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Bliatout has commented that "Hmong herbalists are perhaps the most commonly used practitioners in Hmong society. For many ailments, the use of herbs is the first attempt at healing." At other times, herbs are used as shamanic healing rituals are being performed. Thao has pointed out that "in the Hmong community, herbal medicines rally against illness along with shamanism." Most Hmong families grow common herbs in their own gardens. These include herbs for headaches, stomachaches, morning sicknes… Continue

Western medicine focuses on organic disease and bases diagnosis and treatment on the physical reality of the patient. In Hmong shamanism, illness is not only a physical condition but is also the result of the interference of metaphysical realities. This leads us to the question of whether shamanism is in conflict with Western medical tradition. Conquergood have argued that this is not the case, as the Hmong shaman is not only concerned with the metaphysical world, but "brings physical and metaph… Continue

A shaman keeps an altar at his house. It is usually placed on a wall near the altar of the house spirit. The altar is usually decorated with gold paper. On it, there is a bowl of water called dej zaj representing a dragon's pool that lies beneath the cave of Siv Yis. There is also a bowl of husked rice with an egg in the middle, representing the leej nkaub. Three incense sticks are also placed in this bowl as food-offerings to the dab neeb. There are three small cups containing water, tea and ri… Continue