Download or read book The Origins of Shamanism, Spirit Beliefs, and Religiosity written by H. Sidky and published by Lexington Books. This book was released on 2017-06-21 with total page 267 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The Origins of Shamanism, Spirit Beliefs, and Religiosity, H. Sidky examines shamanism as an ancient magico-religious, divinatory, medical, and psychotherapeutic tradition found in various parts of the world. Sidky uses first-hand ethnographic fieldwork and scientific theoretical work in archaeology, cognitive and evolutionary psychology, and neurotheology to explore the origins of shamanism, spirit beliefs, the evolution of human consciousness, and the origins of ritual behavior and religiosity.