Contemporary shamanism and alternative spirituality : exploring relationships and intersections

Contemporary shamanism, or neo-shamanism, thrives because it aligns with modern alternative spirituality's worldviews, much as traditional shamanisms adapt to their own cultural contexts. Over the past three centuries, the shaman's image shifted to that of a healer, a transformation shaped significantly by Michael Harner and his Foundation for Shamanic Studies. Based on fieldwork in neo-shamanic communities, the paper shows how contemporary shamanism adapts and translates three key motifs of alternative spirituality—energy, holism, and the soul—into healing practice. The author argues that this adaptability is an asset, not a mark of inauthenticity, and positions neo-shamanism as fitting within the broader tapestry of alternative spirituality.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Contemporary shamanism, often referred to as neo-shamanism, is a popular spiritual practice within the modern landscape of non-institutionalized religiosity. This paper explores the relationship between contemporary shamanism and alternative spirituality (formerly also labelled as the New Age) in depth, underlining that contemporary shamanism owes much of its success to its compatibility with the religious worldviews of today’s era. In this sense, contemporary shamanism works similarly to “native” shamanisms, acting not as an independent religious system but as a configuration within distinct sociocultural and religious contexts. The article discusses the discursive transformation over the past three centuries that has led to the contemporary perception of the shaman as a healer, stressing the pivotal role of Michael Harner and his Foundation for Shamanic Studies in shaping and establishing contemporary shamanism. Drawing from extensive fieldwork in neo-shamanic communities, it shows how contemporary shamanism has adapted and “translated” the three key motifs of alternative spirituality (the concepts of energy, holism, and the soul) and uses them in healing practice. Ultimately, this article posits how contemporary shamanism fits within the broader tapestry of alternative spirituality, emphasizing that its adaptability is an asset, not an inauthentic glitch.