Shamanism and Altered States of Consciousness: An Introduction
Marlene Dobkin De Rios, Michael Winkelman
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 1989 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.1989.10472137 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness Shamanism |
| Citations | 37 |
| Key findings | Shamanism is a cultural adaptation of hunting and gathering societies to the biological potential for altered states of consciousness, with manifestations changing as societies become more complex. |
Abstract
In this article, the issue of shamanism and altered states of consciousness (ASC) is reviewed from a cross-cultural and multidisciplinary perspective. It is suggested that in spite of considerable differences in the uses of these terms, there are conceptual and empirical grounds for distinction among different types of trance practitioners. The authors argue that shamanism is a cultural adaptation of hunting and gathering societies to the biological potential for ASC, and that the specific nature of that manifestation changes as societies become more complex. The role of ASC in understanding shamanic phenomena, the roots of religious experience, and the modern manifestations of the potential for trance are examined. Western cultural avoidance of ASC has inhibited understanding of these phenomena, and has prevented an integration of shamanistic and trance perspectives into the understanding human of psychology, consciousness, and knowledge of the world.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hallucinogenic Drugs and Plants in Psychotherapy and Shamanism | 1998 | Review | |
| Hallucinogenic Mushrooms in Mexico: An Overview | 2008 | Review | |
| Healing, spirituality and integrative medicine. | 2017 | Review | |
| Introduction: Evidence for entheogen use in prehistory and world religions | 2019 | Review | |
| The Evolved Psychology of Psychedelic Set and Setting: Inferences Regarding the Roles of Shamanism and Entheogenic Ecopsychology | 2021 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 18
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Shamanism and the Rock Art of Native California Anthropology of Consciousness March 1, 1998
- What we can learn from shamanic healing: brief psychotherapy with Latino immigrant clients. American Journal of Public Health October 1, 2002
- The role of alcohol in expectancy-driven mystical experiences: a pre-registered field study using placebo brain stimulation Religion, Brain & Behavior December 22, 2017
- Shamanism: An Inquiry into the History of the Scholarly Use of the Term in English‐Speaking North America Anthropology of Consciousness September 1, 2006
- Transpersonal Ecodelia: Surveying Psychedelically Induced Biophilia Psychoactives May 25, 2023
and 13 more in the library