Definition

Noun: 1. An animistic religion of northern Asia: A belief system centered on the idea that a specialist, a shaman, can mediate between the visible, ordinary world and the invisible spirit world to heal, divine, or influence events. 2. Any similar animistic religion: A term extended to describe comparable spiritual practices found in other cultures, particularly among certain Indigenous peoples of the Americas, which involve similar concepts of spirit mediation and healing.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The anthropologist wrote a book about Siberian shamanism and its rituals.
  • Some forms of Native American spirituality are often categorized under the broad term shamanism.

Advanced Usage

• Core Concept: The term often implies a practice rather than a formal, organized religion, focusing on the shaman's ecstatic techniques (like drumming or chanting) to enter altered states of consciousness.
• Academic Context: In comparative religion, shamanism is frequently discussed as a widespread, cross-cultural phenomenon with core characteristics, despite regional variations.

Variants and Related Words

• Shaman (n): The practitioner, the mediator in shamanism.
  • The shaman performed a healing ceremony.
• Shamanic (adj): Relating to shamans or shamanism.
  • They studied shamanic journeying techniques.
• Shamanistic (adj): Another adjective form meaning of or relating to shamanism.
  • The artifacts had shamanistic symbolism.

Synonyms

• Animism: A related belief system attributing souls to natural phenomena, often foundational to shamanistic practices.
• Ecstatic religion: A descriptive term highlighting the altered states of consciousness central to the practice.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• Shamanic journey: A specific practice within shamanism where the shaman travels in spirit to other realms.
  • The healing involved a shamanic journey to retrieve a lost soul part.
• Shamanic healing: A form of healing that addresses spiritual causes of illness.
  • She sought shamanic healing for her chronic condition.

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
2. any animistic religion similar to Asian shamanism (especially as practiced by certain Native American tribes)