20 Jun 2022

443

The Altered States of Consciousness of Shamanism

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Academic level: College

Paper type: Research Paper

Words: 1626

Pages: 6

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The issue and ideas about Shamanism as well as the altered states of consciousness is considered from a cross-cultural and multidisciplinary context. It is suggested that despite their considerable differences in the use of the two terms, there are a conceptual and empirical ground levels for distinction among various types of stupor consultants (Jilek, 2012) . Most reports argue that shamanisms be a cultural adaptation that involves hunting as well as gathering societies into the biological potential of altered states of consciousness. However, the specific nature of the manifestation changes as societies tends to become more and more complex. Furthermore, the core role of Shamanism is to understand the shamanic phenomenon, the steps of religious experiences and the modern experiences of the potential for trance (Krippner, 2010) . Moreover, the ideal idea of western cultural avoidance of altered states of consciousness has inhibited t he accurate understanding of the phenomenon. It has also prevented an integration of shamanistic and trance perspectives into the general understanding of human psychology, knowledge of the world and consciousness. Shamanism was first recognized by the Western observers who were working among traditional herding societies in both central as well as Norther Asia. It originates from the language of the Tungus speaking people of Siberia (Ludwig, 2015) . In this regard, therefore, this paper intends to evaluate the ideas of shamanism and the altered stated of consciousness. It will also give and illustrated the deep history of shamanism illustrating all the basic aspects concerning the notion . The perspectives of Eastern and Western civilization concerning the topic will also be addressed . Furthermore, the relation between shamanism of altered states of consciousness with psychology will be a main area of discussion. Finally, the paper will take a look at Possible applied methods that convert from Shaman’s techniques  

The practices of shamanism originate as early as the Paleolithic era. It is also estimated that it could have been in existence as early as the Neolithic period. The earliest known undisputed evidence concerning shaman date back to the early Upper Paleolithic era is considered today as Czech Republic (Ludwig, 2015) . The wool’s mythologies, concepts, and practices about shamans can be traced back to the migrations to two major prehistoric populations the Gondwana and the Laurasia. Most recently, the new Laurasia types of myth are found both in Eurasian and the North as well as the South America. The original forms of shamanism exist in the southern hemisphere among people such as the Andaman Islands. In November 2008, researchers who were from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem helped in the discovery of an individual who was 12, 000 years old who was perceived to be one of the known shaman burials (de Rios & Winkelman, 2009) . In the grave, there were fifty tortoise shells, certain body parts from animals such as eagle wings and a human foot. It is evident that the woman was in a whole close relationship with the animal spirits. It was a clear indication of shamanism in the region. 

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Shamanism is the oldest way of healing the individual who was dating back as far as the Stone Age is concerned. However, the aspects of Shamanism come in at a later time with organized religions in their spiritual and symbolic practices (Jilek, 2012) . Research indicates that the paganism affected shamanism in the stories of Tantalus. Moreover, some of the shamanic practices were put in practice in the Roman religion. Today, there is a strong shamanistic influence in the ancient religion of both central Asia and Tibetan Buddhism. Some forms of Shamanistic ritual in combination with the Tibetan Buddhism became institutionalized as the state religion under the Chinese Yuan dynasty as well as the Qing dynasty (Krippner, 2010) . One of the most common elements of shamanism and Buddhism lie in the attainments of spiritual realization. 

However, the spread of Christianity, the shamanic practices in many cultures exists no more. The repression of shamanism refers to the Christian influenced the spread with Spanish colonization (Ludwig, 2015) . Therefore, numerous efforts occur in trying to link shamanic practices as well as knowledge in the western scientific beliefs. Anthropologist Jeremy Narby has proposed that shaman’s take their consciousness down to the molecular level. They work with DNA and viruses. They see them as twin serpents. However, it refers to an approach to creating a scientific foundation for major concepts such as parallel worlds and alternatives ways to transverse space and time. 

Eastern and Western civilization have different perspective in response to shamanism. In Japan, shamanism is part of the indigenous Ainu religion and Japanese religion of Shinto. However, Shinto is much distinct as is it shamanisms for an agricultural society (Ludwig, 2015) . Since the early middle ages, Shinto has been influenced and synchronized by Buddhism as well as other elements of East Asian culture. In Korea shamanism is still practiced more so in South and North Korea. In this region, one came become a shaman through heredity title as well as natural ability. In contemporary society, they have consulted issues related to marital and financial decisions. In Malaysia however, shamanism was also practiced among the Malay community in Malay and Peninsula as well as the indigenous people. It is also a form of religion in the country. In the Mongolian classics, it offers details about the male and female shamans to be serving as exorcists, rainmakers, and healers and also as soothsayers (de Rios & Winkelman, 2009) . However, the practice still exists in today culture in Mongolia . Moreover, they whole group of shamanism is conducted in a hierarchy displaying each and every individual's duties and responsibility . In the 1990s , the forms of Mongolian neo-shamanism originated by giving modern approaches to shamanism. In Mongolia, the shamanism is known to do business out of their profession. In the larger towns, they had offices and indicated that it is legally accepted. 

