We introduce and elaborate on the notion of “shared breath” as a way of understanding human and nonhuman copresence and offer descriptions and narratives about three Indigenous groups in Russia and Canada, namely, Veps, Western Woods Cree, and Interior Salish St’át’imc. These data illustrate vividly how the underused metaphor of shared breath sheds light on active participation in life by and respectful relations with nonhuman beings, thus surpassing other overly used spatial, physical, and spiritual metaphors. We move beyond the physical aspects of discrete spaces and materials in extending consideration to pertinent metaphorical and tangible aspects of the verbal, sonorous, and ritual performances undertaken by humans in order to negotiate and reinforce relations with other beings. Relationality is continuously accommodated and regenerated by human and nonhuman agencies through ritual acts that include blowing, chants, breathing, drumming, visualizing, and smoking. The shared breath through which these encounters take place emblematizes turning moments, when new directions may be taken and long-term relations of respect may be established, validated, and reinforced. Shared breath is both a medium and a modality of shamanic and animist relationality, offering a new way of looking at human-nonhuman contact and exchange in animist ritual contexts and beyond.

中文翻译：

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共同呼吸

我们介绍并阐述了“共享呼吸”的概念作为理解人类和非人类共存的一种方式，并提供了关于俄罗斯和加拿大的三个土著群体的描述和叙述，即 Veps、Western Woods Cree 和 Interior Salish St'át'国际会议 这些数据生动地说明了共享呼吸这个未被充分利用的隐喻如何揭示非人类积极参与生活并与非人类建立尊重的关系，从而超越其他过度使用的空间、物理和精神隐喻。我们超越了离散空间和材料的物理方面，将考虑扩展到人类进行的语言、声音和仪式表演的相关隐喻和有形方面，以便协商和加强与其他生物的关系。人类和非人类机构通过包括吹气、吟唱、呼吸、击鼓、观想和吸烟在内的仪式行为不断地适应和再生关系。这些相遇发生的共同呼吸象征着转折时刻，届时可能会采取新的方向，并可能建立、验证和加强长期的尊重关系。共享呼吸既是萨满教和万物有灵论关系的一种媒介，也是一种模式，提供了一种新的方式来看待万物有灵论仪式背景及其他领域中人类与非人类的接触和交流。何时可以采取新的方向，并可以建立、验证和加强长期的尊重关系。共享呼吸既是萨满教和万物有灵论关系的一种媒介，也是一种模式，提供了一种新的方式来看待万物有灵论仪式背景及其他领域中人类与非人类的接触和交流。何时可以采取新的方向，并可以建立、验证和加强长期的尊重关系。共享呼吸既是萨满教和万物有灵论关系的一种媒介，也是一种模式，提供了一种新的方式来看待万物有灵论仪式背景及其他领域中人类与非人类的接触和交流。