Ecstatic religion a study of shamanism and spirit possession by ioan myrddin lewis december 2019 ecstatic religion a study of shamanism and spirit possession by i m lewis. States of spirit possession in which believers feel themselves to be possessed by the deity and raised to a new plane of existence are found in almost all known religions from dionysiac cults to haitiam voodoo christian and sufi mysticism to shamanic ritual the rapture and frenzy of ecstatic experience forms an iconic expression of faith in all its devastating power and unpredictability. 40 out of 5 stars ecstatic religion a study of shamanism and spirit possessio i m lewiss ecstatic religion is probably the most important place to begin study of the fields of spirit possession and shamanism this book has deeply influenced the study of these fields of research since it was first published in 1971. Ecstatic religion a study of shamanism and spirit possession im lewis states of spirit possession in which believers feel themselves to be possessed by the deity and raised to a new plane of existence are found in almost all known religions