What Is Shamanism?

In this excerpt from the Encyclopedia of Religion, the writer starts by introducing us to the concept of shamanism: “Shamanism in the strict sense is preeminently a religious phenomenon of Siberia and Inner Asia”. Although we will see later that shamanism is also present in many parts of the worlds, including North America, it is important to note the origins of such phenomenon. According to the author, the shaman is a magician in a sense that he possesses supernatural powers, like mastery over fire. The shaman is also an expert healer since he employs unique methods to treat diseases. On top of that, the shaman is a master of ecstasy because he specializes in entering trance states where he leaves his body to communicate with spirits or ancestors in the sky or in the underworld. The question here is how one goes on about being a shaman. Does one choose to become a shaman or get chosen?

The author claims that there are mainly two methods for recruiting shamans. Someone can become a
Indeed some initiations involve lying inanimate for three to seven days in solitary places other ecstatic experiences involve dismembering by shaman ancestors and even reduction to the state of skeleton. The shaman also undertakes ecstatic journeys after initiations but for other reasons: meeting celestial gods, seeking the soul of the sick, guiding the soul of the dead and getting knowledge from supernatural beings. In this reading I was surprised by two differences in North American Shamanism. First, some cultures in northern California are predominated by female shamans, which is surprising since females are sometimes excluded from these functions. Second, in some culture in the southwest we see that shamans and priests exist together and that their function overlap. This shows some early signs of religious tolerance in my opinion, but also shows the importance of the shaman as a