The term shaman (pronounced Shah-maan) originates from the Tungus people of Siberia. Anthropologists have widely adopted this term to describe individuals who were previously labeled as witches, witch doctors, medicine men, sorcerers, wizards, magicians, or seers. This adoption reflects a shift in perspective, as terms like “witch” and “sorcerer” carry heavy connotations shaped by the dominance of Judeo-Christian culture over the past two millennia.
The Jewish God Yahweh was the first deity to issue the command, “Ye shall suffer no witch to live.” However, Jewish history itself is notably free from large-scale witch hunts. It was much later, under Christianity, which incorporated Jewish tradition through the Old Testament, that this command was acted upon. With the rise of powerful institutions like the Catholic and Orthodox churches, Christ’s teachings were often interpreted as an indictment of the material world. This interpretation created a culture that viewed the material world, including the human body, as inherently sinful. Indulgence in bodily pleasures was deemed a barrier to attaining grace.
This worldview led many to aspire to what the Church perceived as the “heavenly” qualities of the mind—logic and reason. Yet, the Church’s version of logic often prioritized dogma over the pursuit of truth. For example, educated individuals were treated with suspicion, and ignorance was praised, as it was believed to foster piety. Those who could read and interpret the Bible were both feared and revered.
Despite ancient evidence proving that the Earth is round, the Church maintained for centuries that it was flat. Such claims exemplify the dogmatic grip on knowledge. Similarly, it was taught that mice were generated asexually from decaying earth, that wasps emerged from the carcasses of dead horses, and that bees came from dead calves. These beliefs reflect the suppression of scientific inquiry in favor of theological control.
This suppression contributed to what is now called the mind-body split. Righteousness was linked to planning, obedience, and devotion, while spontaneity and instinct—qualities tied to the body—were associated with Satanic influence. Bodily indulgence, they argued, signified depravity and a loss of control. However, not all Christian groups shared this belief. The Gnostics, for instance, embraced dance as a spiritual practice. In the Gnostic Gospel of Philip, Jesus is quoted as saying, “To the universe belongs the dancer.” Other verses continue this theme: “He who does not dance does not know what happens,” and “Now if you follow my dance, see yourself in me who I am speaking.”
Witchcraft, with its imaginative and self-expressive rituals, often stood in direct opposition to these rigid doctrines. As a result, many Christians demonized it, turning the gods of old systems into devils. Miraculous healing or harm not attributed to God and His angels was seen as the work of the devil. The Church, seeking to maintain its ideological monopoly, employed torture and execution to suppress alternative belief systems, forcing the “old ways” underground. In this context, witches and sorcerers in the West came to be seen as shadowy and dangerous figures.
The 19th-century emergence of Darwin’s theory of evolution and the psychedelic cultural explosion of the 1960s led to a growing acceptance of what are now termed “alternative” belief systems. This shift is reflected in popular media, with shows like Harry Potter, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. While these characters offer positive portrayals, they remain outsiders, living on society’s margins. Moreover, their fantastical nature has little connection to real-world shamanic practices.
The modern “New Age” subculture attempts to rediscover a sense of “magical” awareness through books and courses, often rooted in the practices of subdued or extinct shamanic traditions, such as Native American, Aboriginal, or Celtic systems. While these practices were once deeply respected and held positions of authority within their original cultures, they struggle to find relevance in today’s technologically driven society. Practitioners may successfully adopt shamanic techniques, but without a meaningful connection to mainstream culture, they cannot truly embody what it means to be a shaman in the modern sense.
The Catholic Church’s role as the intermediary between humanity and God mirrors the shaman’s role as a bridge to the spirit world. Yet, whereas the Church’s authority has often been centralized and dogmatic, the shamanic tradition is rooted in personal experience and a deep connection to the natural and spiritual realms.
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