Neo-Shamanisms

Neo-shamanisms are new religious movements that are part of neo-paganism, inspired by worldviews and techniques of non-Western tribal peoples [Page 881]from different parts of the world. These shamanist elements are adapted and changed to the context of modern, urban Western life. Notions and techniques have been appropriated mainly from Siberian, Native American, South American, and Scandinavian indigenous shamanic traditions. Neo-shamanistic adepts are very eclectic and are inspired by very different manifestations, which justifies the speaking of neo-shamanisms. Meeting modern urban needs, they have been adapted to individual needs and psychologized by reformulating traditional worldviews and methods in modern terms. The “darker” sides of traditional shamanism, such as fights with dangerous spirits, have hardly been adopted in neo-shamanism.

Neo-shamanism has been greatly influenced by two anthropologists. The descriptions by Carlos Castaneda (1968), telling of his training with a Yaqui shaman and the use of hallucinogenic plants to gain supernatural power and knowledge, became a source of inspiration for many Westerners. After research with different indigenous peoples of South and North America, Michael Harner (1980) introduced “core shamanism,” a set of presumed traditional shamanic techniques that displays no specific cultural features and that is recontextualized for modern Western societies. Harner established the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, which organizes neo-shamanic seminars all over the world.

The most significant techniques of the core shamanism are journeys in an altered state of consciousness—named the shamanic state of consciousness—induced by drumming. The journeys lead to different shamanic worlds and allow for interaction with different spirit helpers and power animals to receive guidance and healing. The search for a power animal, which is a spirit guide to the underworld, is a popular technique in neo-shamanisms.

Other common practices are the originally Native American sweat lodge ceremony, the vision quest, and the medicine wheel, which have been appropriated from the Lakota and Blackfeet tribes. During the sweat lodge ceremony, people are made to sit in a small hut of blankets with heated with steam while praying and singing to the spirits. The vision quest is a retreat to nature, where people fast and pray, seeking guidance from the spirits. The medicine wheel is a spiritual concept in which earth consciousness is connected with the directions of the wind and specific animals.

Some indigenous tribes, such as the Lakota Native Americans, have protested against the use of their cultural and spiritual heritage by Westerners and have prohibited the use of some of their traditional ceremonies. Other traditional shamans feel the need to expand the knowledge of their tradition all over the world.