Pathways with Joseph Campbell

Bonus: The Shaman and the Priest

Episode Summary

In this bonus lecture from Campbell’s WNDT TV days in the early 1960's, The Shaman and the Priest, he contrasts two ancient spiritual lineages: the lone visionary who gains power through ordeal, and the priest who serves the continuity of the community. Moving from Paleolithic hunters to Pueblo rituals, he shows how these twin archetypes shape cultures—and the inner life of each of us.

Episode Notes

In this bonus lecture from Campbell’s WNDT TV days in the early 1960's, The Shaman and the Priest, he contrasts two ancient spiritual lineages: the lone visionary who gains power through ordeal, and the priest who serves the continuity of the community. Moving from Paleolithic hunters to Pueblo rituals, he shows how these twin archetypes shape cultures—and the inner life of each of us.