Bührmann, M. V. (Gansbaai, S. Africa). ‘Why are certain procedures of the indigenous healers effective?’  Psychotherapeia,  5,  3 (1979).

Although readers of this Journal will be familiar with some of the ideas in this article (see reviews of previous articles by Bührmann in the 1978 issue) this paper adds further interesting material.

The author continues to explore the psychic healing procedures of the indigenous healers among the Xhosa-speaking people. Not unlike Western analysts, the healers aim at offering the patient ‘corrective emotional experience’ and at reducing the negative power of unconscious complexes by exploring them. However, instead of trying to increase ‘insight’ in the Western sense, the medicine men speak directly to the ‘omnipotent magic layers of the unconscious’ and do not engage in a dialectic process with their patients. Bührmann considers the two foundation stones for success to be (1) the healer's knowledge of the cultural beliefs and values of his people and (2) the activation of neuro-physiological functions by making ritual dancing an important part of therapy. She describes these dances in an interesting way: their anti-clockwise movement signifies introversion of libido and four concentric circles of dancers form a ‘mandala signifying integration and wholeness’. She points out that the importance of dances, even among animals, has been recognised through the ages. ‘Some of the herbal remedies which are routinely used may well also have an effect on neuronal activity.’ The author sees a parallel between getting in touch with the ancestors and our concept of making contact with ‘primary complexes as representations of the objective psyche’. Criteria of improvement are similar to those of the Western analyst. She quotes the views of various writers like Kiev, Rollo May, Campbell on Western treatment practices and on the importance of myth and ritual. She sees the use of rituals as a means of decreasing the patient's sense of isolation and of re-integrating him in his community. Myths are seen as a cluster of symbols and ‘for the Black man the world of symbols has not yet c