Shamanism in the 21st Century: the Figure of Shaman in Society

The article is devoted to shamanism as one of the oldest religious forms on earth. The article briefly presents the general concept of shamanism and its structure. Special attention is paid to the figure of the shaman, his role and functions in traditional society. Briefly described are the possible ways of becoming a shaman, initiation rites, the concept of “shamanic disease”, and attributes of shamans. After presenting the general concept of shamanism and the role of the shaman in history, considered is the current position of shamanism in society. The author notes the impoverishment of traditional shamanism in the modern world, as well as its transformation due to changes in society in the 21st century. These facts are associated with the emergence of new phenomena such as neoshamanism and technosamanism, which directly came out of traditional shamanism. This article is a revised version of the report that was presented at the V Scientific and Theological Conference of the Historical Society of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, held on May 31, 2019.