[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
ing procedures, the source of their powers, and their social relationships.
Shamanic roots are manifested in contemporary illness found in psy-
chiatrists diagnostic categories of spiritual emergencies. These include
spontaneous shamanic journeys, a death-and-rebirth experience, mystical
experiences with psychotic features, and psychic abilities (Walsh 1990).
The shamanic paradigm and its neurognostic framework explains why these
are spontaneously manifested and why a spiritual healing approach is more
successful in addressing these conditions. The shamanic paradigm provides
a framework for reinterpreting what psychiatry considers acute psychosis
and emotional disturbance and addressing them as natural manifestations
of human consciousness and developmental opportunities (Winkelman
2000).
Contemporary religious experiences primarily involve perceptions and
sensations of and contact with a supernatural agency or divine other
(Stark 1997). This presence has volitional abilities and moral and social
characteristics like ourselves. Contemporary religious experiences of in-
teraction with the divine are: confirming (self s awareness of divine other);
responsive (divine s awareness of self); ecstatic (union of self and divine
other); revelatory (messages from divine other); and control of the self by
the divine other (Stark 1997).
This sense of spirit other involves intense emotional experiences of rev-
erence and awe and the essence of animism at the basis of shamanism.
Michael Winkelman 213
Responsive experiences involving the divine other s awareness of the self is
exemplified in shamans interaction with spirit allies. The divine s inter-
vention in the human world is exemplified in spirits divinatory communi-
cation that provides information relevant to healing. Shamanism provides
the original ecstatic experience, a deep, affective, intimate relationship with
divine assistance. Shamanic practices are basically revelatory in nature,
acquiring information about causes of illness and procedures for healing.
Shamans basic functions are as a messenger of the divine other through
revelatory experiences. The divine s control of the self is manifested in a
range of experiences from awareness through various forms of union of self
with divine other, with its control of the self. Experiences of supernatural
control have roots in shamanic initiatory crises but their fullest develop-
ment in practices associated with mediums and possession.
SUMMARY: SHAMANISM AND PSYCHOINTEGRATION
Evolution of the human brain has produced a modular structure with spe-
cialized subsystems, which result in a fragmentation of consciousness.
Shamanic traditions have produced an integration of consciousness through
community-bonding rituals. The psychophysiological basis of shamanism
involves systemic brain integration, a coordination and increased coher-
ence of the potentials of many parts of the brain. Central to this enhanced
brain integration is the forceful imposition of the paleomammalian brain s
analogical processes and material of an emotional, social, and personal na-
ture into the self-conscious processes of the frontal cortex. The diverse
conditions and procedures that evoke this integrative brain condition in-
dicate that it is a natural state of the human organism. The shaman en-
gages transformative process through entraining the neurognostic structures
that provoke a restructuring of the self at levels below conceptual and op-
erational thought, acting upon the structures which support conscious-
ness. All religions are not based on shamanism and ASC; however, all
societies have religious practices based in shamanistic healing, the use of
ASC for healing through contact with the spirit world. Human evolution
selected for these potentials because they were adaptive.
Shamanism s experiences are among the most fundamental emotional
feelings at the essence of religion. Shamanic initiates do suffer a depen-
dence in the torment by the spirits during development, but this is over-
come, and the shaman asserts control over spirit powers. If the emotive
and natural basis of religious experience lies in dependency feelings, then
shamanism constitutes humanity s first effort to overcome religious de-
pendence and achieve control of spiritual power. The empirically derived [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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ing procedures, the source of their powers, and their social relationships.
Shamanic roots are manifested in contemporary illness found in psy-
chiatrists diagnostic categories of spiritual emergencies. These include
spontaneous shamanic journeys, a death-and-rebirth experience, mystical
experiences with psychotic features, and psychic abilities (Walsh 1990).
The shamanic paradigm and its neurognostic framework explains why these
are spontaneously manifested and why a spiritual healing approach is more
successful in addressing these conditions. The shamanic paradigm provides
a framework for reinterpreting what psychiatry considers acute psychosis
and emotional disturbance and addressing them as natural manifestations
of human consciousness and developmental opportunities (Winkelman
2000).
Contemporary religious experiences primarily involve perceptions and
sensations of and contact with a supernatural agency or divine other
(Stark 1997). This presence has volitional abilities and moral and social
characteristics like ourselves. Contemporary religious experiences of in-
teraction with the divine are: confirming (self s awareness of divine other);
responsive (divine s awareness of self); ecstatic (union of self and divine
other); revelatory (messages from divine other); and control of the self by
the divine other (Stark 1997).
This sense of spirit other involves intense emotional experiences of rev-
erence and awe and the essence of animism at the basis of shamanism.
Michael Winkelman 213
Responsive experiences involving the divine other s awareness of the self is
exemplified in shamans interaction with spirit allies. The divine s inter-
vention in the human world is exemplified in spirits divinatory communi-
cation that provides information relevant to healing. Shamanism provides
the original ecstatic experience, a deep, affective, intimate relationship with
divine assistance. Shamanic practices are basically revelatory in nature,
acquiring information about causes of illness and procedures for healing.
Shamans basic functions are as a messenger of the divine other through
revelatory experiences. The divine s control of the self is manifested in a
range of experiences from awareness through various forms of union of self
with divine other, with its control of the self. Experiences of supernatural
control have roots in shamanic initiatory crises but their fullest develop-
ment in practices associated with mediums and possession.
SUMMARY: SHAMANISM AND PSYCHOINTEGRATION
Evolution of the human brain has produced a modular structure with spe-
cialized subsystems, which result in a fragmentation of consciousness.
Shamanic traditions have produced an integration of consciousness through
community-bonding rituals. The psychophysiological basis of shamanism
involves systemic brain integration, a coordination and increased coher-
ence of the potentials of many parts of the brain. Central to this enhanced
brain integration is the forceful imposition of the paleomammalian brain s
analogical processes and material of an emotional, social, and personal na-
ture into the self-conscious processes of the frontal cortex. The diverse
conditions and procedures that evoke this integrative brain condition in-
dicate that it is a natural state of the human organism. The shaman en-
gages transformative process through entraining the neurognostic structures
that provoke a restructuring of the self at levels below conceptual and op-
erational thought, acting upon the structures which support conscious-
ness. All religions are not based on shamanism and ASC; however, all
societies have religious practices based in shamanistic healing, the use of
ASC for healing through contact with the spirit world. Human evolution
selected for these potentials because they were adaptive.
Shamanism s experiences are among the most fundamental emotional
feelings at the essence of religion. Shamanic initiates do suffer a depen-
dence in the torment by the spirits during development, but this is over-
come, and the shaman asserts control over spirit powers. If the emotive
and natural basis of religious experience lies in dependency feelings, then
shamanism constitutes humanity s first effort to overcome religious de-
pendence and achieve control of spiritual power. The empirically derived [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]