From Shamans to Priests of Sekhmet: A Review of the Literature in Search for the Origins of Doctors in Ancient Egypt.

This review suggests that shamans were in charge of the healing process in pre-dynastic Egypt. After the unification of Lower and Upper Egypt by Narmer in 3100 BC, shamans evolved into the Sem priests, who were responsible for the king's health. With the change in Egyptian religion in the fourth dynasty (2613-2494 BC), Ra, the sun god, was revered as the supreme power, replacing the king. The emergence of mass festivities to celebrate Ra led to the priests of Sekhmet in the fifth dynasty (2494-2345 BC) checking the sanitation of bull meat that was provided to the populace in an attempt to avoid infectious epidemics. This seems to be the first recognition that disease might be transmitted from animals to humans. They used medical folklore, incantations, spells, and charms available at the House of Life, previously used by the lector priest. By 2487 BC, the first medical curative procedure was performed by Ni-Ankh-Sekhmet who cured the bleeding of a king's nose.

Archetype symbols and altered consciousness: a study of shamanic rituals in the context of Jungian psychology.

The alteration of consciousness during shamanic rituals is both a physical and mystical phenomenon. It involves psychological and spiritual experiences. Through ritual practices, shamans can connect with archetype within the collective unconscious, utilizing trance-inducing techniques for "hallucinatory exploration". This study surveyed 75 participants to investigate the impact of prototype symbols in Shamanistic rituals on participants' consciousness states focusing on Jungian psychology's concept of archetype. The results indicate that archetype symbols in shamanic rituals can significantly influence participants' conscious state, leading them to experience a conscious dissolution of the self. Furthermore, archetype symbols have different effects at the stages of consciousness change. In particular, during the "Visionary Restructuralization" stage, archetype symbols, such as patterns, masks, totems and music, brought participants' consciousness to a peak and caused significant changes to it. These findings suggest that the metaphoric function of archetype symbols plays a crucial role in rituals. Archetype symbols connect the individual to the collective unconscious through visual images and symbolic imagery. They prompt the participants to experience emotional resonances that transcend individual experiences and affect their state of consciousness.

The Agential View of Misfortune.

In many traditional, small-scale societies, death and other misfortunes are commonly explained as a result of others' malign occult agency. Here, we call this family of epistemic tendencies "the agential view of misfortune." After reviewing several ethnographic case studies that illustrate this view, we argue that its origins and stability are puzzling from an evolutionary perspective. Not only is the agential view of misfortune false; it imposes costs on individuals and social groups that seem to far outweigh whatever benefits the view might provide. We thus doubt that the agential view of misfortune is explainable in terms of adaptive effects. However, neither does it seem readily explainable as a consequence of belief formation strategies that are on the whole adaptive (as is plausibly the case for certain other of our false beliefs, including some that are costly). Accordingly, we contend that the commonness of the agential view of misfortune demands a special evolutionary explanation of some kind. We provide a partial explanation of this phenomenon by highlighting the adaptive benefits that often flow to occult specialists in environments where the agential view of misfortune is entrenched. What this does not explain, however, is the general lack of resistance we observe in response to occultists' exploitative behaviours over (cultural) evolutionary timescales. We conclude by canvassing a few possible explanations for this puzzling lack of resistance, and while we commit ourselves to none, we do find one option more promising than the others.

Neuroanthropology of shamanic trance: a case study with a ritual specialist from Mexico.

In Mexico, shamans are recognized for the gift of entering a deep trance that allows them to know the origin of the diseases and conflicts that afflict people. They commonly treat patients through limpias (cleansing) to extract negative elements sent by a witch or that were "collected" in places that harbor "evil winds." We present a case study of an 81-year-old Mexican shaman who noticed her gift in childhood. Electroencephalographic recordings were made while the shaman performed three activities: reading cards to diagnose a patient and answer the questions he posed; limpia with chicken eggs, stones, and bells to absorb adverse "things"; and the incorporation trance through which the deceased is believed to occupy the shaman's body to use it as a communication channel. Alpha activity was observed when concentrated, suggesting a hypnagogic-like state. Predominant beta and gamma oscillations were observed, suggesting a potential plastic phenomenon that modulates the assimilation of external and internal referents guiding temporal schemes for action, attention, and the integration of mnemonic, sensory, and imaginative elements. We used a neuroanthropological approach to understand shamanic trance as a biological potential of the human brain to induce non-ordinary states of consciousness linked to cultural beliefs and practices.

Mongolian philosophical underpinnings of well-being: Mythology, shamanism and Mongolian Buddhism (before the development of modern nursing).

