The Oxford Handbook of the Anthropology of Religion
February 19, 2026
Morten Axel Pedersen
Shamanism has revived as a topic of anthropological interest despite predictions of its demise, but it has not generated much new theory. Based on ethnographic work in Mongolia and Inner Asia, this chapter argues that shamanism can be understood as an ultimate cosmology or theory of change, one that could potentially end all theories of change. Change is central to transition, and shamans and their spirits make this inherent ontological instability visible and possibly livable. The chapter contends that shamanism's unique theoretical potential lies in its capacity to be simultaneously "a thing" and "not a thing," a quality not yet fully harnessed.
International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research
February 17, 2026
Mukesh Gurung
Shamans of Darjeeling Himalaya use paraphernalia such as sacred drums, porcupine quills, and pheasant feathers to cure illnesses caused by malevolent spirits, rooted in animist beliefs that rivers, forests, mountains, and trees are living entities with spirits. When disturbed by human activities, these spirits cause sickness, and shamans act as intermediaries between the human and spirit realms, falling into trance during séances. They also combine herbal medicine with faith healing. Although modernization and cultural assimilation have obscured some rituals, the people of Darjeeling preserve shamanic knowledge while adapting to changing socio-historical contexts.
Pharos Journal of Theology
February 14, 2026
Manat Kanagatov, Tatyana Seryozhkina, Zukhra Ismagambetova et al.
In Turkic Kazakh culture, altered states of consciousness (ASC) were a normal, regulated way of interacting with a multi-layered reality, functioning as tools for diagnosis, sacred knowledge, and social order. Shamans acted as mediators between sacred and social realms, integrating personal experience with collective knowledge. Ritual spaces and objects held stable, myth-based symbolism. Under modern conditions, the shamanic tradition has shifted toward individualized psycho-spiritual practice while keeping its core symbolic codes. Archetypal shamanic structures persist in Kazakh folklore, cultural memory, and identity. The study synthesizes philosophy, ethnology, archaeology, and symbolic analysis to interpret these sacred practices and their contemporary transformations.
Religions
February 12, 2026
Maciej Karasinski, Prasad Erancheri
Sacred groves in South Asia are dynamic spaces where non-human entities actively participate in spiritual and ecological processes, not merely passive backdrops for human rituals. Comparing a sacred grove in Kerala, India, and shamanic forests in Nagarkot, Nepal, the paper shows that monkeys in the Indian grove are perceived as emissaries of spiritual-natural forces that preserve the ecosystem, while trees and stones in Nepal act as spiritual guides or manifestations of nature's spirit. Combining ethnographic, botanical, and philological research, the work highlights indigenous ecological knowledge transmitted through ritual, spirit possession, trance, and visionary journeys.