The word entheogen was proposed by scholars "...to replace the term 'psychedelic', which was perceived to be too socioculturally loaded from its 1960s roots to appropriately denote the revered plants and substances used for traditional sacred rituals,” (McVay). However, both the terms, entheogen and psychedelic, can be used to describe the various types of psychoactive substances such as psilocybin, ayahuasca, MDMA, etc. that induce alterations in mood, behavior, consciousness, cognition, or perception. Throughout the website the terms entheogen and psychedelic are used interchangeably, however, the term psychedelic is generally used in relation to medical research and entheogen in relation to more sacred practices. For more information about entheogens keep reading.

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Entheogens have been used throughout history for thousands of years in ritualized context which has played a part in the shaping of spiritual, religious and cultural traditions. The term entheogen is derived from the ancient Greek words ἔνθεος (entheos) and γενέσθαι (genesthai). Entheos translates to "full of the god, inspired, possessed” and Genesthai means "to come into being." Therefore, entheogens make one become inspired, they create changes in perception, mood, thoughts and mental states. Entheogens offer a mystical experience with oneself, nature or a supernatural being (Entheogen).

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There are various prominent and widely used entheogens such as peyote, mushrooms, ayahuasca, soma and many more. Each of which played a unique role in the development of human beings. For instance, mushrooms are considered to have been a catalyst for human evolution. Fungi are “deterministic organisms,” that influence the development of various organisms in an ecosystem, to the extent where they are considered the “architects of the environment.” It is believed that the consumption of entheogenic mushrooms by early human civilizations impacted the evolution of human consciousness and the development of empathy, language and higher thinking processes, which may be a factor in the increased brain size between present day humans and early ancestors (Joe Rogan 20:00-30:00). 

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Entheogenic substances can be traced back to the very beginning of humanity. Some of the earliest pieces of human evidence include shamanic depictions in cave paintings and hallucinogen paraphernalia. Moreover, historians believe that entheogens have played a significant part in the creation of religion and spiritual traditions as they have been used for ritual purposes for thousands of years. It is known that various religions and cultures have used psychotropic drugs to alter perception and instigate religious ecstasy. However, due to their reputation and banishment, the history has been blurred and ignored by many (Entheogenic Origins: Generating the Divine Within).

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Courtesy of Thank You Plant Medicine

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In addition, entheogens have been used for various cultural and spiritual practices by people all over the world. A vivid example can be seen with the Yawanawa people who live on the banks of the Greogrio river located in the Brazilian Amazon. This location is considered the most biodiverse biome on the planet. Therefore, since this habitat is rich in plant diversity, the Yawanawa’s ancestors built a strong relationship with plants and sought them for their healing purposes and spiritual wisdom. Entheogens have become part of many people’s culture where they are used in various settings including rituals, cultural songs, dances, games, body painting, artwork, and sacred medicines. Entheogens pave the way for cultural revival (Hesselink, Kambô: A Shamanistic Ritual Arriving in the West).

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There are a variety of entheogens in the world today, but for the sake of relevancy to our research, only certain substances will be described in this website. For more information about the various types of entheogens along with their functions please visit our references page.

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-Denise Castillo