Initiatory Experiences of Amaibi: A Phenomenological Study

Amaibis are priestesses and healers of the Meitei, one of the ethnic groups of Manipur, India. In the present paper, narratives of two Amaibis were subjected to an adaptation of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore and make sense of the experiences that constitute their life-world. Sickness and initiatory crises; dreams and altered states of consciousness; attempts to shield the initiate; heeding the call and search for “Ema Guru”; training and initiation of vocation; and adherence of rules and restrictions were found to be the six super ordinate themes which encapsulate the participants’ journey of shamanic initiation and ordeals towards the path of Amaibihood.