What is a Zar ceremony? Zār is a cult of possession in which ritual incorporates music and dance. Its aim is to establish a state of reconciliation between the individuals and the possessing spirits (Asyad) that inhabit their bodies and are believed to be the cause of illness. The Asyad are considered the projection of fears and anxieties; the ritual is thus looking to alleviate sufferance, challenges and conflicts faced by the person in their life. At the center of the Zār ceremony, an ensemble