Shamanic Imagery and Ritual Experience: An Empirical Study of Emotions, Beliefs, and States of Consciousness
Religions July 11, 2025 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.3390/rel16070893 via OpenAlex
Summary
Participants in the experimental group experienced significant increases in supernatural belief scores and notable decreases in negative emotions like tension, anger, and fatigue after engaging in shamanic rituals involving symbolic imagery. Both groups exhibited changes in consciousness, but those in the experimental group showed more pronounced effects. These results suggest that shamanic imagery can effectively transform consciousness and influence emotion regulation and belief formation.
Study at a glance
| Design | randomized controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | human participants engaged in shamanic religious rituals |
| Key finding | The experimental group showed significant increases in supernatural belief scores and decreases in negative emotions following the ritual. |
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the practical effects of symbolic imagery on shamanic religious rituals, emotional modulation, belief deepening, and alterations in the state of consciousness. Thirty participants were recruited and randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group for comparative investigation. The results indicated that participants in the experimental group showed significant increases in supernatural belief scores after the ritual, along with notable decreases in negative emotions such as tension, anger, and fatigue. Additionally, the state of consciousness of both groups of participants changed significantly after the ceremony, and the changes in the experimental group were more significant. These findings provide preliminary empirical support for the hypothesis that shamanic symbolic imagery promotes the transformation of consciousness, and affects emotion regulation and belief formation by activating visual perception and symbolic psychological mechanisms. This study not only provides preliminary empirical evidence for the effectiveness of image-based interventions in inducing altered states of consciousness (ASC), but also deepens the understanding of the role of religious symbolic mechanisms in consciousness transformation and provides a new theoretical direction for applied research in the field of religious psychology and consciousness research.