The spiritual leaders in traditional tribal cultures are the Shamans, or medicine men and women,
who are both gifted and learned in talents and skills
of divination, herbalism, hypnosis, psychic work,
and sorcery. In some places, these may be called
“Witch Doctors.” They are the village teachers, magicians, spirit guides, healers, and midwives. In particular, the Shaman uses altered states of consciousness (often aided by certain sacred medicine plants) to control psychic phenomena and travel to and from the spirit realm. The term originates with Siberian shamans, and specifically refers to Tibetan, Siberian, Mongolian, Inuit, and others.
