In The Origins of Shamanism, Spirit Beliefs, and Religiosity, H. Sidky examines shamanism as an ancient magico-religious, divinatory, medical, and psychotherapeutic tradition found in various parts of the world. Sidky uses first-hand ethnographic fieldwork and scientific theoretical work in archaeology, cognitive and evolutionary psychology, and neurotheology to explore the origins of shamanism, spirit beliefs, the evolution of human consciousness, and the origins of ritual behavior and religiosity.
In The Origins of Shamanism, Spirit Beliefs, and Religiosity, H. Sidky examines shamanism as an ancient magico-religious, divinatory, medical, and psychotherapeutic tradition found in various parts of the world. Sidky uses first-hand ethnographic fieldwork and scientific theoretical work in archaeology, cognitive and evolutionary psychology, and neurotheology to explore the origins of shamanism, spirit beliefs, the evolution of human consciousness, and the origins of ritual behavior and religiosity.
Whitley, one of the world's leading experts on cave paintings, rewrites the understanding of shamanism and its connection with artistic creativity, myth, and religion by interweaving archaeological evidence with the latest findings of cutting-edge neuroscience.
Ripinsky-Naxon explores the core and essence of shamanism by looking at its ritual, mythology, symbolism, and the dynamics of its cultural process. In dealing with the basic elements of shamanism, the author discusses the shamanistic experience and enlightenment, the inner personal crisis, and the many aspects entailed in the role of the shaman.
A guide to worldwide shamanism and shamanistic practices, emphasizing historical and current cultural adaptations. This two-volume reference is the first international survey of shamanistic beliefs from prehistory to the present day. In nearly 200 detailed, readable entries, leading ethnographers, psychologists, archaeologists, historians, and scholars of religion and folk literature explain the general principles of shamanism as well as the details of widely varied practices. What is it like to be a shaman? Entries describe, region by region, the traits, such as sicknesses and dreams, that mark a person as a shaman, as well as the training undertaken by initiates. They detail the costumes, music, rituals, artifacts, and drugs that shamans use to achieve altered states of consciousness, communicate with spirits, travel in the spirit world, and retrieve souls. Unlike most Western books on shamanism, which focus narrowly on the individual's experience of healing and trance, Shamanism also examines the function of shamanism in society from social, political, and historical perspectives and identifies the ancient, continuous thread that connects shamanistic beliefs and rituals across cultures and millennia.
Kehoe (anthropology, U. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) seeks to inoculate her students against the mushy thinking she finds concerning shamans and shamanism. She traces the misinformation to a sensational mid-20th-century French tome by which expatriate Romanian Mircea Eliade hoped to acquire a reputation and a place in a European or American university. (He succeeded.) Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
For thousands of years, spiritual questions have haunted the hearts and minds of humankind. Do higher powers exist, and if so, what is our relationship to them? And how else might we interpret seemingly miraculous events such as faith healing, out-of-body experiences, and extrasensory perceptions? Wondrous Healing traces the human capacity for religious belief to the success of ancient healing rituals, such as chanting to calm women in childbirth or rhythmic dancing to reduce trauma from wounds. Those who accepted these hypnotic suggestions were far more likely to receive positive benefits from the "healing." The apparent success of such rituals, McClenon argues, led to the development of shamanism, humankind's first religion. Controversial and daring, McClenon's theory is based on his extensive research and firsthand observation of modern shamanistic performances across Asia and North America. His evidence supports the argument that evolutionary processes developed a biological basis for religion. McClenon's historical and anthropological analyses of these issues explore the relationship between science, society, and spirituality.
Shamans of the Lost World bridges the gap between recent work in the cognitive sciences and some of humankind's oldest religious expressions. In this detailed look at the prehistoric shamanism of the Ohio Hopewell, Romain uses cognitive science, archaeology, and ethnology to propose that the shamanic worldview results from psychological mechanisms that have a basis in our cognitive evolutionary development. The discussions in this volume of the most current theories concerning how early peoples came to believe in spirits and gods, as well as how those theories help account for what we find in the archaeological record of the Hopewell, are of interest to archaeologists and cognitive scientists alike.
Exploring the Tapestry of Faith from Antiquity to the Modern Age Dive into the profound exploration of human spirituality with "Divine Threads: Unravelling the Origins of Divine Beliefs" a captivating journey that traverses the corridors of time, unraveling the intricate tapestry of divine beliefs that have woven through the fabric of human existence. In this illuminating odyssey, the author a seasoned explorer of the human soul, takes readers on a spellbinding quest to understand the roots of our sacred connections and the evolution of beliefs that have shaped civilizations. Chapter 1: Echoes of Antiquity The journey begins in the hallowed halls of Ancient Mysticism, where the seeds of sacred connections are sown. The author delves into the rich tapestry of mythologies and cosmogonies, exploring how these ancient narratives birthed the boundless imagination of the divine. Chapter 1 serves as a gateway to the origins of our spiritual yearnings, unveiling the enigmatic forces that have guided humanity through the eons. Chapter 2: In the Footsteps of Faith Embark on a pilgrimage through the annals of faith as we tread the Tribal Traditions and Ancestral Pathways to the Sacred. Traverse the landscapes of Revealed Religions, encountering prophets and divine revelations that have shaped belief systems. The Quest for Meaning takes center stage, intertwining philosophy, and spiritual inquiry, offering readers a panoramic view of the diverse avenues humans have explored in their pursuit of the divine. Chapter 3: Wired for the Divine Uncover the secrets of the human psyche in Wired for the Divine. The author navigates the realms of Evolutionary Psychology, unveiling the God Instinct imprinted in our evolutionary journey. Delve into the Cognitive Science of Religion, exploring the intricate connection between the mind and the sacred. Journey through the corridors of Neuroscience and Spirituality, where the divine is mapped within the very fabric of our brains. Chapter 4: Societal Sanctuaries Enter the hallowed halls of Religious Institutions, and the guardians of faith, and explore the rituals and symbols that channel the sacred in Societal Sanctuaries. Witness the intricate bonds of belonging fostered by faith communities, as the author sheds light on the societal structures that have perpetuated and sustained divine beliefs through generations. Chapter 5: Contemporary Contemplations Navigate the challenges of modernity in Contemporary Contemplations. From the secularization and skepticism challenging traditional beliefs to the emergence of New Age Spirituality blending old and new, the author explores the dynamic landscape of beliefs in the face of globalization and the coexistence of diverse belief systems. "Divine Threads" is not just a book; it's a voyage through the epochs of human spiritual evolution. The author invites readers to reflect on the universal human quest for the divine, offering a panoramic view of our shared spiritual heritage. Immerse yourself in the pages of "Divine Threads," and discover the enduring threads that connect us all to the sacred tapestry of existence.
