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Astral plane

The astral plane is a foundational concept in Theosophy and Western occult traditions, denoting a non-physical dimension of existence that interpenetrates and envelops the physical world, serving as an intermediate realm between the material and higher spiritual planes. Composed of astral matter—a subtler form of substance than physical matter—it is the natural habitat of the astral body, which humans and other beings project into during sleep, meditation, or after physical death, enabling experiences such as astral projection and clairvoyance.^[1] This plane is structured into seven subdivisions, ranging from denser, more physical-like regions to finer, more ethereal levels, mirroring the sevenfold nature of the physical plane and facilitating interactions between thought, emotion, and subtle entities. Inhabitants include discarnate human souls, artificial thought-forms created by intense mental activity, nature spirits or elementals drawn from folklore and esoteric lore, and occasionally malevolent entities like "shells" or psychic vampires that feed on emotional energies.^[2]^[1] The modern conceptualization of the astral plane emerged prominently in the late 19th century through the Theosophical Society, where Helena Petrovna Blavatsky described it in The Secret Doctrine (1888) as a key layer in a septenary cosmic hierarchy, influenced by ancient South Asian traditions such as Hindu and Buddhist notions of subtle lokas or intermediate worlds visualized in yantric diagrams.^[3]^[4] Later Theosophists like Annie Besant and Charles Webster Leadbeater expanded on this in works such as Ancient Wisdom (1897) and The Astral Plane (1895), emphasizing its accessibility through disciplined occult practices and its role in spiritual evolution.^[2] These ideas have since permeated New Age spirituality, parapsychology, and popular culture, often portraying the astral plane as a vibrant, illusory landscape shaped by collective human consciousness.^[1]

Definition and Core Concepts

Definition

The astral plane is conceptualized in esoteric traditions as an intermediate realm of existence situated between the physical world and higher spiritual planes, serving as a transitional domain where consciousness can operate beyond the constraints of gross matter.^[5] It is composed of subtle matter or energy, finer and more ethereal than physical substances, often described as a self-luminous intermediary blending material and energetic qualities that underlies and influences the tangible universe.^[5] This plane functions as a storehouse for archetypal forms, recording and manifesting the imprints of human thoughts, emotions, and cosmic events, thereby connecting lower and higher levels of reality.^[5] The term "astral" derives from the Greek word astron, meaning "star," originally evoking ancient notions of celestial influences and the starry heavens as abodes of divine or ethereal forces, which later evolved in occult contexts to denote this non-physical dimension.^[6] In Theosophical cosmology, popularized by Helena Blavatsky, the astral plane forms part of a multi-layered cosmic structure, typically positioned as the second in a hierarchy of seven planes ranging from the densest physical to the purest spiritual.^[1]^[7] Within this framework, the astral plane acts as a vibrant domain populated by non-physical entities, thought-forms generated by collective human psyche, and emotional resonances that shape subjective experiences independent of spatial limitations.^[1] It occupies the same spatial extent as the physical world but vibrates at a higher frequency, allowing interpenetration without direct interference, and serves as a medium for the projection and interaction of subtler aspects of consciousness.^[6]

Key Characteristics

The astral plane is composed of subtle matter, often described as a form of elemental essence that exists in seven subdivisions of varying densities, vibrating at rates finer than those of physical matter but coarser than the atomic matter of the mental plane. This substance is characterized by its electromagnetic-like properties in esoteric interpretations, enabling it to interpenetrate the physical world while remaining imperceptible to ordinary senses due to its higher vibrational frequency.^[8] Lighter than the dense, tangible particles of the physical plane, astral matter facilitates phenomena that transcend material constraints, such as the formation of non-physical structures.^[7] A defining feature of the astral plane is its fluidity and malleability, where the subtle matter responds instantaneously to mental impulses, emotions, and desires, molding into temporary configurations. Thoughts and feelings generate vibrations that draw from the surrounding astral substance, creating thought-forms—vivid, semi-autonomous entities that reflect the quality and intensity of the originating impulse.^[9] For instance, a strong emotion might produce an expansive, radiant shell, while fleeting ideas form vague clouds that dissipate quickly; these astral shells can persist or evolve based on sustained focus, demonstrating the plane's responsive nature to human consciousness.^[9] "Every impulse sent out... immediately clothes itself in a temporary vehicle of this vitalised matter," illustrating how the plane's matter acts as a plastic medium for psychic activity.^[9] Perceptions of time and space on the astral plane deviate markedly from physical norms, exhibiting non-linear temporality and subjective spatiality. Time flows irregularly, permitting glimpses of past occurrences, present moments, or potential futures without strict chronological sequence, as the plane's structure allows consciousness to navigate events based on relevance rather than sequence.^[10] Spatial distances are not measured in linear metrics but by degrees of emotional or vibrational affinity, where compatible entities appear proximate regardless of apparent separation, and discordant ones seem remote. This affinity-based geometry underscores the plane's role as a destination for the astral body during projection, where navigation aligns with inner states over external coordinates.^[10]

