Search

Philosophical speculation about how psychiatric externalism might function in practice has yet to fully consider the multitude of externalist psychiatric systems that exist beyond the bounds of modern psychiatry. Believing that anthropology can inform philosophical debate on the matter, the paper illustrates one such case. The discussion is based on 19 months of first-hand ethnographic fieldwork among Akha, a group of swidden farmers living in highland Laos and neighboring borderlands. First, the paper describes the Akha set of medicinal, ritual, and shamanic practices, analyzing issues of stigma and medical pluralism within it. Second, it makes the case that the Akha realize a functioning biopsychosocial system which comes with a well-developed set of resources for treating the social dimension of illness. Externalism among the Akha re-frames psychiatric illness as a 'problem in living,' which becomes manageable as such. The paper claims that, in so doing, the Akha system succeeds in many of the areas where modern internalist psychiatry falls short, and that it does so because Akha society is structured in such a way so that its practitioners can shift the social environment around the patient. As a takeaway for philosophers, it suggests that the development of an externalist psychiatry must begin from questioning the accepted ontology of the social causes of psychiatric illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents evidence that some—but not all—religious experts in a particular faith may have a schizophrenia-like psychotic process which is managed or mitigated by their religious practice, in that they are able to function effectively and are not identified by their community as ill. We conducted careful phenomenological interviews, in conjunction with a novel probe, with okomfo, priests of the traditional religion in Ghana who speak with their gods. They shared common understandings of how priests hear gods speak. Despite this, participants described quite varied personal experiences of the god's voice. Some reported voices which were auditory and more negative; some seemed to describe trance-like states, sometimes associated with trauma and violence; some seemed to be described sleep-related events; and some seemed to be interpreting ordinary inner speech. These differences in description were supported by the way participants responded to an auditory clip made to simulate the voice-hearing experiences of psychosis and which had been translated into the local language. We suggest that for some individuals, the apprenticeship trained practice of talking with the gods, in conjunction with a non-stigmatizing identity, may shape the content and emotional tone of voices associated with a psychotic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to examine the process by which han was established as a core emotion in salpurichum (salpuri dance), and uncover the background and triggers leading to its formation. From the early 20th century to the early 1960s, salpurichum was known as the "impromptu", "heoteun", and "handkerchief" dance, and it included an aspect of playfulness. However, since the mid-1960s, it has been increasingly interpreted as an expression of women's sorrow, reflecting the view that the tradition encapsulates women's suffering. In the 1980s, in the wake of the shamanic origin hypothesis proposed by Byeong-ho Jeong, the historical value of salpurichum was legitimized. It was performed at protests and was used as a shamanistic dance in accordance with this hypothesis. Accordingly, it began to be interpreted as a women's and national han. Concurrently, the authoritarian government promoted shamanism as part of Korea's indigenous identity during the 1988 Seoul Olympics, with salpurichum emerging as a representative traditional dance imbued with han. Therefore, the incorporation of han into salpurichum can be seen as a result of the nationalist political agendas advanced by two opposing groups. After salpurichum was designated as a national intangible heritage in 1990, han was academically completed and salpurichum became institutionalized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are tens of thousands of painted rock art motifs in the Serranía de la Lindosa in the Colombian Amazon, including humans, animals, therianthropes, geometrics, and flora. For most of the last 100 years, inaccessibility and political unrest has limited research activities in the region. In this paper, we discuss findings from six years of field research and consider the role of rock art as a manifestation of Indigenous ontologies. By employing intertwining strands of evidence—a range of ethnographic sources, local Indigenous testimonies from 2021–2023, and the motifs themselves—we argue that the rock art here is connected to ritual specialists negotiating spiritual realms, somatic transformation, and the interdigitation of human and non-human worlds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article put together information about the formation of the warao self-care practices, exposing the centrality of shamanism in the processes of health and illness. The reflection is built from the context of coping with the COVID-19 pandemic in indigenous shelters in Manaus (Amazonas), between March and December of 2020. These actions not only systematically disregarded shamanism and native theories, but also produced strong control over the presence of these indigenous people in the city. Through a critical analysis of the situation in the Amazonian capital, it reflects on the need for adaptation in health care for the Warao in Brazil and, by extension, for other indigenous people, especially those residing in urban contexts. The data presented were obtained through fieldwork with an ethnographic perspective, in addition to documentary and bibliographical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ayahuasca has gained the attention of researchers over the past decade as psychedelic-assisted therapy for MDMA and psilocybin have progressed through FDA approved clinical trials. In spite of the increase in research, there are relatively few clinical studies of ayahuasca and little qualitative research on the therapeutic or healing uses of psychedelics in general. The present study included 41 Western participants who were interviewed about their participation in facilitated group ayahuasca experiences (e.g., in shamanic, neoshamanic, spiritual, and religious settings). Participants were interviewed about their intentions for participating, along with the perceived impact of the experiences. In particular, we focused on impacts that participants perceived to be sustained and enduring. We identified an impressive range of beneficial impacts, including improvements in areas that are often a focus of psychotherapy, such as mental health and substance use, health behaviors, interpersonal relationships, sense of self, attitude. Extratherapeutic effects were also observed in areas such as changes in creativity, somatic sensations, physical health/pain, sense of connection to nature, spirituality, and concern for the greater good. Two participants also reported problematic experiences, apparently related to set and setting. Implications for research and practice, along with a humanistic framework for interpreting these findings is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of bilig: Journal of Social Sciences of the Turkish World is the property of bilig: Journal of Social Sciences of the Turkish World and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article describes the social role of shamanism in Yakutia in the 1920s. The newspaper of Autonomous Yakutia served as the main source. The research is the first-of-its-kind attempt to study Yakut shamanism as a socio-cultural phenomenon based on a comprehensive analysis of local mass media. The newspaper described the shamanic practices, people’s attitude, and anti-shamanism measures. The editorial office received many letters from villagers and medical workers that described the everyday life of the Yakuts, as well as their attitude to traditions and Soviet modernization. Some letters came from former shamans themselves and contained a public denunciation of the craft. The research relied on the historical-anthropological methodology as an integrated approach that united systematic, historical-comparative, and content-analytical methods. The information potential of the periodical press proved to be a valuable source for regional historical studies, e.g., the history of Yakutia in the first decade after the Revolution of 1917. The results develop the scientific ideas about the nature of Yakut shamanism and its historical development, thus expanding the research source base in the field of regional everyday-life history. The obtained conclusions can be used for further research of Yakut shamanism in the XX century and regional mass media as a source on everyday history.

