Customer Reviews

Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy (Bollingen Series (General))

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I don't normally write reviews for books but felt the one review giving one star for this book to be so unjust that it deserved a more balanced addition.

This book is a scholarly meticulously researched study of the various practises of shamanism throughout the world. It does not provide you with a description of the techniques of how to be a shaman, nor how to have an ecstatic journey, nor how to have an out of body experience, which is presumably what the one star reviewer was looking for. Instead it provides a detailed description of shamanism as it was and is practised.

There are over 50 pages of reference works on which Eliade drew in order to provide this summary, which groups his findings by region as well as by certain common practises - parallel myths symbols and rites.

There are descriptions of the 'rebirth' experiences of shamans [the genuine near death experiences, not the common interpreation now used of born again]; the practises of healing, the travels of the shaman in out of body experiences, their roles as psychopomp and their practise of healing via 'soul retrieval'. He also describes 'soul loss' and what it means to each group.

The amount of carefully researched detail that is provided is astonishing, it is almost a life's work but carefully organised into this relatively compact volume. It draws on the work of anthropologists and the better and more serious researchers of religions, as such it is also reliable in its findings.

Personally I found this book to be a treasure house of information - but then I bought the book knowing what it contained and what I was going to use it for.

To summarise - an invaluable scholarly work on shamanic practises throughout the world over the ages .

Eliade's book is a classic for a reason, the first cross-cultural study of shamanism ever, it inspired many both in academia and amongst the general public to explore this topic further. The West's fascination with shamanism has long been a two-faced beast veering from immense curiosity to repulsion. Eliade introduced the west to a romanticised and universal form of shamanism that moved away from the view of shamanism as madness, but simply does not exist outside of his very biased Christian imagination. Eliade never carried out field research and is commonly termed an armchair scholar. His views were heavily influenced by his Christian bias and he suppressed the darker side of shamanism and elevated more Christian themed practices over others that he considered to be sorcery, or devilish. His work is inspirational, but perhaps more interesting as a reflection of developments in anthropology than as an authoritative text on shamanism.
If you want a more up-to-date view of shamanism check out some of the latest academic offerings. Thomas DuBois' Introduction is noteworthy and although Margaret Stutley's Introduction is not perfect it is superior to Eliade's work. If you're interested in Neoshamanism, Graham Harvey and Robert Wallis lead the pack in accessible and intelligent material.

Originally written in 1964, and a translation. A difficult read, but if you are studying anthropology or shamanism, your bookshelf will not be complete without the works of this author. Considered a source book and often quoted from, this is an academic work of some importance, despite being published over 40 years ago. A longer book and broader in content than "Rites and symbols of initiation". Contains examples and comparisons from many cultures of the central themes of shamanic practises, such as initiation, recruitment and regalia.

This is probably the most comprehensive amalgamation of shamanism there is. This is a vast and broad subject that has been tackled very well and is a great piece of scholarship.

Anyone who has even a passing interest in what shamanism is all about should really read this piece of work. Needless to say there are many books out there that possess the the concept of shamanism in the title but they generally tend to err towards a ideological meaning and skirt around the real content of what shamanism is essentially about.

A great piece of work for people interested in society, psychology, religions origins and anthropology. The only area it seems to be lacking in is a neurological view of shamanism (which is understandable given the date of the book).

Eliade's wide-ranging study of shamanism is a classic in shamanic literature. This historic and academic thesis is perfectly complemented, in my view, by Ross Heaven's book, The Journey To You, which makes this shamanic perspective accessible and useful in modern life. Eliade shows how shamanism is powerful and useful in all societies, while Heaven makes it a vital practice to the modern urban West.
Eliade's is one of the best books i have read in terms of content, though it can be a long read! But well worth the effort.

This is a substantial work on Shamanism, most particularly in Central Asia and including specific nuances in tribes and variations of, also extending to other regions.

Eliade's text remains the classic. Although written some years ago now, it is very thorough and well-referenced, gathering together much ethnographic material.

My only issue with it is Eliade's bias / judgment of the use of entheogens which Eliade regards as a less "pure" form of Shamanism amongst ancient tribes, than the use of pure sensory deprivation, sweat houses and drumming and dancing as a means of achieving the ecstatic state. To this end, Vitebsky's text is a useful balance.

Highly recommended for any scholar researching shamanism.

Difficult to comment as I didn't finish it. Was a little, in fact 'a lot', more academic in tone and style than I had anticipated.

The parts I read didn't include any real analysis or criticism, just a very dry summary of what happens. Why this or that practice is followed isn't mentioned which, although of course subjective, gives the more casual reader something.

It appears fairly comprehensive if it were to be required reading academically and that would probably be the only reason I would pick it up. Having said that, I did buy this for non-academic research into these practices and felt like I was getting nothing but a summary of observations.

I stand to be corrected if what I've mentioned is irrelevant to later parts of the text, and be aware of that if you are thinking of buying. However, not only people with an academic interest or need may be here and I guess that that is where my review is mainly directed.