Shamanism as a Healing Process Pre-20th Century:
The history of Shamanism and its role in both religion and medicine
Briana K. Strickland
Texas A&M University
October 7, 2014

Shamanism Healing involves the physical and psychological process of restoring health and has been a part of human existence since prehistoric times. Religion has also been a part of the human experience for centuries, giving people something to believe and trust in. Shamanism is one of the oldest forms of both a healing process and a religion, tracing back to ancient Siberia as early as 800 CE. This magico-religion believes in preserving a strong connection with nature and in the power of shamans who act as mediators between our world and the world of spirits. Despite negative scientific attitudes toward Shamanism today, this primeval restorative technique is an effective practice that is still used today.

An Ancient Practice According to Edson, Tibet converted to Buddhism in 800 CE, following suit with the rest of central Asia. While it was not referred to as Shamanism, Tibet Buddhism involved putting spells on lamas under which they would predict the future, corresponding with the magico-religious practice. When Mongols converted to Tibetan Buddhism as well, that faith spread into Siberia, which was inhabited at the time by various groups of nomads (Edson, 2009, p 5). These wanderers at the time presumably introduced the religion to other civilizations, and it was soon practiced around the world. While some aspects of Shamanism fluctuate between cultures, there are four concurring elements: “the ideological premise, or the supernatural world and the contacts with it; the shaman as the actor on behalf of the human group; the inspiration granted him by his helping spirits; and the extraordinary ecstatic experiences of the shaman,” (Backman & Hultkrantz, 1978, p 2). Spirits were recognized as having a vast knowledge of magic that they would pass on to humans. When people were in need of assistance, they would immediately turn to magic. This need for help developed into a system in which intermediaries would call upon idols to convey these issues through an altered state of consciousness. Once he or she crossed over into this mythological world, the Shaman would be presented with a series of symbols that could be ritually translated to the people, who could then perform sacraments. Believing and trusting in this practice allowed people to imagine a better existence after death, and gave them a purpose for living.

The Shaman
Three of the fundamental elements of Shamanism discussed prior involve the Shaman as an inspirational figure who possesses an extraordinary ability to interact with spirits. The shaman was viewed as both a healer and a spiritual leader. The training to become a shaman usually lasted several years, involving an apprenticeship with a master shaman to study spirits – their names and what they represented. Edson explains that the apprentice was expected to “learn the history of the particular people, the rituals required for each intervention, and the names of plants used for medicinal purposes. A part of the training included the mythology of the people as well as drumming, chanting, dancing, and other aspects of shamanic practice,” (Edson, 2009, p 10). This was not uncommon for the pre-20th century as there are several examples of priests and other religious leaders being the first to practice medicine in other cultures as well. This history of religion and science having a mutual relationship is very interesting today because they now seem so separated. As a religious leader, people allowed the shaman to influence their lives. This influence, however, could be beneficial or detrimental. According to Lawrence Krader, there are two types of shamans – good and evil, white and black, and “that the black shamans were less the masters of and more in the service of the evil spirits,” (Krader, 1967, p 117). There were believed to be fifty-five good gods residing in the West of the spiritual world and forty-four evil gods residing in the East who the people believed had the power to bring on death and illness. Requirements for becoming a shaman were very small – they could be men or women, old or young. In Shamanic Worlds, Marjorie Balzar explains that to “understand shamanism, one must explore the art and symbolism inherent in many shamanic ritual performances: an enactment of usually sincere belief in shamanic ability to be sacred intermediaries between human and supernatural worlds,” (Balzar, 1997, p 16).
Shamanism belief seems to be focused on specific events being related to outcomes and the notion that they will be related to the same outcomes in the future for every person. This magico-religion also focuses on the soul and it being a representation of dreams. They understood that there were two types of dreams – spontaneous dreams and those that followed some sort of pattern within the culture. These dreams were viewed as proof of a spiritual world and “may occur in a random fashion or were guided by emotional response and subconscious thoughts; however symbolic activity was believed to be a central influence,“ (Edson, 2009, p 180). Instead of taking authority, people looked to intermediaries for assistance. Shamans are unique to people in that they can communicate with the spirits through the interpretation of symbols through these dreams. In order to cross between the human and supernatural world, shamans used the medium of ecstasy. Before their journey, shamans were tied down so that only their souls travelled because they believed if both their soul and body travelled, they would vanish into the sky and be lost forever, (Edson, 2009, p 181). Chanting and singing were often used during the ecstatic experience. Some were healing songs and chants that were intended to aid the mentally and physically ill. While ecstasy was believed to be an essential element for communication with spirits, Backman and Hultkrantz point out that “many actions of the shaman had apparently nothing to do with ecstasy at all,” but were based on their shamanistic skill and could be carried out through a normal state of consciousness (Backman and Hultkrantz, 1978, p 42). Shamans are essential to the religion and healing process of Shamanism, acting as both a doctor and religious leader.