The alteration of consciousness during shamanic rituals is both a physical and mystical phenomenon. It involves psychological and spiritual experiences. Through ritual practices, shamans can connect with archetype within the collective unconscious, utilizing trance-inducing techniques for "hallucinatory exploration". This study surveyed 75 participants to investigate the impact of prototype symbols in Shamanistic rituals on participants' consciousness states focusing on Jungian psychology's concept of archetype. The results indicate that archetype symbols in shamanic rituals can significantly influence participants' conscious state, leading them to experience a conscious dissolution of the self. Furthermore, archetype symbols have different effects at the stages of consciousness change. In particular, during the "Visionary Restructuralization" stage, archetype symbols, such as patterns, masks, totems and music, brought participants' consciousness to a peak and caused significant changes to it. These findings suggest that the metaphoric function of archetype symbols plays a crucial role in rituals. Archetype symbols connect the individual to the collective unconscious through visual images and symbolic imagery. They prompt the participants to experience emotional resonances that transcend individual experiences and affect their state of consciousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Judge Karen Atala framed her child custody case against the Chilean Supreme Court within Indigenous Mapuche "shamanic justice," the "spirit of the law," and human rights. We analyze what Atala's case contributes to the literature on sexual diversity, sorcery, and the spirit of the law in both Chilean and Mapuche histories of justice. The case engages the spirit of the law in two senses. First, it reveals the lack of separation between religious and secular law, demonstrating that religion is profoundly embedded in the law, both for the state and for the Mapuche. Second, it refers to the intention behind the law and its interpretation and enforcement, which haunts even the most literalist, fundamental, secular visions of law. After her spiritual transformation, Atala practiced the spirit of Mapuche customary law in the courts but formally justified her judgments using the letter of the Chilean law, demonstrating a fluidity between law and spirituality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the first three decades following the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the rapid urbanization in northeastern China and the promotion of atheism education and ethnic integration policies by the Chinese Communist Party pushed Shamanism, the religion of the Manchu ethnic group – a major minority in northeastern China – to the brink of extinction. However, during our investigation of Manchu autonomous villages in Jilin and Liaoning provinces in the Northeast, we discovered an emerging Manchu shamanic group calling themselves "Siden Saman" (Public shaman). They dedicate themselves to restoring Manchu identity and memory and are active in northeastern China. Although they are not the majority of the Shamanic population, they have established their influence in cyberspace. Through our tracking interviews over nearly six months, we believe that the religious practices of the Siden Saman should not be simply understood as an emerging religious force but rather as an effort by them to reconstruct their ethnic narrative. This effort is prominently manifested in their resistance to the history of 'de-Manchurization.' The resurgence of Siden Saman symbolizes the struggle for memory by minority ethnic groups against the backdrop of the long-term implementation of ethnic integration policies in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Âşıks, renowned for their adeptness at improvisational poetry, are viewed as the inheritors of certain shamanic functions within historical contexts. Originally, shamans assumed diverse roles encompassing poetry, medicine, and priesthood before social and religious transformations prompted a gradual shift of the poetic responsibilities, first to individuals termed ozan (bards) and later to âşık, beginning from the 15th to 16th centuries. Âşıks share parallels with shamans in their upbringing, developmental stages toward âşıklık (bardhood), and esteemed societal positions. Their reverence for deceased masters becomes evident in their artistic presentations, wherein they express homage to the memories, and consequently the spirits, of their masters by reciting the works of esteemed âşık masters, notably Köroğlu, during their performances. This practice, referred to as "usta malı söylemek" (the performance of the masters' poems and folk songs) within the Turkish âşık tradition, represents an endeavor to establish a connection with the spirits of ancestors. The resemblance between the tradition of âşıks evolving within the master–apprentice dynamic and shamans invoking the spirits of departed ancestors, embarking on celestial and subterranean journeys empowered by them, and the âşıks' homage to their masters' spirits through recitations of their works, thereby sensing their masters' influence by engaging with them, is striking. This study explores the extent to which contemporary âşıks consciously embrace this resemblance. To this end, a sample group of 34 âşıks residing in diverse regions of Türkiye was interviewed, and the acquired data were analyzed using the document analysis method. Accordingly, all the âşıks who participated in the study were nurtured within the tradition of the master–apprentice relationship akin to shamans. They diligently sought to evoke the spirits of their masters during their performances by reciting masters' poems and songs, reminiscent of shamans invoking the spirits of deceased shaman ancestors through prayers resembling divine verses. Furthermore, while variations specific to different regions and age groups existed among these âşıks, it was observed that consciously reciting the poems of their masters elevated the masters' spirits. Simultaneously, they harbored concerns about the potential harm that neglecting this practice might inflict upon the tradition, themselves, and their surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the use of the term "shamanism" in archaeology and develops criteria for identifying shamanism in archaeological contexts. The focus is on the site of Göbekli Tepe, which offers rich iconographic finds and serves as a case study. It discusses whether Göbekli Tepe can be interpreted as shamanistic and whether it is