Cognitive science, dreams and supernatural power in far western North America

A review of sleep and dream research and far western North American ethnography argues that nightmares, a type of Jung's 'Big Dreams,' are a key but previously understudied aspect of hunter-gatherer religious experiences. The work demonstrates a connection between shamanism, rock art, and nightmares, explaining puzzling aspects of hunter-gatherer beliefs and symbolism, including widespread fears of the supernatural. It builds on David Lewis-Williams's work linking rock art motifs to shamanism and altered states of consciousness, expanding the spectrum of consciousness considered in hunter-gatherer art and religion.

Study at a glance

Abstract

What do hunter-gatherer rock art motifs portray, and what does this tell us about their religious experiences? David Lewis-Williams was instrumental in establishing the connection between certain cultures’ corpora of art, shamanism and altered states of consciousness imagery. But one aspect of that spectrum of consciousness has been previously understudied. This is the place of Jung’s ‘Big Dreams,’ including specifically nightmares, in hunter-gatherer religious experiences. A review of sleep and dream research and far western North American ethnography demonstrates the key connection between shamanism, rock art and nightmares. It also explains the logical empirical basis of some heretofore puzzling aspects of their beliefs and symbolism, including widespread fears of the supernatural.