Shamanism: The Timeless Religion

Speaker: Manvir Singh, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Davis What is shamanism and why has it endured across cultures and centuries? In this talk, anthropologist Manvir Singh will explore the origins and future of the world’s oldest spiritual tradition. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Indonesia, as well as trips to locations as varied as Colombia, India, and Burning Man, Singh explains what makes shamanism so psychologically resonant and why it will always re-emerge, including in industrialized, Western societies. This talk offers a fascinating look at spirituality, belief, and the mind, drawn from Singh’s new book Shamanism: The Timeless Religion (Knopf, 2025). Books will be available for purchase and signing following the program.

Geological Lecture Hall 

Harvard Museums of Science & Culture

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Shamanism: The Timeless Religion

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