Gya Shamanism

A religious group practiced by the ethnic gya, almost exclusively in the land of Gyag, the exact practices of which are highly tribal and local in nature. The main philosophy centers around a mythologized version of events of the Great War. In particular the figure of Elesh (called Ayesha in Gu'tal) is seen as a wise man, if not a sort of demigod. The chief end of gya shamanism is the ascension, which is simultaneous the main commonality and the source of most of the diversity among the various schools.

All forms of gya shamanism have a central teaching known as the ascension, for which individuals are expected to sacrifice in some way for. The details of this ascension, however, vary greatly among different shaman schools.

The kuy (translated: crucible) is the most popular, but also the most fragmented of the shaman schools. It sees the ascension as an individual path to transcendence and enlightenment, fueled by the purification of the soul through suffering. Many adherents induce this suffering through ritual self-mutilation, sometimes to the point of extreme measures such as amputation.