Mongolian philosophical underpinnings of well-being were expressed in the form of mythology, shamanism and Mongolian Buddhism before the development of modern nursing in Mongolia. Among these forms, the philosophical underpinnings of well-being, mythology and shamanism were formed as a result of the roots of Mongolian philosophy, whereas Buddhism spread relatively late. As a result of Mongolian mythology, an alternative approach called dom zasal was formed, and it remains one of the important foundations of the idea of well-being among people. Among the various concepts of shamanism, the concept of sunesu best expresses the underpinning of well-being, and the idea that healing and nursing care can be provided not only by those living in this world but also by spirit beings. Since Mongolians still use these ideas even in modern times, it should be noted that following them too narrowly may conflict with concepts based on scientific evidence. Along with the development of Buddhist philosophy in Mongolia, the Oriental philosophical underpinnings of well-being have spread. One of the most important concepts is the five basic elements of life (tavan mahabhutas) and three elements of the body (khii, shar and badgan). While developing the concepts of life and the body, the arga-bileg model (yin-yang in Chinese), developed at the theoretical level in Chinese philosophy, has become a popular basis for culture and customs among Mongolians. Therefore, it has been difficult to judge whether the origin of the arga-bileg model is Mongolian or Chinese; however, this is undeniably an important underpinning for well-being in both countries.

Youth Suicide, Supernatural Beings and the Shamanic Response in Hunza: Northern Pakistan.

In recent years, Hunza has seen a surge of suicide cases among youth. This paper attempts to decipher the multiple layers of meanings entailed in suicide cases. The dominant perception among the natives is the attribution of influence to supernatural beings. This paper attempts to provide insights into the supernatural cosmology and its relationship to youth suicide among the Burushaski speakers of Hunza. Using qualitative research methodology, this paper describes the local perception of supernatural beings, and their classifications as well as the role of local shamans, known in Burushaski as bitan. In this scenario, suicide is not seen as a self-destruction, but is rather a punishment by the supernatural beings owing to the violation of the sacred supernatural social order imposed by the spirits connected to the supernatural world. For the natives, both the terrestrial and supernatural spheres share common habitats and mountain ecology; however, the latter is perceived to have more powers than the former. Therefore, breach of this order is highly discouraged and bears dire consequences. What appears as mere supernatural and human conflict actually carries deeper references to social and ecological disruptions.

The Shaman and Schizophrenia, Revisited.

This paper presents evidence that some-but not all-religious experts in a particular faith may have a schizophrenia-like psychotic process which is managed or mitigated by their religious practice, in that they are able to function effectively and are not identified by their community as ill. We conducted careful phenomenological interviews, in conjunction with a novel probe, with okomfo, priests of the traditional religion in Ghana who speak with their gods. They shared common understandings of how priests hear gods speak. Despite this, participants described quite varied personal experiences of the god's voice. Some reported voices which were auditory and more negative; some seemed to describe trance-like states, sometimes associated with trauma and violence; some seemed to be described sleep-related events; and some seemed to be interpreting ordinary inner speech. These differences in description were supported by the way participants responded to an auditory clip made to simulate the voice-hearing experiences of psychosis and which had been translated into the local language. We suggest that for some individuals, the apprenticeship trained practice of talking with the gods, in conjunction with a non-stigmatizing identity, may shape the content and emotional tone of voices associated with a psychotic process.

Ayahuasca, Personality and Acute Psychological Effects in Neo-Shamanic and Religious Settings in Uruguay.

This study is an interdisciplinary research into Uruguayan ayahuasca users belonging to one neo-shamanic and one Santo Daime group. The study involved the chemical analysis of ayahuasca samples, an ethnographic description of the two traditions and rituals, and the application of psychometric scales to measure personality differences, and the acute psychological effects during an ayahuasca ritual. Personality measurements showed lower scores for Santo Daime in Neuroticism-Anxiety, Dependence, Low Self-Esteem, Anger and Restlessness. These differences may be related to the presence of participants under treatment in the neo-shamanic group and/or to the protective effects of a church religion such as Santo Daime. Regarding acute effects, the neo-shamanic group showed higher scores in Somesthesia and Perception, which can be related to the high-arousal ritual setting. Chemical analysis for the ayahuasca samples showed a typical composition of alkaloids. No adulterants were found. The sample from the neo-shamanic group displayed a higher ß-carbolines:DMT ratio compared to the Santo Daime sample, which could be related to the higher effects observed for Somesthesia for the neo-shamanic group. Significant positive correlations between some personality traits and acute effects were found only in the neo-shamanic group, which may be related to the more individualistic approach of this tradition.

Spirit Mediumship and Mental Health: Therapeutic Self-transformation Among Dang-kis in Singapore.