A Religious Practice Shamanism is a belief and a way of life that is used in both healing and religious activities. The shaman is a critical element in this magico-religion because they can communicate with spirits when they cross over to the supernatural world through the medium of ecstasy. To be magico-religious is defined by the Merriam Webster online dictionary as “having the character of a body of magical practices intended to cause a supernatural being to produce or prevent a specific result,” (Meriam Webster, 2014). Shamanism has informed major religions around the world, but is not considered to be a religion by several purists. The opinions of these classicists is probably based on the fact that “the power (applied magic) and authority of specific spirits were determined by myth and tradition and as with all such symbolic references, there was no attempt to justify the narratives or to render them plausible,” (Edson, 2009, p 6). These attitudes seem condescending because no religious belief system has all the answers – they all include some areas of doubt or have special rules that seem arbitrary. For example, some Christian religions do not allow their church members to dance. They believe this rule is justified because the Bible does not mention dancing, so therefore it shouldn’t be done. Having faith in this rule is no more justified than Shamanism’s trust in shamans and their abilities to communicate with spirits. Shamanism “helped the people to escape their menial, sometimes frightening, and normally difficult lives by allowing them to imagine a better existence in the inner sanctum of the spirit world,” (Edson, 2009, p 6). The function of Shamanism in the people’s daily lives is relatable to that of other religions. Religion is defined as “(1) the belief in a god or in a group of gods, (2) an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or group of gods, (3) an interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group,” (Meriam Webster, 2014). By this definition, Shamanism was a religion to people living in the pre-20th century. They believed in the spirits and looked to them for guidance. They also trusted in the shamans abilities to effectively communicate with these idols. While Shamanism may not include the elements of the systematized religions we know today, it strengthened “social values by divine sanctions and provide[d] hope and consolation,” (Edson, 2009, p 6). Shamanism, while focused on this mythological belief on the power of magic, it contains the essential functions, roles, and guidelines that make it a valid religious practice.

A Healing Process As with most pre-20th century religions, Shamanism religious and healing practices were directly related with shamans functioning as both the people’s religious leader and doctor. Shamans healed both physically, with plants and herbs, and mentally. More often than not, shamanistic healing focuses on the soul of the person, which is the internal, mental healing. It works in a way similar to that of yoga, massages, and acupuncture, and is an all-around holistic experience. This wholesome approach combines “spiritual practices, such as meditation, communing with nature, blessings, giving thanks, sharing, and many more…,” (Mackinnon, 2012, p 103). People of this time period feared illnesses because it meant they couldn’t participate in daily activities. They believed that “usual illnesses were caused by a physiological (humoral) imbalance, whereas unusual illnesses might be attributed to incursions from the spirit world,” (Edson, 2009, p 152). The imbalance was considered to be either physical or mental and a balance of these humors (air, bile, and phlegm) would be prescribed by the shamans to remedy these problems. Shamanism as a healing process incorporates religion and holistic healing techniques that people in the pre-20th century believed to be effective both physically and mentally.

Shamanism in Asklepion In as early as the third century, traces of Shamanism could be found in ancient Greece. The Sanctuary of Asklepios and Hygeia was the location where some of the earliest dream induction practices took place. The dream technique took place in temples. They were places of hope, prayer, and healing, where individuals would come seeking the assistance of a blessed dream to overcome illness in themselves or in someone they love. This represents an example of how religion and healing came together to become a way of life. It also provides us with an instance where Shamanism techniques were used in another part of the world other than Asia.

Concluding Statement In summary, Shamanism is an ancient lifestyle that still exists today. It combined elements of religious and healing practices to give the people of the 20th century hope and peace of mind. To many, Shamanism is nothing but a mythology that relies on magic, dreams, spirits, and symbols. However, by the definition and comparison of religion and healing today, Shamanism proves to be an ongoing example of both processes. The connection between faith and well-being is achieved through the Shaman who is seen as both a doctor and a religious leader, and who is believed to be able to cross over into the supernatural world with the aid of ecstasy. They presented the people with a sense of hope and gave them an afterlife to look forward to. They also prescribed mental and physical treatments during that time to cure illnesses or give people peace of mind, which is considered a holistic way of healing and is still used today. Traces of Shamanism can be found in other cultures, such as Greece, and healing was practiced in religious buildings, like temples. Shamanism is an effective method that possesses elements of both healing and religion.

Works Cited
Backman, L. & Hultkrantz, A. (1978). Studies in Lapp Shamanism. Stockholm, Sweden: Almqvist & Wiksell International.
Balzar, M.M. (Ed.). (1997). Shamanic Worlds: Rituals and Lore of Siberia and Central Asia. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
Edson, G. (2009). Shamanism: A cross-cultural study of beliefs and practices. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers.
Krader, L. (1967). “Buryat Religion and Society.” In Middleton, J. (Ed.), Gods and Rituals (p 117). Garden City, NY: The Natural History Press.
Mackinnon, Christa. (2012). Shamanism and Spirituality in Therapeutic Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Singing Dragon.
Magico-Religious. (n.d.). In Meriam Webster Dictionary online. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magico-religious.
Religion. (n.d.). In Meriam Webster Dictionary online. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/religion.