Transpersonal Effects of Exposure to Shamanic Use of Khoomei (Tuvan Throat Singing): Preliminary Evaluations from Training Seminars
V. Matrenitsky, H. Friedman
July 1, 2012 DOI: 10.24972/ijts.2012.31.2.111 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Survey study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 181 |
| Population | Western participants who attended Khoomei seminars |
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Key findings | Most participants reported benefits from attending Khoomei seminars, including transpersonal experiences, though a few reported mild negative effects. |
Abstract
Khoomei is a Tuvan Siberian shamanic practice involving overtone throat singing. One hundred eighty-one Western participants completed questionnaires after attending Khoomei seminars, asking about the following: motivation of people to learn shamanic throat singing; self-perception at the levels of body, energy, and mind before-and-after the seminar; feelings and sensations from practicing throat singing; transpersonal experience during throat singing; experience of inner vibrations from listening to the singing; and general state and feelings after seminar. In general, most participants reported many benefits from attending the seminars, although a few reported mild negative effects (e.g., dizziness and sadness). Of particular interest are the many transpersonal experiences reported (e.g., freedom from body limits and extending mind limits).
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archetype symbols and altered consciousness: a study of shamanic rituals in the context of Jungian psychology Participants in shamanic rituals | 2024 | Survey | n = 75 |
| Acceptability of shamanic healing for treating psychostimulant dependence: a pilot survey Psychostimulant users in central Arkansas, USA | 2014 | Survey | n = 103 |
| Beliefs in and experiences of sorcery, black magic and brujería among psychedelic users: a quantitative and qualitative survey Adults with personal, professional, or cultural involvement in psychedelics | 2026 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 895 |
| A Spatial Analysis of Shamans in South Korea’s Religious Market Shamanic sites and religious facilities across 229 districts in South Korea | 2025 | Observational cross-sectional study with spatial regression models | |
| Shamanism, Traditional Beliefs, and Trust in Government in Kazakhstan First-year university students in Astana, Kazakhstan | 2026 | Observational survey | n = 351 |