Definition

Noun: * A traditional, animistic belief system: "Asian shamanism" refers to the indigenous spiritual practices and animistic religion historically prevalent among various peoples of Northern Asia (such as Siberia, Mongolia, and parts of Central Asia). Its core belief is that specialists known as shamans can mediate between the ordinary, visible world and the world of spirits.

Usage

• "Asian shamanism" is used as a formal, anthropological term to categorize and describe these related spiritual traditions across a broad geographic region.
• It is often discussed in contrast to or in relation to other world religions and indigenous practices.

Examples

• Anthropologists have studied the rituals of Asian shamanism for decades.
• The practice of Asian shamanism involves complex ceremonies to heal the sick or communicate with ancestral spirits.
• Some elements of Asian shamanism have been incorporated into modern neo-shamanic movements.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used in academic contexts to trace the historical influences and diffusion of shamanic practices from Northern Asia to other parts of the world.

Variants and Related Words

• Shamanism (n): The broader, more general term for practices involving a shaman as an intermediary with the spirit world, not limited to Asia.
• Shaman (n): The practitioner or priest in shamanistic religions.
• Animism (n): The belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence, which is a foundational concept in Asian shamanism.

Synonyms

• Siberian shamanism
• Northern Asian shamanism

Related Concepts

• Ecstasy: A trance-like state often sought by the shaman during rituals.
• Spirit journey: The shaman's perceived travel to the spirit world.
• Animistic religion: A category of religion to which Asian shamanism belongs.

Noun

1. an animistic religion of northern Asia having the belief that the mediation between the visible and the spirit worlds is effected by shamans