a place of institutionalized religion. The description describes a shamanic healing ceremony among the Evenki. The shaman makes contact with the spirit world during an altered state of consciousness and is accompanied by helping spirits. Shamanism is seen as a practice that encompasses various tasks such as healing, divination, and the preservation of myths and traditions. Shamanism can be found in various cultures and social contexts and is based on animistic ontologies that emphasize a close relationship between humans and animals. The boundaries between humans and animals can be crossed, but this also carries dangers. Animistic ontologies determine the conception and representation of the world and can be recognizable in archaeological finds. The text describes the relief images and anthropomorphic sculptures at the early Neolithic site of Göbekli Tepe in Turkey. The relief images depict various animals such as snakes, birds, bears, and leopards, with the movements of the animals often aligned with the center of the buildings. The sculptures are more naturalistic and use stylization techniques, especially in the depiction of faces. The faces have a T-shaped forehead and nose and show different expressions through the depiction of eyes and mouth. The bodies of the sculptures follow certain principles of representation, such as unnaturally curved arms and oversized hands. Other anthropomorphic sculptures from Göbekli Tepe show similar features to the Urfa figure, such as leaning back of the head and looking upwards. There are also zoomorphic sculptures, of which 102 are currently known. The animal representations at Göbekli Tepe are mainly limited to felids (probably leopards: 30), wild boars (21), and birds (12). Other animals such as bears (4), turtles (3), aurochs (2), and rams (1) are less common. Larger sculptures are usually identifiable to the species, while smaller representations (10 cm and below) are often generic "quadrupeds." The animal representations exhibit certain features such as detailed heads of felids and wild boars with emphasized teeth and tusks. The bodies often have few details, while the ribs are strongly emphasized in some animals. The study deals with shamanism at the early Neolithic site of Göbekli Tepe in Turkey. Various depictions of shamans and shamanic practices are analyzed, including the use of masks, garments, and staffs. It is noted that shamanism played an important role in the early Neolithic period of Göbekli Tepe. The study examines various artifacts that indicate a connection to shamanism at the early Neolithic Göbekli Tepe. "Nemrik scepters" are mentioned, which may have been shamanic staffs. There are also indications of musical instruments such as bullroarers and flutes that had a ritual function. In addition, sculptures are discussed that may represent spiritual beings, as well as amulets, jewelry, and other objects associated with shamanic practices. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Journal of Latin American & Caribbean Anthropology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Cultural Studies / Kültür Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Journal of Cultural Studies / Kultur Arastirmalari Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Considered by most scholars to be the oldest continually performed theatre form, the Japanese Noh theatre was a synthesis of various elements and it had a profound spiritual basis in the two religions that formed the Japanese world-view: Buddhism and the original Shamanism of Japanese archipelago. However, the Noh theatre would have remained classically refined yet frozen, had it not opened up to collaboration with foreign cultures, and incorporated new themes and become a fully internationalized type of performance during the 20th century. Our essay is an attempt to illustrate the transformation of this theatre in the twentieth century and examine its relevance for the modern world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From perceptions that weave and are woven by narratives in performance, the article proposes drift that move through diachronic and synchronic temporalities. The storyteller's breath rubs thresholds between reality and fiction, signals synchronicities and operates the proposed pilgrimage, checking anachronies and meanings in the contemporary times of her gestures. Theater history, personal memories, cinematographies and the shamanic perspective of Davi Kopenawa intersect to pack the insinuated pulse of a dancing historic panorama crossed by physicality, ethnocentric avoidance and comparative mythology. Faced with the collapse that hangs over the present, shamanically translated as "the falling sky", it is verified when dance turns into battle and how rhapsodic perception can interact or translate cosmic dances and battles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this scholarly review, the coauthors offer a review and discussion of the Betwixt the Sheets podcast, specifically, "Episode 15: Feminine Power: Divine to Demonic," which is about an exhibition by the same title. The authors explore the images and themes described in the podcast episode of the exhibition as it relates to narratives about feminine power and sexuality. The coauthors conclude the review with a brief overview of some professional implications as tied to the podcast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ciencias de la Salud is the property of Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Senora del Rosario and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Traditionally lacking temples, mass processions, pilgrimage traditions, full time ritual specialists, or painting traditions, religious practice among the Rai of eastern Nepal was until recently characterized by low visibility. After the 'People's War' at the turn of the millennium, new political ideas understand religion as one of the core features of ethnic identity. Since this reconceptualization of the 'New Nepal', an increase of materiality, and hence visibility, in what is today called Kirat religion can be observed. In this article, three case studies are presented as a basis to discuss the link between materiality, religion, and ethnic activism: a newly installed pilgrimage site in eastern Nepal, a recently built temple in the capital Kathmandu, and an upcoming type of festival clothing. Pointing out that in this case materiality is employed to achieve a political end, we come to the conclusion that the effects the material objects have on people are specific to a certain moment in time and