While some early studies suggested that spirit mediums were psychiatrically ill individuals who found a culturally sanctioned role, subsequent work has found that they are generally in good physical and mental health. While the calling to be a healer often involves an initiatory illness, practitioners go on to play demanding social roles, suggesting that involvement in mediumship may be therapeutic for the practitioner. This study focuses on dang-ki healing, a form of Chinese spirit mediumship practiced in Singapore to explore whether participation in dang-ki healing is therapeutic for the mediums. We interviewed eight dang-kis from five temples about their life trajectories and assessed their mental health status with standardized psychological questionnaires. Most of the dang-kis did not appear to suffer from clinically significant emotional distress. Their narratives suggest that involvement in dang-ki mediumship may have therapeutic effects in which the embodied experience of self plays a central role. The dang-kis experienced changes in social identity, bodily experiences during spirit possession, and their overall sense of self through recurrent possession rituals. In general, the practice of spirit mediumship illustrates how the experiences and meanings of the self are constructed and reconstructed through body-world relations in ways that may confer a sense of wellness and social efficacy.

'Everybody's creating it along the way': ethical tensions among globalized ayahuasca shamanisms and therapeutic integration practices.

Ayahuasca has a variety of traditional uses, yet there is a growing global interest in its potential therapeutic benefits for mental health conditions. Novel approaches to psychotherapy are emerging to address the needs of ayahuasca users to prepare as well as to guide them in 'integrating' their powerful psychedelic experiences, yet there is little discussion on the ethical frameworks that may structure these therapeutic processes or the social and cultural assumptions that influence the assignment of ayahuasca as a medicine. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in San Martín and Loreto, Peru, I examine the varied social meanings and uses of ayahuasca in the Peruvian vegetalista tradition and the potential ethical tensions among curanderos, mental health practitioners, and ayahuasca retreat centers. Practitioners and ayahuasca centers are left with navigating globalized concepts of mental health and ethics while attempting to remain authentic to local ontologies of healing, care, and safety.

Perspectivism and shamanism in the Jungian clinic: the jaguar as an archetypal image of the Latin American cultural unconscious.

Amerindians, living in a perspective of synchronicity, attribute to symmetry a negative value that produces an understanding of unstable dualism cosmologies, in a continuous and dynamic imbalance, in a notion of complementarity between conscious and unconscious. These notions are in line with the view of synchronicity proposed by Jung (1952/1972) and Cambray (2013), a view that expands temporal, acausal boundaries, within a perspective of interconnection, resonance and correspondence. Amerindian epistemologies break-up the discontinuity between animals and humans. By establishing a parallel with the Jungian concept of the relationship between unconscious and conscious, we reach a dimension of personification of both, a continuous and permanent flow of meaning. We introduce the jaguar as a symbol of Amerindian cultures and as an archetypal image of the numinosum that activates the unconscious, in asymmetrical and symmetrical movements. This is a qualitative contribution of indigenous mythologies to the understanding of the relationship between unconscious and conscious. Through perspectivism and Amerindian shamanism, we reflect on the archetypal image of the jaguar, as a mythological Latin American knowledge, which contributes to an understanding of the human being in the world, in an instinctive and spiritual integration. Recognizing this cosmos expands the ability to observe and access another point of view, in which the human being is seen in the jaguar, a personification or psychification of his unconscious. In clinical practice, it means finding the humanity that was left behind by that human who became an animal. The shaman, as a therapist, takes on the role of an active interlocutor in the exchange of human and non-human subjectivities, in an amplification process.

Les Amérindiens, vivants dans une perspective de synchronicité, attribuent à la symétrie une valeur négative, qui produit une compréhension des cosmologies du dualisme instable, dans un déséquilibre continu et dynamique, avec la notion de complémentarité entre conscient et inconscient. Ces notions sont en cohérence avec la vision de synchronicité proposée par Jung (1952/1972) et Cambray (2013), une vision qui élargit les frontières temporelles et acausales, dans une perspective d'interconnexion, de résonnance et de correspondance. Les épistémologies amérindiennes cassent la discontinuité entre les animaux et les humains. En établissant un parallèle avec le concept de relation entre inconscient et conscient, nous atteignons la dimension de personnification des deux, un flux permanent de sens. Nous introduisons le jaguar en tant que symbole des cultures amérindiennes et image archétypale du numineux qui active l'inconscient, dans des mouvements asymétriques et symétriques. Il s'agit là d'une contribution qualitative des mythologies indigènes à la compréhension de la relation entre inconscient et conscient. A travers le perspectivisme et le chamanisme amérindien, nous réfléchissons à l'image archétypale du jaguar, en tant que savoir mythologique Amérindien, qui contribue à la compréhension de l'être humain dans le monde, dans une intégration instinctive et spirituelle. Reconnaitre ce cosmos élargit notre capacité à observer et à avoir accès à un autre point de vue, dans lequel l'être humain est vu dans le jaguar, une personnification ou psychification de son inconscient. Dans la pratique clinique, cela signifie de trouver l'humanité qui a été abandonnée par l'humain qui est devenu animal. Le chamane, en tant que thérapeute, prend le rôle d'un interlocuteur actif dans l'échange de subjectivités humaines et non-humaines, dans un processus d'amplification.

