The use of entheogens or visionary plants is sweeping the entire world in a sublime way. We have all heard of Peyote, Ayahuasca, Hapé, Wachuma, Dmt, mushrooms, kambo, bufo alvarius….etc.

Historically we know that entheogenic plants have been used for thousands of years. However, there is much debate and evidence about its role in ancient societies.

Entheogens and alkaloids. What are they?

An entheogen is a plant substance or a preparation of plant substances with psychotropic properties, which when ingested causes a modified or altered state of consciousness. It is this altered state that produces healing on some level: mental, emotional, physical. On a spiritual level, it adds what I call: "Awareness." In another language: inner wisdom, messages that help us understand the conflicts we have.

Alkaloids are called amino acids (mostly) with intense physiological action with psychoactive effects. That is, they modify the neuronal functions in our brain. This modification that stimulates the neurons, that, as I call them: the production of intense and for us unconscious sensations that are precisely those so tangible ones that makes us realize again in what sense or aspect or mode or attitude or aptitude we are making mistakes in our relational conflicts and habits.

Is it a new fashion or was it already an ancient custom?

Archaeological evidence of its use in ancient societies is more than evident. Therefore, it is a form of healing that our ancients already practiced and that we have inherited. Due to taboo and religious restrictions, government laws have prevented us from using them for health in a free and recognized way. The scientific world and conventional medicine see it as competition. It is time for a solution for the diseases of the 21st century.

Let's take a tour of the use of these medicinal plants in the world

Mesoamerica

The Mayans, Olmecs, Aztecs had well-documented entheogenic complexes.

The Olmecs (about 1200 BC) and the mother culture of the Mayans and Aztecs made murals, artifacts and rituals.

Bufo alvarius toad burials accompanying their priests.

· Sculptures of shamans and other strongly therianthropic figures. (fusions in half animal-half man)

In the Mayan culture, the Spanish friars upon their arrival found religious texts that allude to man's communication between the physical world and the spiritual world.

Cult of stone mushrooms that were revered. And the use of plants such as: ololiuqui (the seed of Rivea corymbosa), the teonanácatl (psilocybe mushroom) and sinicuichi (a flower added to drinks), the cactus and peyote were his way of connecting with these worlds in altered states of consciousness.

Documentation that proves the use there are several codices. One of them The Florentine Codex, of 12 books that describe the use of entheogenic drugs within the Mexica culture and society.

North America

Peyote was already used by Native Americans in Arizona and tribes in California to achieve religious visions and experiences. Franciscan Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, 1569 was the first white man to describe the effect of this cactus and the sacred use that the indigenous people gave it. The earliest physical evidence of their use of dry peyote cactus preserved in the Shumla caves is in Texas from the Rio Grande dating to 4000 BC.

South America

It is very common to find ceramic or stone pipes in pre-Hispanic Chile, in ceremonial archaeological sites, which allows us to infer about the use of hallucinogenic substances as part of the rituals of this society.

The Atacameños in Tiahuanaco used tablets to inhale hallucinogens, mainly the cebil and "san pedro" or huanto cactus, with sculpted figures of men, condors and felines.

Peru

The oldest evidence is in the Ancash region with archaeo-botanical remains of approximately 10,000 years of the San Pedro cactus.

The use of the cactus was more widespread in cultures such as Chavin and Cupisnique, evidenced both in the ceramics and stone sculptures of the time. From the same period, there are also drawings representing the San Pedro cactus on textiles from the Karwa site.

The Moche and Nazca: ceramics of the time with representation of the botanical species and the animals of power or allies as well as the shamanic transformation of the healers.

Mapuches and Machis: They used the Latua pubiflora to take revenge or harm other people with dark rituals.

The Taíno and Cohoba in the Caribbean made use of the use of the male tamarind and a mixture of snails to alter the state of consciousness.

In Venezuela, the use of yopo, with the active ingredient 5meodmt, was well known.

Europe

The Paleolithic and mushrooms

During the Paleolithic, our caves with anthropomorphic drawings, pintaderas….etc.. show the use of drugs as

can see in botanical remains.

Examples: Shanidar Cave in Iraq

The most direct evidence we have of the Paleolithic, according to the therianthropic images (fusion of a man with an animal or plant) are in the caves in France Lascaux or Chauvet from where it is disputed whether they were inspired entheogenically.

Eleusinian mysteries in Greece: With initiation rites to the cult of the agricultural goddesses Demeter and Persephone that were celebrated in Athens. Some researchers claim that the Eleusinian mysteries stemmed from the cykeon's role as a psychedelic agent, a precursor to LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), and a variety of psilocybin mushrooms. Sage and amanitas have also been suggested.

And the shamans of Tibet, Nepal and China as well as the Russian steppes have found rituals with amanita mushrooms.

Israel

Manna and mushrooms

It is speculated that Manna was nothing but an entheogenic drug pointing to the Psilocybe compound.

India

Soma and mushrooms

In the Rig-veda there has been much speculation about the drink of soma, the food of the gods being nothing but Amanita muscaria, a mushroom of the shamans of Siberia.

Religions and the use of entheogens

There are several reports that in both the Bible and the Vedic writings there were references to entheogenic drugs. Although most scholars reject these claims, they are accepted by many fringe groups.

THE NOWADAYS USE OF MASTER PLANTS