A Report on the Practice of Shamanism in Africa and Beyond
International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Studies November 3, 2025 Sharleen A Harty, Jock Matthew Agai
Shamanism, among the earliest healing practices, originated with African bushmen like the Kalahari Kung and continues through trance dancing and medicinal substances. Traditional Chinese Medicine, about 5,000 years old, uses herbs or acupuncture to generate qi (life force) with tailored treatments. In contrast, Western medicine, roughly 100 years old, divides healing into specialties, often prescribing expensive therapies and surgeries, with decisions influenced by profit margins. The 18th-century mystic Swedenborg, after a scientific career, documented journeys to Heaven, describing Africans in spirit form as having highly developed inner sight for accepting heavenly truths. Healing, many traditional cultures agree, should be offered freely or traded fairly, as high prices are rarely humane. This paper reports on individuals' experiences with healing and beliefs, offering guides to alternative methods.