John Miller
Shamans have been known to use mushrooms with hallucinogenic properties for healing and spiritual purposes. Mazatec shamans, for instance, are known for their ritual use of psilocybin mushrooms, also known as the little ones that sprout or holy children. These mushrooms are believed to be conscious entities that can communicate wisdom and healing. The rituals, known as veladas, are often conducted at night in quiet, dark environments, sometimes with the use of candles, incense, flowers, and Catholic imagery. During these ceremonies, shamans are believed to enter a trance state, allowing them to diagnose illnesses, find lost objects or souls, and seek spiritual guidance. Other types of mushrooms used in shamanic rituals include Amanita muscaria, which is known for its psychoactive properties and has been used by Siberian and Sami shamans.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Types of Mushrooms | Psilocybin, Amanita Muscaria |
| Type of Shamans | Mazatec, Siberian |
| Rituals | Veladas, Santa Claus |
| Effects | Hallucinations, Communication with Sacred Entities, Diagnosis of Illness, Initiation Rites, Healing |
| Administration | Ingestion, Application to Body |
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What You'll Learn
Mazatec shamans and their use of psilocybin mushrooms
Mazatec shamanism is rooted in the spiritual traditions of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica. Mazatec shamans are known for their ritual use of psilocybin mushrooms, psychoactive morning glory seeds, and Salvia divinorum. Psilocybin is one of the active alkaloids in the species of mushrooms that have hallucinogenic properties. The Mazatec people refer to these mushrooms with terms of endearment such as "ndi tsojmi" ("little precious things"), "ndi xi tjo" ("the little ones that sprout"), "ndi naxo" ("little precious flower"), or "njíle Kristo" ("Christ's blood").
The rituals involving the use of psilocybin mushrooms are called veladas. These are highly structured nighttime ceremonies conducted in dark, quiet environments, often within the shaman's home or a designated ceremonial space. The rituals involve the use of candles, incense, flowers, and Catholic imagery, paralleling the "Set, Setting, and Dose" concept in modern psychedelic medicine. During the velada, chants and prayers are intoned, and various elements are used, including copal, aguardiente, cocoa, tobacco, flowers, and images of Catholic saints and the Virgin of Guadalupe.
María Sabina was one of the most well-known Mazatec shamans, renowned for her healing psilocybin mushroom ceremonies. Her rituals contributed to the popularization of Indigenous Mexican ritual use of entheogenic mushrooms among Westerners. Sabina's practices were publicized by R. Gordon Wasson in the 1950s, leading to increased interest in Mazatec mushroom ceremonies and a rise in tourism to the Mazatec region.
Becoming a Mazatec shaman involves a gradual initiation process that often begins with visionary experiences or spiritual callings. This process includes rigorous training in ritual speech, knowledge of medicinal plants, and navigating altered states of consciousness. Successful shamans are able to enter and return from trance states, directing the healing process for their patients effectively. They serve as a bridge between the spirit world and the tangible world, facilitating communication with ancestors and other supernatural beings.
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Shamans as conduits between the spirit and human world
Shamans have long been considered conduits between the spirit and human world, and their use of psychedelic mushrooms has been well-documented. One of the most well-known examples of this is the Mazatec tradition of shamanism, which has its roots in the ancient spiritual traditions of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica. Mazatec shamans are known for their ritual use of psilocybin mushrooms, also known as "little ones that sprout" or "holy children". These mushrooms are not just seen as substances but as conscious entities capable of communicating wisdom and healing.
The rituals, known as veladas, are highly structured nighttime ceremonies often conducted in quiet, dark environments. During these ceremonies, the shaman may enter a trance state, allowing them to diagnose illnesses, find lost objects or souls, and seek spiritual guidance. The mushrooms are believed to speak through the shaman's voice, guiding the ceremony and the healing process.
The path to becoming a shaman often involves a gradual initiation process that can include visionary experiences, spiritual callings, or selection by divine beings through dreams, unexplained illnesses, or spiritual inheritance. Shamans undergo rigorous training to master ritual speech, knowledge of medicinal plants, and navigating altered states of consciousness. They are also responsible for administering psychedelic compounds for specific reasons, such as initiation rites or healing ceremonies, and ensuring the safe and respectful use of these substances.
In addition to the Mazatec tradition, there are other examples of shamans using mushrooms as a tool for spiritual connection. For instance, Siberian shamans have traditionally used Amanita muscaria mushrooms, and indigenous Sami people of Lapland performed healing rituals with these mushrooms, dressing up like them and entering through chimneys during the Winter Solstice. The use of psychedelic mushrooms by shamans has sparked interest in the potential therapeutic benefits of these substances, with some modern researchers exploring their application in areas such as treating anxiety and depression associated with advanced cancer.
