Form of transcendence in sports. Suggestion from Hollywood
Nicola Strizzolo, Nico Bortoletto
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) April 10, 2026 DOI: 10.6093/2611-6693/13463 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Exploratory quantitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Participants of a master's program in shamanic studies |
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Keywords | Parallels Transcendence philosophy Attunement Experiential learning Embodied cognition Scholarship Discernment Perception Articulation sociology Aesthetics The symbolic Exploratory research Symbol formal Hollywood Natural archaeology Epistemology Proposition Clothing Thematic analysis Immanence Doping in sports |
| Key points | Experiential and symbolic parallels exist between lifestyle sport and shamanic practice, particularly regarding transcendence, flow-like states, inner transformation, and embodied engagement with nature. |
Abstract
This paper examines how lifestyle sport practitioners experience forms of transcendence, altered perception, and connection with nature, and considers whether these experiences can be meaningfully interpreted through concepts associated with shamanic practice. Drawing on Roger Caillois’ taxonomy, it explores how elements of ritual, ecstasy, and symbolic imagination appear within contemporary sporting contexts. The first section reviews classical scholarship and journalistic sources to identify experiential and symbolic parallels between sport and shamanism, with particular attention to fandom, practices oriented toward the pursuit of vertigo, and the spiritualised imagery of some lifestyle and extreme sports. The second part presents an exploratory quantitative study administered to participants of a master’s program in shamanic studies. The survey investigates perceptions of overlap between shamanic experience and sporting activity, especially regarding transcendence, flow-like states, inner transformation, and embodied engagement with natural environments. The aim of the paper is to contribute to lifestyle sport studies by proposing a new line of inquiry into how transcendence, ritualisation, and ecological attunement shape contemporary sports practices, particularly in extreme or highly symbolised disciplines.