Prophets, shamans, spiritual leaders of various traditions, legendary mythological figures.

 

Throughout history these people had a place and a role in society, but as spirituality wanes in our times, what's their purpose now? What is the biology behind the experiences that make them who they are? And how can someone who's lost a part of their humanity find their place in this world? +19 In a modern world that often equates human value with productivity, the purpose of a spiritual leader has evolved from a tribal intermediary to that of a secular guide for wholeness. They help modern individuals anchor themselves in a hyper-connected, yet increasingly fragmented, society.The Biology of TranscendenceSpiritual leaders and visionaries throughout history, such as shamans and prophets, are often individuals whose brains have undergone distinct alterations to enter unique states of consciousness. This phenomenon is studied by the field of neurotheology:The "Oneness" Circuit: Brain imaging research shows that transcendent experiences (feeling a connection to the universe, God, or a larger whole) map to a biological circuit centered in the parietal cortex. This area normally helps you distinguish where your body ends and the rest of the world begins. During spiritual states, activity here dramatically decreases, erasing the boundaries of the self.Neuroplasticity and the Brain's Core: Repetitive spiritual practices like meditation, chanting, or focused prayer activate the prefrontal cortex (for attention and regulation), the amygdala (for emotional processing), and even increase the size of the hippocampus, which builds resilience against depression and anxiety.Endogenous Trance States: Shamans historically used rituals or plant medicines to induce "soul journeys". Modern science shows that these altered states of consciousness correlate with synchronized slow-wave brain activity and shifts in the autonomic nervous system. These shifts trigger the release of the brain's natural "feel-good" chemicals, acting like an innate pharmacological reset.The Modern PurposeWhen spirituality or traditional religion wanes, the core role of the shaman or prophet shifts to addressing the modern crisis of meaning. Rather than acting merely as conduits for the supernatural realm, modern "prophetic" figures—such as psychotherapists, philosophers, environmentalists, and community healers—serve as cultural compasses.Their purpose is now to:Challenge the Status Quo: Like ancient prophets, modern guides push back against systemic apathy, greed, and ecological destruction to advocate for a renewed, compassionate humanity.Provide Integration: They act as guides who help others reconnect their minds, bodies, and communities, offsetting the societal reliance on technology and hyper-individualism.Finding Your Place After Losing Your HumanityIf you are feeling alienated, disconnected, or as though you have lost a fundamental part of your humanity, you can use actionable steps rooted in both ancient practice and modern psychology to heal:Practice Grounding and Somatic Therapy: Connect the mind and body to the present through somatic exercises, breathwork, or being in nature. These activities engage the periaqueductal grey and the vagus nerve, which regulate feelings of safety and connectedness.Cultivate Altruistic Engagement: The best way to break out of a disconnected, isolated state (often called an ego-trap) is to serve others. Volunteering or participating in collective, community-focused goals naturally activates the brain's reward centers.Immerse Yourself in Awe-Inspiring Environments: Actively seek out experiences that induce "awe" (vast landscapes, art, or deep music). Awe naturally quiets the default mode network—the part of the brain that loops negative or self-referential thoughts—allowing you to feel like a meaningful part of a larger whole.Engage in Deep Reflection: Take time to explore your core values and realign your personal compass. Resources from organizations like the Neurotheology Research Center or community mindfulness groups can provide scientific and spiritual frameworks to help you process your place in the modern universe.

