Entheogen

12th-century frescoes depicting alleged entheogenic mushrooms in Christian art

Entheogens are psychoactive substances used in spiritual and religious contexts to induce altered states of consciousness. Hallucinogens such as the psilocybin found in so-called "magic" mushrooms have been used in sacred contexts since ancient times. Derived from a term meaning "generating the divine from within" entheogen have been used to facilitate transcendence, heaving, divination and mystical insight.

Entheogens have been used in various ways, including as part of established religious rituals and as aids for personal spiritual development.^[1][2] Anthropological study has established that entheogens are used for religious, magical, shamanic, or spiritual purposes in many parts of the world. Civilizations such as the Maya and Aztecs used psilocybin mushrooms, peyote, and morning glory seeds in ceremonies meant to connect with deities and perform healing. They have traditionally been used to supplement many diverse practices geared towards achieving transcendence, including healing, divination, meditation, yoga, sensory deprivation, asceticism, prayer, trance, rituals, chanting, imitation of sounds, hymns like peyote songs, drumming, and ecstatic dance.

The psychedelic experience is often compared to non-ordinary forms of consciousness such as those experienced in meditation,^[3] near-death experiences,^[4] and mystical experiences.^[3] Ego dissolution is often described as a key feature of the psychedelic experience.^[5] Though evidence is often fragmentary, ongoing research in fields like archaeology, anthropology, and religious studies continues to shed light on the widespread role of entheogens in ancient sacred traditions.