Shamanism as the Original Neurotheology

Abstract

Neurotheological approaches provide an important bridge between scientific and religious perspectives. These approaches have, however, generally neglected the implications of a primordial form of spiritual healing—shamanism. Cross-cultural studies estab- lish the universality of shamanic practices in hunter-gatherer societ- ies around the world and across time. These universal principles of shamanism reflect underlying neurological processes and provide a basis for an evolutionary theology. The shamanic paradigm involves basic brain processes, neurognostic structures, and innate brain mod- ules. This approach reveals that universals of shamanism such as animism, totemism, soul flight, animal spirits, and death-and-rebirth experiences reflect fundamental brain operations and structures of consciousness. The shamanic paradigm can contribute to a recon- ciliation of scientific and religious perspectives by providing a uni- versalistic biopsychosocial framework that explicates the biological underpinnings of spiritual experiences and practices and provides a basis for neurotheology and evolutionary theology approaches.

In the evidence

This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.

• State of the evidence: Shamanism ?Unclear

  Argues that cross-culturally universal shamanic features such as animism, soul flight, and death-and-rebirth reflect innate brain processes and offer a biopsychosocial framework for neurotheology.

  Synthesized October 25, 2026

Comparable studies

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