Hallucinogenic Plants Man has used hallucinogenic plants for thousands of years, probably since he began gathering plants for food. The hallucinogens have continued to receive the attention of civilized man through the ages. Recently, we have gone through a period during which sophisticated Western society has "discovered" hallucinogens, and some sectors of the society have taken up, for some reason or another, the use of such plants. This trend may be destined to continue. It is important for us to learn a much as we can about hallucinogenic plants. A great amount of scientific literature has been published about their uses and effects, but the information is locked away in technical journals. No matter whether we believe the use of hallucinogenic plants is right or wrong, they have played an extensive role in human culture and probably will continue to do so. In early man's search for food, he tried all kinds of plants. Some nourished him, some he found cured his ills, and some killed him. A few had strange effects on his mind and body, seeming to place him in a foreign world. These plants are called hallucinogens, because they distort the senses and usually produce hallucinations. Although, most hallucinations are visual, some involve hearing, touch, smell, or taste. Occasionally several senses are effected. The actual causes of such hallucinations are the chemical substances in the plants. These substances are true narcotics. Contrary to popular opinion, not all narcotics are dangerous and addictive. The term psychedelic describes such drugs in the United States. In the history of mankind, the hallucinogens have probably been the most important of the narcotics. Their fantastic effects made the... ... middle of paper ... ...es his "meditation". Before visions appear, there are flashes and disturbances in color, which are not explainable. The visions often follow a sequence from geometric figures to unfamiliar objects that vary with the individual. In addition to the hallucinogenic plants used by primitive peoples, numerous other species containing biodynamic principles are known to exist. Many are common household varieties like catnip, cinnamon, and ginger. No reliable studies have been made of the hallucinogenic properties of such plants. Some of the effects reported may have been imaginary; other reports may be outright hoaxes. Nevertheless, many of these plants do have a chemistry theoretically capable of producing hallucinations. Experimentation continues with plants, common and uncommon, known or suspected to be hallucinogenic, and new ones are continually being discovered.
Boyer, B., Boyer, R., & Basehart, H. 1973. Hallucinogens and Shamanism M. Hamer, Ed.. England: Oxford University Press.
Virola is used in the manufacture of hallucinogenic substances by various tribes throughout the range of the genus. Social implications for use, and the preferred form of the hallucinogen, differ according to region.
Probably one of the oldest plants known to man, Cannabis was cultivated for fiber, food, and medicine thousands of years before it became the "superstar" of the drug culture (Schultes, 1973). Cannabis, as it turns out, not only has many usage's, but has been employed in various ways by different cultures.
A very minute does can significantly alter ones perception to the point of hallucination. Hallucination is when a person hears, or sees thing that don’t really exist. LSD is the most potent hallucinate. Approximately 100 times stronger than psilocybin, and 4000 times stronger than mescaline.
Before Americans can make accusations that marijuana can only be used for the sole purpose of euphoric pleasure, they should first become knowledgeable of cannabis’s original and highly valuable uses that gave the plant its primary popularity. The herbal plant was actually a food source around 6000 BC, and it was used as a fiber two thousand years later. Another couple thousand years later was when cannabis obtained its first medical record in China and soon traveled to India and North Africa where cannabis began its use as a “recreational hallucinogen.” When Europe greeted marijuana at about 500 BC, users began classifying in what methods the plant can treat various medical conditions. The Americas were first introduced t...
In 1943, Albert Hofman took the first “acid trip,” from accidentally ingesting his creation known as LSD, or lysergic acid diethylamide. Hofman reported his experience of seeing amazing pictures, fantastic shapes, and effervescent colors. Since then, hallucinogenic drugs have widely spread across the drug market. Why are hallucinogenic drugs used so much across the United States, as well as the rest of the World? What is it about these drugs that alter people’s decisions and consciousness? Why is it that some people would rather spend their nights buying and using these drugs than any other alternative? It is simply for the astounding effects that these drugs can offer one’s mind and alter their moods. The popularity and strength of hallucinogenic drugs have created a cultural phenomenon across the United States. How have the effects of hallucinogenic drugs, such as mushrooms, acid, and ecstasy, affected the American population?
