Belief in the otherworldly originated about 60 thousand years ago. Its earliest manifestations were reflected in animism, ancestor worship, fetishism and shamanism. For many centuries, shamans have acted as spiritual teachers and keepers of the tribe’s knowledge, their main difference from druids is working with spiritual entities. Nowadays, among the most famous manifestations of shamanism, it is worth noting the traditional beliefs of the Buryats, African tribes, and the teachings of Carlos Castaneda.

If we consider the world from the point of view of occultism, shamans are practitioners who actively interact with otherworldly forces. As a rule, these are spirits associated with a specific locality, or spirits of the elements (fire, water, wind, etc.).

Any spirit, as a being of the immaterial world, has its own wave length and moments of interaction with the surrounding material world that are inaccessible to a regular person. Shamans use the power of spirits as a key that allows them to make changes in the world or perform a ritual for which their own strength and knowledge are not enough. 

Becoming a shaman is an extremely complex and sometimes painful process, fraught with spiritual metamorphoses and inner rebirth.  For this, in addition to the will of man, the consent of spirits and entities inhabiting the immaterial world is necessary. Each being of the astral plane has its own interests, so the work of a shaman involves taming their own desires and finding a compromise with the spirits. 

At the same time, a person who has become the chosen one of the spirits can undergo various changes of consciousness, often perceived as a disease. For example, fever, which is often popularly called shamanic disease. The very process of learning shamanism is akin to traveling inside yourself and learning the nature of the spirits with whom you communicate and work. It is important to remember that nothing in this world is free, therefore, each spirit demands some form of payment. For some it is a sacrifice, for others it is a vow or a fast, it all depends on the chosen action and the spirit itself.

1) Honour the Father-heaven and Mother-earth in any manifestations and hypostases.

2) There are no bad religions, we are all brothers.

3) Every process in the world has its own spirit and source.

4) Do not commit evil and the ways of your ancestors will be open to your soul.

5) The strength of the family chooses the strong in spirit.

6) The soul of the world is always open to the seeker.

The ritual of inviting spirits. Under ritual music, or in a trance state, a novice shaman is connected with spirits who will help him in this life. At the same time, the ritual may include both fumigation with herbs and consuming ritual psychedelic drinks. 

The rain ritual. In Buryat beliefs, the snail is considered the mistress of the rain. A snail is brought from the forest, and then put it in a container with leaves and spring water. The container itself is placed in a hole dug in the ground. When the sun reaches its zenith, the shaman sprinkles moisture on the snail from the ritual bowl and calls on it to send the long-awaited rain to the earth. If the rain does not start within 24 hours, the ritual is repeated again and again.  After the deity has mercy, and rain falls from the clouds, the snail is carried with thanks and honours to the place where it was found.

The rite of purification by fire. As a rule, the ceremony includes dancing by the fire and singing a meditative song. The rite involves cleansing the astral body and the human soul in the fire.

Of the most famous, it is worth mentioning the island of Olkhon, which is a holy place for Buryat shamans. 

The teachings of the Latin American esotericist Carlos Castaneda, who told stories and described practices related to shamanism in Latin America, became quite popular. 

Tuvan Nikolay Oorzhak, master of Tuvan throat singing, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Folk Medicine. 

Shamans were persecuted under the Soviet regime, as well as in the Warsaw Pact countries. Militant atheism often became the basis for hostility to shamans and followers of their teachings.