Although Graham Hancock published the book "SUPERNATURAL" eleven years ago, I have only just read it.
It explores the connections between shamans, trance inducing drugs, religion and art.
There are particular references to Ancient Egypt which maybe of interest to readers of this Board.
On page 653 :
"With the ancient Egyptians too there is strong evidence to suggest that therianthropes (= part human, part animal) like dog headed Anubis, lion-headed Sekhmet, crocodile headed Sobek, hawk headed Horus and ibis headed Thoth were not concoctions of pure imagination but were seen and experienced by shaman priests in altered states of consciousness who sought to explore and map the netherworld and win useful knowledge from the supernatural beings residing there. "
and on page 663 :
"Professor William Emboden has established that the blue water lily, a plant that is indigenous to the Nile and prominent in ancient Egyptian art, has pronounced narcotic, hypnotic, and hallucinogenic effects. He also presented convincing evidence that it was used, along with opium and with the mandrake, to produce a form of shamanistic trance."
GH also shows evidence that suggests the practice went on through ALL dynasties.
These raise a few question in my mind.
Does the Egyptian shaman tradition go back to pre-dynastic times, or even earlier to the people of the desert who produced the rock art.
If the king was the go-between for the people and the gods, then he himself was a shaman and 'journeyed into the spirit world' with the aid of narcotics.
It was at the Sed Festival that the king ascended to the stars, convened the gods there and took title to the skies. Was this the occasion of his trance ?
There is evidence that the pyramid complexes were used for Sed Festivals and at these the king went through mock burials. Were the pyramids and tombs the theatres for the king's trance ?
It explores the connections between shamans, trance inducing drugs, religion and art.
There are particular references to Ancient Egypt which maybe of interest to readers of this Board.
On page 653 :
"With the ancient Egyptians too there is strong evidence to suggest that therianthropes (= part human, part animal) like dog headed Anubis, lion-headed Sekhmet, crocodile headed Sobek, hawk headed Horus and ibis headed Thoth were not concoctions of pure imagination but were seen and experienced by shaman priests in altered states of consciousness who sought to explore and map the netherworld and win useful knowledge from the supernatural beings residing there. "
and on page 663 :
"Professor William Emboden has established that the blue water lily, a plant that is indigenous to the Nile and prominent in ancient Egyptian art, has pronounced narcotic, hypnotic, and hallucinogenic effects. He also presented convincing evidence that it was used, along with opium and with the mandrake, to produce a form of shamanistic trance."
GH also shows evidence that suggests the practice went on through ALL dynasties.
These raise a few question in my mind.
Does the Egyptian shaman tradition go back to pre-dynastic times, or even earlier to the people of the desert who produced the rock art.
If the king was the go-between for the people and the gods, then he himself was a shaman and 'journeyed into the spirit world' with the aid of narcotics.
It was at the Sed Festival that the king ascended to the stars, convened the gods there and took title to the skies. Was this the occasion of his trance ?
There is evidence that the pyramid complexes were used for Sed Festivals and at these the king went through mock burials. Were the pyramids and tombs the theatres for the king's trance ?