fasting, meditation and music are facilitators of the state, and it is not casual that all three are part of most religious practices.
They were definitely geeking out on something! I had this piece of visionary poetry in my dissertation:
NB “ecstasy” as we know it did not exist in the 16th Century 😂
Iirc ecstasy originally meant being fucked up. Blackout drunk or so high you aren’t present anymore, so it checks out
I think it refers to a state of religious fervor here. Like people speaking in tongues in modern day evangelical churches.
In terms of drugs they have been used throughout history but in this era it would need to be mushrooms or potentially in a highly rare cases ergot affecting communal grain supplies. Should emphasise that there is no evidence whatsoever that these writers/artists were using psychoactive substances.
There’s neuropsychology studies on states of religious ecstasy and euphoria. The theory is that essentially the brain fucks itself up on an excess of dopamine and our own endogenic version of DMT. Certain religious sects actually train for and aim at producing such states. Fasting, meditation and music are facilitators of the state, and it is not casual that all three are part of most religious practices.