Communication with the spirit world has been part of religion from the beginning. In many societies the shaman is the means by which communication with these numinous powers is accomplished. Typically the shaman will go into a trance state in order to enter into the realm of the ethereal world where this meeting takes place. In many societies this is done with the help of hallucinogenic plants. Many types of hallucinogenic plants exist. This paper will lightly touch on the use of a few of these plants by societies in Siberia, Asia, South America and Mexico.
The use of plants to obtain numinous encounters go's back thousands and thousands of years. Ancient Chinese writings mentioning the use of hallucinogenic plants date back more than 2000 yrs. B.C.. Archaeological evidence shows that the hallucinogenic plant peyote was used in religious ceremonies over 3000 yrs ago. Early man believed that the use of these plants allowed him to enter into the spirit world. Hallucinations experienced are: visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactory and tactile. They change the users perception of reality. The perception of time and space is also altered and the user may even lose his sense of self. The world that they enter may be seem more real than their own. In the case of some Indian tribes in South America who use the Banisteriopsis vine, the hallucinations attained are so vivid that they believe them to be the real world while day to day living is considered to be only a dream.
In Siberia, a mushroom known as Amanita Muscaria or more commonly known as Fly Agaric is used in ceremonies by the Ojibwa and Chuckchee Indians. The mushrooms are used by shamans in religious and healing ceremonies. The mushrooms are sun dried or dried over a fire and then soaked in water or reindeer milk which is later drunken. Shamans ingest the mushrooms in order to get into an ecstatic state. Hallucinations occur and the shaman begins to communicate with spirits.
In Asia a Chinese writing, the Pen Tsao Ching, which was written approximately 100 AD yet contains writings going back to 2000 BC it is written "Ma-fen (hemp fruit) if taken over a long term makes one communicate with spirits". A fifth century Taoist priest wrote that cannabis was used by "Necromancers in combination with ginseng to set forward time and reveal future events." Indian Vedas say that cannabis "gives visions of the gods."
In South America many types of hallucinogenic plants exist, among them Anadenanthera and Banisteriopsis. Anadenanthera or Yopo is a plant which produces beans which are dried and pounded into a powder. The powder is most commonly used by shamans to induce a trance state so that they can communicate with spirits and divine. Before taking the drug the shaman chants to invoke the spirit that he will be communicating with. The powder is then placed in a long tube and blown into the shamans nose. Yopo is very important to these Indians because they will not do anything of importance i.e. travel, go to war without first having the shaman divine the outcome.
Banisteriopsis or Ayahuasca is a vine. It's bark is boiled and the remaining liquid is ingested. The Indians who use this vine believe that the vine is a gift from the earliest Indians on the earth. The Indians believe that through the use of this vine that their soul is freed from their bodies. When under the influence of this drug many shamans report being overpowered by snakes and jaguars which happen to be the two most respected (and feared) animals of the Indians. Many shamans become a cat during their trances and move around as though they are a cat. Some shamans collect snakes as pets and then use them in ethereal battles against other shamans. Some shamans say that they travel in a canoe manned by spirits and others claim to take the form of a bird. While traveling these shamans see the gods, the first animals and humans.
In Mexico Lophophara or Peyote is used by many shamans. One example is the Huichol Indians who take a sacred trip once a year to collect the peyote. They are led by an experienced shaman who is in contact with the peyote god and is able to find the location of the peyote cactus. Peyote can be eaten raw, dried or as an extract in a drink. It is used in healing ceremonies and vision quest rituals. By ingesting peyote the peyote god is able to act as an interpreter for all the other gods so that the shaman is able to divine and heal. The effects of peyote last from 2-3 days and it's hallucinogenic qualities are characterized by extremely colorful visions.
Throughout history shamans have been a necessary part of society. Able to speak with the spirits and the gods and travel to the other planes of existence where they exist. To due this the shaman must enter into a trance. Some enter this trance through chants or sleep and food deprivation. some do this through the use of hallucinogenic plants. How they get there may very but the outcome is the same. Once in communion with the spirits they are able to shamanise.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stafford, Peter. Psychedelics Encyclopedia, Ronin Publishing, Inc., 1992
Schultes, Richard Evans. Hofmann, Albert. Plants of the Gods, McGraw-Hill Book Co.,New York, St. Luis, San Francisco, 1979
