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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. What is the name of the Jivaro shaman Harner works with?

2. Why does a shaman enter a shamanic state of consciousness?

3. What is the purpose of rattles used during a shaman's work?

4. How is a shamanic state of consciousness, or SSC, achieved?

5. Why might a shaman work in darkness?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the main functions and activities of a shaman, as described in Chapter 3?

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

3. Explain the connection between an individual and his or her guardian spirit.

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

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

6. Who is Akachu, and how does he help Harner?

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

8. Harner says that apprentice shamans report similarities in how they get out of difficulties. What are some of the difficulties he mentions?

9. What are other names the author mentions for guardian spirits, and what cultures call them by these alternate names?

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

When the shaman journeys to the Lowerworld, he or she passes through a portal that has a physical component and an imagined aspect. Both are significant to the shaman. Answer the following:

1. What might the Lowerworld portal look like in ordinary or physical reality?

2. How have different shamans seen the portal in non-ordinary reality?

3. What is the significance of passing through the portal into the Lowerworld?

Essay Topic 2

Harner explains that in most shamanic cultures, it's important that people are woken up slowly. Explain why. Also, explain the connection between the belief that power animals travel and the reason for waking someone up gradually.

Essay Topic 3

The author strives to show commonalities between the world's various shamanic traditions and systems.

Part 1) Describe spiritual and practical commonalities Harner describes between different shamanic traditions.

Part 2) Why do you think there are similarities in shamanism even between cultures that are geographically separated and have had no contact with each other?

(see the answer keys)

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