Historical Origins

Ancient and Medieval Roots

In ancient Egyptian cosmology, the Duat represented a subtle, nocturnal realm traversed by the soul after death, often depicted as an underworld intertwined with celestial elements where the deceased navigated challenges to achieve eternal life. This journey mirrored the sun god Ra's nightly passage through the Duat, encountering stellar entities and gates guarded by divine beings, emphasizing the soul's transformation amid star-associated landscapes.^[11]^[12] Greek and Hellenistic philosophies, particularly Neoplatonism as articulated by Plotinus, introduced concepts of intermediary spheres that bridged the material world and the divine One, positing a hierarchical emanation where the Soul served as a mediating principle animating cosmic order. Plotinus described these levels as descending from the intelligible realm of Nous (Intellect) to the perceptible world, with celestial bodies—planets and stars—exerting influences on human fate through sympathetic connections, akin to astral forces shaping destiny without direct causation.^[13]^[14]^[15] Medieval Islamic esotericism, exemplified in Avicenna's (Ibn Sina) metaphysics, elaborated on subtle bodies and celestial intelligences as active principles governing the soul's ascent, where each heavenly sphere possessed an intellect and soul that illuminated lower realms and facilitated the human soul's journey toward union with the divine. Avicenna envisioned these intelligences as eternal movers of celestial bodies, emanating forms that influenced sublunary existence and enabled visionary experiences of higher realities. In parallel, medieval Christian thought, influenced by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite's Celestial Hierarchy, portrayed intermediary angelic orders as luminous hierarchies transmitting divine light from the heavenly spheres to earth, guiding the soul's ecstatic ascent through graded purifications toward God. These structures integrated Neoplatonic emanations with Christian theology, viewing celestial intelligences as non-corporeal mediators essential to the soul's spiritual progression.^[16]^[17]^[18]^[19]^[20]^[21]

19th-Century Developments

In the mid-19th century, the concept of the astral plane gained prominence through the influence of mesmerism and spiritualism on Western occultism, particularly via the works of Éliphas Lévi, who introduced the notion of the "astral light" as a universal fluidic medium.^[22] Lévi, in his seminal Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie (1854–1856), described the astral light as an ethereal agent permeating all space, serving as the intermediary for magical operations, visions, and the manifestation of spiritual forces, drawing from mesmerist theories of animal magnetism as a subtle vital energy.^[23] This framework positioned the astral light not merely as a passive realm but as a dynamic substance manipulable by the will, bridging the physical and spiritual worlds in practices like evocation and divination.^[24] American occultist Paschal Beverly Randolph further advanced astral travel concepts in the 1850s and 1870s, integrating them into the burgeoning spiritualist movement through personal accounts and instructional texts.^[25] In works such as Seership! The Magnetic Mirror (1870), Randolph detailed techniques for achieving clairvoyant states akin to astral projection, using mesmerically charged mirrors to facilitate out-of-body visions and soul journeys, which he claimed to have experienced during travels in Europe and the Middle East.^[26] These publications linked astral phenomena to American reformist occultism, emphasizing sexual and magnetic energies as gateways to higher planes, and influenced later esoteric circles by democratizing access to such experiences beyond elite European traditions.^[27] The Theosophical Society's founding in 1875 marked a pivotal codification of the astral plane within a structured cosmology, largely through Helena Blavatsky's The Secret Doctrine (1888).^[3] Blavatsky outlined a sevenfold hierarchical universe where the astral plane occupies the second position, immediately above the physical plane, serving as the subtle counterpart to the physical world and a realm of thought-forms, desires, and post-mortem states, synthesized from Eastern and Western esoteric sources.^[28] This positioning framed the astral plane as essential for spiritual evolution, where entities and impressions from higher spheres manifest, providing a comprehensive model that integrated Lévi's astral light with broader metaphysical principles.^[29]

