2. Spiritual responses to individual misfortune: Healers and Shamans January 29, 2001

3. In your papers, I expect you to demonstrate you have done the reading (use referenced quotations and paraphrases, draw on ideas that occur only in the reading) demonstrate you have paid attention to and reflected on the content of the films use and apply concepts and examples presented in lecture use at least 1-2 examples per page write clearly and in full sentences entirely avoid plagiarism

4. Context for this week Last week: spiritual belief and collective experience/misfortune This week: spiritual belief and individual affliction/sickness The importance of healing in religious experience Belief versus effectiveness (will explore more on Wed) Context for film

5. Types of spiritual and non- biomedical healers Mediums and shamans One kind of medium: prayer-healers (layer- on-of-hands) Knowers and users of the ‘powers of nature’: magic and herbs combinations

6. Spirit mediums and shamanic voyagers In order to heal, one must tap the power of spirits They take over the body: the spirit medium (Ex: Mae Menina) Healer’s soul goes to them: the shamanic voyage (Ex: Hmong)

7. Becoming a shaman or medium Signs at birth or in youth (Maria 1) Being chosen by spirits: the “wounded healer” syndrome (Maria 2) apprenticeship

8. Altered states of consciousness Changes in consciousness Modes of stimulating ASCs: meditation, chanting, drumming, dancing, swinging, hallucinogens, combinations

9. Tapping the impersonal powers of the cosmos Knowers of magic –Aguaruna healer Herbalists –Amazonian herbalist

10. Emic etiologies of sickness (review) Resisting the spirit –response: “domesticate” spirit (as with Maria 2) Unsettled relations with the dead –neglect (Tallensi -- make offerings) –unresolved issues (response: communicate) soul-loss –response: Negotiate with spirits for return of human souls Attacks by evil spirits –response: send spirits to battle attackers

11. Emic etiologies, cont. exposure to evil eye, negative energies/fluids –response: sweep away evil fluids intrusive sorcery attacks –response: extract the evil intrusions

12. As you watch “Spirit Doctors” Please feel free to think of and ask any question you’d like; but in particular, I’d like you to reflect on this: Why might the cures presented in the film sometimes actually WORK?