Most of the Shamanisms in the Philippines is considered more of a priest sacrifice, intermediary with the spirit world as well as a healer. In this region, shamanism concentrates of seers and prophets as the same time (Jilek, 2012) . The sorcerers or the magicians can either be white magicians of eleven medicine men. On the other hand, the black magicians or witchdoctors can either do well of even harm some other people as well. The injury occurs at a given stipulated fee. Shamans in the Philippines tend to deal with numerous kinds of spirits and learn how to control and summon them at some time . Once an individual is considered a shaman, he is declared sick as well, though any sick man but a man who have the ability to heal the disease. In Central Asian, shamans serve as sacred intermediaries among the human as well as the spirit world. With this in mind, they take up tasks such as healing, divination, manipulation elements, appealing to ancestors and officiating most public religious rituals (Krippner, 2010) . Moreover, the use of purification fire is a major important factor of the shamanic tradition which dates back as early as the 6 th century. Most if not all people connected with the dead were purified by passing them through the fire. The shamans were also responsible for using the first stones to manipulate weather. The stones are used to perform rituals which would attract rains in the region. 

In major and specific ways, psychology is a component of discussion in shamanism of altered states of consciousness. By broad categories shamanism of altered stated of consciousness has been moved from the category of abnormal psychology to the category of universal psychobiological capacities (Ludwig, 2015) . The main drift is thought about shamanic behavior to be affected by changing the scholarly and popular understanding of consciousness in the early 1960s. It contributes to the idea that shamanic states were within the capacity of ordinary people in a widespread societal experimentation about drugs. The scholarly interest in the shamanic use of hallucinogens continues to exist. The ubiquitous altered states of consciousness have been the buzzword in interdisciplinary studies of shamanism for the last decades (de Rios & Winkelman, 2009) . The enormous change in cultural practices is a major component of psychology. The illustration of shamanism of altered states of consciousness illustrates that religion is a resemblance of Chomskian structures and the difference surface in the intended experiences. Furthermore, it has reached a point in which the two terms are used interchangeably to refer to similar structure and category. Much of the work related to altered states and shamanism has been off-putting with an indication to sociocultural anthropologists. In this case, it emphasizes psychological processes over social dynamics (Jilek, 2012) . In some cases also, it was an idea of a reduction of symbolism and rituals to psychobiological functions. Furthermore, the idea of analyzing shamanism is primarily a trance phenomenon to help in analyzing marriage solely as a function of most reproductive biology. Despite all these relationships, no particular explanation associates to the structures of knowledge, ritual, as well as the society that focusses much research to the past decades. 

Several related methods that convert from Shaman’s techniques. The methods are a form of shamanism but in a more modern way. The first method or approach referred to the forms of shamanism as well as methods and was of seeing vision and healing (Krippner, 2010) . Neoshamanism is a form of shamanism that comprises an eclectic or new range of beliefs and practices that involve attempts that help in attaining alters state as well as communicating with the spiritual world. They do not resemble traditional forms of shamanisms in any way. Most of this new system resembles individual practitioners though most of them borrow or gain inspiration from major is forms of different indigenous cultures. The main culture influenced most is the native culture of Americans (Ludwig, 2015) . Furthermore, the system or the method of core shamanism is a system of practices which was synthesized, invented as well as promoted in the 1980s by Michael Harner as a form of reading and contextualizing anthropological texts about the indigenous people in America who were primarily plain Indians. 

From the above illustrations and explanations, it is evident that shamanism of altered states and consciousness is a form or culture about animal spirits. The animals are believed to give the power to heal in the society. The idea of shamanism and altered consciousness existed in the tradition day and still exists in the world and modern day today. Most of the countries have embraced as a civilization in most parts of Eastern as well as Western regions of the world. Furthermore, it has a strong relationship with psychology regarding the concepts and aspects illustrated. 

References  

de Rios, M. D., & Winkelman, M. (2009). Shamanism and altered states of consciousness: An introduction. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 21(1) , 1-7. 

Jilek, W. G. (2012). Altered states of consciousness in North American Indian ceremonials. Ethos, 10(4) , 326-343. 

Krippner, S. (2010). The epistemology and technologies of shamanic states of consciousness. Journal of Consciousness Studies , 93-118. 

Ludwig, A. M. (2015). Altered states of consciousness. Archives of General Psychiatry, 15(3) , 225-234. 

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