neoshamanic

Neoshamanic refers to contemporary, often Western, adaptations of shamanic practice that are performed outside their original Indigenous contexts. It generally describes a range of techniques and beliefs inspired by Indigenous shamans but reinterpreted for modern spirituality, healing, and personal growth. The term covers diverse approaches rather than a single tradition and is linked to the broader revival of shamanic imagery within New Age, therapeutic, and DIY spiritual communities.

Origins and development have been traced to late 20th century transnational spiritual networks and wellness movements. As interest in altered states, dreamwork, and experiential healing grew, practitioners began to cultivate practices such as trance journeys, guided visualization, rhythmic drumming or rattling, plant medicines, and ceremony or ritual spaces. Some neoshamanic work emphasizes contact with spirits, power animals, or ancestral guides, while others focus on inner journeying and ecological or community healing.

Practices commonly associated with neoshamanism include drum circles, shamanic journeying, ritual cleansing, and storytelling, often framed as personal growth or healing. Plant medicines, ceremonial spaces, and mentor-led trainings appear in many contexts, though legal and ethical considerations strongly influence their use. Critics note that neoshamanism can blur lines between Indigenous spiritual practices and Western consumer culture, raising concerns about cultural appropriation, commodification, and misrepresentation.

In scholarly and public discourse, neoshamanism is viewed as a contested phenomenon: it offers accessible pathways to altered states and healing for some participants, while others caution against reducing complex Indigenous traditions to a set of techniques or marketing trends. Respectful engagement and awareness of cultural origins are frequently emphasized.