depend on pre-existing concepts and practices of religion in a given society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magic and fortune-telling have been standard elements in stereotypes about Europe's Romani minorities since the fifteenth century. These stereotypes produced two mutually contradictory images of the Roma: That they possess real occult powers, and that they are frauds. Both images were perpetuated by nineteenth-century 'gypsylorist' scholarship, which construed 'the gypsies' as Europe's internal Orientals. This article demonstrates that the most influential gypsylorist author on magic, the folklorist Charles Godfrey Leland (1824–1903), sought to harmonize the two images through a new theory of magical efficacy – building on established work in folklore as well as his own life-long engagement with esotericism. Leland's alignment with occultism is a textbook example of the entanglements of esotericism and scholarship in the period. Seeing occultism as a constitutive context for gypsylorist speculation on 'gypsy magic' sheds new light on the history of Romani studies and helps explain the perpetuation of anti-gypsy stereotypes in alternative spirituality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this evidence-based review was to assess the antinociceptive efficacy of shamanic healing (SH) for management of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The addressed focused question was "Is SH effective for the management of TMD?" Indexed databases were searched without time and language restrictions up to and including January 2023 using the following keywords: "disc displacement disorders"; "healing"; "inflammation"; "pain"; "shamanic"; "therapy"; "temporomandibular joint"; "temporomandibular disorders" and "temporomandibular joint disorders". Clinical studies were considered eligible for inclusion. Editorials, case-reports, case-series and commentaries were excluded. Literature search was performed in accordance with the guidelines of the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis. Pattern of this evidence-based review was customized to summarize the pertinent information. In the present review, three studies were included and processed for data extraction. All participants were females with a mean age of 38.3 ± 8.3 years (range 25–55 years). Self-rated pain was assessed before application of SH (baseline) and after 9 months of follow-up. In one study, SH significantly reduced self-rated TMD pain scores (P < 0.001) at 9-months' follow-up interview. In all studies patients reported that management of TMD via SH helped improve their quality of life. In one study patients perceived improvements in sleep, energy levels, digestion, and back pain at follow-up. In another study patients reported that they felt "calmer" and "at peace" at follow-up interview. The possible contribution of SH for managing pain among TMD patients warrants additional research. There is a dire need for well-designed and power-adjusted randomized clinical trials with adequate groups and long-term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In traditional shamanism, the sacred mission and responsibility of a shaman is to provide healing and salvation for individuals. Today, with continuous advancements in science, technology, and medical expertise, the content and methods of shamanic healing are quietly evolving, alongside the upholding and preservation of traditional beliefs. The case study of the Daur shamanic lʊs (river spirit) ritual in this paper discusses the concepts of actual disease and virtual disease in contemporary Daur shamanism. By briefly describing the key processes of this ceremony, including the involvement of shaman spirits and the main elements of divine songs, this paper analyzes the characteristics and functions of the modern-day Daur shaman river spirit ceremony. During the ritual dedicated to lʊs , Daur shamans perform symbolic ceremonies while receiving oracles from their spiritual guides. The ceremony itself incorporates various unique healing techniques such as dʊməl , tærmit , xʊræ- xʊræ , arʃan , altəŋ sʊlʊ ; kʊtʊr bʊjin , taboo, etc. These distinctive methods aim to achieve preventive healing as well as realistic healing on both the individual and collective levels. In summary, the lʊs ritual itself serves as a transformative process that encompasses diverse forms of healing through its ceremonial practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a case study of the first shamanic organization in China and argues that organizational shamanism in Northeast China is characterized by the double identities of the shaman and the dualistic attitudes of the national authorities. The analyses in this paper reveal how the shamanic organization created a modernized and globalized space for traditional shamans and specialists to connect with the outside world, enabling them to gain empowerment, legitimacy, and agency. Chinese authorities hold dualistic attitudes towards shamanism: the positive attitude of seeing shamanism as part of cultural heritage has always been coupled with the negative attitude of seeing shamanism as superstition. The studies in this paper demonstrate that organizational shamanism in Northeast China has played a crucial role in negotiating with political authorities and linking local traditions with global discourse. In this sense, the traditional eco-cosmological way of maintaining relationships with natural forces and nonhuman beings has been irrevocably transformed into a cosmopolitical form for the shaman, where the animistic world engages with the outside world, global currency, and political forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkic Studies Journal is the property of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of RumeliDE Journal of Language & Literature Research / RumeliDE Dil ve Edebiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of RumeliDE Uluslararasi Hakemli Dil & Edebiyat Arastirmalari Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the historical context of a crisis in biological psychiatry, psychedelic drugs paired with psychotherapy are globally re-emerging in research clinics as a potential transdiagnostic therapy for treating mood disorders, addictions, and other forms of psychological distress. The treatments are poised to soon shift from clinical trials to widespread service delivery in places like Australia, North America, and Europe, which has prompted ethical questions by social scientists and bioethicists. Taking a broader view, we argue that the ethics of psychedelic therapy