Los indios americanos, habitando en una perspectiva de sincronicidad, atribuyen a la simetría un valor negativo dando lugar a una comprensión sobre las cosmologías de un dualismo inestable, en un desbalance continuo y dinámico, y en una noción de complementariedad entre consciente e inconsciente. Estas nociones son similares con la mirada sobre sincronicidad propuesta por Jung (1952/1972) y por Cambray (2013), una mirada que expande las fronteras temporales, acausales, dentro de una perspectiva de interconexión, resonancia y correspondencia. Las epistemologías amerindias rompen con la discontinuidad entre animales y humanos. Al establecer un paralelismo con el concepto Junguiano de la relación entre inconsciente y consciente, alcanzamos una dimensión en la cual se personifica a ambos, en un constante y permanente fluir de sentidos. Introducimos el yaguar como símbolo de las culturas amerindias y como imagen arquetípica de lo numinoso que se activa en el inconsciente, en movimientos asimétricos y simétricos. Es una contribución cualitativa de las mitologías indígenas a la comprensión de la relación entre inconsciente y consciente. A través del perspectivismo y del shamanismo amerindio, nos proponemos reflexionar sobre la imagen arquetípica del yaguar, como conocimiento mitológico latinoamericano, el cual contribuye a una comprensión del ser humano en el mundo, en una integración instintiva y espiritual. Reconocer este cosmos expande la habilidad para observar y acceder a otro punto de vista, en el que el ser humano es visto en el yaguar, como una personificación o psiquización de su inconsciente. En la práctica clínica, significa encontrar la humanidad que fue dejada atrás por aquel humano devenido en animal. El/la shaman/a como terapeuta, toma el rol de un interlocutor activo en el intercambio de subjetividades humanas y no-humanas, en un proceso de amplificación.

Os ameríndios, vivendo em uma perspectiva de sincronicidade, atribuem à simetria um valor negativo que produz uma compreensão das cosmologias instáveis do dualismo, em um desequilíbrio contínuo e dinâmico, em uma noção de complementaridade entre consciente e inconsciente. Essas noções estão de acordo com a visão de sincronicidade proposta por Jung (1952/1972) e Cambray (2013), uma visão que expande as fronteiras temporais e acausais, dentro de uma perspectiva de interconexão, ressonância e correspondência. Epistemologias ameríndias rompem a descontinuidade entre animais e humanos. Estabelecendo um paralelo com o conceito junguiano da relação entre inconsciente e consciente, alcançamos uma dimensão de personificação de ambos, um fluxo contínuo e permanente de significado. Apresentamos a onça-pintada como um símbolo das culturas ameríndias e como uma imagem arquetípica do numinoso que ativa o inconsciente, em movimentos assimétricos e simétricos. Esta é uma contribuição qualitativa das mitologias indígenas para a compreensão da relação entre inconsciente e consciente. Através do perspectivismo e do xamanismo ameríndio, refletimos sobre a imagem arquetípica da onça-pintada, como um conhecimento mitológico latino-americano, que contribui para uma compreensão do ser humano no mundo, em uma integração instintiva e espiritual. Reconhecer esse cosmos expande a capacidade de observar e acessar outro ponto de vista, no qual o ser humano é visto na onça-pintada, uma personificação ou ou psiqueificação de seu inconsciente. Na prática clínica, significa encontrar a humanidade que foi deixada para trás por aquele humano que se tornou um animal. O xamã, como terapeuta, assume o papel de interlocutor ativo na troca de subjetividades humanas e não humanas, em um processo de amplificação.

A pele da Terra / The skin of the earth / La piel de la tierra

A experiência com as plantas de poder permite o contato com outro tipo de sensibilidade daquela a que estamos acostumados no mundo ocidental. A situação ambiental do planeta se apresenta de modo imagético e emocional. A partir disso é feita uma aproximação com a psicologia analítica, a linguagem simbólica e o conhecimento dos indígenas da etnia yanomami. A possibilidade de extinção da vida na Terra tem sido uma preocupação que cresce dia a dia. Como evitá-la dentro das condições políticas e econômicas atuais ainda é um problema sem solução. Algumas propostas são apresentadas e cotejadas com o conhecimento indígena. A necessidade de compreender e assimilar esta sabedoria ancestral parece ser uma contribuição essencial para o encaminhamento de soluções.

