Mind-altering drugs are used all over the world. Think magic mushrooms, Ayahuasca or mescaline cacti. A variety of rituals and ceremonies are also performed, often by shamans or other sacred leaders. These are meant to support a healing process, connect with the spirits or celebrate a seasonal transition.

People can also use rituals in private situations. Often individuals shape this themselves or they use elements from existing rituals. For example, you could drum, sing, meditate or pray. Whatever your ritual consists of, you use it to enhance and support your experience with psychedelics.

But what exactly is a ritual or ceremony? From a Western point of view, these two terms are linked. Rituals have a symbolic meaning, while a ceremony is a type of ritual with a religious meaning. Thus, you can think of prayer as a ritual. A ceremony is a more religious celebration in which, in addition to rituals, other expressions take place, such as music, singing and other symbolic acts.

Natural, psychoactive substances can also be used during rituals and ceremonies. Among natural peoples, their purpose is to strengthen bonds between people, induce visions or promote healing. Mind-altering drugs have an important place in society and are generally not used for pleasure. Below we briefly discuss some rituals.

The San Pedro Ritual

For more than 2,500 years, the San Pedro cactus (which contains the psychoactive substance mescaline) has been used by the peoples of the Andes in rituals, for its medicinal properties and to promote fertility. It is the curandero or traditional shaman who leads the ritual. The healer sets up a special altar (the mesa). He or she usually uses more of the medicine himself than the person for whom he performs the ritual. That way, he can determine the cause of the disease. The cactus is cut into pieces and made into a drink or tea.

San Pedro induces visual hallucinations and can reveal special insights and feelings to you. People can feel a sense of love and cheerfulness and a sense that life has meaning. The world is beautiful and you have your place in it. This can also induce awe and euphoria.

The Ayahuasca ceremony

Ayahuasca is a brew made from two plants, the ayahuasca vine and the leaves of another plant, for example the chacruna. The ceremony is led by a shaman, who sings songs or leads a meditation. This helps to get through the difficult moments of the ritual. These are often physical as well, as ayahuasca can cause nausea and diarrhea.

Therefore, this ritual is seen as a spiritual and physical cleansing. Ayahuasca is a purifying drug that can put you in touch with your own inner wisdom. You can face problems and difficult feelings, from grief, depression and addiction to PTSD. Ayahuasca ceremonies are also offered in our country, lasting one or more days.

Magic mushroom ritual

There are several types of magic mushrooms and they too have been used for centuries. In the Sierra Madre mountains, shamans perform the Mazatec ceremony with magic mushrooms. It begins with a vigil (velada), held at night. The healer prepares the magic mushrooms in the manner appropriate to the disease he or she is going to treat, therefore different types of mushrooms may be used. The shaman chants or chants, and these rituals too are meant to enhance the experience of psychedelics.

In the West, magic mushrooms are now also commonly used, but not only during rituals, also just for pleasure. In Central America, they are considered sacred and used only for healing. Shrooms can therefore bring you a lot if you use them in the right way. Research shows that magic mushrooms can help with depression, addiction and PTSD.