concerns not simply how psychotherapies are different when paired with psychedelic drugs, but how psychedelic therapies shape and are shaped by different values, norms, and metaphysical commitments. Drawing from the published literature and interviews with seven psychedelic therapists working in clinical trials in the United States, Germany, Switzerland, and Australia, this article opens the black box of the treatments to consider the values and informal debates currently animating the therapies. Considering questions of patient autonomy, mechanisms of therapeutic action, and which therapies are best suited to pair with psychedelic substances, we examine the ethics of psychedelic therapy as an emergent form of life. To bring this form of life out in fuller relief, we conclude by comparing and contrasting it with ayahuasca use in Amazonian shamanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Korean blockbuster film Exhuma (original title Pamyo) (2024) features several selling points that appeal to both audience and film reviewers. From these selling points, this review will focus on a dark side in Korean modern history: colonial remnants that should have been cleared away since the Liberation, but have still remained pretty much intact. Jae-hyun Jang, the director of Exhuma, approached the unresolved issue from the perspective of Korean shamanism, historically oppressed and marginalized, having lost its special function to help beings communicate, including human beings and higher beings. Chong-ho Kim (2003) calls the dominant ambivalence and complexity toward shamanism found in Korean society a ‘cultural paradox.’ The film Exhuma is an example of cultural paradox. It shows that clearing away the remnants of Japanese colonialism in Korea still has a long way to go, even 80 years after the Liberation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article, based on field materials, examines the transformation of the worldview of the Buryats of the Eastern Sayan region under the influence of Buddhism. The relevance of the study comes from the need to clarify the value matrices of the traditional society of this region nowadays. The purpose of the study is to identify the key features of the interaction of traditional rituals with later beliefs among the bearers of these values. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to solve several problems: modern scientific ideas about the influence of Buddhism on traditional beliefs were systematized; the specific relationships of Buddhism, traditional shamanism and beliefs are highlighted; the dominant values of Buddhism reinterpreting the heritage of religious practices combined with it are clarified. Further, based on the analysis of field research, the most significant differences in the interpretations of such reinterpreted values were revealed, distinguishing them from traditional Buddhism. Using examples of existing customs, the modern development of the process of integration of the Buddhist worldview into the already existing ritual culture of the Sayan Buryats is traced. The research methodology includes comparative historical and religious studies and hermeneutical approaches. The field study used the method of interview. As a result, the role of Buddhism was confirmed as a way of adaptively rethinking the heritage of traditional culture in light of the modern crisis of values, associated, among other things, with the forgetting of traditions, consumer attitudes towards the environment, nature, society and even loved ones. Turning to Buddhism in the Eastern Sayan region today, as in the past, is becoming one of the ways to overcome such negative phenomena. Buddhism in the region not only absorbed beliefs that existed at different stages of the history of ethnic Buryatia, but also adapted them to its religious practice. A Buddhist worldview of this type corresponds to the concepts of vernacular religion accepted in modern religious studies. Forming a syncretical holistic picture of the world that corresponds to local conditions and the historical period, vernacular Buddhism defines a wide range of existing values that ideologically and practically incorporate the ritual culture that has developed over centuries.

In Mexico, shamans are recognized for the gift of entering a deep trance that allows them to know the origin of the diseases and conflicts that afflict people. They commonly treat patients through limpias (cleansing) to extract negative elements sent by a witch or that were "collected" in places that harbor "evil winds." We present a case study of an 81-year-old Mexican shaman who noticed her gift in childhood. Electroencephalographic recordings were made while the shaman performed three activities: reading cards to diagnose a patient and answer the questions he posed; limpia with chicken eggs, stones, and bells to absorb adverse "things"; and the incorporation trance through which the deceased is believed to occupy the shaman's body to use it as a communication channel. Alpha activity was observed when concentrated, suggesting a hypnagogic-like state. Predominant beta and gamma oscillations were observed, suggesting a potential plastic phenomenon that modulates the assimilation of external and internal referents guiding temporal schemes for action, attention, and the integration of mnemonic, sensory, and imaginative elements. We used a neuroanthropological approach to understand shamanic trance as a biological potential of the human brain to induce non-ordinary states of consciousness linked to cultural beliefs and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many traditional, small-scale societies, death and other misfortunes are commonly explained as a result of others' malign occult agency. Here, we call this family of epistemic tendencies "the agential view of misfortune." After reviewing several ethnographic case studies that illustrate this view, we argue that its origins and stability are puzzling from an evolutionary perspective. Not only is the agential view of misfortune false; it imposes costs on individuals and social groups that seem to far outweigh whatever benefits the view might provide. We thus doubt that the agential view of misfortune is explainable in terms of adaptive effects. However, neither does it seem readily explainable as a consequence of belief formation strategies that are on the whole adaptive (as is plausibly the case for certain other of our false beliefs, including some that are costly). Accordingly, we contend that the commonness of the agential view of misfortune demands a special evolutionary