Psychedelics & Spirituality

In the contemporary world, there are lots of people that take psychedelics for recreational uses,despite most psychedelic drugs being prohibited in the United States. One of the most popular party drugs is LSD, or Acid. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) was synthetically created for the first time in 1938. LSD is considered a Schedule 1 drug by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, meaning it has a high potential for abuse with no accepted medical treatments. It is a hallucinogen, derived from Lysergic acid. Lysergic acid is naturally found in a fungus called Ergot that can be traced back to the Mesozoic era. Magic Mushrooms, or Shrooms, are another widely used psychedelic drug. I found it incredibly fascinating and delved into researching its effects on human consciousness. The most common species of psychedelic mushrooms is Psilocybe Cubensis, which contains the active compound psilocybin, the use of which can be traced back to ancient tribes.

One of these tribes are the

Mazatec people, indigenous to Oaxaca, Mexico. Although psychedelic mushrooms were surely used in ancient rituals across the globe since the dawn of time, modern science was not aware of its ritualistic uses until the 1950’s, when two American travelers, Gordon Wasson and Allan Richardson journeyed to Mexico. There, they met Maria Sabina, a Mazatec shaman (known as a curandera), who allowed them to participate in a sacred Mazatec ritual called the velada. Sabina agreed that Wasson could take pictures, but he could not publish them. Naturally, he didn’t listen and his experience was published in Life magazine circa 1957. Shortly after his experience was released to the public, massive groups of Americans fled to Oaxaca in search of a magic mushroom ritual. This led to the Mazatec people considering Sabina a traitor, and she was later forced to move to the outskirts of her town.

However, in the eyes of modern scientific research, she is seen as a hero that paved the way to a vast field of medical advancement. Human experiences with magic mushrooms are surprisingly similar. A shroom trip typically involves visual and auditory hallucinations, heightened physical sensations such as tingling, increased sensitivity, and profound muscle relaxation, but most importantly, largely significant mental and emotional breakthroughs. A trip using a moderate dosage (1-2.5g) typically begins to show noticeable effects about an hour after oral ingestion, however, the real work begins during the peak (usually about 1.5 hours after ingestion). During these moments, users encounter several different states of consciousness, some similar to that of dreaming. This may involve seeing vibrant geometric patterns and having intense psycho-spiritual awakenings.

One of the most notable experiences during a shroom peak can be referred to as Ego Death - a complete loss of subjective self identity. Our ego is our very basic sense of self/identity, a tool managed by our belief that we are all separate entities, operating through an individual

conscience. The ego exists in the plane of duality, constantly sorting experiences and actions

through good and bad, right and wrong. Although the ego can be a very important support

system, especially when considering moral obligations, it is also the root of our suffering as a

human race. When a human experiences Ego Death, they are called to let go of that 3

dimensional suffering, and tune in to the collective consciousness of humanity - our true,

natural, universal guiding force. For many, this process begins with the acknowledgment of

trauma.

Our Earth is sick, and thus trauma is deeply rooted in our DNA. It can be stored not only

neurologically, but also physically and spiritually, eventually creating blockages throughout every aspect of our being. During ego death, these blockages are erased one by one, forcing us to work through traumatic experiences in order to fully move forward. As one can expect, this journey can be quite daunting and intimidating, which may lead to feelings of intense anxiety and paranoia. The user’s state of mind deeply affects the outcome of their shroom trip, so it is very important to take precaution before psychedelic encounters. Regardless, the effects of ego death are extremely eye-opening, and for some, life changing. Our ancestors recognized the value behind these experiences, and thus used psilocybin and other psychedelic compounds as medicine. Together, the community participated in sacred

healing rituals to free their minds and hearts of any illnesses.