Spiritual leaders and visionaries now serve as modern "meaning-makers," translating abstract existential dread into personal resilience, community connection, and psychological grounding. Biologically, their profound experiences often stem from specific neurological states, such as the transient hyperfrontality and temporal lobe activation associated with deep meditation, trance, or altered states of consciousness.For those seeking to reconnect with their humanity, grounding practices—such as mindfulness, community service, and intentional reflection—can help rebuild empathy and purpose.Explore the planned dimensions of this transformation below:I. The MythHistorically, visionaries and shamans acted as bridges between the mundane and the transcendent. They were the community’s healers, visionaries, and archivists of collective memory. As organized spirituality evolves, their purpose has shifted from interpreting divine omens to navigating the complexities of modern existentialism. Today, these figures serve as psychological guides, helping individuals find meaning in an increasingly digital, hyper-connected, yet isolating world.II. The BiologyProfound spiritual or mystical experiences are deeply rooted in human neurobiology. Key biological mechanisms include:The Default Mode Network (DMN): Practices like deep meditation or the use of entheogens are shown to downregulate the DMN, which is responsible for the ego and the separation between self and the world. This deactivation allows for feelings of interconnectedness and "ego dissolution."Temporal Lobe Activity: Elevated electrical activity in the temporal lobes—often referred to historically as the "God spot"—is frequently linked to experiences of hearing voices, witnessing visions, or feeling a higher presence.Neurotransmitter Shifts: Profound awe, trance states, and spiritual epiphanies are accompanied by surges of dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, fostering states of deep empathy, bliss, and altered perception.III. Contemporary AccountsModern equivalents of these ancient figures no longer exist solely in remote forests or traditional temples. Today's "spiritual leaders" include secular mindfulness facilitators, trauma-informed somatic therapists, and community advocates. Rather than claiming divine intervention, these contemporary guides help people navigate burnout, grief, and societal alienation through evidence-based mindfulness, community building, and mental health advocacy.IV. Personal AccountsFor an individual who feels they have lost a part of their humanity, rediscovering one's place in the world requires active cultivation of self and community. Personal transformation often follows a three-step integration process:Somatic Grounding: Reconnecting the mind and body through breathwork, yoga, or time in nature to regulate the nervous system.Community Connection: Engaging in shared, vulnerable human experiences—such as volunteering or joining support groups—to rebuild empathy and reduce isolation.Values Identification: Intentionally defining personal values and actively practicing them in daily life to restore a sense of purpose and direction.V. SourcesTo further explore the intersection of neuroscience, history, and modern spirituality, consider reviewing these resources:Neuroscience & Spirituality: Read research from Johns Hopkins Medicine regarding the impact of psilocybin and meditation on the brain and DMN.Modern Meaning: Explore the sociological and psychological insights provided by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, which investigates the psychology of awe, connection, and humanity.Historical Context: For a deep dive into the historical role of shamans and visionaries, refer to the anthropological works of Mircea Eliade, available through academic publishers like JSTOR.

The intended moral/conclusion of the story isn't so much "we need to return to mysticism", but it is more so about rituals(like yearly holidays), symbolism, need for immaterial (emotions etc) so important for humans they wane without it. One of the examples I use is the experiments where newborns died just because they weren't shown enough affection.

But also because schizos legitimately had a place in society back then. (ie some individuals we would find today insane influenced culture a lot) I wonder if I can help restore some of their identity tbh

 

I am kinda just drafting rn though so I am not sure where I'm going exactly right now

It sounds like you are exploring the profound human need for connection, meaning, and structured belonging. Your ideas touch on several fascinating intersections of psychology, anthropology, and sociology. Here is a quick, structured breakdown of your themes to help focus your thoughts:Key Themes in Your DraftThe Necessity of Ritual: Yearly holidays and traditions anchor us, offering a psychological reset and a shared sense of community.The Immaterial Needs: Just as newborns fail to thrive without physical affection (often referred to as failure to thrive or hospitalism), human adults experience a spiritual or emotional wasting away without intangible connections like art, emotion, and symbolism.Repositioning "Insanity": Historically, individuals with severe mental illnesses or neurodivergence (whom you referenced via schizophrenia) were often integrated into communities. They were sometimes viewed as shamans, oracles, or seers rather than just "ill."Psychological & Historical ContextAffection Deprivation: Your point about newborns is backed by psychology. The famous, albeit controversial, maternal-deprivation experiments by Harry Harlow in the 1950s—alongside observations by René Spitz on hospitalism—demonstrated that infant primates and human babies literally withered away without tactile affection and emotional bonding.Historical Roles of the "Insane": Anthropologists and historians have long noted that many indigenous and ancient societies had specific, revered roles for individuals who experienced alternate realities or extreme states of mind. Instead of being marginalized, their "visions" were often interpreted as messages from the spiritual realm.Ways to Develop Your Ideas FurtherExplore the Work of Anthropologists: Look into Mircea Eliade's writings on shamanism, or the works of Julian Jaynes, which explore how the human brain historically processed voices and visions.Look at Modern Alternatives: You might find the Soteria House model interesting. It was a radical, community-based alternative to psychiatric wards for people experiencing acute psychosis, emphasizing social support and human connection rather than just medication.Cultural Anthropology: Research how different cultures (like those documented by the anthropologist Michael Harner) view altered states of consciousness.

