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Shamanic tradition and altered states of consciousness in Turkic culture

Manat Kanagatov, Tatyana Seryozhkina, Zukhra Ismagambetova, Aliya Karabayeva

Pharos Journal of Theology February 14, 2026 DOI: 10.46222/pharosjot.107.223 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed
Population Turkic culture of Kazakhstan
Topics Shamanism Altered states of consciousness
Keywords Interpretation philosophy Consciousness The symbolic Ethnography Sociocultural evolution Normative Kazakh Mythology Anthropology Epistemology Aesthetics Rite Identity music Cultural analysis
Key points Argues that altered states of consciousness structured the shamanic worldview, shaped ritual practices, and transformed under post-traditional social conditions, with core symbolic and ritual codes persisting in modern individualized forms.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the ontological and cultural foundations of the shamanic tradition in the Turkic culture of Kazakhstan through the concept of altered states of consciousness (ASC). The research focused on how ASC structured the shamanic worldview, shaped ritual practices, and transformed under post-traditional social conditions. The methodological framework combined philosophical analysis of consciousness, culturological interpretation of mythological and ritual structures, and the analysis of archaeological and ethnographic data. An interdisciplinary synthesis integrating philosophy, ethnology, archaeology, and symbolic analysis was applied, alongside sociocultural analysis and interpretative culturology to examine contemporary transformations of shamanic practice. The study established that ASC functioned as a normative and regulated mode of interaction with a multi-level reality. It operated as a tool of diagnosis, sacred cognition, and social regulation, grounded in stable symbolic forms. The shaman acted as a mediator between sacred and social dimensions, integrating individual experience with collective knowledge. Spatial and material elements of ritual preserved strictly defined symbolism rooted in a mythopoetic worldview. In modern contexts, shamanic tradition has transformed into a more individualized psycho-spiritual practice while retaining core symbolic and ritual codes. Archetypal structures of shamanism continue to persist in folklore, cultural memory, and representations of Kazakh identity. The practical significance of the study lies in its applicability to the interpretation of sacred practices within the Turkic tradition, culturally oriented approaches in ethnopsychology and symbolic anthropology, and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage.

Comparable studies

Other theoretical and historical papers on shamanism, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond 2014 Theoretical or philosophical paper
Shamanism as the Original Neurotheology 2004 Theoretical or philosophical paper
Cognitive Neuroscience, Shamanism and the Rock Art of Native California 1998 Theoretical or philosophical paper
From Culture to Experience: Shamanism in the Pages of the Soviet Anti-Religious Press 2020 Historical analysis
Anthropology, Shamanism, and Alternate Ways of Knowing–Being in the World: One Anthropologist's Journey of Discovery and Transformation 2010 Reflective essay or personal narrative

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Shamanism Altered states of consciousness Philosophy of mind