Shamanism – what is shamanism? Most traditional cultures regard contact with the spirit world, the animal world and the plant world as a fairly ordinary, if wondrous, part of existence. In these original cultures the shaman (a Siberian/Mongolian word meaning 'he who knows'), undergoes a special training process that enables him or her to enter a trance state. During this trance state the shaman negotiates for the soul of a sick member or members of the community with the ancestor spirits or sometimes, with God. Some shamans, like those of the Americas, use psychotropic plants such as peyote, mushrooms or ayuasca to enter trance – in Northern Europe and Asia fly agaric mushroom can also be used. Among the San, or Bushmen, of the Kalahari, no plants are used and the healer uses a set of rigourous exercises to enter trance – a process that can be very physically painful – before 'climbing the rope to God's Village.'



Have I seen people cured of various ills in this way? Yes indeed – from stomach cancer to rheumatoid arthritis to psychosis. Do I think Rowan will be cured? I have no idea. Maybe he doesn't need to be cured, only helped. Interestingly, most shamans I have met, whether from Africa, the Americas or elsewhere, exhibit adult autistic tendencies.