Siberian Shamanism: the Shaman’s Journey Through Three Worlds

What does it mean to cross the boundary between the visible and the invisible?Siberian Shamanism explores one of the oldest spiritual traditions in human history through an anthropological, symbolic, and philosophical perspective rooted in the cultures of Northern Asia.Far beyond stereotypes and romanticized interpretations, this book examines the cosmology, rituals, symbols, and worldview of the Siberian shamanic traditions developed among peoples such as the Evenki, Sakha (Yakuts), Buryats, Altai, and Tuvans.Through themes such as: - the journey between the three worlds, - the shamanic drum, - spirit allies and animal guides, - initiation and spiritual transformation, - healing rituals and soul retrieval, - death and the afterlife, - the cosmic tree and the structure of the universe, the book reveals how shamanism functioned not merely as belief, but as a relational system connecting human beings, nature, community, and invisible dimensions of existence.At the same time, the work critically explores the transformation of shamanic traditions in the modern world, distinguishing historical Siberian practices from contemporary neo-shamanic reinterpretations.Combining anthropology, symbolism, spirituality, and reflections on modernity, Siberian Shamanism does not offer techniques to imitate, but structures to understand.Because the journey between worlds may also reflect the human search for meaning itself.Originally published in Italian, this English edition preserves the philosophical depth and narrative atmosphere of the original work while adapting it for an international readership.