In the Andes , shamanism is more
properly known as curanderismo (from the Spanish curar: to heal). It is a form
of folk healing that includes various techniques such as prayer, herbal
medicine, healing rituals, spiritualism, and psychic healing. As with other
forms of shamanism, the curanderos' knowledge of healing may be passed down
from relatives or learned through apprenticeships. In other cases healing
powers may simply arise spontaneously in a curandero or curandera and be
described by the healer as a don, or divine gift. Curanderismo in Peru
is usually the first point of call for anyone suffering from an illness or
problem. It has proven effective for thousands of years and there is still some
suspicion of orthodox medicine, precisely because its physicians refuse to
treat the whole person or to acknowledge the existence of God and the soul. Read more.
