Why do some shamanic initiations include the symbolic cutting apart of the candidate’s body?

In the context of shamanism, the symbolic cutting apart of a candidate’s body during an initiation ritual serves a specific purpose related to the shaman's physical and spiritual identity.

According to belief, while a candidate lies in a trance state—often described as a "long sleep"—spirits of the Yonder World dismantle the body to count the bones. This process is intended to determine whether the individual possesses an "extra bone," which is considered a physical mark of their selection and a sign that they truly possess the capacity to become a shaman.12

This ritual is part of a broader pattern of "initiatory death," where the candidate undergoes a symbolic death followed by a resurrection into a new, superhuman condition. In some traditions, such as those of the Australian Aborigines, this process may also involve the renewal of organs, the washing and drying of bones, and the insertion of magical substances, all of which signify the initiate's transformation and their new role as an intermediary between the human and transcendent worlds.32