Title: Spiritualism, African Deities, and Sacred Plants
Subtitle: Brazilian Religiosity and Multifaceted Syncretism
Subject Classification:  Anthropology, Religion and Faith, History  
BIC Classification: HR, JH, HB
BISAC Classification: REL033000, REL033000, REL033000
Binding: Hardback, eBook
Publication date: 30 Jun 2025
ISBN (Hardback): 978-1-83711-094-0
ISBN (eBook): 978-1-83711-095-7

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Description

The book aims to explore how religious syncretism and multifaceted Brazilian spirituality represent an attempt at unifying Brazil’s heterogeneous population and cultures and, at the same, a global trend in modernity and post-modernity. Because of historical processes and contemporary dynamics (New Age, globalization), Brazil is an essentially syncretistic nation. Historically, Afro-Catholicism syncretism has been a way for African diaspora’s conquered cultures to preserve their religious identity by incorporating elements of the dominant religion; nowadays the Afro religious universe has become a universal religious proposal, irrespective of nation, ethnicity, race, or color.

Intertwined with Kardecism, a late comer in Brazil, Afro religious beliefs and practices have led to the emergence of new religious expressions as the Umbanda. Originated in France, Kardecist spiritualism has become fundamental in shaping Brazilian religious culture. More recent expressions of Brazilian religious syncretism are the “ayahuasca” religions (Santo Daime, Barquinha, União do Vegetal), whose spiritual experiences blend demands coming from various segments of social groups -from rural workers to intellectuals and artists – and indigenous rituals. In the last forty years, New Age spirituality, “ayahuasca” religions and neo-shamanism have developed along blurred borders, expanding outside Brazil, while the indigenous traditions have reemerged through processes of ethnic revitalization.

Biography

Author(s):  Dr. Giovanna Campani is an anthropologist, formerly professor at the University of Florence, Italy, and has taught in various Universities around the world. Claudia Herzfeld is the President of Dimension Roses, Brazil.

Reviews

"The book Spiritualism, African Deities, and Sacred Plants: Brazilian Religiosity and Multifaceted Syncretism is a fascinating and revealing work, capable of opening new perspectives on themes that are rarely addressed with such clarity. Reading it was like embarking on a journey into the history and spirituality of Brazil, but above all, like opening a window onto a different way of observing reality: one that's broader, richer, and more capable of embracing the complexity of the world around us. What makes this volume truly original is the authors' ability to show how different cultures and traditions—African, Catholic, Indigenous, and Spiritist—didn't just coexist, but transformed one another, giving rise to new, vital, and continuously evolving religious forms. This intertwining, described in an accessible yet rigorous style, makes it clear how the boundaries between beliefs are not rigid barriers, but rather places of exchange and creation. The reading invites us to reconsider the very meaning of spirituality, belonging, and cultural identity, showing how blending and dialogue can become tools for collective growth. Brazil thus emerges as a living laboratory of creativity and tolerance, as well as an example from which to draw inspiration to understand and tackle the challenges of diversity in the contemporary world. This book is not just an essay; it is an enriching and stimulating intellectual experience that invites us to look at the complexity of reality with new eyes. I recommend it to anyone who wants to discover new perspectives, broaden their horizons, and be guided toward a deeper understanding of the world."
- Elisabetta Delle Donne, Founding President and Managing Director, Pixel