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EWP 6537: ENTHEOGENIC SHAMANISM 3 Units Mondays 3 - 6 Pm, Room 307 Mission Building Spring, 2010

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EWP 6537: ENTHEOGENIC SHAMANISM 3 Units Mondays 3 - 6 Pm, Room 307 Mission Building Spring, 2010 EWP 6537: ENTHEOGENIC SHAMANISM 3 Units Mondays 3 - 6 pm, Room 307 Mission building Spring, 2010 Instructor: Susana Bustos, Ph.D. (510) 987-6900 – [email protected] Course Description: This course explores the fundamentals of shamanic and shamanic-oriented traditions whose practices are based on working with sacred visionary plants. While a deeper focus is placed on Amazonian ayahuasca shamanism, an overview of traditions that use peyote, sacred mushrooms, and iboga lays the foundation for a participatory inquiry and discussion of common threads in entheogenic shamanism. A variety of disciplines and approaches to the topic inform the survey of basic themes, such as the functions of visionary plants in shamanic cultures, cosmology, ritual context and the use of music, healing practices, and the integration of experiences. Cultural, philosophical, and psychological questions are addressed throughout the course, for example, shadow aspects of entheogenic shamanic practices, the ontological status of visionary experiences, and the implications of the spread of entheogenic practices into the West. Learning Objectives: After completing this course, students will be able to: 1. Understand the traditional framework that sustains the use of entheogens in shamanic practices. 2. Be familiar with a variety of approaches to explaining the effectiveness of these practices. 3. Critically assess entheogenic practices, particularly within shamanic-oriented contexts. Learning Activities: • Lecture, videos 40% • Discussion, students’ presentations: 45% • Experiential: 15% Level of Instruction: Ph.D. / M.A. Criteria for Evaluation: 1. Mid-term paper (4-6 pages) 20% 2. Final paper (15-20 pages) 40% 3. Class participation and presentations 40% Pre-requisites: None. Grading Options: OP. Required Texts: 1. Course Reader, available at Copy Central (2336 Market Street, between Castro and Noe. Phone #: 415-431-6725). 2. Furst, P. T. (Ed.) (1973-1990). Flesh of the Gods: The ritual use of hallucinogens. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press. 3. Lamb, F. B. (1974). The Wizard of the Upper Amazon: The story of Manuel Córdova-Ríos. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books. 1 Recommended Texts: Dobkin de Rios, M. (1984). Hallucinogens: Cross-cultural perspectives. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press. Harner, M. (Ed.). (1973). Hallucinogens and shamanism. New York: Oxford University Press. Harpignies, J. P. (Ed.). (2007). Visionary plant consciousness: The shamanic teachings of the plant world. Rochester, VT: Park Street Press. Lamb, F. B. (1985). Rio Tigre and beyond. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books. Luna, L. E. & White, S. F. (Eds.). (2000). Ayahuasca reader: Encounters with the Amazon’s sacred vine. Santa Fe, NM: Synergetic Press. McKenna, T. (1992). Food of the Gods: The search for the original tree of knowledge. A radical history of plants, drugs, and human evolution. New York: Bantam Books. Narby, J. (1998). The cosmic serpent: DNA and the origins of knowledge. New York: Jeremy Tarcher/Putnam. Narby, J., Kounen, J., & Ravalec, V. (2010). The psychotropic mind: The world according to ayahuasca, iboga, and shamanism (J. E. Graham, Trans.). Rochester, VT: Park Street Press. (Original work published 2008) Ravalec, V., Mallendi, & Paicheler, A. (2007). The visionary root of African shamanism (J. Cain, Trans.). Rochester, VT: Park Street Press. (Original work published 2004) Roberts, T. (Ed.). (2001). Psychoactive Sacramentals: Essays on entheogens and religion. San Francisco: Council on Spiritual Practices. Winkelman, M. (2000). Shamanism: The neural ecology of consciousness and healing. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey. Assignments: 1. Mid-Term Paper. Due 3 / 15. This 4 to 6 pages paper can be: a) a reflective response to Lamb’s The Wizard of the Upper Amazon, discussing one of the topics covered in weeks 1-6 of the course; b) an analysis of two or more shared aspects among traditions. 2. Presentations: Weeks 3-6: 2 students will do a 30 minutes presentation on each of the traditions to be covered that class. Presentations include the readings assigned, as well as a research bibliography. The presentation should give an overview of: cosmological and cultural aspects of the tradition, myths related to the primary entheogen used, ritual aspects, and the role of the shaman. Short videos, music, art, etc. may be used, as far as the structure of the overview is covered. Weeks 8-14: Students will do a 15 minutes presentation on a theme of their interest scheduled for that class. Presentations include possible readings assigned for that topic, research bibliography, and their own reflections and questions on the subject. 