surprised chatgipiti landed on the word neurodivergence, i was actually thinking of reframing the book this way so i dont sound like a religious nutcase. make it sound more like an actual study or something

The intended moral/conclusion of the story isn't so much we need to return to mysticism , but it is more so about rituals(like yearly holidays), symbolism, need for immaterial (emotions etc) so important for humans they wane without it. One of the examples I use is the experiments where newborns died just because they weren t shown enough affection. But also because schizos legitimately had a place in society back then. (ie some individuals we would find today insane influenced culture a lot) I wonder if I can help restore some of their identity tbh I am kinda just drafting rn though so I am not sure where I m going exactly right now. surprised chatgipiti landed on the word neurodivergence, i was actually thinking of reframing the book this way so i dont sound like a religious nutcase. make it sound more like an actual study or something It sounds like you are exploring the evolutionary, psychological, and sociological importance of the sacred—focusing on rituals, symbolism, and the human need for the immaterial. Your draft touches on fascinating themes that bridge anthropology, psychology, and history.Here is a breakdown of how you can reframe your ideas into a grounded, academic tone while moving away from religious connotations or clinical jargon like "neurodivergence":1. The Power of Rituals & SymbolismInstead of framing yearly holidays and rituals through a mystical lens, discuss them as evolutionary adaptations for social cohesion and psychological regulation.The Concept: Rituals provide predictability, reinforce community bonds, and allow humans to collectively process complex emotions.Academic framing: "Sociological and anthropological frameworks demonstrate that collective rituals and shared symbols are foundational to maintaining mental health and societal resilience."2. The Necessity of the ImmaterialThe newborn affection deprivation experiments you are referring to are known as the historical studies on maternal deprivation or failure to thrive (often associated with René Spitz’s 1940s research on orphaned infants).The Concept: Humans have a biological, not just physical, need for emotional connection, empathy, and meaning.Academic framing: "Developmental psychology highlights the critical role of emotional attunement and tactile affection in human neurodevelopment. Without immaterial needs met, physiological deterioration occurs."3. The Societal Role of "Atypical" IndividualsYour point about individuals with severe mental illnesses or altered states of consciousness (schizophrenia is a strong clinical example) is a widely discussed topic in medical anthropology and the history of psychology.The Concept: In many ancient or indigenous cultures, individuals experiencing profound psychosis or altered realities were often integrated into the community as shamans, oracles, or visionaries because their experiences were channeled into cultural storytelling.Academic framing: "Anthropological perspectives suggest that before modern institutionalization, societies often found functional roles for individuals experiencing anomalous psychological states. Exploring how these individuals historically influenced culture provides insight into the diverse spectrum of human cognition and social integration."How to Move Forward with Your BookLean into Anthropology & Sociology: Books like Émile Durkheim’s Elementary Forms of Religious Life or Mircea Eliade's work on the sacred can provide excellent, strictly academic scaffolding for why rituals and symbolism are vital to humans.Use Historical Case Studies: Frame the inclusion of "insane" individuals in the past not as a mystical calling, but as a historical testament to how different societies have managed and valued neurocognitive diversity.Explore Evolutionary Psychology: Look into studies on why humans evolved to require meaning, ritual, and community.This approach shifts your work from feeling like a religious text or an overly clinical diagnosis to an engaging socio-historical study of human nature.

Has the experience of writing a book changed you in a way?

How'd it go?

I've only been at it for 3 days. I guess I started feeling anxiety over whether my point truly goes across well, and whether I do not seem too "spiritual'... I'm gonna rephrase some things.

It's okay so far

""Man doesn't live by just bread" as the saying goes.

Yes, eccentrics and literal mad people were treated differently. But I'm not sure many holy men of the past would qualify as schizophrenics. If we think of Christian sainthood the Church did rigorous investigations whats going on, and they had the idea of being mad. Shamans either, they were useful members of their society doing a service. This reminded me you might wanna research on drug use too.

 

No need for that. Just formulate your thought you feel its the best.

By schizos I don't necessarily mean literal schizophrenics, but mentally odd folk, yeah, which is kinda overlapping with schizotypy though. But that needs to be evaluated on a case by case basis.

So far, one of my examples is Ezekiel, the prophet. At 30 years he had a strange experience where God told him to warn Israel about not taking faith seriously, and then he became mute for 7 years, he did odd stuff like frying food on top of feces, etc.

