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Understanding Shamanism and Neoshamanism

Shamanism involves practitioners using altered states of consciousness to interact with and channel energies from what they believe to be a spirit world. It has attracted interest from various academic fields and hundreds of related publications have been produced. In the 20th century, some Westerners created modern practices influenced by indigenous religions, termed neoshamanism, though it also faced criticism of cultural appropriation when outsiders tried to represent foreign cultures.

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44 views1 page

Understanding Shamanism and Neoshamanism

Shamanism involves practitioners using altered states of consciousness to interact with and channel energies from what they believe to be a spirit world. It has attracted interest from various academic fields and hundreds of related publications have been produced. In the 20th century, some Westerners created modern practices influenced by indigenous religions, termed neoshamanism, though it also faced criticism of cultural appropriation when outsiders tried to represent foreign cultures.

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ANMOL
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Shamanism is a practice that involves a practitioner reaching altered states of consciousness in

order to perceive and interact with what they believe to be a spirit world and channel these
transcendental energies into this world.[1]
Beliefs and practices that have been categorized as "shamanic" have attracted the interest of
scholars from a wide variety of disciplines, including anthropologists, archaeologists, historians,
religious studies scholars, philosophers and psychologists. Hundreds of books and academic
papers on the subject have been produced, with a peer-reviewed academic journal being
devoted to the study of shamanism. In the 20th century, many Westerners involved in counter-
cultural movements have created modern magico-religious practices influenced by their ideas of
indigenous religions from across the world, creating what has been termed neoshamanism or the
neoshamanic movement.[2] It has affected the development of many neopagan practices, as well
as faced a backlash and accusations of cultural appropriation,[3] exploitation and
misrepresentation when outside observers have tried to represent cultures to which they do not
belong.[4][5]

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