Astral Projection and Experiences

Methods of Astral Projection

Preparation techniques for astral projection emphasize achieving deep relaxation and mental focus to facilitate the separation of the astral body from the physical form. Practitioners begin with progressive muscle relaxation, starting from the toes and moving upward, combined with controlled breathing to quiet the mind and reduce physical tension. This state, often described as "mind awake, body asleep," is essential for inducing the conditions necessary for projection. In Theosophical teachings, preparatory concentration exercises, such as focusing the mind on a single point or object for extended periods, help strengthen willpower and develop the ability to function consciously on the astral plane.^[30] Visualization plays a central role in these preparations, where individuals imagine their astral body detaching and floating above the physical one, often reinforced by affirmations of separation. Meditation practices, including mindfulness of breath and detachment from sensory distractions, further prepare the practitioner by cultivating inner stillness. According to the Monroe Institute, such techniques create a receptive state for out-of-body experiences through focused intention and relaxation.^[31] Induction practices build on this foundation with specific steps to initiate separation. One common approach involves transitioning from lucid dreaming, where awareness within a dream is used to recognize the dream state and then shift focus to the physical body, attempting to "roll out" or lift away from it. This method leverages the hypnagogic state between wakefulness and sleep, allowing the consciousness to bridge into astral awareness. In Robert Monroe's technique, practitioners first enter deep relaxation, then induce a vibrational state—a sensation of intense, buzzing energy coursing through the body—by mentally willing it to intensify, followed by exit commands like visualizing rolling sideways or upward to separate.^[32] Theosophical traditions incorporate symbolic visualizations, such as picturing the astral form rising, to align energies and invoke conscious projection.^[33] Safety considerations are paramount, as disorientation upon return or encounters with non-physical entities can occur, potentially leading to psychological unease. Practitioners are advised to set clear intentions before projection and use grounding techniques post-experience, such as focusing on physical sensations or the body's weight to reintegrate smoothly. Robert Monroe emphasized returning by mentally affirming connection to the physical body, warning that fear or resistance during vibrations could prolong the state and cause distress. In Theosophical literature, ethical preparation involves pure motives to avoid attracting lower astral influences, with caution against premature attempts without disciplined control, which might result in temporary repercussions like exhaustion or confusion. The International Academy of Consciousness stresses that while astral projection is generally safe, informed practice mitigates risks through protective mental barriers.^[34]^[35]

Reported Phenomena

Individuals reporting visits to the astral plane often describe heightened sensory perceptions that surpass ordinary physical experiences. Visual phenomena frequently include vivid, luminous colors and landscapes that appear more intense and three-dimensional than in waking life, with some accounts noting iridescent or ethereal glows surrounding objects and beings.^[32] Auditory hallucinations manifest as ethereal music, distant chimes, or telepathic communications, while tactile sensations commonly involve a feeling of weightlessness, floating above the physical body, or rapid, effortless travel across vast distances at will. These sensory elements are reported to create a dream-like yet hyper-real immersion, where the environment responds fluidly to the perceiver's thoughts.^[36] Encounters during astral plane explorations typically involve interactions with non-physical entities, including guides, deceased loved ones, or symbolic figures representing subconscious elements. Explorers like Robert Monroe detailed meetings with intelligent beings in "Locale II," a thought-constructed realm where entities communicate through direct mind-to-mind exchange, sometimes appearing as human-like forms or abstract energies.^[32] Similarly, Sylvan Muldoon recounted dialogues with spirits of the departed and encounters with guardian figures that provided guidance or warnings, often within personalized landscapes reflecting personal memories or archetypes.^[37] These interactions are described as emotionally profound, blending familiarity with otherworldliness, and are believed to originate from collective or individual subconscious projections.^[38] Verification of astral plane phenomena remains challenging due to their subjective nature, though some accounts claim corroborative elements like remote viewing or prophetic insights. Muldoon documented instances where he observed distant events or objects during projection, later confirmed by physical checks, such as viewing a relative's activities in another location.^[37] Monroe reported similar veridical perceptions, including accurate descriptions of unseen physical sites, and occasional glimpses of future events that aligned with subsequent realities.^[32] Despite these claims, such validations are anecdotal and lack controlled replication, highlighting the difficulty in empirically substantiating astral experiences.^[36]

