ABSTRACT
Healing is a perennial concern in human cultures, and chosen individuals who have the expertise, know-how, and confidence to lead community members on the road from illness to health are often especially esteemed for the services they provide. From the most ancient societies to those in the twenty-first century, healing is assumed to be a noble, humane, and often-dangerous activity. In many cultural contexts, it is also an inherently religious activity that bears on ultimate truths in the cosmos and profoundly meaningful perspectives on bodies, spirits, and power.
