Shamanism

Introduction

Shamanism is widely regarded as the oldest human spiritual practice, with roots going back to the Paleolithic era, perhaps as far back as 3.3 million years ago. The Dance of the Deer Foundation notes that

“One could view shamanism as the universal spiritual wisdom inherent to all indigenous tribes. As all ancient spiritual practices are rooted in nature, shamanism is the method by which we as human beings can strengthen that natural connection.”

The shamanistic way of life, which is regarded as a religion by some but not all people, regards every element of the world as having its own spirit. This includes not just people and animals, but also plants, minerals, bodies of water, mountains, entire forests, and so on. Everything is interconnected; everything is part of the great web of life. A shaman is a healer, capable of communicating with these spirits and with spirit guides who can inform the shaman what a client’s needs are.