Michael James Winkelman

A Neurophenomenological Approach to Consciousness

The study of consciousness remains a difficult topic, with the divergent approaches of the sciences and humanities yet to be unified. Yet there are ample areas for integration, as illustrated in Altering Consciousness Multidisciplinary PerspectivesAnthropology’s biocultural and neurophenomenological approaches to consciousness, seeking an integration of neurological perspectives and personal experience, provide bases for superseding the disciplinary separations that constrain science (2018a). 

This neurophenomenological approach has guided my development of paradigms that refer to brain structures and functions to explain the form and effects of shamanic and mystical experiences and other ASC. My approach has been explicitly neuroepistemological (i.e., see 1996, 2013b, 2017, 2018b, 2019b), relating the nature of experiences to the information provided by structures and functions of the neural systems involved in the representations.  My neurophenomenological approach provides understandings of the evolution of human consciousness (2011a, 2013a, 2014a, 2014b) and the roles of shamanism and religion in those developments, exemplified in Shamanism A Biopsychosocial Paradigm of Consciousness and Healing (also see 2011b, 2013b, 2019b).  

My neuroepistemological approach to consciousness (1996) seeks an integration of neural and constructivist approaches in a genetic epistemology perspective. Consciousness is a multifaceted capacity for knowing and experiencing the world (2005, 2010, 2018a), capacities emerging with the increasing complexity of the biocultural functions that provide information and self-awareness. Spirituality is also a significant dimension of consciousness, particularly more evolved forms of consciousness. Perception of spirits are fundamental to human consciousness, a natural consequence of the integrated functions of our innate cognitive mechanisms (2004, 2019a). The variable relationships of spirits to consciousness is exemplified in differences between shamanic ASCs,  possession (2018c), and mystical states (2016a). Different forms of altered states of consciousness are associated with distinctive social conditions, illustrating the social effects on these manifestations of consciousness.

My focus on psychedelic consciousness and experiences explains these unusual phenomena in terms of activation of innate brain modules (2018). These perspectives provide insight into the nature of visionary experiences (2017). I have proposed the term “psychointegrators” (2007) as a more appropriate characterization of the experiential and physiological effects of the serotonin-based psychedelics. This explains the powerful spiritual entity experiences from the stimulation and integration of innate cognitive social modules; psychedelics’ powerful insights, divination and prophecy are consequences of enhanced integration of bottom up connectivity and long distance neural connections (2017). These physiological effects of psychedelics underscore why they need to be considered as significant environmental features affecting human evolution (2021), with the interaction between shamanic ritual and psychedelics an important factor in human evolution (2014a, 2014b).

The forms of thought developed in shamanism and mysticism provided elaborations that constituted more advanced forms of consciousness (2014, 2013b, 2002, 1993). Paradoxically, by engaging the brains ancient centers, a more advanced form of awareness is stimulated by enabling the creation of post-egoic forms of reference linked to the earlier pre-egoic forms of self and information (see 2010, Chapter 4).

Articles

  • 2019a
    The supernatural as innate cognitive operators. In: Craffert, P., Baker, J. and Winkelman, M. (Eds.) The Supernatural After the Neuro- turn. New York: Routledge.  p. 89-106. Researchgate link.   Publisher link. 

  • 2019b
    Shamanic alterations of consciousness as sources of supernatural experiences. In: Craffert, P., Baker, J. and Winkelman, M. (Eds.) The Supernatural After the Neuro- turn. New York: Routledge. p. 127-147. Researchgate link.   Publisher link.

  • 2019c
    The evolutionary neuroanthropology of consciousness : exploring the diversity of conscious states across cultures. An interview with Michael Winkelman. ALIUS Bulletin, 3, 45-97. (Winkelman, M. & Fortier, M.E.) doi: 10.34700/krg3-zk35 ResearchGate link.

  • 2018a
    Consciousness. The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Hilary Callan, ed. John Wiley.  DOI: 10.1002/9781118924396.wbiea1572.  Researchgate link.   

  • 2018b
    An ontology of psychedelic entity experiences in evolutionary psychology and neurophenomenology. Journal of Psychedelic Studies. 2(1): 5-23. DOI: 10.1556/2054.2018.002. ResearchGate link.

  • 2018c
    Shamanism and Possession. In The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118924396.wbiea1651. Researchgate link.

  • 2017
    Mechanisms of psychedelic visionary experiences: Hypotheses from evolutionary psychology. Front Neurosci. 11, article 539. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00539. ResearchGate link.

  • 2016a
    Ethnological and Neurophenomenological Approaches to Religious Experiences. In: B. Schmidt, ed. The Study of Religious Experience Approaches and Methodologies. Bristol, CT: Equiox Publishing, Pp. 33-51.  Researchgate link.   

