1. The Anthropology of Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion
Shamanism

2. Shamanism & The Modern World
a growing interest in traditional cultures and their practices
“shamanic tourism”
“neoshamanism” or core shamanism

3. The Modern Interest in Shamanism
Reflects the needs and desires of those people who are interested in shamanism
Based upon anthropological research
Posits a universal aspect to shamanism

4. types of cult institutions
individualistic
shamanic
communal
ecclesiastical
Olympian
monotheistic

5. individualistic cult institutions
not performed by specialists
each person enters into his or her own relationship with supernatural entities
requires no intermediaries
examples:
vision quests
hunting magic
“luck”
“children’s cult

6. shamanic cult institutions
involve part-time practitioners
involves simplest expression of religious division of labor
examples:
shamans proper
diviners
medicine men
palm readers
astrologers

7. The “Earliest” Religion?

8. Universal Human Needs and “Cultural Institutions”
obtaining food
hunter
gatherer
farmer
passing on culture
parent
teacher
securing shelter
explorer
builder
procuring goods
producer
trader
merchant

9. What is a Shaman?
saman – an Evenk (Tungus) word meaning one who is excited, moved, raised”
in the strict sense, a Siberian or Mongolian spiritual practitioner

10. Anthropological Understanding of Shamanism
not a single, monolithic religion
a cross-cultural form of spiritual practice, typically serving the needs of the shaman’s society
a cultural universal

11. Core Functions of Shamanism
maintain and restore health within the group
maintain and restore balance between the group and the rest of the universe
provide humans with a sense of control over the world

12. Why “Control”?
the natural and cultural worlds exist prior to our birth
we must develop relationships with these preexisting worlds
most of these relationships are learned from others

13. Shamans Address the Human Needs to
secure food
heal disease
cope with death
comprehend the universe

14. Securing Food locating game ensuring continuity of animals
maintaining harmony with the animal world

15. Healing Disease diagnosing causes determining treatments
combating spirits
retrieving souls

16. Coping with Death explaining causes of death
guiding the soul into the afterlife
freeing the soul from attachment to the living

17. Comprehending the Universe
explaining the cosmos
cosmology
mythology
exploring the cosmos
divination

18. Becoming a Shaman shamanic call study and initiation
learning to journey
death of the old person, and rebirth as a new person

19. Learning Culture → Enculturation (acquire a group’s concepts and values)
primarily via language and observation
usually takes place in a “normal” (consensual) state of consciousness
overlays concepts and values upon experience
results in shared concepts and values → tradition

20. → essentially traditional
Shamanic Training
often acquired from an established shaman
primarily via language and observation
usually takes place in consensual reality
posits – and provides for experience – of extraordinary realities
→ essentially traditional

21. The Shamanic Journey
leave ordinary reality to travel to extraordinary realities
drumming
dancing
plants
chanting
return with knowledge

22. what about the journey itself?
Shamanic Journey
from to
Normal Reality
with → ←
Extraordinary Realities
questions
for
Answers
but…
what about the journey itself?

23. Shamanic States of Consciousness
are culturally defined
are repeatedly encountered
expand the cultural world view to encompass extraordinary realities
affirmation cultural tradition

24. The Shaman’s Answers are obtained in multiple realities
realities defined by culture
reflect learned models
culturally conservative
are obtained by transcending realities
suspend cultural realities
break down learned models
culturally innovative

25. conservative effect innovative effect
Shamanism
represents a methodology to acquire answers that will maintain tradition
conservative effect
entails a possibility for generating answers that go beyond tradition
innovative effect

26. Shamans Teach Us that there are multiple realities
that the mythic is real
to serve others
to maintain harmony with the universe
that the quest has both personal and social dimensions

27. So You Want to be a Shaman
be prepared to “die”
be willing to serve others
be open to experiences that most people do not want to face