Historical Origins Of Shamanism

Shamanism is a complex and ancient spiritual practice with origins that can be traced back to prehistoric times. Evidence of shamanic practices found in archaeological discoveries dating back tens of thousands of years.

Shamanism is believed to be one of the oldest spiritual and healing practices in the world, emerging independently in different cultures across the globe. Its practices have evolved and adapted across cultures and continents from Siberia to Africa, from the Americas to Australia. Shamanism has been practiced by diverse indigenous, and non-indigenous, communities throughout history.

The exact origins of shamanism are challenging to pinpoint due to its antiquity and the absence of written records from that time. Shamanic practices may originate as early as the Paleolithic time period over 2 million years ago, predating all organized religions. While organized religions and cults rise and fall, shamanism has always remained in different forms.

Archaeological evidence and ethnographic studies provide valuable insights into the early beginnings of shamanism. Shamanic practices likely emerged in hunter-gatherer societies, where early humans lived in close connection with nature and relied on their environment for survival.

These societies recognized the profound interconnection between humans and the natural world, and shamans emerged as spiritual leaders and healers who could navigate and harness the spiritual forces that governed their existence.

In these early societies, shamans fulfilled vital roles within the community or tribe; they acted as healers, using their knowledge of plants and natural remedies to cure illnesses and restore balance to the body.

They also served as mediators between the human and spirit realms, conducting rituals and ceremonies to communicate with ancestral spirits, animal spirits, and other supernatural entities. Some shamans entered into ecstatic trance states, or altered states of consciousness, allowing them to travel to the spirit world, seek guidance, and bring back wisdom and healing for their communities.

As human societies began to develop more complex social structures, shamanism adapted and evolved alongside them. In many indigenous cultures, shamans were seen as intermediaries between the human and divine realms, providing spiritual guidance, conducting rituals, and offering insight into the mysteries of life and death. The role of the shaman expanded to include divination, prophecy, and even political leadership in some cases.

Shamanism also spread geographically, with variations emerging in different regions around the world. For example, the indigenous cultures of the Americas developed their own unique shamanic traditions, such as the curanderos of Central and South America and the medicine men and women of Native American tribes. In Siberia, the practice of shamanism took on distinct characteristics, with shamans known as “tungans” or “oyun” playing crucial roles in their communities.

Throughout history, shamanism faced challenges from dominant religious institutions, such as organized religions and colonial powers. These external influences often sought to suppress or eradicate indigenous spiritual practices, perceiving them as primitive or heretical. In many cases, they were successful, as many of the shamanic lineages of the past have been severed and lost, or diluted.

One example is how the Catholic residential school systems in Canada took young indigenous children away from their families to indoctrinate them with their dogma and ideologies, severing the spiritual practices that were originally passed down orally from generation to generation.

Pope Francis described Canada’s residential school system and its forced assimilation of Indigenous children as cultural genocide. Since 2021, when the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at former residential school sites waved across the news, many call what had transpired more than cultural genocide. It is reported that Indigenous students were physically and sexually abused. It is suspected that many of the children were murdered, as well, after the discovery of unmarked graves containing the remains of 215 children.

Despite facing many adversities, shamanism lives on today in many forms and locations and remains the oldest spiritual practice on this planet. Shamanism has persevered, adapting and integrating aspects of the dominant religions while preserving its core principles and rituals. This resilience speaks to the profound and enduring significance of shamanism in the lives of those who practice it.

Although most shamanic lineages have been lost or diluted there is still one that is far-reaching, ancient, and unbroken, known as Vajrayana Buddhism. Vajrayana Buddhism, also known as Tantric Buddhism, is one of the most powerful shamanic lineages whose origins date back thousands of years. The lineage teachings and wisdom have been passed down from master to student through written and oral instruction. In this lineage, the shamans are known as Lama’s or Rinpoche’s.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in shamanism, as people seek alternative spiritual paths that include connecting with nature and their ancestral roots. The practices of shamanism resonate with individuals looking for holistic approaches to healing, personal growth, and a deeper connection to themselves and the natural world.

Modern-day shamans continue to use traditional techniques such as drumming, chanting, reciting mantras, yogic and breathing practices, visualization, and plant medicine to induce altered states of consciousness to facilitate healing, connect with the spirit world, and positively transform oneself, others, and the environment.

We don’t know the exact origin of shamanism but evidence points out it could have originated well over 10,000 years ago in many areas around the world within cultures that knew nothing about each other.