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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How might a shaman be distinguished from other medicine men?
(a) By the animal tokens they carry in a pouch.
(b) By the ability to handle poisonous substances without incurring harm.
(c) By the ability to enter altered states of consciousness at will.
(d) By the tattoo markings given him or her by a mentor.

2. With the help of spirit helpers and two tsentak inside his mouth, the shaman can help the patient by:
(a) Vomiting out the intruder.
(b) Smoking out the intruder.
(c) Swallowing the intruder.
(d) Frightening the intruder out.

3. Harner asserts that shamanism has advanced in areas without technological innovations because:
(a) The plant world communicates better with people when there is no technological interference.
(b) Of the need by these people to find ways to deal with survival and health issues.
(c) These people are neither distracted nor electromagnetically impaired by electronic interference.
(d) Technology hasn't erased these people's ability to tap into their intuition.

4. What is the purpose of rapid drumming during the guided journey that Harner takes new students through?
(a) To move the student through stages of non-ordinary reality.
(b) To bring the person back to ordinary reality.
(c) To help the person connect to his or her own heartbeat.
(d) To keep the student from falling asleep during the exercise.

5. To learn more about shamanism, what does Harner do?
(a) Enrolls in a class on shamanism at his community college.
(b) Assembles a team of seven shamans from every corner of the world.
(c) Lives among tribal people to learn their shamanic ways.
(d) Asks the oldest shaman in the world to mentor him.

6. Apprentice shamans sometimes report to Harner that they:
(a) Feel a sense of endless falling.
(b) Panic during the experience.
(c) See loved ones who have passed on.
(d) Morph into other forms.

7. Which of the following does NOT help a shaman enter a shamanic state of consciousness?
(a) Rattles.
(b) Songs.
(c) Tattoos.
(d) Drums.

8. What does Harner recommend that the aspiring shaman listen to?
(a) Flowing water.
(b) Chanting.
(c) Birds singing.
(d) Drumming.

9. What is the purpose of rattles used during a shaman's work?
(a) To purify the air surrounding the patient.
(b) To reinforce drumming for a greater sonic effect.
(c) To open up tightly closed portals.
(d) To ward off evil spirits.

10. Why is the Jivaro shaman who helps Harner worried that the author may not be able to find tsentak?
(a) The tsentak are extremely elusive.
(b) Harner has not gone through the necessary rituals.
(c) Finding tsentak is an advanced shamanic practice.
(d) Harner is not an Indian.

11. Shamans pass through what kind of planes?
(a) Cosmological.
(b) Ethereal.
(c) Earthly.
(d) Parallel.

12. If SSC stands for shamanic state of consciousness, what does OSC stand for?
(a) Ordinary state of consciousness.
(b) Other-worldly shamanic consciousness.
(c) Orthogonal state of consciousness.
(d) Ordinary shamanic consciousness.

13. One person who tried Harner's step-by-step guided journey exercise reported bringing back what by accident?
(a) A message for a friend.
(b) A beneficial being.
(c) A monkey spirit guide.
(d) A healing code.

14. How does the author describe his world during a shamanic state of consciousness?
(a) "Mildly disturbing, and an incredible trip."
(b) "New, and yet familiarly ancient universe."
(c) "Simultaneously familiar, unfamiliar, and complete."
(d) "Marvelous, infinite, otherworldly."

15. How do spirit helpers assist the shaman?
(a) By helping the shaman engage in divination of the past, present, and future.
(b) By spying on others and reporting back to the shaman.
(c) By whispering truths into the shaman's otherworldly ears.
(d) By keeping the shaman's third eye open at all times to see alternate realities.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the following do reputable shamans NOT do?

2. In the cultures Harner studies, shamans are primarily:

3. How is a shamanic state of consciousness, or SSC, achieved?

4. It is typical for one or more spirits to help guide the shaman through what?

5. What does Harner suggest is the purpose of songs during a shamanic journey?

(see the answer keys)

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