Shamansism

Shamansism is a term used in some scholarly and popular discourses to denote belief systems, practices, and social roles centered on shamans, who function as mediators between humans and the spirit world. Unlike shamanism, which historically refers to pluralistic, culturally specific traditions among Indigenous peoples of Siberia, the Americas, and elsewhere, shamansism is often used as a subsuming label for frameworks that place shamans at the core of religious authority or healing. The term can be used descriptively to discuss the social function of shamans within communities, or critically in analyses of modern movements that adopt shamanic rhetoric.

Practices associated with shamansism typically include trance or altered states achieved through drumming, chanting, fasting, or inhalants; healing ceremonies; divination; spirit journeying; and communication with spirits, animal guides, or ancestors. In many contexts, shamans act as healers, counselors, or diviners, and their authority may be derived from lineage, initiations, or demonstrated efficacy.

In contemporary usage, shamansism often overlaps with neo-shamanism and spiritual but not religious movements, particularly in Western settings. Critics argue that the term can obscure cultural specificity, risk essentializing Indigenous practices, and encourage commodification or appropriation. Proponents contend that it provides a useful analytic lens for examining how societies organize spiritual authority around shamans or how individuals adopt shamanic techniques for personal growth.

See also: Shamanism, Neo-shamanism, Animism, Spirit work.