Shamanic Sickness - the transition from Practitioner to Shaman

We share this with the intent of making it clearer to the public more what a shaman is.

"For us, in our tradition, the shaman is controlled by the spirits, the shaman also controls the spirits. They no longer own themselves. For others, we believe it is the same, but will look different with each tradition. Each also uses different vehicles beyond the drum and rattle, including nature, plant spirits and ancestral groups collected around ceremony and ritual. For each, the experience AND expression is unique, but might align with a group/ceremony/ritual."

At a healing medicine circle once, a bright enthusiastic man exclaimed to Brad's(Hinorayam) teacher, that he wants to be a shaman, like Brad. Her response shocked the whole room;

"Why would you want to endure all that sickness, hardship, isolation and poverty? You don't like these things."

A revealing moment for all in the room.

Shamanic sickness refers to a distinctive set of experiences—often involving physical, psychological, and spiritual suffering—that are interpreted in many indigenous and shamanic traditions as a sign of a calling to become a shaman. This phenomenon is widely documented in anthropological, psychological, and literary sources. The ordeal of shamanic sickness is often described as a journey through suffering, which, if survived and integrated, results in the individual gaining healing powers and the ability to mediate between the human and spirit worlds[4][3].

Core Features and Cultural Context

Shamanic sickness typically manifests as a period of intense distress, which can include symptoms such as confusion, withdrawal, loss of appetite, hallucinations, or other abnormal behaviours. In some cases, these experiences may resemble mental illness (e.g., psychosis, depression, or mania), but within the shamanic framework, they are not viewed as pathological^[1][2].
Instead, these crises are seen as initiatory ordeals or spiritual trials. The individual is believed to be chosen or “called” by spirits, ancestors, or supernatural forces, and the sickness is interpreted as a necessary process of transformation—often described as a symbolic death and rebirth^[1][3].
Anthropologist Mircea Eliade and others have described the shamanic initiation as involving a breakdown of ordinary identity, followed by the acquisition of new knowledge, healing abilities, or spiritual power^[1][4].

Academic Perspectives

Modern scholarship generally rejects the view that shamans are simply mentally ill. Cross-cultural studies show that while shamanic sickness may resemble mental disorder from a biomedical perspective, in its cultural context it is a normative, even valued, experience that leads to the emergence of healers and spiritual leaders^[1][4].
Neuropsychological and cross-cultural research suggests that shamanic altered states of consciousness (ASC) are adaptive, integrative, and related to specific brain functions, rather than being inherently pathological^[5][6].
Narratives about shamanic sickness structure the experience of illness, providing meaning, models for interpretation, and strategies for resolution that are deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of shamanic societies^[7][8].

Key Themes in Literary and Ethnographic Accounts

The ordeal of shamanic sickness is often described as a journey through suffering, which, if survived and integrated, results in the individual gaining healing powers and the ability to mediate between the human and spirit worlds^[4][3].
In some traditions, the sickness is believed to be caused by spirits or supernatural agents, and recovery is possible only by accepting the shamanic vocation and undergoing appropriate rituals or training^[1][4].
The process is frequently marked by visions, dreams, or encounters with spirits, which serve as both tests and sources of knowledge for the emerging shaman^[4][3].

Summary Table: Shamanic Sickness vs. Mental Illness

Aspect	Shamanic Sickness (Traditional View)	Mental Illness (Biomedical View)
Interpretation	Spiritual calling/initiation	Pathological disorder
Symptoms	Confusion, withdrawal, visions, etc.	Similar (e.g., psychosis, depression)
Outcome	Emergence as healer/shaman	Need for treatment/management
Cultural Value	Valued, transformative	Generally negative, disabling
Resolution	Rituals, acceptance of vocation	Medical/psychological intervention

Conclusion
Shamanic sickness is a culturally meaningful phenomenon that marks the transition from ordinary person and shamanic practitioner to shaman. While it shares features with mental illness, its interpretation, management, and outcomes are shaped by cultural narratives and ritual practices, and it is generally regarded as a non-pathological, even necessary, stage in the development of shamans^[1][4][3].

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Shamanic Sickness - the transition from Practitioner to Shaman

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