What are spiritual attacks in shamanism?

In shamanism, spiritual attacks refer to cases where individuals experience negative effects due to actions performed by another shaman, often involving malevolent intent or "sorcery." The victims of such attacks may suffer from severe physical symptoms such as high fevers, swelling in various parts of the body, and worsening health despite medical treatment. These symptoms do not respond to conventional medicine because their origin is spiritual rather than pathogenic.

When victims seek help from shamans, these spiritual practitioners often engage in a process called shamanic battle. This involves absorbing the spiritual attack from the victim and confronting the attacking shaman in a duel of spiritual forces, resembling a kind of mystical, unseen combat. This battle is intense and is described metaphorically as "MMA without a referee," highlighting its unregulated and fierce nature.

Shamans involved in such battles utilize spirits for various purposes — defensive, offensive, or healing. These engagements are seen as battles of consciousness where the outcome directly affects the well-being of the involved parties 1 2.