Shamanism and alien abductions

165 Pages·2017·3.84 MB·English

EEddiitthh CCoowwaann UUnniivveerrssiittyy
RReesseeaarrcchh OOnnlliinnee
Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses
1-1-2000
SShhaammaanniissmm aanndd aalliieenn aabbdduuccttiioonnss :: aa ccoommppaarraattiivvee ssttuuddyy
Simon Brian Harvey-Wilson
Edith Cowan University
Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses
Part of the Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons
RReeccoommmmeennddeedd CCiittaattiioonn
Harvey-Wilson, S. B. (2000). Shamanism and alien abductions : a comparative study.
https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1389
This Thesis is posted at Research Online.
https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1389
Edith Cowan University 

Copyright Warning 

You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose 
of your own research or study. 

The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or 
otherwise make available electronically to any other person any 
copyright material contained on this site. 

You are reminded of the following: 

 Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons 
who infringe their copyright. 

 A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a 
copyright infringement. Where the reproduction of such material is 
done without attribution of authorship, with false attribution of 
authorship or the authorship is treated in a derogatory manner, 
this may be a breach of the author’s moral rights contained in Part 
IX of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). 

 Courts have the power to impose a wide range of civil and criminal 
sanctions for infringement of copyright, infringement of moral 
rights and other offences under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). 
Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, 
for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material 
into digital or electronic form
.
USE OF THESIS

The Use of Thesis statement is not included in this version of the thesis.
�IWll...rrv'
�BRARY
ShamanaisnmdA liAebnd uctions
A Comparative Study.
by
SimoBnr iHaanr vey-WBi.(AlA.sN oUn) ,
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award
of
MastoefAr rt (sR eliSgtiuoduise s)
FacuolfCt oym munSietryv iEcdeusc,a tion
and
SocSicaile nces
Edith UCnoiwvaenr sity
PerWtehs,tA eursnt ralia
Decem2b0e0r0
2
Abstract
Some UFO researchers (ufologists) claim that being abducted by aliens can be
compared with shamanic initiation experiences in traditional societies in that both
types of experience may be similarly transformative, leading to a more spiritual or
animistic world-view, a deep concern for the environment and the development of
paranormal abilities such as healing. This qualitative study is designed to
investigate the validity of such claims. The research aim is to see whether the
experiences and subsequent world-view of eleven alien abductees (eight women
and three men) from a local abduction support group are similar to those of the
typical shaman and, if so, what those similarities are. To do this, material gathered
from in-depth interviews with the abductees is compared with the anthropological
literature on shamanism, especially shamanic initiation experiences, from all parts
of the world.
3
Declaration
I certify that this thesis does not, to the best of my knowledge and
belief:
1. incorporate without acknowledgment any material previously
submitted for a degree or diploma in any institution of higher
education;
2. contain any material previously published or written by another
person except where due reference is made in the text; or
3. contain any defamatory material.
·'\��'j ��
Signed: ��
Date: �o"' � L�\
\ \
4
Acknowledgments
I wish to thank Mary Rodwell and those members of the abduction
support group without whose co-operation this research would not have
been possible. Thank you also to my supervisor Anne Harris for her
patience, support and encouragement.
5
Table of Contents
Page
Abstract 2
Declaration 3
Acknowledgments 4
Chap1t erI nrtoduction
Background
1.1 7
Research Question
1.2 13
Organisation of the thesis
1.3 15
Definition of terms
1.4 16
Chap2t erL iterRaetvuireew
Introduction
2.1 18
Review of ufology literature
2.2 22
Review of anthropological literature
2.3 50
Summary of literature review
2.4 55
Chap3t erM ethodology
Target population
3.1 56
Design
3.2 58
Procedure
3.3 60
Ethical considerations
3.4 61
Analysis of interviews
3.5 62
Validity & Reliability
3.6 62
Anal_yolsfni ts ery_iews
Chap4t erI niti&aT triaonns formation
67
Childhood Antecedents
4.1 67
Early Religious Beliefs
4.2 72
Inverted Lives
4.3 74
Dreams & Out-of-Body Experiences
4.4 76
Spirit Animals
4.5 79
Initiation Illness & Refusal
4.6 82
Controlling the Spirits
4.7 84
Transformation
4.8 86
Animism
4.9 91
Visions of Disaster
4.10 96
6
Chapter 5 Origins, Genetics & Spiritual Relationships
98
Genetics
5.1 98
Creation Myths & Ancestors
5.2 102
Spiritual Relationships
5.3 103
Heredity
5.4 107
Chapter 6 Spirituality & Otherworld Encounters
111
Aliens & Spirituality
6.1 112
Spirit Realms & Consciousness
6.2 114
Psychopomp
6.3 117
Good & Bad Spirits
6.4 118
Theophany
6.5 120
The Underworld & Underground Bases
6.6 126
Chapter 7 Healing & Other Paranormal Abilities
130
Early Paranormal Experiences
7.1 130
Healing Abilities
7.2 132
Spirit Helpers
7.3 134
Self-healing
7.4 135
Dismemberment & Skeletonization
7.5 137
Poltergeist Activity
7.6 139
Chapter 8 Summary & Discussion
145
Summary
8.1 145
Discussion & Suggestions for Further Research
8.2 149
References
152
Appendices
1 Statement of Disclosure
159
Interview Consent Form
2 160
3 Guide List of Questions
161
7
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Background
The physicist Paul Davies, who won the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion in
May 1995, writes that:
The discovery of life beyond Earth would transform not only our science
but also our religions, our belief systems and our entire world view. For
in a sense, the search for extraterrestrial life is really a search for
ourselves-who we are and what our place is in the grand sweep of
the cosmos. (1996, p.66)
In his book Are We Alone? Implications of the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life
(1995), Davies also notes the spiritual component of some UFO beliefs. "What we
see in the UFO culture seems to be an expression in the quasi-technological
language appropriate to our space age of ancient supernatural beliefs, many of
which are an integral part of the folk memory of all cultures" (p.87).
Reports of UFOs, alien abductions and paranormal phenomena, whether factual,
fictitious or a mix of the two, are becoming increasingly popular in the Western
media. Television programs such as The X Files and Roswell, films such as
Independence Day and Men In Black, numerous books, and a proliferation of
Internet sites, attest to the public's fascination with these subjects.
A cover story in LIFE Magazine (Fox, 2000, p.46) discusses the paradoxical
situation whereby the relatively new science of astrobiology, sponsored largely by
the Unites States space agency NASA, believes that life almost certainly exists
elsewhere in the universe but has not yet visited Earth, while on the other hand a
January 2000 LIFE Magazine poll of 1,564 over-eighteen-year-olds revealed that
30% of them believed that extraterrestrial beings had already visited Earth (Fox,
2000, p.56). Furthermore, 43% of those polled believed that UFOs were real; 49%
of them believed that the US government was withholding information about the
existence of UFOs; while 1% claimed to have "had an encounter with beings from
another planet," and 6% knew someone who had had such an encounter (p.56).