Shamanism: A Biopsychosocial Paradigm of Consciousness and Healing, 2nd Edition

Shamanistic practices involve ancient traditions that have been found in similar cultures around the world. The roots of shamanism in practices of healing, prophesy, group leadership, art, and mythology reflect neuropsychological bases that underlie the often surprising effectiveness of its practice. This book examines shamanism from evolutionary and biological perspectives to identify the origins of shamanic healing in rituals that enhance individual and group function. What does the brain do during "soul journeys"? How do shamans alter consciousness and why is this important for healing? Are shamans different from other kinds of healers? Is there a connection between the rituals performed by chimpanzees and traditional shamanistic practices? All of these questions and many more are answered in Shamanism, Second Edition: A Biopsychosocial Paradigm of Consciousness and Healing. This text contains crosscultural examinations of the nature of shamanism, biological perspectives on alterations of consciousness, mechanisms of shamanistic healing, as well as the evolutionary origins of shamanism. It presents the shamanic paradigm within a biopsychosocial framework for explaining successful human evolution through group rituals. In the final chapter, the author compares shamanistic rituals with chimpanzee displays to identify homologies that point to the ritual dynamics of our ancient hominid ancestors. - Publisher. Contents......Page 8 List of Illustrations......Page 12 Preface......Page 14 Acknowledgments......Page 16 Introduction......Page 18 Chapter Overview......Page 24 Introduction: Shamanism and the Alteration of Consciousness......Page 25 Culture and the Alteration of Consciousness......Page 27 Shamanism and the Study of Consciousness......Page 29 Mental Effects on the Organism......Page 31 A Neurophenomenological Approach to Consciousness......Page 32 Operational and Cognized Environments......Page 33 Brain Structures and Consciousness: The Triune Brain......Page 36 Consciousness and Altered States of Consciousness: A Reconceptualization......Page 43 Modes of Consciousness......Page 44 Reconceptualizing States of Consciousness within Modes......Page 46 Biological Bases of the Integrative Mode of Consciousness......Page 48 Drugs and the Integrative Mode of Consciousness......Page 49 Disinhibition and Deregulation......Page 53 Hypnosis as Integration and Dissociation......Page 54 Meditation and Integrative Brain Dynamics......Page 58 Common Denominators in Modifying Consciousness......Page 59 An Evolutionary Biological Approach to Shamanism......Page 61 Religious Thought and Innate Modules......Page 62 Conclusions: Visionary Experience as a Neuroepistemological System......Page 66 The Phenomena of Shamanism......Page 68 The Classic Shaman......Page 70 The Shaman as a Cross-Cultural Phenomenon......Page 72 The “Shamanism Controversy”......Page 82 The Sociocultural Evolution of Shamanic Potentials......Page 86 Linguistic Roots and Survivals of Shamanism in Indo-European Languages......Page 88 Indo-European Magico-Religious Linguistic Roots......Page 89 Shamanic Roots in Hinduism and Buddhism......Page 90 Magico-Religious Structures in Indo-European Societies......Page 92 Roots of Indo-European Medicine......Page 93 Shamanic Elements in Origins of Mystical Traditions......Page 94 The Shamanic Paradigm in Cave Art......Page 97 The Origins of Modern Human Cognition......Page 99 Mimesis and the Expansion of the Ritual Capacity......Page 102 Social and Psychodynamic Functions of Shamanic Ritual......Page 106 Conclusions: Shamanism and Neurognostic Potentials......Page 111 Chapter Overview......Page 114 Etymological Roots of Consciousness......Page 115 Consciousness as a System......Page 117 Forms of Symbolic Consciousness: Representational and Presentational......Page 120 Presentational Symbolism: Imagery and Action......Page 123 Mimesis: The Body as Metaphor......Page 125 Social Consciousness: Others in Self and Mind......Page 127 Forms of Self-Agents and Consciousness......Page 129 The Guardian Spirit Quest......Page 133 Death and Rebirth as Self-Development......Page 135 Analogical Thought and Metaphor in Shamanism......Page 138 Animism and Analogical Processes......Page 139 Shamanic Flight: The Out-of-Body Experience......Page 140 The Biological Bases of the Out-of-Body-Experience......Page 143 Conclusions: Shamanic Consciousness as Special Knowledge......Page 147 Notes......Page 148 Chapter Overview......Page 150 Introduction: Different States of Consciousness in the Integrative Mode of Consciousness......Page 151 Shamanistic SoC in the IMC......Page 153 Shamanic States of Consciousness......Page 155 Music and Drumming......Page 156 Incorporating “Dreamtime” into Shamanic Consciousness......Page 158 Inhibition of Natural Drives......Page 164 “Sacred Medicines”: The Hallucinogens as