Within shamanic traditions, divination is understood as a way of accessing knowledge that lies beyond ordinary perception by entering altered states of consciousness and communicating with spirits, ancestors, or other non-ordinary beings. The shaman serves as an intermediary, translating messages from these realms into guidance for individuals or communities, whether concerning illness, misfortune, or decisions about the future. This communication is not regarded as the shaman’s personal insight alone, but as information granted by helping spirits, animal powers, or nature beings. The process is framed by a moral and relational context, where the work is typically done with permission and for the benefit of those seeking help.

A central mechanism in this practice is the induction of trance or visionary states through rhythmic drumming, rattling, chanting, dancing, fasting, or the ritual use of psychoactive plants where culturally appropriate. In such states, the shaman may undertake a “journey” to upper, middle, or lower spiritual realms, sometimes described as soul flight, in order to consult spirit helpers and retrieve information. In other cases, spirits are invited to speak through the shaman in forms of possession or mediumship, with messages delivered in words, song, or gesture. Dreams also play a significant role: they may be deliberately cultivated through ritual preparation and later interpreted as messages or journeys into other realms.

Alongside these visionary methods, many shamanic systems employ concrete oracular techniques that rely on symbolic interpretation. Casting bones, stones, shells, or other small objects and reading the resulting patterns is a widespread form of divination, with meaning derived from traditional symbolic codes. Similar logics are found in sortilege, where lots or other randomized systems are drawn and understood to be guided by spiritual forces. Scrying into water, mirrors, crystals, or fire invites images and symbols that the shaman reads as answers to specific questions. The behavior of animals, changes in weather, and other natural omens are likewise observed as signs, often in dialogue with animal spirit guides.

In many settings, these methods are combined: a shaman may drum to enter trance, receive a vision, then confirm or clarify it through bone casting or by watching the play of flame and smoke. Bodily symptoms, dreams of the afflicted person, and spontaneous impressions may also be treated as messages that point toward underlying spiritual causes. Throughout, the effectiveness of divination is seen as depending on the shaman’s cultivated relationship with helping spirits, careful ritual preparation, and the shared trust of the community in the reality of the spirit world.