Shamanism: The Biopsychosocial Paradigm of Consciousness and Healing — Michael Winkelman

Edited by M.V. Vishnevsky

What does the brain do during a “soul journey”? How do shamans alter consciousness, and why is this important for healing? How do shamans differ from other healers? Is there a connection between the rituals performed by chimpanzees and traditional shamanic practices?

Answers to these and many other questions can be found in the book “Shamanism: The Biopsychosocial Paradigm of Consciousness and Healing.” This publication represents a fundamental cross-cultural study of the nature of shamanism, the biological perspectives of altered states of consciousness, the mechanisms of shamanic healing, and the evolutionary origins of shamanism. The shamanic paradigm proposed by the author explains the successful evolution of humans through group rituals within a biopsychosocial framework. In the final chapter, Winkelman compellingly compares shamanic rituals with the behaviors of chimpanzees, revealing striking homologies that indicate the ritual dynamics of our ancient hominid ancestors.

In fact, this study can be considered a comprehensive modern textbook on shamanism. It is intended for anyone interested in shamanism, as well as historians, religious scholars, anthropologists, ethnographers, sociologists, psychologists, paleolinguists, and other specialists in related fields.