Shamanism combines a range of traditional beliefs and practices focusing on communication with the spirit world, and higher power. A practitioner of shamanism is known as a shaman.
There are many variations of shamanism throughout the world, but several common beliefs are shared by all forms of shamanism. Shamans are intermediaries between the human and spirit worlds. According to believers, they can treat illness and are capable of entering supernatural realms to obtain answers to the problems of their community.
There are many variations of shamanism throughout the world, but several common beliefs are shared by all forms of shamanism. Shamans are intermediaries between the human and spirit worlds. According to believers, they can treat illness and are capable of entering supernatural realms to obtain answers to the problems of their community.
by chelliem July 13, 2009
One who can interact and mediate with the spirit world on behalf of their community, usualy by exctatic trance techniques ( That is their spirit/soul leaves their physical body in order to travel to a world of pure spirit rather than physical matter) for the purposes of divination, information gathering, healing and to recieve wisdom.
Believed to come from the Tungus word "saman" meaning (very roughly)holder of knowledge.
Some anthropologists maintain that shaman are the basis of most magician/sorceror archetypes in folklore.
In modern times the word is overused, and seems to have become , in the minds of the modern illiterate, purely connected with various character classes in computer RolePlaying Games.
Believed to come from the Tungus word "saman" meaning (very roughly)holder of knowledge.
Some anthropologists maintain that shaman are the basis of most magician/sorceror archetypes in folklore.
In modern times the word is overused, and seems to have become , in the minds of the modern illiterate, purely connected with various character classes in computer RolePlaying Games.
In Modern Siberia, Mongolia, and amongst the Sami the role of the shaman is undergoing something of a renaissance.
by Kynth December 1, 2007
by Notderek March 29, 2011
A spiritual leader of a (mostly tribal) nation or people.
A shaman has the duties of contacting spirits, foretelling the future, healing and etc.
They can be found in central asia and siberia either at the turkic or mongolic people and in north america with the natives.
A shaman has the duties of contacting spirits, foretelling the future, healing and etc.
They can be found in central asia and siberia either at the turkic or mongolic people and in north america with the natives.
by Mehmet Baba April 24, 2007
A mode of dealing with the spirit world through the agency of an individual set apart as spirit possessed and specially equipped to deal with superhuman forces. The term Shaman is generically applied to healers, exorcists, sorcerers, magicians, etc.
A practitioner of Shamanism is a Shaman. Shamans gain knowledge and the power to heal by entering into the spiritual world or dimension. The shaman may have, or acquire many spirit guides in the spirit world, these often guide and direct the shaman in his/her travels. These spirit guides are always present within the shaman though others only encounter them when the shaman is in a trance. The spirit guide energizes the shaman, enabling him/her to enter the spiritual dimension. The shaman heals within the spiritual dimension by returning 'lost' parts of the human soul from wherever they have gone. The shaman also cleanses excess negative energies which confuse or pollute the soul. Shaman act as "mediators" in their culture. The shaman communicates with the spirits on behalf of the community, including the spirits of the deceased. The shaman communicates with both living and dead to alleviate unrest, unsettled issues, and to deliver gifts to the spirits. Often, unsettled issues can be resolved with money. Paper money can be burnt to transfer its value to the spirits.
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ August 3, 2010
1) A tribal spiritual leader. Comes from a Siberian term and has no linguistic relation to "man." The female version is "shamanka."
2) A multi-purpose hybrid class in World of Warcraft. Can heal and cast elemental spells, and is fairly durable. Originally only available to the Horde—intended as a counterpart to the Alliance's paladins—but this changed with the release of the Burning Crusade expansion.
2) A multi-purpose hybrid class in World of Warcraft. Can heal and cast elemental spells, and is fairly durable. Originally only available to the Horde—intended as a counterpart to the Alliance's paladins—but this changed with the release of the Burning Crusade expansion.
1) He claims to be a genuine Lakota shaman.
2) WTF? Some draenei shaman just ganked me in Hillsbrad!
2) WTF? Some draenei shaman just ganked me in Hillsbrad!
by Qit el-Remel March 23, 2008
1. A religious leader of a tribal group. Shamans are known to practice sorcery for beneficial purposes.
2. A class in the MMORPG World of Warcraft, which is playable only by players of the Horde faction. Originaly from Warcraft III, the Shaman carries an arsenal of spells "borrowed" from other classes. Shamans can heal, nuke, snare, deal damage over time, and invoke their weapons with special abilities making them very proficient at melee combat as well. Being the most balanced class in the game, Shamans are often viewed as over-powered since they can easily cover their weaknesses with a given spell.
2. A class in the MMORPG World of Warcraft, which is playable only by players of the Horde faction. Originaly from Warcraft III, the Shaman carries an arsenal of spells "borrowed" from other classes. Shamans can heal, nuke, snare, deal damage over time, and invoke their weapons with special abilities making them very proficient at melee combat as well. Being the most balanced class in the game, Shamans are often viewed as over-powered since they can easily cover their weaknesses with a given spell.
by Jimmy July 18, 2005