The experience with plants of power enables contact with another type of sensibility than the one we are used to in the western world. The planet's environmental situation is presented in an imagery and emotional way. From this, an approximation is made with analytical psychology, symbolic language and the knowledge of the indigenous people of the Yanomami ethnic group. The possibility of extinction of life on Earth has been a growing concern. How to avoid it within current political and economic conditions is still a problem to be solved. Some proposals are presented and compared with indigenous knowledge. The need to understand and assimilate this ancestral wisdom seems to be an essential contribution to finding solutions.

Una experiencia con plantas de poder permite entrar en contacto con otro tipo de sensibilidad a la que estamos acostumbrados en el mundo occidental. La situación ambiental del planeta se presenta de modo imagético y emocional. A partir de eso se hace una aproximación con la psicología analítica, el lenguaje simbólico y el conocimiento de los Indígenas de la etnia Yanomami. Una posibilidad de extinción de la vida en la tierra ha sido una preocupación que crece día a día. Cómo evitarla dentro de las condiciones políticas y económicas actuales sigue siendo un problema sin solución. Algunas propuestas son presentadas y cotejadas con el conocimiento indígena. La necesidad de comprender y asimilar esta sabiduría ancestral parece ser una contribución esencial para el encaminamiento de soluciones.

O Xamanismo da Psicologia / The Shamanism of the Psychology

INTRODUÇÃO: O Xamanismo está presente na humanidade desde o período Paleolítico, muitos recursos do campo psicológico dialogam implícita ou explicitamente com esta tradição: a hipnose, o efeito placebo, a interpretação dos sonhos, técnicas meditativas de visualização, relaxamento e dramatização, a catarse e o manejo de sentido e simbolismo nas doenças e eventos da vida são exemplos. OBJETIVO: Reconhecer a presença do xamanismo e seus saberes afins à psicologia, visibilizando suas contribuições na atualidade. MÉTODO: Trata-se de um estudo teórico com base uma revisão bibliográfica narrativa. RESULTADOS: Procuramos reconhecer o xamanismo da psicologia partindo de uma crítica descolonial da história da psicologia e do xamanismo. Em seguida, destacamos algumas traduções epistemológicas que ajudam no reconhecimento do xamanismo na atualidade: a ideia de especialidade biológica; a noção de tecnologias do sagrado; bem como a incorporação da meditação e dos psicodélicos como inovação "psi". CONCLUSÃO: Apresentamos três importantes considerações: a validade do xamanismo pela ciência não deve ser baliza de seu mérito; a psicologia deve construir uma reflexividade ética para não atuar como colonizadora do xamanismo e, por fim, reconhecer o xamanismo da psicologia permite reconhecer o próprio campo no qual é agente.

INTRODUCTION: Shamanism has been present in humanity since the Paleolithic period. Many resources in the psychological field come from this tradition: hypnosis, the placebo effect, the interpretation of dreams, meditative techniques of visualization, relaxation and dramatization, catharsis, and the management of meaning and symbolism in diseases and life events are examples. OBJECTIVE: Recognize the presence of shamanism and its knowledge related to psychology, making its contributions and contributions visible today. METHOD: This is a theoretical study based on a narrative bibliographic review. RESULTS: We tried to recognize the shamanism of psychology based on a decolonial critique of the history of psychology and shamanism. Then, we highlight some epistemological translations that do not recognize shamanism today: the idea of biological specialty, a notion of technologies of the sacred, as well as the incorporation of meditation and psychedelics as a "psi" innovation. CONCLUSION: We present three important considerations: the validity of shamanism by science should not be a mark of merit; psychology must build ethical reflexivity in order not to act as a colonizer of shamanism; and, finally, recognizing the shamanism of psychology allows us to recognize the very field in which it is an agent.

Neural Correlates of the Shamanic State of Consciousness.