3. Final Paper. Due 5 / 12. Of 15 to 20 pages, this final assignment can be an essay or research paper on one or more of the subjects discussed in the course, or a topic pertinent to the objectives of the course. Students may also deepen and expand on their presentation themes. CIIS POLICIES: Mid-semester Evaluation of Instruction: Halfway through the course, students are to be given the opportunity to provide informal, verbal comments to the instructor in a constructive spirit. This is a time for the instructor to receive feedback on his or her efforts, and also a time for students to reflect upon their own. This conversation is to be facilitated by a student chosen by the class. The instructor is to leave the room (or be offline if the course is an online one) while the facilitator is selected. 2 Course Schedule and Readings 1. January 25 What is Entheogenic Shamanism? Entheogens and related concepts. Basic principles and features of shamanism. What is entheogenic shamanism? Approaches to the study of entheogens and shamanism: Motivations, problems, and challenges. Shamanistic use of entheogens through history. Traditional practices in a changing world. Overview of the course, discussion of assignments and agreements for a participatory inquiry learning modality throughout the course. Students’ introductions of their motivations and preliminary research interests. 2. February 1 Shamanism: Further considerations Psychosocial, healing, and spiritual functions of entheogenic shamanic practices. Shamanic states of consciousness and entheogens. Theories regarding the role of entheogens in the origins of religion and consciousness: La Barre, T. McKenna, and Winkelman. Readings: • La Barre, W., “Hallucinogens and the shamanic origins of religion” (pp. 261-278). (*Flesh of the Gods). • McKenna, T., “The search for the original tree of knowledge” (pp. 31-42). • Winkelman, M., “Pre-historical and cross-cultural use of psychointegrative plants” (pp. 18-26). 3. February 8 Peyote Traditions Overview of shamanic uses of peyote in North America. Peyote among the Huicholes of Mexico: Myths, cosmological, and cultural aspects; the peyote hunt, rituals, mara’akáme: the Huichol shaman. The Native American Church: Historical background, cosmological aspects, rituals, the roadman. Readings: • Furst, P. T., “To find our life: Peyote among the Huichol Indians of Mexico” (pp. 136-184). (*Flesh of the Gods). • Eger, S. & Collings, P. R., “Huichol women’s art” (pp. 35-53). • Bear Heart & Larkin, M., “The Peyote Way” (196-211). • Cousineau, P. & Rhine, G., “The peyote ceremony” (pp. 75-101). * February 15 President’s Day – No class (make up class: May 12) 4. February 22 Mushroom and Iboga Traditions Overview of shamanic uses of mushrooms around the world. María Sabina’s Mazatec veladas and the studies of Wasson and Estrada. Overview of shamanic uses of iboga in Africa. The Bwiti cult. Readings: • Wasson, G. R., “The divine mushroom of immortality” (pp. 185-200). (*Flesh of the Gods). • Estrada, A., Chapters 6, 8-11, 19-20 (pp. 46-50, 53-66, 90-97). • Fernandez, J. W., “Tabernanthe Iboga: Narcotic ecstasis and the work of the ancestors” (pp. 237-260). (*Flesh of the Gods). • Ravalec, V., Mallendi, & Paicheler, A., “The sacred root, Bwiti, and Ngenza.” “The holy wood story.” “Iboga rites.” (pp. 6-31). 5. March 1 Ayahuasca Traditions I Overview of shamanic uses of ayahuasca in the Amazon Basin. Ayahuasca among the Tukano people of Colombia: The work of Reichel-Dolmatoff. The Shipibo-Conibo people of Peru: Gebhardt-Sayer’s research. Readings: • Reichel-Dolmatoff, G., “The cultural context of an aboriginal hallucinogen: Banisteriopsis Caapi” (pp. 84-113). (*Flesh of the Gods). • Reichel-Dolmatoff, G., “The payé.” “Means of supernatural communication.” “Invocations and spells.” “Black magic.” (pp. 125-135, 150-157). • Gebhardt Sayer, A., “The geometric designs of the Shipibo-Conibo in ritual context” (pp. 143-175). 6. March 8 Ayahuasca Traditions II Peruvian mestizo Vegetalismo: The work of Luis Eduardo Luna and Marlene Dobkin de Rios. The shamanic aspects of the Santo Daime religion. 3 Readings: • Dobkin de Rios, M., “Curing with ayahuasca in an urban slum” (pp. 67-85). • Luna, L. E., “The supernatural realm” (pp. 73-95). • Goldman, J., “Preface” (pp. xx-xxxiii). • MacRae, E., “The Santo Daime rituals” (pp. 79-97). 7. March 15 Class Forum: Searching for Common Threads Among Traditions 9 Mid-term paper due! Readings: • Lamb, F. B., The Wizard of the Upper Amazon: The story of Manuel Córdova-Ríos. (*Complete book). * March 22 Spring Break – No class 8. March 29 Entheogens and Shamanic Cosmology Entheogenic “trance” and access to a living cosmology. Is there a difference from other forms of shamanic trance? The natural and the supernatural: Realms, beings, and relationships. Entheogenic cultures: Myth and ethical codes. The shaman’s role. Initiation and learning
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