Why Are Some Plants and Mushrooms Psychoactive?

We all know that particular plants and mushrooms can affect the mind – how we perceive the world, how we feel, and how we think. Some of these plants can induce stimulating effects, including tobacco, the seeds of Coffea arabica (used to make coffee), the coca leaf (used to make cocaine), betel, khat, the seeds…

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Ecological Messages in Native American Religion, Paganism, and the Psychedelic Experience

In this article, I would like to draw attention to the similarities between the ecological messages in Native American religion, Paganism, and those often conveyed in the psychedelic experience. Embedded in Native American religion is an ecological view of the world – the intrinsic interconnectedness of all things in nature. Unlike the Western world, Native…

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The Peyote-Inspired Art of the Huichol People

Peyote is a cactus which contains mescaline, one of the classic psychedelic chemicals. Native North Americans have been using peyote for religious purposes for around 5,000 years. It is native to southwestern Texas and Mexico. Peyote art, art that is influenced by the visions from the peyote experience, is abundant in the Huichol culture of…

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