On my first visit to Marrakech, in the medina, I felt a deep vibration of strings coming from the dark back of a small shop. I followed it, and found myself caught by it.

Inside, I was welcomed. “Marhaba. We welcome you with music your soul will love.” They lit white incense and began the ritual, accompanied by metal castanet-like percussion. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Only later did I learn its name. Gnaoua.

I was later invited to a Gnaoua night not knowing what it was. I started filming, focusing on the performance through the viewfinder, with headphones monitoring the sound. As the music continued, I became more and more absorbed in what I was seeing and hearing.

At some point, I collapsed. My body was lying there, while my awareness was above it, looking down at myself. I woke up on the floor, still holding the camera. That was my first experience of trance, when my awareness was separate from my body.

Since then, I have kept returning to Gnaoua, drawn by the sense of healing I felt that night.