Singh is a brilliant young scholar and a gifted writer and this remarkable book will change how you think about religion spirituality consciousness and human nature Paul BloomWhat are the origins of shamanism and what is its future Do shamans believe in their powers What exactly is trance And what can we learn from indigenous healing practicesIn this enlightening book anthropologist Manvir Singh offers a new explanation for one of the most misunderstood religious traditions. Travelling from Indonesia to the Amazon living with shamans and observing music drug use and indigenous curing ceremonies he journeys into the origins of shamanism. Fundamentally shamans are specialists who use altered states to engage with unseen realities and provide services like healing and divination.