Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas is the first all-encompassing study of the shamans and tantrikas of the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal, the only culture in the world where both shamanic and tantric techniques are still alive and in full practice today. The result of eighteen years of field research, Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas is based not only on scientific observations but also on the authors' own participation in these shamanic rites and rituals. Shamanism is not an archaic "religion" but rather a system of practices from which Buddhism, Hinduism, and indeed the Nepali culture have borrowed fundamental tenets. This book examines shamanism in Nepal from an interethnic perspective, presenting the voices and practices of five ethnic groups-the Gurung, Tamang, Kirati, Sherpa, and Newari. This book is also the first to explain the shamanic background of thangka painting and includes descriptions of the natural and emotional forces portrayed by the deities in the thangkas, the ritual uses of these images, and the techniques employed to paint them. Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas also provide new ethnographic information about the ritual objects and material culture of the Nepali people, and it documents the rich variety of psychoactive plants used in shamanic ceremonies. Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas allow us to travel into the depths of the consciousness and life work of five shamans, all of whom are among the most powerful and respected people in their ethnic groups. In addition to these shamans, with the help of Mohan Rai, the founder and director of the Shamanistic Studies Research Centre in Kathmandu, the authors also interview members of numerous ethnic groups from this region who share their stories and knowledge of the different practices of the their tribes. The book provides the first photographic documentation of esoteric rituals, such as the midnight graveyard ritual dedicated to Shiva, and describes a pilgrimage to the most sacred mountain of the Nepali shamans, Mount Kalinchok. In addition, the authors explore the soma myth and reveal that soma is not a single hallucinogenic substance but a blend of consciousness-altering plants. Augmenting the text are numerous photos-never before published-of shamanic healing ceremonies, ritual objects, and culturally significant plants. Christian Rätsch then provides a wealth of original recipes, smoking mixtures, scientific tables, charts, and descriptions of more than twenty plants whose psycho-active properties and uses by shamans are described and documented here for the first time. Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas is lavishly illustrated with more than fifty color thangkas, which serve as visual guides to the shamans and those following their ways. These thangkas-many of which are contemporary masterpieces by Surendra Bahadur Shahi, one of the leading thangka painters of Nepal-reveal specific practices of the tantric as well as shamanic traditions. Claudia Müller-Ebeling offers an ethnographic approach to the rich tradition of Nepali thangka painting. Together with Surendra Bahadur Shahi, she reveals for the first time the secret history of these paintings, proving that they originated within the tradition of shamanism, not within Tibetan Buddhism, as is assumed. Surendra Bahadur Shahi also provides a glimpse into ongoing thangka painting, demonstrating how this ancient art continues to flourish today.
