Shamanism in Northern and Southern Eurasia

Witzel, Michael

doi:10.1177/0539018410391044

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…We can assume that the Kundalini phenomenon with the tree of life symbolism is wide known to various cultures including indigenous and shamanic traditions. M. Witzel points out the similarity between the African San or Bushmen shamans that they ought to master their inner bodily heat, that moves upwards from the base of spine, what fully resembles the process of Kundalini awakening (Witzel, 2011). I. S. Urbanaeva acknowledges that the Buryat-Mongol shamanic initiation works with the principle of Kundalini energy (Urbanaeva, 2000, p. 143).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…I. S. Urbanaeva acknowledges that the Buryat-Mongol shamanic initiation works with the principle of Kundalini energy (Urbanaeva, 2000, p. 143). J. Harrod adds significant depictions of the European Upper Palaeolithic art of a 'shaman going into trance', that is represented in geometric or 'button-circle' formed figures, that represent the classical Hindu chakra model (Witzel, 2011). In many esoteric traditions, the awakening of the chakras is interpreted as the process of illumination, called the salvation, self-realization, god-realization or freedom from wordily bondages, and that the person, who has reached such state, would be considered as enlightened.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Esoteric Symbolism of the ‘Tree of Life’: A Cross-cultural Perspective

Ratka

2017

Journal of Human Values

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The article reviews about esoteric symbolism of the tree of life in shamanic cultures and oriental traditions including classical Hindu and Buddhist systems, together with various esoteric and indigenous traditions. The very idea of the tree of life, in indigenous cultures, which is often called the ‘world tree’ or ‘shamanic tree’, is connected with human illumination process in the form of mystical or ecstatic experience gained through the process of the self-realization. These various forms of mystico-religious experiences could be found in many religious traditions, considered to be cross-cultural phenomena. The author made an attempt to make a classification of chakras and energetic structure of the human body according to cross-cultural analysis of various cultures.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Esoteric Symbolism of the ‘Tree of Life’: A Cross-cultural Perspective

Ratka

2017

Journal of Human Values

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“…Shamanism is one of the oldest religious forms characterized by nature worship, which originated in primitive society. Although there is no uni ed doctrine, organization or ritual, shamanism is a worldwide religious practice widely distributed in northeastern Eurasia (Witzel 2011) and among the Indian and Eskimo groups in North America (Guo 2017). Among them, the most typical shamanism refers to the original religious form of shing and hunting nomads in Ural-Altaic language distribution areas, which is also known as the 'Shaman cultural circle' (Fig.…”

Section: Shamanic Beliefs In Eurasiamentioning

confidence: 99%

“Shelter My Soul with Your Body” – A Burial Custom Influenced by Shamanism: A Case of Covering a Dead Face with the Right Ribs of a Local Sheep in Inner Mongolia, China

Ban

Liu

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Death represents the termination of all biological functions that sustain an organism and is inevitable in the ordinary life of people. Throughout history, death has been a topic of discussion. The emotion of fear of death has existed since the birth of human beings and has become even more so after civilization. To alleviate the fear of death, the unknown thing, primitive people began to explain death with their own world outlook; thus, the primitive concept of soul and religion came into being. Death is accompanied by the soul, and the fear of death gradually evolved into the awe of the soul, which gradually turned to practical action under the catalysis of primitive religion. Humans began to express their feelings (veneration or contempt) for the deceased in various practical behaviours and rituals that evolved into many fixed forms of burial or sacrificial customs after death. Shamanism is one of them. It is popular among nomadic groups in northern Eurasia, where many archaeological studies of shamanism have been conducted. This paper examined the phenomenon of covering a dead face with all the right ribs of a sheep at Nairentaoligai (乃仁陶力盖)Cemetery M17 in Inner Mongolia, China. These ribs were carefully researched by zooarchaeological methods, and we defined the basic information about the sheep. Then, we recovered the dismemberment process of the sheep by observing the traces on the bone surface and found that the dead face was covered by all the right ribs of a sheep in this tomb. This may have been to practice a particular idea. In connection with the shamanism culture prevalent in the area, we consider that this act may have been intended to declare the death of the body and shelter the soul of the dead from intrusion. This reflects shamanism culture on burial customs. This discovery is of great significance for the research of religious beliefs and death views of the northern nomadic people of the Mongolian Plateau region.

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Yoking Gnosis and Logos: On the Knowledge Function of Some Exceptional Mental States for Well-Being

Pirta

2013

Psychol Stud

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Shamanism in Northern and Southern Eurasia

Cited by 5 publications

References 24 publications

Esoteric Symbolism of the ‘Tree of Life’: A Cross-cultural Perspective

Esoteric Symbolism of the ‘Tree of Life’: A Cross-cultural Perspective

“Shelter My Soul with Your Body” – A Burial Custom Influenced by Shamanism: A Case of Covering a Dead Face with the Right Ribs of a Local Sheep in Inner Mongolia, China

Yoking Gnosis and Logos: On the Knowledge Function of Some Exceptional Mental States for Well-Being

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