 

Now I have to say I don't want this to be taken as some sort of accusation that they were "just" mad, not really prophets. I'd like to introduce the idea that neurology is perhaps a way God grants certain skills to humans, and nothing is wrong in exploring God's design.

 

But yeah I get your point that there needs to be careful nuance here, I'd like to look into the rigorous investigations that they did and study it myself.

Food for thought,what you or society in general considers as Mad or insane,crazy,schizophrenic or whatever is subjective as is most things in general.

Good luck on your book

Update?

I see what you say.

Feces, especially dung, is flammable when dried. In areas with lack of firewood they often resort using it, like they use yak dung in Tibet. Perhaps Ezekiel was in circumstances where doing so was actually a smart idea, except posterity find this strange.

People are the product of their time and place, their zeitgeist, it's good to keep in mind when we are trying to form a picture of the past.

 

There is this book I skimmed some time ago, about humour and jokes in the Antiquity and the Medieval. One of the point of the author was that we are missing, don't recognize lots of things in historical sources that was humorous for the author and contemporary readers. We just simply don't know, our views are different and we lost much of the context.

Dung is like mud kinda

Oh that's an important detail actually

Tbh it's a good thing I want to focus more on the biological aspect of this phenomenon than the historical one

 

I actually did try looking for some theological analyses on this stuff but didn't find anything good yet... I liked Robinson's story of Lazarus, but he's a preacher rather than a theologian.

Maybe I'll focus on this later. If anyone has recommendations I'd be happy to see them

Dung is processed plant material, carbohydrates and such, chiefly. Human feces too is organic. And both has a good amount of water in it.

If you think about it we consume fuel (proteins, fat, carbs - all containing Carbon) and our body burns it to free energy from it. The bonds between the atoms in the molecules hold the energy and as the bonds break, as we break down the molecules during digestion the energy gets freed up. Now digestion doesn't just happen in the stomach, because the fuel gets to the cells and the cells themselves processes them too. For the whole thing we need oxygen - because this is a process of burning, and we end up exhaling CO2.

All right this is a rough picture, but I hope Bernd gets it.

So the feces is what we can't process, but lotsa organic material containing carbon remains.

 

Mud is basically soil, which is a mix of organic and inorganic matter. Lotsa minerals, such as Calcium or Silicon. These don't burn this is why soil can't be used as fuel, not even when dry, unlike mud which is bunch of water as well.

 

Well, I'm looking forward hearing about how is it going.

I don't know this. And I sadly don't know anyone specifically.

Any updates?

I revised the contents and the direction a bit to make it more coherent.

Basically rn it's more like a list of questions. It makes it easier to decide what to write or research, but also I think it makes my goals come across better.

 

Neurological:

0) Can childhood delirium, infections, congenital blindness, etc alter development? (find some research here) What systems are involved in development? (I wanna fit emotions there somehow too)

1) What counts as a neurologically significant event and constraints? (instead of vague "experiences")

2) How do developmental cascades work? (ie how does long term change happen in a person, how they become who they are) Why do small biological differences sometimes produce large differences?

3) What alternative developmental pathways become possible when the brain develops under different constraints? (I have a good example - congenital blindness is extremely protective against schizophrenia)

 

Social:

1) How do cultures create roles for "unusual" people? (ie those who largely differ from others due to their developmental pathways)

2) What happens when society loses those roles?

I guess I could somehow use the fact that autism and schizophrenic spectrum are overrepresented in certain fields (engineering and creativity respectively)

 

Anthropological:

1) Why do shamans appear across cultures?

2) How does narrative shape outcomes? (someone acting as a shaman is basically a narrative)

 

Psychiatric:

1) When is a trait a disorder? What gets pathologized? What gets integrated?

2) What is the place of narrative in treatment? (Oliver Sacks was really huge about this)

3) What role do emotions play in psychiatric disorders?

 

Phenomenology:

1) Emotions as a missing sense (I just want to talk about my personal experience here)

 

Also I need to fit in developmental projection theory and developmental psychopathology.

 

I refuse to use the label acquired neurodivergence because if you google that around you'll mostly find quacks like holistic and naturopathic "doctors". I don't wanna be associated with those guys.

What's your beef with holistic and naturopathic "doctors"?

pseudoscientific

A holistic doctor treats the whole person—addressing physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. A Naturopathic Doctor (ND) is a licensed healthcare practitioner who blends modern scientific medical practices with natural and holistic therapies. They diagnose, prevent, and treat both acute and chronic illnesses by focusing on the root cause and supporting the body's self-healing process.