Psychedelics have been recognized as model interventions for studying altered states of consciousness. However, few empirical studies of the shamanic state of consciousness, which is anecdotally similar to the psychedelic state, exist. We investigated the neural correlates of shamanic trance using high-density electroencephalography (EEG) in 24 shamanic practitioners and 24 healthy controls during rest, shamanic drumming, and classical music listening, followed by an assessment of altered states of consciousness. EEG data were used to assess changes in absolute power, connectivity, signal diversity, and criticality, which were correlated with assessment measures. We also compared assessment scores to those of individuals in a previous study under the influence of psychedelics. Shamanic practitioners were significantly different from controls in several domains of altered states of consciousness, with scores comparable to or exceeding that of healthy volunteers under the influence of psychedelics. Practitioners also displayed increased gamma power during drumming that positively correlated with elementary visual alterations. Furthermore, shamanic practitioners had decreased low alpha and increased low beta connectivity during drumming and classical music and decreased neural signal diversity in the gamma band during drumming that inversely correlated with insightfulness. Finally, criticality in practitioners was increased during drumming in the low and high beta and gamma bands, with increases in the low beta band correlating with complex imagery and elementary visual alterations. These findings suggest that psychedelic drug-induced and non-pharmacologic alterations in consciousness have overlapping phenomenal traits but are distinct states of consciousness, as reflected by the unique brain-related changes during shamanic trance compared to previous literature investigating the psychedelic state.

The Evolved Psychology of Psychedelic Set and Setting: Inferences Regarding the Roles of Shamanism and Entheogenic Ecopsychology.

This review illustrates the relevance of shamanism and its evolution under effects of psilocybin as a framework for identifying evolved aspects of psychedelic set and setting. Effects of 5HT2 psychedelics on serotonin, stress adaptation, visual systems and personality illustrate adaptive mechanisms through which psychedelics could have enhanced hominin evolution as an environmental factor influencing selection for features of our evolved psychology. Evolutionary psychology perspectives on ritual, shamanism and psychedelics provides bases for inferences regarding psychedelics' likely roles in hominin evolution as exogenous neurotransmitter sources through their effects in selection for innate dispositions for psychedelic set and setting. Psychedelics stimulate ancient brain structures and innate modular thought modules, especially self-awareness, other awareness, "mind reading," spatial and visual intelligences. The integration of these innate modules are also core features of shamanism. Cross-cultural research illustrates shamanism is an empirical phenomenon of foraging societies, with its ancient basis in collective hominid displays, ritual alterations of consciousness, and endogenous healing responses. Shamanic practices employed psychedelics and manipulated extrapharmacological effects through stimulation of serotonin and dopamine systems and augmenting processes of the reptilian and paleomammalian brains. Differences between chimpanzee maximal displays and shamanic rituals reveal a zone of proximal development in hominin evolution. The evolution of the mimetic capacity for enactment, dance, music, and imitation provided central capacities underlying shamanic performances. Other chimp-human differences in ritualized behaviors are directly related to psychedelic effects and their integration of innate modular thought processes. Psychedelics and other ritual alterations of consciousness stimulate these and other innate responses such as soul flight and death-and-rebirth experiences. These findings provided bases for making inferences regarding foundations of our evolved set, setting and psychology. Shamanic setting is eminently communal with singing, drumming, dancing and dramatic displays. Innate modular thought structures are prominent features of the set of shamanism, exemplified in animism, animal identities, perceptions of spirits, and psychological incorporation of spirit others. A shamanic-informed psychedelic therapy includes: a preparatory set with practices such as sexual abstinence, fasting and dream incubation; a set derived from innate modular cognitive capacities and their integration expressed in a relational animistic worldview; a focus on internal imagery manifesting a presentational intelligence; and spirit relations involving incorporation of animals as personal powers. Psychedelic research and treatment can adopt this shamanic biogenetic paradigm to optimize set, setting and ritual frameworks to enhance psychedelic effects.

Traditional and biomedical care pathways for mental well-being in rural Nepal.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing access to mental health services in biomedical settings (e.g., primary care and specialty clinics) in low- and middle-income countries. Traditional healing continues to be widely available and used in these settings as well. Our goal was to explore how the general public, traditional healers, and biomedical clinicians perceive the different types of services and make decisions regarding using one or both types of care. METHODS: We conducted in-depth interviews using a pilot tested semi-structured protocol around the subjects of belief, traditional healers, and seeking care. We conducted 124 interviews comprising 40 traditional healers, 79 general community members, and five physicians. We then performed qualitative analyses according to a grounded theoretical approach. RESULTS: A majority of the participants endorsed belief in both supernatural and medical causes of illness and sought care exclusively from healers, medical practitioners, and/or both. Our findings also revealed several pathways and barriers to care that were contingent upon patient-, traditional healer-, and medical practitioner-specific attitudes. Notably, a subset of community members duplicated care across multiple, equally-qualified medical providers before seeing a traditional healer and vice versa. In view of this, the majority of our participants stressed the importance of an efficient, medically plural society. Though participants desired a more collaborative model, no consistent proposal emerged on how to bridge traditional and biomedical practices. Instead, participants offered suggestions which comprised three broad categories: (1) biomedical training of traditional healers, (2) two-way referrals between traditional and biomedical providers, and (3) open-dialogue to foster mutual understanding among traditional and biomedical providers. CONCLUSION: Participants offered several approaches to collaboration between medical providers and traditional healers, however if we compare it to the history of previous attempts, education and understanding between both fields may be the most viable option in low- and middle-income contexts such as Nepal. Further research should expand and investigate opportunities for collaborative learning and/or care across not only Nepal, but other countries with a history of traditional and complimentary medicine.

