ANTH 4751 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Knowledge Engineering, Scholarly Approaches Of Mysticism, Magic 8-Ball
Document Summary
Variety of forms of divination - tarot/palm reading. Shamanism reading by laurel kendall remarries, either from man or children. Because we want to know the future and the present. Ghosts causing affliction (illness, burns, accidents) in the physical world and need to be placated. Ritual/ceremonies where shaman (usually female) contacts spirits to fix problems. Second wife speaks to first wife; given voice to neglect and mistreatment of a wife when a man. Ancestors - venerate through household shrine, rice offerings to honor them. Ghosts - people that left things behind, died wrongly, dissatisfied spirits. Often times found in societies that are small-scale; no surplus. Often chosen/direct training from spirit world; rather than priests who go into seminaries. Wounded healers - have had severe life trauma; makes them extra susceptible to the spirits. Fluid (good/bad) and not necessarily epitome of virtue. Bridging the spiritual and physical worlds; mediate between worlds. Use trance and some kind of ritual paraphernalia.
