--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Shamanism is a path of knowledge, not of…" description: "\"Shamanism is a path of knowledge, not of faith, and that knowledge cannot come from me or anyone else in this reality. To acquire that knowledge, inclu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea4/michael-harner-46855_acquire_shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of_38199.jpg" --- # Shamanism is a path of knowledge, not of faith, and that… ![“Shamanism is a path of knowledge, not of faith, and that knowledge cannot come from me or anyone else in this reality. To acquire that knowledge, including the knowledge of the reality of the spirits, it is necessary to step through the shaman's doorway and acquire empirical evidence.” quote by Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea4/michael-harner-46855_acquire_shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of_38199.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea4/michael-harner-46855_acquire_shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of_38199.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea4/michael-harner-46855_acquire_shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of_38199.jpg) > “Shamanism is a path of knowledge, not of faith, and that knowledge cannot come from me or anyone else in this reality. To acquire that knowledge, including the knowledge of the reality of the spirits, it is necessary to step through the shaman's doorway and acquire empirical evidence.” [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shamanism is presented as an empirical quest for understanding the spirit world, emphasizing direct experience over doctrinal belief. **In simple terms:** Empirical spiritual inquiry Key Takeaway Experience trumps belief Themes spirituality empiricism knowledge acquisition shamanic practice ontology skepticism Mood curious reflective mystical Type philosophical instructional observational When to use this quote - ritual trance - vision quest - field research in shamanic contexts - personal transformation - cross‑cultural study Key Concepts empirical evidence spirit reality knowledge path shamanic doorway Practical Applications - designing experiential workshops - informing anthropological fieldwork Questions to Reflect On - How does personal experience shape belief? - What methods validate spiritual knowledge? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doorways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doorways/) [Empirical evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empirical-evidence/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Shaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shaman/) [Shamanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shamanism/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) ## Related quotes > [Shamanism is a great metal and emotional adventure, one in which the patient as well as the shaman-healer are involved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/shamanism-is-a-great-metal-and-emotional-adventure-one-in-which-the/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) > [In a way, this is a definition of shamanism. A shaman is a person who by some means has gotten out of their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/in-a-way-this-is-a-definition-of-shamanism-a-shaman-is-a-person-who/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [For a shaman, all things considered taboo get ripped apart, and one feels the satisfaction of being freed from agony through vituperation and laughter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyon-gyon/for-a-shaman-all-things-considered-taboo-get-ripped-apart-and-one/) [Hyon Gyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyon-gyon/) > [“The communication function of modern writers is akin to the ancient role fulfilled by tribal shamans. All writers ultimately perform a shamanistic role in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/the-communication-function-of-modern-writers-is-akin-to-the-ancient/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“A shaman and a writer each serve as their communities’ seers by engaging in extraordinary acts of conscientious study of the past and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/a-shaman-and-a-writer-each-serve-as-their-communities-seers-by/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“We can intend not to be our program.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lujan-matus/we-can-intend-not-to-be-our-program/) [Lujan Matus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lujan-matus/) > [“If you have come to the point you are ready to consult spirits to know more about your life, there is nothing under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/if-you-have-come-to-the-point-you-are-ready-to-consult-spirits-to/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Humans are a part of creation and shamanism is our way of connecting with the whole.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-adcock/humans-are-a-part-of-creation-and-shamanism-is-our-way-of-connecting/) Will Adcock > [Shamanism is not a religion. It’s a method. And when this method is practiced with humility, reverence and self-discipline, the shaman’s path can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-wesselman/shamanism-is-not-a-religion-it-s-a-method-and-when-this-method-is/) Hank Wesselman > [“Being a medium who can communicate with souls isn't the same as one who can interact with them. It's the difference between listening in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/being-a-medium-who-can-communicate-with-souls-isn-t-the-same-as-one/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“Can we perceive those inorganic beings, don Juan?" I asked. "We certainly can," he replied. "Sorcerers do it at will. Average people do it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/can-we-perceive-those-inorganic-beings-don-juan-i-asked-we-certainly/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [“If a wound was all that was required to be a shaman, we'd all be one. If wounds were required, no one would be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/if-a-wound-was-all-that-was-required-to-be-a-shaman-we-d-all-be-one/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“A person does not reach the pinnacle of self-realization without relentlessly exploring the parameters of the self, exhausting their psychic energy coming to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/a-person-does-not-reach-the-pinnacle-of-self-realization-without/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“Perspective shifted on why it must 'hurt to heal', and a series of questions kept coming to mind. I found myself wondering if these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-sodini/perspective-shifted-on-why-it-must-hurt-to-heal-and-a-series-of/) [Jennifer Sodini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-sodini/) > [Harner has impeccable credentials, both as an academic and as a practicing shaman. Without doubt (since the recent death of Mircea Eliade) the world's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevill-drury/harner-has-impeccable-credentials-both-as-an-academic-and-as-a/) [Nevill Drury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevill-drury/) ## More by Michael Harner > [He (the Shaman) is a self-reliant explorer of the endless mansions of a magnificent hidden universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/he-the-shaman-is-a-self-reliant-explorer-of-the-endless-mansions-of-a/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) > [What's really important about shamanism is that there is another reality that you can personally discover...we are not alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/what-s-really-important-about-shamanism-is-that-there-is-another/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) > [Shamanism is being reinvented in the West precisely because it is needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/shamanism-is-being-reinvented-in-the-west-precisely-because-it-is/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) > [Most of the sacrifices involved tearing out the heart, offering it to the sun and, with some blood, also to the idols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/most-of-the-sacrifices-involved-tearing-out-the-heart-offering-it-to/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) > [If a state political organization is founded in part upon a state religion with a dogma based on one or a few 'official' prophets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/if-a-state-political-organization-is-founded-in-part-upon-a-state/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) > [Shamanism is a great metal and emotional adventure, one in which the patient as well as the shaman-healer are involved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/shamanism-is-a-great-metal-and-emotional-adventure-one-in-which-the/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) > [You are human, whether your ancestors come from Europe, Asia, Africa, or wherever, shamanism once existed there. We are just attempting to go home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/you-are-human-whether-your-ancestors-come-from-europe-asia-africa-or/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) [Explore all 8 Michael Harner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) ## More Acquire quotes > [Most people seek after what they do not possess and are enslaved by the very things they want to acquire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-sadat/most-people-seek-after-what-they-do-not-possess-and-are-enslaved-by/) [Anwar Sadat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-sadat/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Humility is an elusive virtue. The more we pursue it - and the more we seem to acquire it - the more we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-aquilina/humility-is-an-elusive-virtue-the-more-we-pursue-it-and-the-more-we/) [Mike Aquilina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-aquilina/) > [Acquire worldly wisdom and adjust your behavior accordingly. If your new behavior gives you a little temporary unpopularity with your peer group then to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/acquire-worldly-wisdom-and-adjust-your-behavior-accordingly-if-your/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [This was Shakespeare's form ; Who walk'd in every path of human life, Felt every passion ; and to all mankind Doth now, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-akenside/this-was-shakespeare-s-form-who-walk-d-in-every-path-of-human-life/) [Mark Akenside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-akenside/) > [Wasn't Saddam destroyed? Wasn't Gaddafi liquidated? Didn't Milosevic go to the Hague? All true. But Stalin survived. Kim Jong-un isn't doing too badly, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/wasn-t-saddam-destroyed-wasn-t-gaddafi-liquidated-didn-t-milosevic-go/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [The best way for women to acquire knowledge is from conversation with a father, a brother, or a friend, in the way of family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-letitia-barbauld/the-best-way-for-women-to-acquire-knowledge-is-from-conversation-with/) [Anna Letitia Barbauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-letitia-barbauld/) > [Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do anything, believe anything in order to acquire it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/have-you-ever-wanted-something-so-badly-that-you-would-do-anything/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [Ballet is pure and demands that you serve something larger than yourself, whether it be beauty or art, or a combination of both. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-martins/ballet-is-pure-and-demands-that-you-serve-something-larger-than/) Peter Martins > [You can't know it all. No matter how smart you are, no matter how comprehensive your education, no matter how wide ranging your experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-can-t-know-it-all-no-matter-how-smart-you-are-no-matter-how/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [A better distribution of incomes would increase that efficiency by diverting a great fund of wealth from the useless to the useful members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/a-better-distribution-of-incomes-would-increase-that-efficiency-by/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [I know well, Monsieur, how much you have to endure in your present duty, and I ask Our Lord to strengthen you in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-know-well-monsieur-how-much-you-have-to-endure-in-your-present-duty/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [In the late 1950s a major topic under discussion was whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/in-the-late-1950s-a-major-topic-under-discussion-was-whether-canada/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [My greatest fear is the Iranians acquire a nuclear weapon and give it to a terrorist organization. And there is a real threat of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/my-greatest-fear-is-the-iranians-acquire-a-nuclear-weapon-and-give-it/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) Browse all 1,020 Acquire quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Shamanism is a path of knowledge, not of faith, and that knowledge cannot come from me or anyone else in this reality. To acquire that knowledge, including the knowledge of the reality of the spirits, it is necessary to step through the shaman's doorway and acquire empirical evidence.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Harner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of-faith-and-that-knowledge/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acquire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of-faith-and-that-knowledge/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea4/michael-harner-46855_acquire_shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of_38199.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea4/michael-harner-46855_acquire_shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of_38199.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea4/michael-harner-46855_acquire_shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of_38199.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Shamanism is a path of knowledge, not of faith, and that knowledge cannot come from me or anyone else in…” — Michael Harner", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Harner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Shamanism is a path of knowledge,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of-faith-and-that-knowledge/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of-faith-and-that-knowledge/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```