The Shaman in Indigenous Cultures Term Paper by Nicky
The Shaman in Indigenous Cultures
An exploration of the role of the Shaman as a spiritual specialist in indigenous cultures.
# 148471
| 2,012 words
| 5 sources
| MLA
| 2011
| 
Published
on Oct 26, 2011
in
Anthropology
(North American)
, Religion and Theology
(General)
, Native-American Studies
(General)
$19.95
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Description:
The paper discusses how the shaman in many indigenous cultures sees the world as animated and alive and filled with spirits and entities that are not subject to normal perception. The paper outlines the visionary experience of the shaman where through the process of experiencing the sacred world, the shaman is changed and learns to heal. The paper explores how older indigenous cultures perceive healing and also looks at the initiation process to become a shaman. This writer suggests that the inhabitants of the industrialized modern word can learn a great deal from the views and experiences of the shaman and indigenous cultures.
From the Paper:
"One of the most important aspects to note about many indigenous cultures, and especially ancient indigenous culture, is their view of reality in terms of nature. For these cultures, a very significant difference to the way that the modern Westerner views reality is that the entire world and every object are to some extent animated and alive. The Western objective view of life only refers to some aspects of the world as alive and animated. We would not, for example, consider a rock to be alive; whereas in many shamanic cultures a rock can be a living presence and can even have a 'soul'."Sample of Sources Used:
- Achterberg J. Imagery in Healing: Shamanism and Modern Medicine. London: Shambala Press. 1985.
- Berlo J. and Phillips R. Native North American Art. New York: Oxfors University Press. 1998.
- Finney D. On Shamans. http://www.greatdreams.com/shamans.htm
- Halifax, Joan. "The Shaman's Initiation." Re-vision 13.2 (1990): 53-58. Questia. 29 Apr. 2009 <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=95142789>.
- What is shamanism? April 28, 2009. <http://www.breakingopenthehead.com/what_is_shaminism.htm>
Cite this Term Paper:
APA Format
The Shaman in Indigenous Cultures (2011, October 26)
Retrieved June 10, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/term-paper/the-shaman-in-indigenous-cultures-148471/
MLA Format
"The Shaman in Indigenous Cultures" 26 October 2011.
Web. 10 June. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/term-paper/the-shaman-in-indigenous-cultures-148471/>