shamanistic

Shamanistic is an adjective describing practices, beliefs, and institutions associated with shamanism. Shamanism refers to a family of spiritual traditions in which a shaman acts as an intermediary between humans and the spirit world, performing healing, divination, guidance, and protective rites. Shamanistic practices are typically marked by altered states of consciousness, ritual journeys to other realms, and a community-centered emphasis on harmony with the social and natural world.

Geographic and cultural scope: Shamanism occurs across many regions, including Siberia and Central Asia, the Arctic and subarctic zones, and among Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Africa, and Oceania. Although the specific roles and cosmologies vary, shamans are generally seen as mediators who diagnose spiritual causes of illness or misfortune and facilitate communication with spirits, ancestors, or animal helpers.

Techniques and tools: Common means of entering trance include drumming, singing, dancing, fasting, and sometimes the use of plant medicines. Ritual objects such as drums, rattles, masks, and sacred artifacts may accompany ceremonies. Shamans may perform healing, protect communities from malevolent forces, guide soul retrievals, or provide divination and seasonal or weather-related rites.

Modern context: In contemporary writing and practice, the term "shamanistic" is used for traditions inspired by traditional shamans as well as for neo-shamanism, a Western-influenced movement. Critics argue that broad use of the term risks cultural appropriation or oversimplification, and scholars emphasize the diversity and context-specific nature of authentic shamanic traditions.