Cultural and Religious Contexts

Eastern Traditions

In Hindu philosophy, particularly within Vedanta, the subtle body (sukshma sharira) enables experiences in intermediate realms beyond the physical world (sthula sharira), such as the atmospheric plane known as Bhuvarloka in traditional cosmology. This subtle body encompasses vital energies (prana), mind, intellect, and senses, serving as the vehicle for the soul in non-physical states like dreams or after death. The Upanishads, such as the Taittiriya Upanishad, describe the subtle body through the five koshas (sheaths), including the pranamaya kosha (vital air sheath) and manomaya kosha (mental sheath), which facilitate perception and action in these states.^[39] Tibetan Buddhism offers parallels through the bardo states, intermediate realms traversed by consciousness between death and rebirth, where the mind encounters visions and karmic residues in a luminous, dream-like environment. The bardo thodol (Tibetan Book of the Dead) delineates these phases, including the chikhai bardo (clear light at death) and chonyid bardo (karmic apparitions), as transitional spaces for recognizing the illusory nature of phenomena and achieving enlightenment. Dream yoga (milam), a practice from the Six Yogas of Naropa, trains practitioners to navigate these bardos by cultivating lucidity in sleep, mirroring the post-death wanderings of consciousness and enabling direct insight into subtle realities.^[40] Yogic techniques such as pranayama—breath control exercises—provide methods for accessing these subtle planes by regulating prana, the subtle life force that bridges the physical and astral dimensions. In texts like the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, pranayama is outlined as a limb of yoga that stills the mind and awakens inner energies, allowing the practitioner to withdraw from sensory distractions and enter meditative states attuned to the sukshma sharira.^[41] These practices emphasize internal discipline over external projection, fostering awareness of subtle realms through purification of the nadis (energy channels) rather than deliberate separation from the body.^[42]

Western Esotericism

In Western esotericism, the astral plane is conceptualized as a subtle realm intermediate between the physical world and higher spiritual domains, serving as a medium for visionary experiences and magical operations. Hermetic traditions, particularly as developed in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, viewed the astral plane as essential for scrying—divinatory practices involving the projection of consciousness to perceive remote or hidden events—and invocation of spiritual entities. Practitioners employed symbolic rituals, such as those outlined in the order's Flying Rolls, to enter this plane, where the astral body could interact with archetypal forms and intelligences, facilitating communication with non-physical beings.^[43] This approach was influenced by earlier esoteric traditions, including Rosicrucianism, which emphasized access to spiritual intermediaries through inner discipline, though the Golden Dawn systematized it into graded initiatory practices.^[44] Aleister Crowley's magical system further elaborated on these Hermetic foundations, integrating the astral plane into practical Thelemic operations through the construction of astral temples and pathworking. In Crowley's framework, an astral temple is a visualized sanctuary on the astral plane, created and sustained by the magician's willpower to serve as a stable locus for rituals, evocations, and meditation, allowing the shaping of environments to align with specific intentions.^[45] Pathworking, often involving "rising on the planes," entails traversing the astral representations of the Qabalistic Tree of Life, where the adept uses focused will to navigate symbolic paths, encountering and integrating psychic forces to achieve spiritual advancement. This emphasis on volitional control distinguished Crowley's approach, portraying the astral not merely as a passive visionary field but as a malleable domain responsive to human agency.^[46] The astral plane's role in Western esotericism extended into 20th-century movements, notably Anthroposophy, where Rudolf Steiner provided detailed clairvoyant descriptions of its structure and inhabitants. Steiner depicted the astral world as a realm of fluid, color-saturated imagery reflecting human emotions and desires, where clairvoyants perceive entities like angels or adversarial forces through heightened perception, influencing personal and cosmic evolution.^[47] These insights integrated the astral into New Age thought, bridging traditional Hermeticism with modern spiritual psychology and inspiring practices focused on conscious navigation of this plane for self-transformation.

