xamãs

Xamãs are spiritual healers and religious leaders found in various indigenous cultures around the world. The term "xamanismo" or "xaman" itself is believed to originate from the Tungus language of Siberia, though similar practices exist independently across continents. Xamãs are often seen as intermediaries between the spirit world and the physical world, possessing the ability to communicate with spirits, ancestors, and nature. They achieve altered states of consciousness, often through rituals involving drumming, chanting, dancing, or the use of psychoactive plants, to diagnose illnesses, predict the future, or guide souls.

The role of a xamã is typically acquired through a calling, often involving a spiritual experience or inheritance from a lineage of practitioners. Their training can be extensive, involving years of learning from elder xamãs, mastering medicinal plants, and understanding complex spiritual cosmologies. Illness, whether physical, mental, or spiritual, is often viewed by these cultures as an imbalance or the result of negative spiritual influences, which the xamã aims to rectify. Their practices are deeply interwoven with the cultural and ecological context of their communities, reflecting a holistic worldview where humanity, nature, and the spiritual realm are interconnected. While often associated with traditional indigenous societies, elements of shamanic practice have seen resurgence and adaptation in contemporary spiritual movements.