Shamanism - The Timeless Religion

In this enlightening book, anthropologist Manvir Singh offers a new explanation for one of the most misunderstood religious traditions. Travelling from Indonesia to the Amazon, living with shamans and observing music, drug use and indigenous curing ceremonies, he journeys into the origins of shamanism. Fundamentally, shamans are specialists who use altered states to engage with unseen realities and provide services like healing and divination. As Singh shows, shamanism''s ubiquity stems from its psychological resonance. Its core appeal is transformation: a specialist uses initiations, deprivation and non-ordinary states to seemingly become a different kind of human, one possessed with the superpowers necessary to tame life''s uncertainty.

Following a fascinating cast of characters, Singh tells a larger story about the ancient and modern expressions of this timeless tradition. He argues that biomedicine can learn from shamanic practices, yet that psychedelic enthusiasts completely misrepresent history. He also shows that shamanic traditions will forever re-emerge - and that by journeying into humanity''s oldest spiritual practice, we come to better understand ourselves, our history and our future.<>

A propos de l'auteur

Manvir Singh

Détails du produit

• Auteurs: Manvir Singh
• Edition: Allen Lane
• Langues: Anglais
• Format d'édition: Livre Relié
• Sortie: 20.05.2025
• EAN: 9780241638415
• ISBN: 978-0-241-63841-5
• Pages: 304
• Dimensions: 161 mm x 241 mm x 28 mm
• Catégories: Littérature spécialisée > Philosophie, religion > Autres; Sciences humaines, art, musique > Histoire > Général, dictionnaires; PHILOSOPHY / Social, RELIGION / History, BODY, MIND & SPIRIT / Shamanism, HISTORY / World, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / Cultural & Social, Social & cultural anthropology, ethnography, Social & political philosophy, History of Religion, social and political philosophy, History: earliest times to present day, Shamanism, paganism & druidry, Social and cultural anthropology, Animism and Shamanism