Roger Walsh - The World of Shamanism: New Views of an Ancient Tradition

Llewellyn Publications

Woodbury, Minnesota

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The World of Shamanism: New Views of an Ancient Tradition 2007 by Roger Walsh, M.D., Ph.D.

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First e-book edition 2014

E-book ISBN: 9780738726137

Book design by Donna Burch

Cover art Digital Stock & Photodisc

Cover design by Gavin Dayton Duffy

Edited by Jane Hilken

Acknowledgment is gratefully made for permission to reproduce the following:

American Museum of Natural History: A Koryak woman shaman with drum, p. 190.

Sherana Harriette Frances: Psychedelic sessiondeath and rebirth, pp. 7684.

Natural Museum of Denmark: (1) Aua and his wife, p. 51, and (2) Igjugarjuk, p. 65.

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This book is dedicated to three people who have done so much
to bring the best of shamanism to the West:

Michael Harner

What Vivekananda did for Hinduism and D. T. Suzuki for Zen,
Michael Harner has done for shamanism; namely,
brought the practices and potentials of this tradition to the awareness of the West.

Sandra Harner

By mastering both shamanism and psychology, Sandra Harner exemplifies one of the central opportunities of our time: the opportunity of integrating diverse sources of wisdom
to more effectively heal and serve.

Angeles Arrien

By so ably embodying and expressing her tradition,
Angeles Arrien inspires and awakens those graced by her presence.

And to five people whose work helped create new fields
and made new understandings of shamanism possible:

Huston Smith

Scholar and sage who so ably explains and embodies the depths of the great religions.

Charles Tart

Who pioneered the investigation of states of consciousness.

Stan Grof

Whose groundbreaking research revealed the farther reaches of mind.

Ken Wilber

Whose integral vision is the most encompassing intellectual framework of our time,
and a healing gift to a fragmented world.

and

Frances Vaughan

Awakener of intuition and gift to us all.

Contents

Who, Where, When, and What Is a Shaman?

: Why Shamanism and Why Now?

: Why The World of Shamanism?

: What Is a Shaman? The Challenge of Definition

: The When and Where of Shamanism: Origins and Distribution

The Big Picture

: Essential Spirituality: Central Principles and Practices of Spiritual Life

: What Is a Hero? Lifes Aims and Games

The Life of the Shaman

: Times of Trial: The Initial Call and the Initiation Crisis

: A Life of Learning: Shamanic Training and Discipline

: The Culmination of the Quest: Shamanic Enlightenment

: The Culmination of the Quest: Death and Rebirth

Diagnosing the Shaman

: Devil, Madman, Saint, or Sage? The Eye of the Beholder

: Primitive Madmen:
Assessing Traditional Views of Shamans as Psychologically Disturbed

: Putting Shamans to the Test:
Measuring Personality and Spiritual Mastery

: Spiritual Emergency and Spiritual Emergence?
New Views of Shamans Health

: Shamanic Trickery: The Tricks of the Trade

The Shamans Universe

: Many Worlds

: Many Spirits

: Mediums: Channels for the Spirits?

: What Is a Spirit?

: Cosmic Traveling: The Shamanic Journey

: A World of Ecstatics: Journeys in Other Religious Traditions

: The Varieties of Journey Experiences:
Dream, Out-of-Body, Near-Death, and Abduction Experiences

: Interpreting and Researching Journeys

Shamanic Techniques

: The Politics of Consciousness

: Transforming Consciousness:
Contemporary Understandings and Shamanic Methods

: Psychedelics and Entheogens: Revealers of the Divine Within?

: Divination and Diagnosis

: How Do They Heal?

: Healing the Healer: How Do They Heal Themselves?

: Shamans and Psi: What Is the Evidence?

The Shamans Mind

: Shamanic States of Mind

: Comparing States of Mind:
Shamans, Yogis, Meditators, and Schizophrenics

: How High Do They Fly? Levels of Consciousness

: The Evolution of Consciousness

: The Shamans Brain: Neurotheology and Neuromythology

: Shamanism(s) in a Changing World

Acknowledgments

I would like to express my deep appreciation to the many people who offered assistance with the writing of The World of Shamanism . Exceptionally valuable feedback came from Timothy White and Ken Wilber.

Other people who contributed to this project in various ways include William Andrew, Allyn Brodsky, Etzel Cardena, Marlene Dobkin de Rios, Steve Donovan, Betty Sue Flowers, Gordon Globus, Maria Globus, Tom Hurley, Stan Krippner, John Levy, Michael Murphy, Patrick Ophals, Don Sandner, Bruce Scotton, Deane Shapiro, Huston and Kendra Smith, John White, and Michael Winkelman. Members of a Psychiatry Residents Seminar at the University of California at Irvine who gave valuable feedback include Gary Bravo, Melissa Derfler, Charles Grob, Diane Harris, Barbara Kaston, Mitch Liester, Jim McQuade, Pat Poyourow, Susan Seitz, Ken Steinhoff, and Nathan Thuma.

Special thanks to several people who were exceptionally generous with their time, feedback, and assistance. These include Angeles Arrien, Kent Carroll, Michael Harner, Arthur Hastings, Chris Kiefer, Charles Tart, and, as always, Frances Vaughan. Bonnie LAllier provided her usual excellent administrative and secretarial support, ably assisted by Hann Wang.

Part I

WHO, WHERE, WHEN,
AND WHAT IS A SHAMAN?