Historical Dictionary of Shamanism (Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies and Movements): 77 (Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies, and Movements Series) - Hardcover

Harvey, Graham; Wallis, Robert J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0810857987 ISBN 13: 9780810857988

Publisher: Scarecrow Press, 2007

Synopsis

Few religious traditions have generated such diversity and stirred imaginations as shamanism. In their engagements with other worlds, shamans have conversed with animals and ancestors and have been empowered with the knowledge to heal patients, advise hunters, and curse enemies. Still other shamans, aided by rhythmic music or powerful plant helpers, undertake journeys into different realities where their actions negotiate harmony between human and other than human communities. Once relegated to paintings on cave walls, today Shamanism can be seen in performances at rave clubs and psychotherapeutic clinics. The Historical Dictionary of Shamanism has the duel task of exploring the common ground of shamanic traditions and evaluating the diversity of both traditional indigenous communities and individual Western seekers. This is done in an introduction, a bibliography, a chronology, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries, which explore the consistent features of a variety of shamans, the purposes shamanism serves, the function and activities of the shaman, and the cultural contexts in which they make sense.

About this title

Review:

This book is an excellent reference resource... * American Reference Books Annual, March 2008 * Harvey (religious studies, Open U., Britain) and Wallis (visual culture and art history, Richmond U., London) encompass broad chronological and geographical scopes, but tend to focus on cultures and places in which shamanism has been and often continues to be particularly prevalent. Their topics include shamans and scholars of shamanism, places, totems and other artifacts, concepts, methods, peoples and cultures, and other aspects....well cross-referenced. * Reference and Research Book News, May 2007 *

Synopsis:

Harvey (religious studies, Open U., Britain) and Wallis (visual culture and art history, Richmond U., London) encompass broad chronological and geographical scopes, but tend to focus on cultures and places in which shamanism has been and often continues to be particularly prevalent. Their topics include shamans and scholars of shamanism, places, to

About this edition

• Publisher: Scarecrow Press
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0810857987
• ISBN 13: 9780810857988
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 328