In windswept Siberia (Russia's Far East, our west), shamans [from the Buddhist word shramans, "wandering ascetics," as distinct from "temple priests" called Brahmins] have for generations cured illnesses without touching their patients, sung with their diaphragms, and controlled the weather. Some can travel over long distances and even levitate, hovering above birch trees. They regularly communicate with good and harmful "spirits." One of them, Tyurgen, manages to balance shamanism with life in industrial Chelyabinsk. Apart from his spiritual activities, he practices a unique musical style: electronic music with folk instruments, throat singing, and folklore-inspired lyrics. Meet an anthropologist who explains what really goes on in a shaman's brain when s/he is in a trance state.Friday, November 23, 2018
Shamans of Siberia: healers chosen by spirits
In windswept Siberia (Russia's Far East, our west), shamans [from the Buddhist word shramans, "wandering ascetics," as distinct from "temple priests" called Brahmins] have for generations cured illnesses without touching their patients, sung with their diaphragms, and controlled the weather. Some can travel over long distances and even levitate, hovering above birch trees. They regularly communicate with good and harmful "spirits." One of them, Tyurgen, manages to balance shamanism with life in industrial Chelyabinsk. Apart from his spiritual activities, he practices a unique musical style: electronic music with folk instruments, throat singing, and folklore-inspired lyrics. Meet an anthropologist who explains what really goes on in a shaman's brain when s/he is in a trance state.
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