Shamanism and Neo-Shamanism in the German-Speaking Region - A Field Study
In the field study, which was begun in the year 2000, two aspects were analyzed: a general overview of this colorful scene was sought and (neo-)schamanistic suppliers were questioned. As a result of the study of the extensive shamanistic literature, of web sites and journals, different methods of operation and various forms of self-portrayal of offered shamanic services were reconstructed in the context of the alternative psychological and esoteric scene. The participating observation in various seminars and one shamanistic congress provided insight into the practice of neo-shamanism as well as into the reception of shamanism in the German-speaking areas.
In the center of the study - as regards content and methods - were in-depths interviews with persons active in the shamanic field in German-speaking areas who offer workshops, courses and one-on-one treatments. In the course of the extensive interviews, insights were gained about biographies, motifs, offers, beliefs and experiences. Also, individual differences and similarities were mapped out. Two subject areas which are connected with the work of the Institut für Grenzgebiete der Psychologie und Psychohygiene were of specific interest: firstly how people experience and deal with altered states of consciousness and secondly paranormal experiences which are often mentioned in the context of shamanism. Furthermore, the possibilities and limitations of the integration of individual experiences into a cultural context in which shamanistic/animistic patterns of interpretation are not common were examined.
Project Leader: Dipl.-Psych. Eberhard Bauer
Staff Member: Dr. Gerhard Mayer
Publications:
Mayer, Gerhard (2008). The Figure of the Shaman as a Modern Myth. Some reflections on the attractiveness of shamanism in modern societies. In: The Pomegranate. The International Journal of Pagan Studies, 10 (1), 70-103.
Mayer, Gerhard (2008). Healing with 'spirits': ethical issues arising from neoshamanistic practices and similar forms of alternative healing. Spirituality and Health International, 9(4), 218-229.
Mayer, Gerhard (2004). Neo-Shamanism in Germany. In M. N. Walter und E. J. N. Fridman (Hrsg.), Shamanism. An Encyclopedia of World Beliefs, Practices and Culture (496-500). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-Clio.
Mayer, Gerhard (2003). Schamanismus in Deutschland. Konzepte - Praktiken - Erfahrungen.Würzburg: Ergon. [Shamanism in Germany. Concepts - Practices - Experiences]