  • 2016b
    Psychedelics and Mystical Experiences. Review of Sacred Knowledge: Psychedelics and Religious Experience (2016) By William A. Richards. PsycCRITIQUES 61(19)  DOI: 10.1037/a0040299 ResearchGate link.

  • 2014a
    Shamanic Consciousness and Human Evolution. In: Seeking the Sacred with Psychoactive Substances: Chemical paths to spirituality and god, J. Harold Ellens, ed. Vol 1, Pp. 129-155. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger/ABC-CLIO. ResearchGate link.

  • 2014b
    Evolutionary Views of Entheogenic Consciousness.  In: Seeking the Sacred with Psychoactive Substances: Chemical paths to spirituality and god, J. Harold Ellens, ed. Vol 1,  Pp. 341-364. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger/ABC-CLIO. ResearchGate link.

  • 2013a
    The Integrative Mode of Consciousness: Evolutionary Origins of Ecstasy. In: Ekstasen: Kontexte – Formen – Wirkungen. Pp. 67-83. Edited by Torsten Passie, Wilfried Belschner, Elisabeth Petrow. Würzburg Germany: Ergon-Verlag. ResearchGate link.

  • 2013b
    Shamanic Cosmology as an Evolutionary Neurocognitive Epistemology. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 32(1), 2013, pp. 79-99. ResearchGate link.

  • 2011a
    A Paradigm for Understanding Altered Consciousness; The Integrative Mode of Consciousness. In Altering Consciousness Multidisciplinary Perspectives Volume 1 History, Culture and the Humanities, Cardeña, E. and M. Winkelman, eds. Santa Barbara: Preager ABC-CLIO,  Pp 23-44. ResearchGate link.

  • 2011b
    Shamanism and the Alteration of Consciousness. In Altering Consciousness Multidisciplinary Perspectives Volume 1 History, Culture and the Humanities, Cardeña, E. and M. Winkelman, eds. Santa Barbara: Preager ABC-CLIO, 159-180. ResearchGate link

  • 2010
    Introduction: Anthropologies of Consciousness. Time and Mind: The Journal of Archaeology, Consciousness and Culture 3(2): 125–134. ResearchGate link.

  • 2005
    Understanding Consciousness Using Systems Approaches and Lexical Universals Anthropology of Consciousness 15(2): 24-38. ResearchGate link

  • 2004
    Spirits as Human Nature and the Fundamental Structures of Consciousness.  In: From Shaman to Scientist Essays on Humanity’s Search for Spirits, J. Houran, ed.  Lanham, MD.: Scarecrow Press. Pp. 59-96. ResearchGate link

  • 2003
    Evolutionary and Neurohermeneutic Approaches to Culture and the Brain. 
    Reviews in Anthropology 32(4): 275-295. ResearchGate link

  • 2002
    Shamanism and Cognitive Evolution. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 12(1):71-101.
    Researchgate link.

  • 1997
    Altered States of Consciousness and Religious Behavior. In Anthropology of Religion: A Handbook of Method and Theory.   S. Glazier, ed.  Westport, Conn: Greenwood 393-428. ResearchGate link

  • 1996
    Neurophenomenology and Genetic Epistemology as a Basis for the Study of Consciousness.  Journal of Social and Evolutionary Systems 19(3):217-236. ResearchGate link

  • 1993
    The Evolution of Consciousness: Transpersonal Theories in Light of Cultural Relativism.  Anthropology of Consciousness  4 (3):3-9. ResearchGate link

  • 1990
    The Evolution of Consciousness: An Essay Review of Up From Eden (Wilber 1981).  Anthropology of Consciousness 1(3-4): 24-31. ResearchGate link

  • 1986
    Trance States: A Theoretical Model and Cross-cultural Analysis.  Ethos 14(2):174-203. ResearchGate link

    BOOKS

    2011a
    Altering Consciousness Multidisciplinary Perspectives Volume 1 History, Culture and the Humanities. Santa Barbara: Preager ABC-CLIO. (Cardeña, E. and M. Winkelman, eds.) ResearchGate linkPublisher link. Amazon link

    2011b
    Altering Consciousness Multidisciplinary Perspectives Volume 2 Biological and Psychological Perspectives. Santa Barbara: Preager ABC-CLIO. (Cardeña, E. and M. Winkelman, eds.) ResearchGate linkPublisher link. Amazon link.

    2010
    Shamanism: A biopsychosocial paradigm of consciousness and healing. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO (Second Edition). ResearchGate link. Publisher link