Gerhard Oberhammer reconstructed the phenomenology of spiritual paths in sāṃkhya, Patañjali's yoga, and Pāśupata śaivism, developing a general typology of yogic practices. In the Yoga-sūtras he identified four distinct practices of different origin, implying the work was initially a compilation, and revealed an affinity between one practice and the later theistic Mṛgendratantra. Using the Yuktidīpikā, he described the phenomenology of the spiritual path of sāṃkhya, a tradition often considered purely theoretical. His works were largely forgotten due to positivist bias in modern indology. Comparison with Eliade and Torchinov is suggested as promising.
Cinema was used in the Soviet Union as a tool to reshape public consciousness and advance an anti-religious campaign, particularly in multi-confessional regions. Analysis of archival materials from a 1935–1937 academic expedition to study the ethnography of the peoples of the Amur River reveals the film "Road of the Dead," which focused on shamanism. Comparing the expedition program with the film script exposes the motives of scientists and filmmakers in the project. The film serves as an informative visual document of its time, enabling reconstruction of both actual events and their figurative context, opening new research perspectives.