Modern Interpretations and Criticisms

Contemporary Esotericism

In contemporary esotericism, the astral plane has been popularized through New Age literature that emphasizes personal exploration of out-of-body experiences as a pathway to spiritual growth. William Buhlman's 1996 book Adventures Beyond the Body: How to Experience Out-of-Body Travel details his own astral travels, presenting practical techniques for readers to access the astral plane and describing it as a realm of non-physical consciousness that expands awareness beyond the physical body. This work, drawing loosely from Theosophical foundations, has influenced modern practitioners by framing astral projection as an accessible tool for self-discovery rather than an elite occult practice. Online communities have further democratized guided astral travel, fostering interactive forums and programs where participants share techniques and experiences. Platforms like Mindvalley's "The Art of Astral Projection" program, led by experts such as Jade Shaw, offer structured online courses with guided meditations and community support to induce astral states, emphasizing empowerment through collective learning.^[48] Similarly, the Monroe Institute's online resources and community groups promote experiential workshops that integrate sound-guided sessions for astral exploration, building a global network of enthusiasts since the early 2000s. Technological aids have emerged as key facilitators for inducing out-of-body experiences linked to the astral plane, particularly since the 2000s. Binaural beats, via Hemi-Sync audio technology developed by the Monroe Institute, synchronize brain hemispheres to theta states conducive to astral projection, with programs like Gateway Voyage using these sounds to guide users into non-physical realms.^[49] Virtual reality simulations, such as artist Jeremy Couillard's 2015 Out of Body Experience Clinic, recreate the disorienting sensations of astral travel by immersing users in immersive environments that mimic separation from the physical body.^[50] Mobile apps, including the Monroe Institute's Expand app and dedicated astral projection tools on app stores, provide on-demand guided sessions with binaural audio to support daily practice.^[51] Global syncretism in contemporary esotericism often blends the astral plane with quantum mysticism, viewing it as a holographic field where consciousness influences reality. This perspective posits the astral realm as an interconnected, non-local dimension akin to holographic principles in physics, where individual awareness projects into a unified field of potentialities.^[52] Influenced by consciousness research, such integrations suggest that astral experiences reveal the universe's holographic nature, allowing practitioners to navigate subtle energies through focused intent.^[53]

Scientific and Skeptical Views

Scientific and skeptical perspectives on the astral plane, often equated with out-of-body experiences (OBEs), attribute such phenomena to natural brain processes rather than non-physical travel. Neurological research links sensations of astral projection to states like hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and REM sleep disruptions. For instance, hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations—vivid perceptual experiences at the boundaries of sleep—can produce feelings of floating or separation from the body, as documented in studies of sleep-related altered states.^[54] Similarly, sleep paralysis, characterized by temporary immobility and intense hallucinations during REM sleep transitions, frequently includes OBE-like perceptions, with research showing these episodes correlate with dissociated REM states or sleep-onset REM periods.^[55] Pioneering work by Stephen LaBerge in the 1980s on lucid dreaming further connects OBEs to REM sleep, where high central nervous system arousal under low muscle tone enables vivid, self-aware dream experiences that mimic out-of-body sensations; physiological studies confirm that both lucid dreams and OBEs share electroencephalographic patterns indicative of REM activity.^[56] Parapsychological investigations into astral projection and OBEs, spanning over a century, have consistently failed to produce verifiable evidence for non-physical consciousness travel. The Society for Psychical Research (SPR), founded in 1882, has examined numerous OBE reports and experimental claims since its inception, including attempts to verify remote viewing or veridical perceptions during alleged separations from the body, but reviews of these efforts conclude that no reproducible proof exists for extrasensory perception or survival of bodily death via OBEs.^[36] Early 20th-century experiments, such as those testing whether subjects could identify hidden targets while "out-of-body," yielded results attributable to chance or sensory cues, with meta-analyses reinforcing the absence of significant psi effects.^[57] Later studies, including those by the SPR and affiliated groups, echo this pattern: while subjective experiences are common, controlled trials show no empirical support for literal astral travel, often explaining positive anecdotes as confabulation or expectation bias.^[36] Recent research as of 2024 has continued to frame OBEs within neurological explanations while noting potential psychological benefits. For example, studies suggest that OBEs, such as those during near-death experiences, can profoundly increase empathy and prosocial behavior through processes like ego dissolution in the brain, offering transformative effects on social connectedness without evidence of non-physical realms.^[58] Anthropological skepticism frames astral experiences as culturally relativized hallucinations shaped by social and environmental contexts rather than objective realities. Michael Winkelman, in his cross-cultural analyses of shamanism, argues that reports of soul flight or astral journeys—universal across indigenous traditions—stem from biologically driven altered states of consciousness, but their interpretation as supernatural travel is a product of cultural narratives and symbolic frameworks.^[59] These experiences, often induced by rituals or psychedelics, reflect innate neurognostic structures in the brain but are molded by relativist factors like worldview and community expectations, rendering them hallucinations rather than evidence of an astral plane.^[60] Winkelman's biopsychosocial model emphasizes that while the phenomenological core may be consistent (e.g., dissociation and visionary imagery), the attribution to metaphysical realms varies widely, underscoring the role of cultural relativism in demystifying such claims.^[61]

