Talking to Spirits. The World of Siberian Shamanism

What did the indigenous people of Siberia believe in? What rituals and ceremonies did they perform? How did they perceive the Universe? Who is a shaman and why does he dance with a drum by the fire? How does he manage to penetrate into other worlds and maintain cosmic balance? This book answers these and other questions. The author, historian and museum worker Andrey Shapovalov, became interested in shamanic practices back in his student days, and at the turn of the century even led him to a school of shamanism. The attempt to understand this phenomenon did not leave him for many years and led to the writing of this book. Its charm largely comes from the author's belief that the miracles performed by shamans do happen — even though there is still not enough scientific knowledge to explain them.