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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How old is shamanism estimated to be?

2. It is typical for one or more spirits to help guide the shaman through what?

3. Which of the following does NOT help a shaman enter a shamanic state of consciousness?

4. Shaman's do not challenge the validity of someone else's what?

5. The author shows that all religious traditions share:

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the practice of rock-seeing?

2. Describe an environment that's conducive to the shaman being most effective while in a shamanic state of consciousness (SSC).

3. What is the participant of the exercise in Chapter 2 instructed regarding the end of the journey?

4. Describe Harner's experience of spiritually going to a cave beneath a waterfall with a Jivaro shaman.

5. What does a shaman do with the tsentak to help a patient?

6. Describe the roles of drumming and rattling in a shaman's work.

7. Prompted by similarities he found in books and accounts about shamanic experiences, what did Harner decide to do in order to learn more about shamanism?

8. Discuss what Harner says about the humility of shamanism?

9. How does a shaman take care of his or her tsentak?

10. In the step-by-step instructions for going on a first shamanic journey that the author supplies for the reader in Chapter 2, how does he ask the participant to prepare?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast shamanistic techniques for healing with traditional Western medicine practices. In our current society, is there room for both modalities to complement each other? Explain why or why not.

Essay Topic 2

Describe the deep connection between animals and a shaman.How do the special talents associated with a specific species assist a shaman? Offer examples. Can a shaman do his or her work effectively if this connection was not in place? Support your answer with examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

Describe similarities middle-class Americans who try shamanism report regarding the portal to Lowerworld and their firsthand experiences in non-ordinary reality. Why does the author emphasize these similarities? What do they convey regarding the nature of shamanism?

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