It is easy to think of shamanic ceremonies as solemn, mystical and perhaps a little frightening – with drums booming, smoke drifting and faces in deep concentration. But behind the drumbeats and the sacred songs there is often something else hiding: laughter, play and a good measure of humor. For in shamanism, laughter is not just welcome – it is part of the magic itself.
When the spirits laugh – humor in the sacred space
In many indigenous traditions, it is taken for granted that the spirits have a sense of humor. They can be mischievous, playful and even silly. An experienced shaman put it this way: «The spirits never take you more seriously than you take yourself. If you come with a stiff neck and grave solemnity, you can be sure they will send you a frog in your pocket or make the drum jump up on its own.» It is not unusual for ceremonies to contain small surprises, fits of laughter, or for someone to suddenly break into dance – and that is exactly how it should be.
Playfulness as spiritual practice
Playfulness is not just for children. In shamanism, play is a path into the sacred. Many rituals contain elements of play: dance, song, masks, and even role-play. When the participants let themselves go and dare to be a little childlike, they also open up for spiritual contact. It is as if laughter and play make it easier for the spirits to come close, and for people to let go of control. One shaman told that she often begins ceremonies with a joke or a funny story, in order to «shake loose» the energy and make the space safe for everyone.
Laughter as energy and community
Laughter is contagious – and in shamanic circles that is precisely the point. When one person laughs, the others follow, and suddenly the whole group is in a shared energy of joy and openness. This lifts the mood, makes it easier to share vulnerability, and strengthens the bonds between the participants. Laughter functions as a kind of spiritual glue – it makes people feel at home, and reminds us that we are all human, with our flaws, strange thoughts and small catastrophes.
In some traditions, humor is used deliberately to dissolve tensions. If someone becomes too self-important, the shaman may offer a joke or a playful comment. It is not to make fun, but to remind us that the sacred is not so far from the everyday – and that there is room for both laughter and tears in the same circle.
Examples from ceremonies
In some cultures, children are given humorous or playful names as part of the ceremony, to remind them to take life with a smile.
It is not unusual for someone to get a fit of laughter during a drum journey, or for the power animal to appear as a clumsy bear or a dancing fox. This is often interpreted as a sign that one should take life a little less seriously.
Shamans are often good storytellers, and many of the old myths are full of humor, irony and small jabs at both people and spirits. A good laugh can be just as healing as an hour of drumming and song.
Humor as healing
Laughter has a power of its own. It can dissolve blockages, ease heavy feelings and give new energy. In shamanic healing, humor is often used to help people see their problems in a new light. A shaman told of a time she was to help a man with «heavy energy». After a long ceremony, where nothing seemed to work, she suddenly said: «Maybe your spirit just needs a cup of coffee?» The man laughed until the tears rolled – and afterward he felt much lighter.
To laugh together – to grow together
In shamanism, laughing together is a way of growing together. Laughter opens the heart, makes us more receptive to insight and healing, and reminds us that we do not need to be perfect to be spiritual. On the contrary – it is often in the imperfect, the clumsy and the ridiculous that we find the greatest gifts.
So the next time you take part in a shamanic ceremony, do not be afraid to laugh. Perhaps it is precisely the laughter that opens the door to the spirit world – and to your own heart.
Sources: Krippner, S. (2012). Shamans as Healers, Counselors, and Psychotherapists. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 31(2), 72-79.
Winkelman, M. (2010). Shamanism: A Biopsychosocial Paradigm of Consciousness and Healing. Praeger.
Singh, M. (2018). The social functions of shamanism. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 41, e88.
Broyles, C. M. (2016). On the Anthropology of Humor and Laughter. Eagle Scholar.
Playfulness and humor in Nahua veintena festivals as attested in early colonial sources. Estudios de Cultura Náhuatl, 2023.
Storrie, R. (2006). The Politics of Shamanism and the Limits of Fear. Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America, 4(1).
