Morten Axel Pedersen (University of
Copenhagen)
Detaching the spirits in Mongolia: A post-relational analysis
This paper compares two analogous methods of spiritual detachment in the context of Mongolian shamanism. The first method of spiritual detachment is found in shamanic possession rites, where the shaman's gown curtails spirits' potential for influencing the shaman's activities outside such rituals. The second method of spiritual detachment revolves around an unfamiliar variant of belief (idgeh), or more precisely its lack (idgehgüi), which people practice in order to prevent the spirits from intervening in their lives.
