the world of darkness and who has fearlessly confronted his own shadow as much as the diabolic of others, and who can successfully work with the powers of darkness and light.” (Jamie Sams). The Cambridge Encyclopedia defines shamans as “A person to whom special powers are attributed for communicating with the spirits and influence them dissociating his soul from his body. The spirits help him do his chores which include discovering the cause of sickness, hunger and any disgrace, and prescribing an appropriate cure. They are found among the Siberians and other Asiatic people; his activity also evolves among many other religions and with other names.”
The assumption is that the world is pervaded by forces or spirits that affect the lives of the living, and that shamans act as intermediaries between humans and such ghostly entities. The shaman’s spirit can leave the body to enter the supernatural world to search for answers. Many believe that shamans can treat illness and can enter paranormal spheres to seek answers not found on earth. That’s what shamans do and that’s what shamanism all about. According to some, the word shaman originated among the Siberian Tungus (Evenks) and literally means ‘he or she who knows’.
Dhami-Jhankri of Nepal
In Nepal, shamanism is the traditional religion of many of ethnic groups and is widely practiced in the eastern and western hills. Usually wearing a headdress of peacock feathers, they are called jhankri, or dhami, and they carry a double-sided drum. As healers, they examine animal entrails for signs, gather medicinal plants, perform sacrifices, exorcize demons, and chant magical incantations to invoke deities, besides conducting many other rituals. As