ABSTRACT
In the rituals known as yorigitō the task of making contact with the world of spirits is accomplished by the combined efforts of the miko and the ascetic. The miko no longer by her dancing and music summons the spiritual beings to approach and take possession of her. She is now a mere passive vessel through whom the spirit speaks. The active task of invoking the spirit, interrogating it and finally sending it back to its own world is now accomplished by the ascetic.
