Chapter 7, Extracting Harmful Intrusions Summary and Analysis

One of the major purposes for shamanic healing is extracting harmful intrusions. Intrusions are similar to Western medicine's infections. Seeing the two approaches as symbiotic rather than conflicting, Harner suggests that treatment should be both ordinary and nonordinary. These intrusions most often occur in areas of dense population where "radiated hostility" harms people. People need to be shielded from these intrusions as well as have them extracted when they enter a person. Again, the parallels with Western medical inoculations and treatment are apparent. The author recommends only serious shamans who have mastered the shamanic journey and guardian work undertake the extraction of intrusions.

Wild, undomesticated plants acts as spirit helpers in extracting intrusions. Normally only shamans possess these plants. The physical ritual involves selecting specimens; first visiting with them until the spiritual and ordinary forms...