Shamanism and Buddhism and Shamanism

(A Tibetan prayer on the hills, viewable from the city of Kyzyl. The average person does not know what it means.)


What is it, Buddhism or Shamanism? Tuva is a Buddhist republic, Buddhism is the official religion. The Buddhism is Lamism, which comes from Tibet. In fact the Dalai Lama recently visited Tuva. When Buddhism was first brought to Tibet, the demons of the Bon religion were asked for permission for the people to become Buddhist. The demons gave their permission and thus began Tibetan Buddhism. Many of the practices of the Bon religion are still found within Lamist Buddhism. Lamist Buddhism is practiced by the Buryat and Tuvan peoples of Siberia. Buddhism was successfully syncretised into the current Shamanist beliefs.

When a modern Tuvan says that they are Buddhist, they are in no ways less Shamanist. Appeasing the spirits is still a big part of people's lives in their modern world.

I don't take the approach of denegrating people for their beliefs. God has given free choice and people are free to choose. But it is important to highlight the word "choice." How can people choose if they do not know what the choices are? (This is a very broad paraphrase of Romans chapter ten, verses fourteen and fifteen.)

In the west today we live in a very pluralist culture. I have friends who consider the ways of Buddhism and Shamanism to be of high merit. When asked by the Tuvans whether I would pray at a Shamanist shrine, I explained to them that I pray to the God who made the universe and who made the spirits. There is a distinction. I was asked if there is only one God, to which I replied yes. The people need to know that the God who created everything is in fact greater than the spirits. At that point they have the choice to be set free from spirits who ask them to do many terrible things and keep them in fear.

This is a challenge to us in our own faith. If God desires to set people free from bondage and fear, then we had better be careful to practise a Christianity that is also free from legalism and unfair requirments (fear). It is our joy to practise God's grace to people.



This, located in the centre of the city of Kyzyl is a "prayer wheel." A prayer wheel is used by devoted Buddhists. They swing it manually. This, however is a modern electronic prayer wheel. The people of Tuva were told that their prayers would not be heard if they did not contribute financially to its construction.


The Buddhist temple in the capital of Tuva.




Buddhist monks in the land of Tuva. The teenage monk spoke very little Russian, as he was from a small town in the forest in the far east of Tuva.




These shrines are located just outside the city of Kyzyl. They are popular spots for prayer. Yes one is Shamanist and one is Buddhist, but it must be noted that people practice both religions together. A Tuvan explained to me that Shamanism is for practical needs (such as healing) and Buddhism is for spiritual needs (enlightenment). They do however merge together into the same worldview.




Some paintings of Shamans found in the museum in Kyzyl.




Jesus was an expert at contextualising his message to people in his day. He spoke to the woman at the well in Samaria of how he could give living water. Psalm thirty six also refers to God being the fountain of life. All over Tuva there are wellsprings that give water out of the ground. This in itself is quite a blessing in a desert land. The word used for these wellsprings in Russian is источник (istochnik). These wellsprings are often used as important locations of prayer. How apt that Jesus is the living water and there is a nice redemptive analogy that can be used in Tuvan culture.