Sorcery and well-being: bodily transformation at Beckeranta.

This paper examines bodily transformation and well-being within the context of a millenarian movement that emerged during the 1840s in the area surrounding Mount Roraima at the periphery of Brazil, Guyana (British Guiana at the time), and Venezuela. The site of this movement was Beckeranta - meaning 'Land of the Whites' - where up to 400 Amerindians were reportedly killed in a quest that is described in its sole historical account as centred around a goal of bodily transformation into white people. In examining this movement, the paper engages with longstanding debates in medical anthropology concerning the body, as well as conversations among Amazonianists concerning the social formation of bodies, and examines sorcery and shamanism as practices that go 'beyond the body'. Notions of bodily transformation in Amazonia, which are often activated by strong emotions, facilitate conceptual expansions of the body in medical anthropology. The paper suggests that bodily transformations tied to sorcery and shamanism are in some contexts, such as at Beckeranta, associated with desires for well-being.Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13648470.2020.1807726.

Reassessing the Mental Health Treatment Gap: What Happens if We Include the Impact of Traditional Healing on Mental Illness?

In this Fresh Focus, we reassess what the mental health treatment gap may mean if we consider the role of traditional healing. Based on systematic reviews, patients can use traditional healers and qualitatively report improvement from general psychological distress and symptom reduction for common mental disorders. Given these clinical implications, some high-income countries have scaled up research into traditional healing practices, while at the same time in low-and middle-income countries, where the use of traditional healers is nearly ubiquitous, considerably less research funding has studied or capitalized on this phenomena. The World Health Organization 2003-2020 Mental Health Action Plan called for government health programs to include traditional and faith healers as treatment resources to combat the low- and middle-income country treatment gap. Reflection on the work which emerged during the course of this Mental Health Action Plan revealed areas for improvement. As we embark on the next Mental Health Action Plan, we offer lessons-learned for exploring potential relationships and collaborations between traditional healing and biomedicine.

Política pública transcultural y factores no adherentes al TARGA del VIH-sida etnia Perú-Amazónica Kusu Pagata / Cross-cultural public policy and factors not adherent to HIV-aids HAART-Peru-Amazon ethnic group Kusu Pagata

Introducción: Uno de los problemas que afecta los pueblos indígenas latinoamericanos es la falta de datos epidemiológicos respecto a la prevalencia del VIH-sida, debido a que los sistemas de información y vigilancia no registran la variable etnicidad. Objetivo: Proponer una política pública transcultural para prevenir factores asociados a la no adherencia a la terapia antirretroviral de gran actividad del VIH-Sida de la etnia Amazónica Kusu Pagata. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo, transversal, con 18 pobladores diagnosticados de VIH-sida en la comunidad Kusu Pagata, Perú. 2018-2019. Se aplicó cuestionario validado por expertos y confiabilidad alfa de Cronbach (0,71). La variable investigada fue factores asociados a la no adherencia a terapia antirretroviral, la propuesta fue una política pública basada en la Teoría de Madeleine Leininger. Se utilizaron estadísticas descriptivas (promedio, desviación estándar) e inferencial (prueba de comparación de promedios para varianzas homogéneas Shapiro-Wilk y prueba F para comparación de varianzas de 1 cola). Resultados: La edad promedio del paciente no adherente al tratamiento fue 21 años, significativamente mayor que la de los adherentes (18,2) años. El 80 por ciento de los que acudieron al curandero fueron no adherentes al tratamiento, el 50 por ciento fueron adherentes y acudieron al establecimiento sanitario. El 64 por ciento consumió tratamientos con productos elaborados con plantas, los que se consideraron no adherentes al tratamiento farmacológico, el 71 por ciento tomó otros tratamientos alternos. Conclusión: Se propuso una política pública transcultural según Teoría de Madeleine Leininger para prevenir factores asociados a la no adherencia a la terapia antirretroviral del VIH-sida de la etnia Amazónica Kusu Pagata(AU)