But i digress, some of it is based and some not. But you be the judge dear reader.

And?

i dont want to be (justifiably) dismissed like they do

think of it as self-gatekeeping against retards

Sounds secular enough...

Some of it's based,some not;good luck sorting through the filth

Why you using vpn Bulgarian?

Just because.

A detail that might not make a difference to you, your research and essay, but I feel important to note.

Shamans are specific Ural-Altaic holy men which role developed under the influence of Buddhist conversion efforts. The word itself is Chinese origin, and literally means Buddhist monk. Sven Hedin recorded a shamanistic ritual supervised and directed by Buddhist monks. Do we even use the term correctly to all the holy men of these cultures? I'm not sure.

But yes similar exist in all the corner of the earth. Someone who heals, communes with spirits, battles with demons, takes care spiritual matters, priest and psychologist in one person, who gathers herbs, and even keeps record of oral history and plays music. He might live secluded or with the tribe, has plethora of religious paraphernalia in his hut, and usually has to be born for the job.

I'm confused. Who is op? Who is who?

Same

I'm not. I consistently has Hungaryball.

OP changed to Japan, Estona, Sweden, then Germany. He probably uses VPN, and he isn't Hungarian.

They sound Gay and sus

Mircea Eliade said something different on the subject.

Not only that, he also says elements of shamanism are found outside of Siberia and Central Asia, it's just that those cultures are the most characteristic of shamanism.

He also writes about the Americas and the Germanics within the scope of his book. Of course yeah a shaman does not equal a priest or a sorcerer. Your definition seems about right.

Now I feel like his book is definitely worth finishing.

And the Tungus got it from the Chinese.

It's interesting because wiktionary says the Chinese word is a borrowing from Sanskrit sramana lol

this stuff's pretty heavily disputed, wow.

The history of these words shows an interesting split between local Siberian roots and outside loan words.The Core TermsShaman and SamanThe Root: Experts generally agree that the word shaman comes from the Tungusic languages of Siberia. The original word is saman or šaman.The Meaning: It comes from the root sā-, which means "to know". So, a shaman is literally "one who knows". It also connects to words that mean "to be excited" or "to raise up," describing the energy of a spiritual trance.Kam and XamThe Connection: These are the Turkic versions of the same role. Long ago, linguists noticed that the sound "s" in Tungusic languages often swaps with "k" or "x" sounds in Turkic-Mongol languages.The Role: A Kam (or Xam) serves as the central priest, healer, and guide in traditional Central Asian and Siberian spiritual practices, like Tengriism.The "Pseudo-Mate" DebateThe passage mentions that shaman has achieved a "divorce" from words like śramaṇa and samaṇa. Here is why:The Old Theory: In the 1700s and 1800s, early researchers thought shaman came from the Sanskrit word śramaṇa (or the Pali word samaṇa). These ancient Indian words refer to a wandering monk or ascetic person.The Separation: By the early 1900s, scholars realized this was just a coincidence. The words sound similar, but they grew up completely separately. Śramaṇa belongs to the Buddhist and Hindu traditions of India. Saman belongs entirely to the northern soil of native Asian herders and hunters.

Yes, Buddhist monks brought it with themselves.

 

To be hoenst its just linguistics. There is no way to be sure of produce actual evidence. We might now with the invention of a time machine.

Doctor who is that you? Time travel...my my,that's a whole another rabbit hole.

Back in India shamans did not exist. For the word gaining its final form it needed the "northern" component. It's the result of proselytizing.

Indeed

Updates?

You sure you know what you are doing?

You bunch Sound autistic

Sauce?

Sounds like Pseudoscience

Schizo thread.

Yeah I used to take the 🇭🇺 countryball person seriously but now nah. They cray cray asf.

Keep us updated op. Sounds like an interesting read.

Now I think the shamans came to be when Buddhism reached Tibet and there it fused with Bön. And then it spread further to Inner and Central Asia and the Ural's region.

When's that? I am not sure how old is Buddhism. I might have to compare how old it is to shamanism. But later.

Buddhism is 6th-5th century BC. It reached Tibet in 7th century AD. Which is fairly late compared to China for example.

But written evidence of shamanism is extremely late compared to even this, basically the start of modernity.

Archeological evidence... if researchers want something to be shamanist it will be, if they don't it won't.