Nepalese Shamanism

Présentation de l'éditeur : "Result of lifetime's researches in the Himalayas, Trance is a meticulous study exploring the hidden terrains of Tamang and Tibetan Shamanism. An exquisite fusion of creative writing and anthropological research, the book evaluates the relevance of shamanic practices in a modern-day Nepal. Divided into four major sections, the book opens with a study of phenomenology of Shamanism as a spiritual discipline. Shamanism, Dr. Peter claims, is humankind's first mystical tradition. It is a cross- cultural phenomenon. Shamans were the first to explore the inner space in a disciplined way. Shamanism, he adds, overlaps with, and is at the origin of other younger spiritual traditions, like yoga, Vipasana and Tantra, which had continued the development of the disciplines of spiritual transformation. "The shaman's mystical path," in Peters' words, "is an archetype, a universal pattern. It is not a prehistoric or a dead artifact but a living fossil possessing the same vital psychological foundations as later mystical traditions. The book ends with a survey of shamanism and medicine in developing Nepal. Shamanism, Dr. Peter suggests, is not antithetical to modern medicine; "In fact with proper training the shamans can even come to spread medical aid inasmuch as they already recognize their limitations in the treating of certain illness and take an active part in getting their clients to seek such treatment."