What Can We Learn From Shamans' Dreaming? A Cross-Cultural Exploration

Abstract

Shamanism is a worldwide social phenomenon consisting of a set of practices (e.g., ritualistic drumming, sensory deprivation, the ingestion of entheogens and dream incubation) designed to obtain knowledge from alternative realities for the purpose of benefiting one's social group. The aim of this paper is to provide a cross-cultural exploration of dreaming in the context of shamanism. We proceed by addressing 2 fundamental questions: What is meant by the terms shaman and shamanic principle, and what is the distinction between monophasic and polyphasic social groups with regards to the veridicality and cultural significance of dreams? It will be demonstrated that the kind of society in which shamanism arises (groups having polyphasic cultures) is quite different compared to modern materialistic/technocratic society (those having monophasic cultures). Subsequently, our cross-cultural investigation of shamanic dreaming focuses on the shamanic call, initiation and healing. Finally, we elucidate the major elements of core shamanism as they appear to influence dreaming, dream interpretation and dream culture, and suggest that in fact dreaming invites shamanism.