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Shamanic initiation and training
Shamanism is a spiritual practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with the spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. Shamans are often chosen through dreams or signs, but some say their powers are inherited by bloodline. In some cultures, potential shamans might be chosen due to birth defects or auspicious events close to their birth. They might also be called by the spirit by experiencing a mental health crisis.
The Mazatec people are known for their ritual and therapeutic use of psilocybin mushrooms, also called "little ones that sprout". These rituals are called veladas and involve chanting and literary communication with sacred entities. The shaman becomes a channel for the sacred mushrooms to express themselves through their words.
During initiation, the shaman becomes a hollow bone, clearing out the "junk" to become a clear pathway for the spirit to act in this world. This process involves spiritual change and can be challenging, shaking up one's life. It requires confident humility, as egos and hubris indicate that one has more work to do on themselves.
Shamans administer psychedelic compounds only for specific reasons, such as initiation rites or healing ceremonies for individuals with severe medical or psychological problems. These compounds are never taken frivolously and are always taken in a ceremonial context under the guidance of the shaman.
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Shamanic trance states
Shamanic trances have been used by diverse tribal settings for purposes of social cohesion and healing interventions. During a shamanic trance, the shaman or shamanic practitioner enters an altered state of consciousness to offer physical, psychological, or spiritual healing for others. They may experience changes in consciousness similar to those induced by psychedelic substances, such as mystical experiences, feelings of disembodiment, or ego dissolution.
The roots of shamanic trance states can be traced back to the ancient Mesoamerican tradition of the Mazatec people, who are widely recognized for their ritual and therapeutic use of psilocybin mushrooms, also known as "little ones that sprout" or "ndi xijtho" in their language. Psilocybin is one of the active alkaloids in certain species of mushrooms with hallucinogenic properties, such as Psilocybe cubensis.
Anthropological studies have shown that shamanic trance states are not limited to the Mazatec people, with over 90% of the 488 societies studied worldwide found to have an institutionalized form of altered states of consciousness, and 57% of these involving possession trances. Shamanic trance states are a universal phenomenon that has been present in ancient civilizations and continues to be of interest in the present day.
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Amanita muscaria and Siberian shamans
Siberian shamans have used the hallucinogenic mushroom Amanita muscaria, also known as fly agaric, for centuries and probably millennia. It is believed that shamans used the mushroom as an alternative method to achieve a trance state, which they would otherwise enter through prolonged drumming and dancing. In western Siberia, only shamans were allowed to use the mushroom, whereas in eastern Siberia, it was used by both shamans and laypeople for recreational and religious purposes.
The use of Amanita muscaria by shamans is deeply rooted in Siberian tribal religions, with the mushroom considered holy. The Koryak tribe of eastern Siberia, for instance, has a story about the fly agaric (wapaq) that enabled Big Raven to carry a whale to its home. In the story, the deity Vahiyinin ("Existence") spat onto the earth, and his spittle became the wapaq, and his saliva became the warts on the mushroom.
Amanita muscaria is native to conifer and deciduous woodlands throughout the Northern Hemisphere, including higher elevations of warmer latitudes in regions such as the Hindu Kush, the Mediterranean, and Central America. It is believed that the mushroom had an ancestral origin in the Siberian-Beringian region in the Tertiary period before spreading across Asia, Europe, and North America.
The use of Amanita muscaria by shamans has also been linked to the figure of Santa Claus. Some scholars have suggested that the folktale of Santa Claus may be rooted in the shamanic traditions of people living in boreal regions of Europe, such as the Sami people of Lapland and other nomadic tribes in Siberia. According to this theory, the shamans, dressed in red-and-white suits resembling the mushroom, would visit families on the Winter Solstice and perform healing rituals. However, this theory has been criticised by members of the Sami community as a stereotypical and problematic romanticised misreading of their culture.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, shamans have been known to take mushrooms. Mazatec shamans, for example, are known for their ritual use of psilocybin mushrooms.
Shamans took psilocybin mushrooms, which have hallucinogenic properties. One type of psilocybin mushroom is Amanita muscaria, which is a red-and-white toadstool fungus considered holy by the Sami people of Lapland.
Shamans took mushrooms for healing ceremonies and initiation rites. They believed that mushrooms were conscious entities capable of communicating wisdom and healing. Mushrooms were also used to find lost objects or to help find game for hunting.
Shamans would often take mushrooms in structured nighttime rituals, often within the shaman's home or a designated ceremonial space. The rituals were conducted in dark, quiet environments with the use of candles, incense, flowers, and Catholic imagery.
