newstrom@newstaffinc.com (Harvey Newstrom) writes:
> Actually, I think that it has been established that the earliest
> religious rituals had to do with hunting. Ritual dances were held with
> a shaman dressed in the animal skin, and a mock killing would occur.
>
> I believe that these rituals were actually practice. I think the shaman
> dressing in the animal skins would lead the others into the ritual of
> the hunt. They would be trained how to hunt, how to hide, how to sneak
> up on the kill.
Sounds quite close to sports psychology - visualization and simulation
> I have similar theories about agriculture religions evolving from the
> sky watchers who told people when it was time to plant, when it was time
> to harvest, and when it was time to store food. Those that obeyed the
> astrologers did better than those who did not listen to their
> predictions.
As far as I know, farmers tend to know that quite well without having to be told. But maybe this was a practical way of centralizing the meteorological tasks.
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