Spirit lodge, a Northern American shamanistic séance

The Spirit Lodge is a form of shamanism used mainly for divination, not healing. It includes shamanistic trance and helping spirits, but lacks the curing activity typical of shamanism. Divining in this context resembles shamanistic pole-climbing performances and may have originated from them. The shaman does not undertake soul journeys to distant places during the conjuring performance, except among Arctic peoples, where such journeys are standard. Instead, spirits are summoned and sent on necessary expeditions. These spirits have various categories, but their leader, the control, is often a ghost. The spirits visit the shaman while he is in trance; deep ecstasy involving soul journeys or possession can occur but is not typical.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The Spirit Lodge is a variety of shamanism characterized by its divining functions. Herein lie its limitations: the shamanistic trance is there, and so are the helping spirits, but the curing activity so typical of shamanism is absent, or principally absent. The act of divining shows a certain affinity with the shamanistic pole-climbing performances and may originally have been related to these. The shaman does not himself make soul journeys to distant regions during the conjuring performance, except among the Arctic peoples where such journeys belong to the regular shamanistic pattern; instead, spirits are summoned and asked to make the necessary expeditions. These spirits represent different categories, but their leader, the control, is a ghost in several quarters. The spirits visit the shaman whilst the latter is in a trance; where soul journeys and, possibly, possession occur the ecstasy may be very deep, but this is not typical.