Introduction: One of the problems affecting Latin American indigenous peoples is the lack of epidemiological data regarding the prevalence of HIV-Aids, due to the fact that the information and surveillance systems do not register the ethnicity variable. Objective: To propose a cross-cultural public policy to prevent factors associated with non-adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy for HIV-Aids of the Amazon Kusu Pagata ethnic group. Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study with 18 residents diagnosed with HIV-Aids in the Kusu Pagata community, Peru. 2018-2019. An expertly validated questionnaire and Cronbach's alpha reliability (0.71) were applied. The variable investigated was factors associated with non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy; the proposal was a public policy based on the Theory of Madeleine Leininger. Descriptive (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (means comparison test for homogeneous Shapiro - Wilk variances and F-test for comparison of 1-tail variances) were used. Results: The average age of the patient not adherent to the treatment was 21 years, significantly higher than that of the adherents (18.2) years. 80.00 percent of those who went to the healer were non-adherent to the treatment, 50.00 percent were adherent and went to the health facility. 64.00 percent consumed treatments with products made with plants, those who were considered non-adherent to the pharmacological treatment, 71.00 percent took other alternative treatments. Conclusion: A cross-cultural public policy was proposed according to Madeleine Leininger's Theory to prevent factors associated with non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy for HIV-AIDS of the Amazon Kusu Pagata ethnic group(AU)

Referencia de los usos medicinales del chuchuhuasi (Maytenus macrocarpa) por curanderos del distrito de Santa María de Huachipa, Lurigancho, Lima - Perú: un estudio cualitativo / Information on medicinal uses of chuchuhuasi (Maytenus macrocarpa) from folk healers of the district of Santa María de Huachipa, Lurigancho, Lima - Peru: a qualitative study

RESUMEN Objetivo Indagar acerca de las principales indicaciones, propiedades y formas de uso del chuchuhuasi referidas por un grupo de curanderos de Santa María de Huachipa (Lima-Perú). Existen antecedentes de estudios de los usos medicinales del chuchuhuasi (Maytenus macrocarpa) en comunidades nativas de la Amazonía, tanto por el poblador como por indicación del terapeuta tradicional; sin embargo, las referencias del uso y propiedad medicinal del chuchuhuasi en la costa, y en la comunidad urbana son escasas. Materiales y métodos Diez curanderos participaron de forma voluntaria. Se aplicó un cuestionario (mediante entrevista) que indagó acerca del uso del chuchuhuasi (propiedades, efectos adversos, contraindicaciones y formas farmacéuticas). La participación se registró con videograbaciones y luego se transcribió; posteriormente, los datos se categorizaron mediante pares y se definieron por consenso. Resultados Las principales indicaciones de consumo de chuchuhuasi fueron los problemas respiratorios (80,00 %) y osteotendinosos. Las propiedades antiinflamatorias y afrodisíacas fueron las más relevantes; y como efecto adverso se reportó el mareo. El producto estaba contraindicado en gestantes, hipertensos y diabéticos. Además, las principales formas farmacéuticas de consumo fueron el macerado, la pomada y la infusión. Conclusiones Se encontró la referencia del uso del chuchuhuasi en un grupo de curanderos del distrito de Santa María de Huachipa (Lima-Perú). La indicación más importante de su empleo son los problemas respiratorios y se destaca su propiedad antinflamatoria.

ABSTRACT Objective To inquire the main conditions, properties and ways of consumption of chuchuhuasi from a group of folk healers of the district of Santa María de Huachipa (Lima - Peru). There are studies of the medicinal uses of chuchuhuasi (Maytenus macrocarpa) in native communities of the Amazon known by the inhabitants and indicated by folk healers. However, information on the medicinal uses and properties of chuchuhuasi on the coast and in urban communities is rare. Materials and methods Ten folk healers voluntarily participated in the study. An interview questionnaire was administered to inquire the use of chuchuhuasi (properties, adverse effects, contraindications and ways of consumption). The interview was recorded and then transcribed. Afterwards, the data was categorized by peers and defined by consensus. Results: The main conditions for consuming chuchuhuasi were respiratory tract (80 %) and osteotendinous junction problems. The most important properties of chuchuhuasi were its anti-inflammatory and aphrodisiac effects. Dizziness was reported as adverse effect. Chuchuhuasi was contraindicated in pregnancy, hypertension and diabetes. In addition, its main ways of consumption were as spirit, ointment and infusion. Conclusions Information on the medicinal uses of chuchuhuasi was obtained from a group of folk healers of the district of Santa María de Huachipa (Lima - Peru). The main condition for consuming chuchuhuasi was respiratory tract problems, and its anti- inflammatory properties were highlighted.