Introduction
Imagine standing in front of a gathering of familiars, dancing to
a rhythmic beat of a drum while sweat pours from your brow and visions of
ancestors long dead stare back at you. Those spirits whisper so quietly that it
is difficult to decipher what they are trying to say. But slowly you're able to
hear the message and understand its meaning. As this happens you feel yourself
being pulled into another plane of existence where you are finally able to
claim the answers being sought by your people. This image of a shamanic ritual
is of course fiction but it serves its purpose in describing a situation in
which the non-corporeal realm comes into contact with the physical realm. The
spirit realm encompasses the all powerful and the non-corporeal reality of
sentient existence and it is possible through the use of cross-cultural
examinations of such beliefs that anthropologists are able to determine the
commonalities as well as the dissimilarities between belief systems.
Spiritualism is frequently associated within American culture as a
prerogative of the dominant Christian doctrine. Not much is known about the
workings of Buddhism, Islamism, or the other less known spiritual practices
within United States Culture. Many who practice the Christian faith do not
learn in Sunday school about Buddha or Allah. Some may refer to the
belief in otherworldly beings as that of the supernatural but what has to be
understood from a cross-cultural perspective is that not all societies and
belief systems dichotomize the supernatural from what is perceived as physical
reality. The dilemma in studying otherworldly beings in a cross-cultural
context means that as an anthropologist one must remain non-judgmental,
unbiased, and open to new ways of thinking about human belief systems. Though
all anthropologists do not refer to cosmic forces as the supernatural
(Lavenda and Schultz 2007:73) this eBook will due to
its convenience and the already understood notion of the term in general English
speaking populations. In the context of anthropological studies the
supernatural refers to realities of the spiritual within space, time and that
place human beings hold within it. Supernatural topics can vary by the interest
of the anthropologist. The following module will briefly explain three
supernatural touchstones that involve the study of myth, altered states of
consciousness, and shamanism.
What elements of the supernatural can be studied in anthropology?
· Supernatural Beings: Gods, goddesses, spirits, ancestors, ghosts, and souls.
· Religious Practitioners: Shamans, Priests, Priestesses, witches, est.
· Religious Practices: Rituals, prayer
· Religious Experiences: Visions, Channeling/possession
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