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Keywords = contemporary western shamans

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13 pages, 241 KiB  
Article
The Conflicts and Compromises of the Two Cosmologies Making Korean Shamanism
by Dongkyu Kim
Religions 2025, 16(2), 199; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020199 - 7 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1056
Abstract
This article explores how the unique cosmology of Korean shamanism, which continues to function as a living religion in contemporary Korea, has been shaped. A key characteristic of the cosmology in Korean shamanism is its combination of two cosmological beliefs. First, it adheres [...] Read more.
This article explores how the unique cosmology of Korean shamanism, which continues to function as a living religion in contemporary Korea, has been shaped. A key characteristic of the cosmology in Korean shamanism is its combination of two cosmological beliefs. First, it adheres to the general shamanistic cosmology of protection, where suffering caused by supernatural beings can be overcome through the protection of even more powerful beings, who also assist in predicting the future. Second, it incorporates the belief that human life and the universe operate according to specific cosmological principles. The coexistence of these two distinct cosmologies which form an explanatory system of modern Korean shamanism reflects the historical experiences of Koreans with Confucianism during the Joseon dynasty and with Western modernity. In this paper, I analyze the dynamics of conflict and compromise between the two cosmologies through a historical approach and case studies. Specifically, I examine the use of the terms ‘unse (wheel of fortune)’ and ‘spirit’s intervention’ as conceptual metaphors representing each cosmology, as they are employed in interactions between shamans and their clients. Furthermore, I maintain that contemporary Korean shamanism is a form of religious practice constructed as a compromise between various worldviews, including those of shamans and their clients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Conflict and Coexistence in Korea)
16 pages, 279 KiB  
Article
Birds of Prey, Birds of Wisdom: Relating to Non-Humans in Contemporary Western-Based Shamanism
by Carolina Ivanescu and Nienke Groskamp
Religions 2022, 13(12), 1214; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13121214 - 14 Dec 2022
Viewed by 2677
Abstract
Birds of prey appear frequently in contemporary forms of shamanism. For example, Michael Harner’s Core Shamanism references the ‘power animal,’ or the authentic self, which sometimes takes the form of a strong and benevolent eagle. However, precisely how meaning and belief concerning these [...] Read more.
Birds of prey appear frequently in contemporary forms of shamanism. For example, Michael Harner’s Core Shamanism references the ‘power animal,’ or the authentic self, which sometimes takes the form of a strong and benevolent eagle. However, precisely how meaning and belief concerning these birds may have been lost, challenged or (re)invented remains to be explored. In this contribution, we have used the methods and vision of netnography to explore the relationships between contemporary western-based, self-defined shamans and birds of prey: real, imagined or represented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Health/Psychology/Social Sciences)
21 pages, 289 KiB  
Article
Becoming a Shaman: Narratives of Apprenticeship and Initiation in Contemporary Shamanism
by Carolina Ivanescu and Sterre Berentzen
Religions 2020, 11(7), 362; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11070362 - 17 Jul 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 23453
Abstract
This article, based on an open-question survey completed in 2018, engages with McAdams and Manczak’s approaches to life stories (2015) and Mayer’s ten elements of the shaman myth (2008) to explore the way contemporary people based in the UK, who define themselves as [...] Read more.
This article, based on an open-question survey completed in 2018, engages with McAdams and Manczak’s approaches to life stories (2015) and Mayer’s ten elements of the shaman myth (2008) to explore the way contemporary people based in the UK, who define themselves as shamans, talk about their becoming a shaman. Individual narratives point out the intricate meeting points between different shamanic traditions and the importance of continuous innovation. They highlight the complex network of human and beyond-human authority and problematize the place, meaning and agency of the self. Contemporary shamanism is a widespread, manifold and multifaceted phenomenon, which we argue is not as different from traditional forms of shamanism as some studies suggest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion, Experience, and Narrative)
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