Entheogens: The Hallucinogenic Plants That Shaped Religion

Entheogens have played a pivotal role in religious and spiritual practices across diverse cultures, aiding in the pursuit of divine connection and higher consciousness. Evidence suggests that dating as far as back as a million years ago, early human species such as Homo erectus and Homo habilis experimented with hallucinogenic plants like psilocybin mushrooms, introducing the earliest forms of shamanic practices. As societies became more structured, the use of entheogens expanded throughout various parts of society. In ancient Greece, oracles utilized plants like henbane to communicate with the divine, molding military and political policy. During the Middle Ages, Tibetan Buddhism embraced plants such as datura and cannabis to transcend conventional thought and attain enlightenment, while European witches, despite persecution, used similar substances in their Sabbat rituals. In the Americas, non-native Amazonians and indigenous North Americans have long utilized hallucinogens like ayahuasca and peyote for spiritual transformation, and these practices are now gaining global attention, sparking cultural and governmental change. Part of the panel: High Stakes: Faith, Control and Consumption Moderator: Professor Natan Meir