explanation of some kind. We provide a partial explanation of this phenomenon by highlighting the adaptive benefits that often flow to occult specialists in environments where the agential view of misfortune is entrenched. What this does not explain, however, is the general lack of resistance we observe in response to occultists' exploitative behaviours over (cultural) evolutionary timescales. We conclude by canvassing a few possible explanations for this puzzling lack of resistance, and while we commit ourselves to none, we do find one option more promising than the others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary debates on posthumanism and the planetary environmental crisis have led to the questioning of the dichotomies and anthropocentrism of Western modernity. The Indigenous peoples of the Gran Chaco of Argentina, specifically the Qom or Toba, neither privileged the human above other beings that make up the world nor created nature/culture dichotomies. In other words they were, as other Amerindian peoples, neither humanists nor posthumanists. However, in recent decades, the Qom—who since 1960 have combined Pentecostal evangelicalism with shamanism and their particular animism—have begun to differentiate, at least discursively, religion from spirituality. If religion refers to the institutionalized evangelical universe, spirituality corresponds to what international Indigenist norms place within the "ancestral," which tends to be condemned as savage, demonic, dark, and, therefore, as something to be eradicated. The non-human beings of the natural world, the shamanic practices of healing, and the universe of vengeance and of witchcraft were always present—though questioned by official evangelicalism, now they gain greater visibility in religious spaces. This article analyzes aspects of Qom spirituality that challenge the dichotomies that the Indigenous themselves internalized and that destabilizes their perspectives. It considers how advocating a continuity that does not destroy plurality upholds the exceptionality of the human being to cause and solve a planetary crisis that, in regions such as the Gran Chaco, is directly associated with extractivism. Resumen: Los debates contemporáneos sobre el posthumanismo y la crisis medioambiental planetaria han llevado a cuestionar las dicotomías y el antropocentrismo de la modernidad occidental. Los pueblos indígenas del Gran Chaco de Argentina, concretamente los qom o toba, no privilegiaron lo humano por encima de los demás seres que conforman el mundo ni crearon dicotomías como naturaleza/cultura. En otras palabras, no son ni fueron, al igual que otros pueblos amerindios, humanistas ni posthumanistas. Sin embargo, en las últimas décadas, los qom–que desde 1960 combinan el evangelicalismo pentecostal con el chamanismo y su particular animismo- han empezado a diferenciar, al menos discursivamente, religión de espiritualidad. Si la religión se refiere al universo evangélico institucionalizado, la espiritualidad corresponde a lo que las normas indigenistas internacionales sitúan dentro de lo "ancestral", que tiende a ser condenado como salvaje, demoníaco, oscuro y, por tanto, como algo a erradicar. Los seres no-humanos del mundo natural, las prácticas chamánicas de curación y el universo de la venganza y de la brujería siempre estuvieron presentes -aunque cuestionados por el evangelismo oficial- ahora ganan mayor visibilidad en los rituales religiosos. En este artículo despliego aspectos de esta espiritualidad qom, que desafían las dicotomías que los propios indígenas internalizaron y que desestabilizan perspectivas, con el fin de considerar cómo abogar por una continuidad que no destruya la pluralidad, no sostenga la excepcionalidad del ser humano para causar y resolver una crisis planetaria que, en regiones como el Gran Chaco, están asociadas al extractivismo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary Taínos protested the 2021 sale, by Christie's auction house, of sacred ancestral pieces. This essay focuses on one prolific Taíno media creator and behike (or shaman), Luis Ramos, and his role in these protests and his theological and metaphysical interpretations of the protests as, though they did not succeed in stopping the auction, a "win" for the Taíno community. For Ramos, this "win" hinges on Taíno theories of media that allow for Taíno creative control over objects used to facilitate direct contact with the cemi or spirits, meaning that while the ancestral pieces held by Christie's are of value, the fact that living Taínos use other pieces to experience the presence of the cemi is even more important. Likewise, this presence of the cemi is understood to offer recognition to the Taíno community, the predication of an alternative model of sovereignty that is determined by Taínos rather than any exterior force. This alternative economy of recognition, coupled with a defiance of state logic and uninterest in the lack of recognition offered by the state (or by a multinational corporation like Christie's), is key to an alternative politics allowing for Taínos to emphasize their own creative agency and authority over their spirituality. Resumen: Los taínos contemporáneos protestaron contra la venta de piezas sagradas ancestrales por parte de la casa de subastas Christie's en 2021. Este ensayo se centra en un creador de medios taíno y behike (o chamán), Luis Ramos, y su papel en estas protestas. Aunque Luis no consiguió detener la subasta, sus interpretaciones teológicas y metafísicas de las protestas plantean que sus acciones fueron una "victoria" para la comunidad taína. Para Ramos, esta "victoria" se basa en las teorías taínas sobre los medios de comunicación que permiten el control creativo taíno sobre los objetos utilizados para facilitar el contacto directo con el cemi o los espíritus, lo que significa que, si bien las piezas ancestrales en poder de Christie's son valiosas, el hecho de que los taínos vivos utilicen otras piezas para sentir la presencia del cemi es aún más importante. También se entiende que la presencia del cemi reconoce a la comunidad taína, y predica un modelo alternativo de soberanía que está determinada por los taínos y no por una fuerza exterior. Esta economía alternativa de reconocimiento, unida a un desafío a la lógica estatal y al desinterés por la falta de reconocimiento que ofrece el Estado (o una multinacional como Christie's), es clave para una política alternativa que permita a los taínos enfatizar su propia agencia creativa y su autoridad sobre su espiritualidad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of