Final answer:
Shamans can move back and forth between the physical world and the spiritual realm during transformation. This is a core aspect of shamanism, which encompasses healing, divination, and connecting with spiritual entities through altered states of consciousness.
Step-by-step explanation:
Shamans are able to move back and forth between the ordinary physical world and the spiritual or supernatural realm during times of transformation. This shamanic journeying, as it is often referred to, is an integral aspect of shamanism, a practice found across various cultures worldwide, where the shaman engages in activities such as soul travel, healing, prophecy, and divination. These practices are facilitated through altered states of consciousness, which can be reached via ritualistic dance, trance, music, or even the use of hallucinogens, allowing the shaman to communicate with spiritual entities and manipulate supernatural forces.
In doing so, shamans serve their communities by locating lost people or animals, healing the sick by addressing the spiritual causes of illness, and providing guidance through the insights gained from the spirit world. This ability may be viewed as a calling or be inherited, but it can also be learned and honed through apprenticeship or cultural traditions. The transformative journeys of shamans underscore the significant role they play in fostering the balance and connection between the natural and supernatural aspects of life within their communities.