automatism

Automatism refers to actions performed without conscious intent or voluntary control. This can manifest as speaking or writing automatically, or as bodily functions that occur independently of external stimuli, such as the beating of the heart. In spiritualism, it describes spontaneous physical acts during a trance or séance, where messages are believed to be conveyed from spirits, though they may also stem from subconscious thoughts. The concept views the body as a machine with consciousness as a non-controlling adjunct. Surrealist art also embraced automatism as a trend toward spontaneity and intuition.123