Ecstatic Religion: A Study of Shamanism and Spirit Possession [Paperback]

I.M. Lewis (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415301246 | ISBN-13: 978-0415301244 | Publication Date: February 1, 2003 | Edition: 3

States of spirit possession, in which believer's feel themselves to be 'possessed' by the deity and raised to a new plane of existence, are found in almost all known religions. From Dionysiac cults to Haitia voodoo, Christian and Sufi mysticism to shamanic ritual, the rapture and frenzy of ecstatic experience forms an iconic expression of faith in all its devastating power and unpredictability. Ecstatic Religion has, since its first appearance in 1971, became the classic investigative study of these phenomena. Exploring the social and political significance of spiritual ecstasy and possession, it concerns the distinct types of functions of mystical experience - in particular, the differences between powerful male-dominated possession cults which reinforce established morality and power, and marginal, renegade ecstatics expressing forms of protest on behalf of the oppressed, especially women. I. M. Lewis's wide-ranging comparative study looks at the psychological, medical, aesthetic, religious and cultural aspects of possession, and covers themes including soul-loss, ecstatic trance, divination, erotic passion and exorcism. Probing the mysteries of spirit possession through the critical lens of anthropological and sociological theory, this fully revised and expanded Third Edition is of crucial importance for students of psychology, sociology, religious mysticism and shamanism.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Well presented and ingeniously argued...in this excellent book there is much that is lively, sometimes even comic. Not only is Ecstatic Religion well written and lucid, but it states a case with vigour and is quite devoid of jargon.' - Times Literary Supplement on Ecstatic Religion: First Edition.

'This book is a fascinating study of the subkject from a variety of view points ... the author writes with intelligent insight and offers some thought-provoking questions.'

' ... in its third edition, this book has established its reputation as a classsic in at least two disciplines - social anthropology and religious studies.' - International Review of Biblical Studies

About the Author

I.M. Lewis is a former Professor of Anthropology and head of department at the London School of Economics.

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 3 edition (February 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415301246
• ISBN-13: 978-0415301244
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #869,976 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ecstatic Religion: A Study of Shamanism and Spirit Possessio, May 2, 2000

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"frederick-smith" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ecstatic Religion: A Study of Shamanism and Spirit Possession (Paperback)

I. M. Lewis's Ecstatic Religion is probably the most important place to begin study of the fields of spirit possession and shamanism. This book has deeply influenced the study of these fields of research since it was first published in 1971. Like most anthropologists, Lewis seeks to determine the social etiology and meaning of possession as well as its culturally determined psychological dimensions. He seriously examines trance, ecstasy, hypnosis, and shamanism, ultimately concluding that the latter shares an important process with possession-a reciprocity between gods and humans. He develops two contrasting psychosocial loci of possession which he labels "central" and "peripheral." Central possession, highly valued by some, supports prevailing political, moral, and religious beliefs, and views spirits as sympathetic to these. Peripheral possession indicates an invasion of evil spirits, undesirable, immoral, and dangerous. Lewis's work, while much cited and admired, has also been the target of extensive criticism. Perhaps primary among these criticisms is that his distinction between centrality and peripherality becomes highly ambiguous upon close contextual analysis. A second criticism is that many possession states do not share with shamanism the essential feature of reciprocity. A third criticism is that although Lewis is largely free from Western cultural biases, his characteristic terms "ecstasy" and "ecstatic" are drawn from Western theological discourse and cannot be applied unhesitatingly to many possession accounts. Lewis describes ecstasy as "those transports of mystical exaltation in which man's whole being seems to fuse in a glorious communion with the divinity" (15). This is similar to only a fraction of possession states observed in throughout the world. A fourth critique, and perhaps the sharpest one, is his association of possession with marginalized people, his assumption that possession provides the powerless with a means to symbolically express social, economic, or political oppression. While many of the contexts of possession worldwide seem to confirm this, the preponderance of the evidence in many countries bears this out in only the most superficial manner, possesssion, trance channeling, etc., have become increasingly middle-class phenomena. Nevertheless, this a very important and valuable book.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book, March 12, 2010

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H. Quade "harryq" (Baltimore,MD) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ecstatic Religion: A Study of Shamanism and Spirit Possession (Paperback)

Although this book is written of a higher educational level, it is still understandable, and well written. The book is very informitive, but is mainly of science minds, who don't know much about the real world where spirits do exist. What the book does point out is that it gives much knowledge of faked possession or believed possession, but it is uncertain if any of these possessions were in fact real spirit possessions at all, since we are not them so how can we know if these possessions is in fact real or not? As a psychic, I know what is real and what is not, and know full blown possession is very rare compare to the lesser possessions which are controalable.

As a wisdom seeker, I can say this is a good book. I will not say I agree 100 percent what others believe, for such has to be experienced in order to know if possession is real or not, other wise it is more of self belief that truth. In fact, possession has many levels, and the most common is in fact the ego. Which open the doors for spirit influences. I not getting into any new age belief all possession is real, for even new aga only knows of beliefs than experience, therefore I can't say all possession is, for any one can fake it, or believe to be possess, but only those who are wise and not believers, would know if one is truely possessed or not. Which only some psychics had experience, but also would know the difference of possession and emotional imbalance.

It is interesting to know how possession is used by many cutures, and how there seems to always be a blaim game to the cause of the possession and conflicts. Seems none knows about laws of karma? But this book is excellent for study.