Animism was prevalent in the region before Buddhism had an established presence. Shamans mediated between the spirits of nature and the people. Buddhism - and Hinduism on the other side of the Himalayas - retained a belief that the mountain peaks were the home of the gods, and were the point of connection between the heavens and the earth.

There are conflicting narratives about the history of Bon and the parallel history of Buddhism in the same regions. Some scholarships presents Bon as including a Shamanistic belief system Bonpos themselves generally claim that their spiritual pracitecs, although similar in some regards to Buddhism, have a separate belief system, and are not shamanistic in practice.

In ritual practices "on the ground" evidence of all three traditions abound.

Slide show of practices of all three traditions

Class discussion