The flowering plant, Convolvulaceae, or more commonly know as, Morning Glory has always been known as somewhat of a nuisance in the eyes of many people. From the death of beloved family pets, to kids tripping on its seeds, the plant itself often remains a mystery of what it actually is. It's flowers can range from a pearly white color, or even “heavenly blue”, and people often grow these plants for merely ornamental purposes. However, there are others out their whom believe that the psychotropic effects of the plants is the primary reason for cultivation. As such, I will be focussing on these various plant alkaloids and their entheogenic uses throughout the ages.
Marijuana is a mixture of leaves, stems, and flowering tops of the Indian hemp plant Cannabis, it may be smoked or eaten for its hallucinogenic and pleasure-giving effects. Marijuana has not been proven to be physically addicting but, psychological dependence can develop.
A less controversial South American drug that brings in tourist from around the world is Ayahuasca. The psychedelic drug has positively been expressed through music like Paul Simons song “Spirit Voices” and famous literature like Terence McKenna’s the True Hallucinations. Ayahuasca is an indigenous brew of several flora that contain N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and Monoamine Oxidase type-A (MAO) two chemicals that cause an intense psychedelic reaction in the human brain (Sklerov). The flora used in a brew can vary between recipes, but Ayahuasca gets its name after the only constant variable in every brew, the Ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi vine). Ayahuasca means “vine of the soul” in Quechuan, an indigenous language shared by multiple tribes in the Andes region of South America. It is commonly found in Peru
Hallucinogens are a diverse group of drugs. They cause hallucinations and images that seem real but they really aren’t. They can be found in plants and mushrooms or can be made. People have used hallucinogens for centuries, mostly for religious rituals. Hallucinogens have played a role in human life for thousands of years. Numerous cultures around the world have used hallucinogenic plants to detach from reality, to create visions, medicine, and religious rituals.
“From the sites where prehistoric hunters and gatherers lived, to ancient China and Viking ships, Cannabis has been used across the world ages.” Cannabis is one of the oldest, most cultivated crops known to mankind. It has been noted to have psychoactive properties which are said to produce a dopamine related high, leaving one feeling giggly, hungry and in need of a good night's sleep. There are three different types the of Cannabis plant; Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica, and Cannabis Ruderalis all of which have different uses which took hundreds of years to be fully explored. Many materials can be derived from hemp; cloth, oil, foods and solid materials for building and healing properties. Marijuana is thought to have flourished in the nutrient
Even modern research is finding a benefit from the usage of these psychoactives in treating a variety of psychological issues (Jacobs, 2008). Altered states are not only limited to the use of psychotropics as activities like dancing, meditation, and prayer can induce surreal, even euphoric, states, too. There is a dichotomy of suspicion and fascination with these substances and to understand the meaning behind the ritualistic use, one must take a culturally relativistic view of the various drugs and rituals used all over the globe to induce an altered state (Kottak, 2012). With modern technology, researchers can ascertain the similarities between a psychotropic induced altered state and one that does not require the use of these drugs (Dicou, 2016). What can be determined is that whether a substance is ingested or an action taken place, either one can indeed produce an altered state that changes the perception of reality for a time period (Dicou, 2016). Drugs and ritualistic behavior have a long history dating back to our hunting and gathering ancestors, where religion very likely began in its infancy (Kottak, 2012 & Nichols, 2004). Not only were psychoactives used by our ancestors, but dancing and trance inducing drums were used in rituals to boost these altered states (Blanc, 2010). Like with the use of drugs, trances induced by drums and dancing affect the same brain regions, such as the pre-frontal cortex, to produce the altered stated (Blanc,
The article begins by talking about the definition of a hallucinogenic drug and the general overview of their role pre-Columbian Mesoamerican culture. The first drug it talks about is balche which according to the article was used by the Maya in the ritual of divination. The article then goes into detail on various other drugs such as Pulque and ceremonial tobacco mentioning that various other hallucinogenic drugs were used to provide visions and numb the pain for self-sacrifice.
Hallucinogens- alter what we see and what we perceive as reality but the drug itself
Pre-Columbian Mexicans used many substances, from tobacco to mind-expanding (hallucinogenic) plants, in their medicinal collections. The most fascinating of these substances are sacred mushrooms, used in religious ceremonies to induce altered states of mind, not just drunkenness.