A living reference atlas

Atlas of Religious and Esoteric Lineages

Five thousand religious, mystical, Indigenous and esoteric lineages from around the world — what they are, where they came from, and where to read more.

Source-linked and transparently qualified. Editorial standards and correction criteria are public.

Created and maintained by Ayara and Kyle Jonathan B@KJB_and_AYARA

Entries: 5,000
Candidate geography relations: 7,326
Candidate country vocabulary: 162

Explore the index

Search five thousand distinct lineages

Entry data: effective Atlas view
Geography: candidate layer pending adjudication

52 lineages in the selected candidate country

Page 1 of 3

Atlas 0080Open / public

Tuvan shamanic traditions

Central, North & Inner Asian Lineage / school

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: pre-Soviet roots; revival since late 20th century
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 0107Open / public

Fourth Way schools associated with Gurdjieff and J. G. Bennett

Western Esotericism & Initiatory Lineage / school

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: early 20th century–present
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 0682Community-bound / restricted

Khanty Bear Feast

Central, North & Inner Asian Rite / ceremony

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: Precolonial–present/revitalized
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 0683Open / public

Nganasan Shamanic Tradition

Central, North & Inner Asian Lineage / school

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: Precolonial–late twentieth century chiefly; contemporary legacy/revitalization
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 0810Institution-specific

Optina Elders (Starets) Spiritual Lineage

Christian Mysticism Lineage / school

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: 19th–20th centuries; continuing reception
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 0811Open / public

Holy Fool (Fool-for-Christ) Ascetic Tradition

Christian Mysticism Practice / discipline

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: Late antiquity–present reception
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 0887Community-bound / restricted

Khakas shamanic tradition

Central, North & Inner Asian Religious tradition

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: pre-modern–present
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 0890Community-bound / restricted

Tuvan Buddhist tradition

Central, North & Inner Asian Religious tradition

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: 18th century–present, with post-Soviet revival
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 0978Community-bound / restricted

Mari Native Religion

Pagan & Reconstructionist Religious tradition

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: Long-standing rural practice with post-Soviet organization
Evidence status: Classification contested

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 1368Community-bound / restricted

Sakha Yhyakh midsummer festival

Central, North & Inner Asian Rite / ceremony

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: Historically documented; living and publicly celebrated
Evidence status: Related-entry source

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 1371Community-bound / restricted

Northern Selkup shamanic traditions

Central, North & Inner Asian Religious tradition

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: Historically documented; post-Soviet memory and renewal contexts
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 1372Community-bound / restricted

Ket bear-festival tradition

Central, North & Inner Asian Rite / ceremony

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: Ethnographically documented; contemporary status limited
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 1373Community-bound / restricted

Yukaghir shamanic and animist traditions

Central, North & Inner Asian Religious tradition

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: Ethnographically documented; contemporary community contexts vary
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 1374Community-bound / restricted

Chukchi Keretkun sea-mammal thanksgiving complex

Central, North & Inner Asian Rite / ceremony

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: Ethnographically documented; no contemporary performance verified in the cited field study
Evidence status: Related-entry source

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 1375Community-bound / restricted

Koryak Hololo thanksgiving festival

Central, North & Inner Asian Rite / ceremony

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: Historically documented; living festival forms
Evidence status: Related-entry source

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 1376Community-bound / restricted

Itelmen Alhalalalai festival

Central, North & Inner Asian Revival / reconstruction

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: Late-20th-century revival drawing on documented Itelmen traditions; living
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 1383Community-bound / restricted

Kalmyk Jangar epic-recitation tradition

Central, North & Inner Asian Religious tradition

Public geography: Russia
Period / origin: Historically documented; contemporary performance and revival
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesRussia

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Atlas 1483Community-bound / restricted

Sámi sieidi sacred-site traditions

Oceanian & Circumpolar Religious tradition

Public geography: Finland, Norway, Russia, Sweden
Period / origin: Archaeologically and historically documented; contemporary relationships and revitalization vary
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesFinland, Norway, Russia +1

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Atlas 1484Community-bound / restricted

Sámi luohti and joik traditions

Oceanian & Circumpolar Umbrella tradition

Public geography: Finland, Norway, Russia, Sweden
Period / origin: Historically documented; suppressed in some institutions and living today
Evidence status: Directly cited

Candidate countriesFinland, Norway, Russia +1

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Atlas 1594Community-bound / restricted