shamans, as a category of disaster management stakeholders, has significantly increased in Korea. However, the role of shamans in mitigating the psychological impact of disasters has not been adequately studied. This research explores how to improve the role of shamanism in the field of Korean disaster management toward the ultimate goal of mitigating the psychological impact of disasters. Descriptive content analysis is used to systematically compare the secularism approach with the psychological impact mitigation approach by considering professional shamans, community leaders, educators and researchers, and disaster victims. The most significant finding is that Korea needs to supplement its current secularism approach with the psychological impact mitigation approach. Asian nations could benefit from insights on the significance of behavioral change, cultural competency, neo-shamanism, and multiple networks. The value of this study lies in its more rigorous investigation of Korean shamanism in relation to disaster management compared with previous works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moritz Geiger's 1911 article on the consciousness of feeling, entitled "Das Bewusstsein von Gefühlen," was an object of study for Husserl in a series of manuscripts recently published in Studien zur Struktur des Bewusstseins II. Gefühl und Wert (1896-1925)(2020). Geiger's article and Husserl's remarks on it received attention from Métraux (1975), but, more recently, an increasing number of publications have been devoted to the topic (Averchi, 2015a, 2015b; Crespo, 2015; Quepons, 2017; Marcos del Cano, 2023). These new publications identify a central area of disagreement between the two authors concerning the nature of emotive consciousness, i.e., the mode in which affective states relate to their objects. For Geiger, emotions are directed toward their objects but are not regarded as intentional and, in certain forms of consciousness, can even lose their relation to their objects. By contrast, for Husserl, intentionality is an intrinsic feature of emotive consciousness. The paper shows that Geiger's and Husserl's disagreement on the nature of emotions is rooted in their different pictures of the structure of consciousness and, in particular, the place of feeling in their respective ontologies of the mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we describe how Casas Grandes Medio period (AD 1200 to 1450) shamanic practices of the North American Southwest used tobacco shamanism, a ritual stance called the Tennessee Diviner (TD) posture, and cultural expectations to generate trance experiences of soul flight and divination. We introduce a conceptual model that holds that specific trance experiences are the emergent result of human minds interacting with additional factors including entheogens, cultural expectations, physiological states, postures/movement, and sound/stimulation. Experimental and ethnographic evidence indicates initiating trance with either tobacco intoxication or the TD posture accompanied with a rapidly beating drum or rattle corresponds with perceptions of soul flight, transformation, and divination/information acquisition. Both have similar results but pairing them together as they were during the Medio period likely helped ensure the culturally desired trance experiences. This practice of mutually reinforcing factors was likely part of tobacco‐based shamanism found in other New World cultures as well. We suggest our general model can be applied to other contexts to examine how various aspects of trance induction interact to produce the cultural patterns (and resulting cosmological and spiritual frameworks) anthropologists have documented in other cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medio Period (AD 1200 to 1450) Casas Grandes shamans used tobacco and possibly other entheogens to initiate trance states that allowed their spirits to travel across the cosmos. These trance experiences involved a sense of vertigo and soul flight that is cross-culturally common and occurs with tobacco-based nicotine intoxication. The Medio Period shamans also relied on and interacted with other-than-human persons during their travels, including macaw- and serpent-linked deities, as well as animated objects designed to participate in their shamanic journeys. The animated objects included Playas Red and Chihuahuan Polychrome pottery effigies of humans, macaws, and snakes with shamanic themes that represented the spirit world. I propose these pots were animate "pot-people" created for shamanic rituals. They were created with unusual designs including painted images and incised patterns that emphasized the spinning/vertigo that was central to the shamans' soul flight experience. In some cases, the pots were literally spun, as evidenced by the distinctive wear patterns on their bases. The shamanic designs on the pots that reflected the upper and lower worlds, the depiction of spinning in the pottery decorations, and the literal spinning of some pots reflected the sympathetic and mimetic magic that linked them to the spirit world. They were imbued with the liminal nature of the creatures they depicted, and the symbolic and occasional literal emphasis on spinning would allow them to enter into a shamanic trance in a manner similar to their human counterparts. They, thus, were designed to enter into ASC in a manner that paralleled their human counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Latin American & Caribbean Anthropology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Complimentary to the common perception of rock art, i.e., painted or engraved images on rock surfaces, as an archaeological source informing about the past, this article argues that what equally and additionally makes rock art heritage is the role the ancient images play in the present, influencing and shaping contemporary cultural processes. Developing this idea, the article discusses the use of rock art motifs in contemporary art, focusing on the example of the art of Arzhan Yuteev, a native Altaian painter from Gorno-Altaisk in southern Siberia. Although rock art has attracted the attention of many Siberian artists in recent decades, Yuteev’s art is unique in this regard, as his drawing upon prehistoric art is not only aesthetically inspired but is also significantly embodied in an identity narrative. This narrative was particularly noticeable in the exhibition Heritage, held in the artist’s hometown in 2019, where Yuteev’s works were displayed. The three works presented in this exhibition are