Decoding Shamanism: Psychedelics, Power, and the Architecture of Ritual - Manvir Singh

Описание: For a full summary and show links, go here:

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In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with anthropologist and author Dr. Manvir Singh about his new book Shamanism: The Timeless Religion. Together, they explore the cultural evolution of shamanism, its psychological universality, and how this ancient tradition continues to shape—and be shaped by—modern societies.

Manvir shares insights from his fieldwork with the Mentawai people of Indonesia and Amazonian Yopo shamans, unpacking the role of ritual, belief, and uncertainty in spiritual healing. The conversation also investigates the archaeological evidence behind ancient psychedelic use and debunks popular narratives around psychedelics in early Christianity.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:59 What Drew Manvir to Study Shamanism
04:06 Shamanism as a Psychological Universal
06:04 Shamans & Money Managers?
10:29 The Role of Otherness in Healing
14:41 Theater, Trance & Shamanic Performance
19:13 Carlos Castaneda & Fiction vs. Fact
20:12 Debunking the Immortality Key?
25:08 Why We Crave Ancient Psychedelic Lineage
28:46 Yopo Use & Archaeological Evidence
35:04 Ayahuasca’s Origins in the Amazon
40:16 San Pedro, Peyote & Ancient Evidence
45:12 Neo-Shamans vs Traditional Healers
51:05 The Shadow Side of Psychedelic Shamanism
58:59 Shamanism vs. Religion

Guest Bio:

Dr. Manvir Singh is an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of California, Davis. He holds a BA from Brown University and a PhD in human evolutionary biology from Harvard. His research explores religion, shamanism, and the evolution of human cooperation. Manvir has conducted fieldwork with Mentawai communities in Indonesia and studied psychedelic use in the Colombian Amazon. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Guardian, Wired, and leading academic journals. His first book, Shamanism: The Timeless Religion, was published in 2025.

Episode Links:
Manvir’s Website: https://manvir.org
Shamanism: The Timeless Religion: https://amzn.to/45S5IfX

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

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