Psychointegrators......Page 167 Meditative States of Consciousness......Page 174 Neurophenomenological Perspectives on Meditative Commonalities......Page 175 Contemplative Views of the Postformal Development of Consciousness......Page 181 Possession States of Consciousness......Page 190 A Diversity of Possessions......Page 192 Social and Physiological Correlates of Possession......Page 195 Possession and Dissociative Identity Disorders......Page 198 Brain Conditions of Possession and Dissociation......Page 201 Functional Aspects of Integrative Consciousness......Page 202 Conclusions......Page 204 Notes......Page 205 Chapter Overview......Page 206 Introduction: Bases for Shamanistic Therapies......Page 207 Altering Consciousness as a Basis for Shamanistic Therapies......Page 208 The IMC as a Healing Modality......Page 209 Stress and Its Psychophysiological Dynamics......Page 211 Dance and Music as Core Shamanic Therapy......Page 215 Psychointegration: The Therapeutic Effects of Sacred Medicines......Page 218 Meditation as Biopsychosocial Therapy......Page 223 Spirits as Representations of Mental and Social Processes......Page 227 Psychoneuroimmunology......Page 232 Symbolic Healing through Metaphor......Page 236 Biosocialization and Symbolic Penetration......Page 238 Shamanistic Healing and the Self......Page 240 Possession Illness and Therapy......Page 244 The Functional Efficacy of Ritual......Page 246 Physiology of Community Bonding: Endogenous Opioid Releasers......Page 248 Neuroanatomical Bases of Ritual Healing......Page 250 Conclusions......Page 251 Notes......Page 252 Chapter Overview......Page 254 Ritual and Evolution......Page 255 Ritual Processes in the Great Apes: Baselines for Hominin Ritual......Page 256 Religion and Ritual Capacities in Chimpanzees......Page 259 Homologies of Chimpanzee Displays and Shamanic Ritual......Page 260 The Coevolution of Healing and Religiosity......Page 262 Hypnosis as a Foundation for Religious Healing......Page 265 Placebo Responses as Endogenous Healing Mechanisms......Page 267 Attachment and Cooperation as Functions of Religious Ideology......Page 269 Human Evolution and the Alteration of Consciousness......Page 273 Human Evolution and Drug Use: Mismatch or Adaptation?......Page 274 Human-Chimpanzee Differences in Drug Metabolism and Neurotransmitter Systems......Page 276 Evolution of Serotonergic Systems......Page 277 Bipedalism and Mystical Experience: The Runner’s High......Page 282 Music and the Origins of Shamanic Ritual......Page 285 Spirit Assumptions as Adaptive Mechanisms......Page 289 The Supernatural and the Symbolic......Page 291 Shamanism and Human Evolution......Page 294 Preadaptations and Evolutionary Developments of Shamanic Healing......Page 295 Conclusions......Page 299 Note......Page 300 Bibliography......Page 302 D......Page 330 P......Page 331 W......Page 332 From The Publisher. What Does The Brain Do During Soul Journeys? How Do Shamans Alter Consciousness And Why Is This Important For Healing? Are Shamans Different From Other Kinds Of Healers? Is There A Connection Between The Rituals Performed By Chimpanzees And Traditional Shamanistic Practices? All Of These Questions{u2014}and Many More{u2014}are Answered In Shamanism, Second Edition: A Biopsychosocial Paradigm Of Consciousness And Healing. This Text Contains Crosscultural Examinations Of The Nature Of Shamanism, Biological Perspectives On Alterations Of Consciousness, Mechanisms Of Shamanistic Healing, As Well As The Evolutionary Origins Of Shamanism. It Presents The Shamanic Paradigm Within A Biopsychosocial Framework For Explaining Successful Human Evolution Through Group Rituals. In The Final Chapter,the Author Compares Shamanistic Rituals With Chimpanzee Displays To Identify Homologies That Point To The Ritual Dynamics Of Our Ancient Hominid Ancestors. Introduction To Shamanism And Consciousness -- The Nature And Basis Of Shamanism: Cross-cultural, Linguistand Prehistoricalical Perspectives -- Consciousness In System Perspectives -- The Integrative Mode Of Consciousness -- Shamanistic Therapies -- Evolutionary Origins Of Shamanic Ritual. Michael Winkelman. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 279-306) And Index. Cover; Contents; List of Illustrations; Preface; Acknowledgments; Introduction; Chapter 1 Introduction to Shamanism and Consciousness; Chapter 2 The Nature and Basis of Shamanism: Cross-Cultural, Linguistic, and Prehistorical Perspectives; Chapter 3 Consciousness in System Perspectives; Chapter 4 The Integrative Mode of Consciousness; Chapter 5 Shamanistic Therapies; Chapter 6 Evolutionary Origins of Shamanic Ritual; Bibliography; Index.;What does the brain do during "soul journeys"? How do shamans alter consciousness and why is this important for healing? Are shamans different from other kinds of healers? Is there a connection between the rituals performed by chimpanzees and traditional shamanistic practices?