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Notes for an Astral Atlas - Book 4 - The Libri of Aleister Crowley
Aug 15, 2017 · Let the Magician therefore adventure himself upon the Astral Plane with the declared design to penetrate to a sanctuary of discarnate Beings ...Missing: temples pathworking
[46]
XXI. The Astral World and Devachan - Rudolf Steiner Archive
In the astral realm, everything is seen in colors: if a hostile being approaches us, the clairvoyant sees an orange-yellow color image; if it is a being that is ...
[47]
The Art of Astral Projection with Jade Shaw - Mindvalley
The Art Of Astral Projection is an easy-to-follow online program that empowers you with the fundamentals of astral projection: followed by the ability to embark ...
[48]
https://www.mindvalley.com/astral
[49]
Jeremy Couillard Uses Virtual Reality to Have an IRL Out-of-Body ...
Apr 29, 2015 · The artist Jeremy Couillard, whose virtual reality project Out of Body Experience Clinic (2015) recreates the dizzying, uncanny sensation of astral projection.
[50]
https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-jeremy-couillard-uses-virtual-reality-to-have-an
[51]
Exploring Astral Projection and Quantum Physics - Esoteric Befief
Feb 5, 2024 · This concept proposes that astral projection may be tapping into the holographic nature of the universe, allowing consciousness to venture ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[52]
Holographic Duality and the Physics of Consciousness - PMC
Mar 15, 2022 · This paper introduces a novel dual-aspect theory of consciousness that is based on the principle of holographic-duality in modern physics.Missing: mysticism astral plane
[53]
Sleep Paralysis, “The Ghostly Bedroom Intruder” and Out-of-Body ...
Feb 27, 2017 · Hypnogogic or hypnopompic hallucinations occur in all sensory modalities, and include out-of-body experiences (OBE), and sensing and seeing the ...
[54]
Sleep Paralysis and Lucid Dreaming—Between Waking and ... - MDPI
Sleep paralysis and lucid dreams are two states of consciousness that are connected to REM sleep but are defined by higher awareness in contrast to regular REM ...Missing: Stephen | Show results with:Stephen<|separator|>
[55]
“Out of Body Experiences”, dreams, and REM sleep
These studies support the close association of OBEs and lucid dreaming. REM sleep and states favorable to OBEs share the feature of high CNS arousal under ...
[56]
[PDF] ESP DURING OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCES
Evidence for ESP during OBEs is weak, though some results exist. One study showed negative ESP results for those reporting OBEs, but not significant overall.
[57]
(PDF) Shamanic alterations of consciousness as sources of ...
The shamanic capacity for soul flight (aka out-of-body experience) is a widely attested archetypal experience (i.e, near death experiences, astral projection) ...
[58]
[PDF] Shamanism in Cross-Cultural Perspective - Digital Commons @ CIIS
Jul 1, 2012 · This article reviews the origins of the concept of the shaman and the principal sources of controversy regarding the existence and nature of ...Missing: astral relativism
[59]
Shamanism - Michael James Winkelman
The concept of shamanism has engaged the academic world for more than two centuries, becoming a core concept in anthropology and comparative religion.Missing: relativism travel