The term "Shaman" has its origins in Siberia, and is used by anthropologists world over. There are Shamans in every country and with every race. The first origins of Shamanism trace back to Aboriginal healers. A Shaman is a medicine man. They have mastery of using the four elements...earth, air, wind and fire. Many times they communicate with animals and use animal spirits to help them in their quest. Personal experience is the determinate of the status of a Shaman.
Shamans are traditionally men. However, there are women that have become Shamans. Shamanism is classified by anthropologists as an archaic magico-religious phenomenon in which the shaman is the great master of ecstasy.
Knowledge of other realms of being and consciousness along with the cosmology of those regions is the basis of the shamanic perspective and power. With this knowledge, the shaman is able to serve as a bridge between the mundane and the higher and lower states.
During public lodge Shaman ceremonies, Spirit is encouraged to enter the body of the Shaman with drum beating and chanting. The spirits are then asked to depart and perform the needed acts.
At other times, when not in a public ceremony, Shamans enter into a trance state and traverse the underworld, going to distant places in this world to seek lost possessions or performing healing.
A Shaman always has 'tools' at his disposal that he uses in the acts to be performed. Some of these items are different types of masks, stones, herbs, staff, drums, and a leather pouch that hold things only known the Shaman.
Few indeed have the stamina to adventure into these realms and endure the outer hardships and personal crises that have been reported by or observed of many shamans,