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SHAMAN HISTORY
Shamanistic practices are thought to
predate all organized religions, and
certainly date back to the Neolithic
period. Aspects of shamanism are
encountered in later, organized
religions, generally in their mystic and
symbolic practices. Greek paganism was
influenced by shamanism, as reflected in
the stories of Tantalus,
Prometheus, Medea, Calypso
among others, as well as in the
Eleusinian Mysteries, and other
mysteries. Some of the shamanic
practices of the Greek religion were
later adopted into the Roman religion.
There is a strong shamanistic influence
in the Bön religion of central
Asia, and in Tibetan Buddhism.
Buddhism became popular with shamanic
peoples such as the Tibetans,
Mongols and Manchu beginning
with the eighth century. Forms of
shamanistic ritual combined with Tibetan
Buddhism became institutionalized as the
state religion under the Chinese Yuan
dynasty and Qing dynasty. One
common element of shamanism and Buddhism
is the attainment of spiritual
realization, at times mediated by
entheogenic (psychedelic)
substances.
The shamanic practices of many cultures
were virtually wiped out with the spread
of Christianity. In Europe, starting
around 400 CE, the Christian church was
instrumental in the collapse of the
Greek and Roman religions. Temples were
systematically destroyed and key
ceremonies were outlawed. Beginning with
the middle ages and continuing into the
Renaissance, remnants of European
shamanism were wiped out by campaigns
against witches. These campaigns were
often orchestrated by the Catholic
Inquisition. |
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