Shamanism and Possession
The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology September 5, 2018 DOI: 10.1002/9781118924396.wbiea1651 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key points | Proposes that shamanism and possession share biological features in eliciting ancient brain systems for healing and spiritual experiences, but differ in experiential features such as soul flight versus control by spirits and amnesia. |
Abstract
Shamanism and possession are central concepts in the religious practices of many “premodern” societies, with substantial similarities manifested across cultures and time that reflect their basis in human nature. Shamans and possession both involve ritual alteration of consciousness but differences between them are illustrated by cross‐cultural studies and the distinctive experiential features associated with their respective activities. Shamans' characteristic alterations of consciousness involve soul flight, what modern psychology recognizes as out‐of‐body experiences that involve a separation of one's visual perspectives from self and body. Possession episodes differ in the experience of control by spirits and amnesia of the event, reflecting psychosocial features that produce dissociation. Shamanism and possession nonetheless share biological features in their elicitation of ancient brain systems to modify the consciousness in relation to healing and spiritual experiences.
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 |