Dubois, Thomas – DuBois has examined Saami engagements with Norse communities, arguing that there was far more contact than previously thought, to the point that creative religious exchange ensued. The practice of
Drury, Nevill (1947– ) – Australian author whose introductory and survey work on shamans, Pagans, and esotericism (e.g., The Elements of Shamanism, 1989; Magic and Witchcraft: From Shamanism to the Technopagans, 2003)
Drums and drumming – Rhythmic sounds and movements are commonplace in shamanic performance. In Mircea Eliade’s construction of shamanism as “the techniques of ecstasy,” the creation of rhythm is the primary technique
Dreams – Some people understand that to dream is to journey in the other world, or that the dream world is the real one and that what is seen there will happen
Dreaming, The – In Aboriginal Australian English, or in translations of Aboriginal traditional terms, the Dreaming refers to the process by which places and emplaced life was created, ordered, and socialized. It
Dowson, Thomas A. – South African archaeologist and rock art researcher. Dowson initially drew attention to enigmatic geometric imagery in Southern African rock art traditions and later, with David Lewis-Williams, proposed a
Don Juan – An alleged Yaqui sorcerer and informant to Carlos Castaneda and the central character in his prolific series of Don Juan books, including The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui
Doctors – In many indigenous cultures, shamans are healers. As the local equivalent of Western doctors, they seek the causes and cures of illnesses. However, since their medical practice exists in an
Dobkin de Rios, Marlene (1939– ) – American medical anthropologist and clinical psychologist; professor of anthropology at California State University, Fullerton. Best known for her interest in ayahuasca and other plant use
Dismemberment – A common feature of many stories of initiations, especially of shamans. Powerful other-than-human persons, ancestors, or spirits take the prospective initiate (often against their will) and tear or cut them
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