Contemporary Czech Shamanism: A Case Study of Ritual Practice and Healing
Český lid June 25, 2020 Helena Dyndová 5 citations
Contemporary Czech shamanism thrives despite a general Czech distrust of formal religion. Based on fieldwork conducted since 2017, the author describes how shamanism's 'action approach' to human problems offers an attractive explanation for experiences during ritual. The paper details shamanic paraphernalia, ritual setting, and how these create a safe space for spontaneous communitas and participants' personal understanding of their psychotherapeutic and religious experience. The final section examines how contemporary Czech shamanism fits within the broader discourse of modern Western spirituality.