analyzed in detail in the paper, providing the key data to answer the questions: how are the prehistoric art motifs incorporated into this narrative, how do they contribute to the idea of reclaiming the heritage and what is the social efficaciousness of Yuteev’s art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mongolian philosophical underpinnings of well‐being were expressed in the form of mythology, shamanism and Mongolian Buddhism before the development of modern nursing in Mongolia. Among these forms, the philosophical underpinnings of well‐being, mythology and shamanism were formed as a result of the roots of Mongolian philosophy, whereas Buddhism spread relatively late. As a result of Mongolian mythology, an alternative approach called dom zasal was formed, and it remains one of the important foundations of the idea of well‐being among people. Among the various concepts of shamanism, the concept of sunesu best expresses the underpinning of well‐being, and the idea that healing and nursing care can be provided not only by those living in this world but also by spirit beings. Since Mongolians still use these ideas even in modern times, it should be noted that following them too narrowly may conflict with concepts based on scientific evidence. Along with the development of Buddhist philosophy in Mongolia, the Oriental philosophical underpinnings of well‐being have spread. One of the most important concepts is the five basic elements of life (tavan mahabhutas) and three elements of the body (khii, shar and badgan). While developing the concepts of life and the body, the arga‐bileg model (yin‐yang in Chinese), developed at the theoretical level in Chinese philosophy, has become a popular basis for culture and customs among Mongolians. Therefore, it has been difficult to judge whether the origin of the arga‐bileg model is Mongolian or Chinese; however, this is undeniably an important underpinning for well‐being in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the idea of traditionalism and the main works of Mircea Eliade (1907-1986), who is a Romanian, French and American religious scholar and one of the founders of the religious studies field. The classic work "Shamanism: Archaic Methods of Ecstasy" (1951) was also analyzed, which received special attention among the scientist's works. The main directions of scientific research are religious studies, analysis of the idea of traditionalism, which goes beyond the field of view of religions in the modern era of globalization. Based on the works of Eliade, the significance of materialist and rationalist positions, the phenomena of formalism and traditionalism in the era of technical development is clarified. Defining the traditionalist critical cultural movement developing in Europe, conducting a comparative analysis of current problems of society. Analysis of scientific findings taking into account the period and environment of writing scientific texts. The article also discusses how scholars in the humanities and social sciences responded to Eliade's book, how Eliade's view of shamanism inspired many spiritual seekers in the West in the 1960s and 1970s, and later, with the advent of postmodernism, examining criticism of his view of shamanism as the universal "core" faith or religion of humanity. The main result of the study is the presentation of the main classical sources of religious studies, taking into account the fact that Eliade's research in the field of domestic religious studies has not yet been studied. The value of the research conducted in the article lies in Eliade's desire to use traditionalist ideology in modern religions to solve modern problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay examines the influence of the United States on Korean liturgy and worship, particularly within the context of Korean Protestant churches. It discusses how US Protestant churches have shaped the practices, piety, and theology of Korean churches, resulting in a lack of indigenous Korean elements in worship. The essay also explores the emergence of a movement in Korea that seeks to incorporate Korean cultural elements into worship. The text highlights the ongoing debate within Korean churches regarding the incorporation of Western worship styles and indigenous elements, which is not only theological and cultural but also political. The author emphasizes the need for a postcolonial reflection to understand the power dynamics and cultural hybridity at play, and calls for a Korean worship that reflects the piety and identity of Korean worshipers. [Extracted from the article]

The invention of Shipibo visionary paintings in the Western Amazon by the collective of artists and shamans, Barin Bababo, seems to challenge the idealist thesis that the hybridity of contemporary indigenous art and its commercialization in the Western art market would constitute a cultural degradation of "traditional" indigenous art. The works, at the crossroads of shamanic practices based on an animistic worldview and the ability of their creators to weave social networks beyond their ethnic group, appear to represent, on the contrary, a means of expressing a form of resilience in response to the transformations that Shipibo society is currently experiencing in the context of globalization. The "cultural in-between" position of shaman painters, from which the success of their artistic productions with a Western audience of "shaman tourists" derives, challenges the classical dichotomy that opposes "modernity" and "tradition" making of the components of the past a form of cultural renewal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last decades of the eighteenth century, knowledge about Siberia inspired Catherine II to create the main character of one of her comedies, The Siberian Shaman. Taking Foucault's dispositif -concept as its theoretical premise, the present paper discusses the historical context in which The Siberian Shaman was written, deconstructs the identity of the comedy's main character, and explores the socio-political purposes for which the comedy was written. By utilising the perspective of entangled history of religions and the methodology of historical discourse analysis, this paper shows that the comedy's alleged "shamanic" content and "anti-shamanic" purpose cannot be taken for granted. Rather, the discourse in The Siberian Shaman should be read as Catherine II's own engagement with the themes of unreason and madness within the philosophical, socio-political and religious context of the period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]