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Interest in psychedelics from the Western world has been growing in the recent years, as more studies uncover the mental-health benefits of psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD and MDMA. While this field continues to grow, discoveries are also shedding light on the role that these substances played in ancient societies.
Dr.Yuria Celidwen, a senior academic at UC Berkeley, reveals that the term “psychedelic” is modern. For centuries, Indigenous communities referred to these drugs as spirit medicines. Historical documents show the use of these substances for healing was a minor role, with major uses being sacred rituals, palliative care, strengthening connections in communities and exploring consciousness. The substances also facilitated hedonism and creativity.
Records also demonstrate that the ancient Romans and Greeks held periodical rites that involved the use of kykeon, a psychoactive drug.
According to Osiris Sinuhé González Romero, a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan, the Codex Vindobonensis is one of the oldest written documents that describe a ritual involving psychoactive mushrooms. Following the colonization of Mexico by Spain, knowledge of these rituals was spread through a scholar who spent many years documenting and studying the culture, history and beliefs of the Aztecs. In addition, Professor Albert Garcia-Romeu reveals that the scholar Bernardino de Sahagún also narrated Aztec rituals that involved psilocybin mushrooms in the 1500s in a setting that practitioners nowadays may refer to as group therapy.
Celidwen notes that for societies in the west to appreciate why Indigenous peoples have valued these rituals, they need to understand the belief systems for interpreting and interacting with the world around them. She highlights how the use of psychoactive drugs in ancient communities is based on interacting with the spirit and natural worlds, which is different from the use of these substances in the west.
The ancients focused on the collective well-being of one, focused on restoring one’s balance with the spirit world.
The modern world also needs to recognize the sacred value of these drugs. Celidwen and colleagues have noted that if there’s anything to learn from ancient cultures, it is that the actual power of these psychoactive substances lies in their ability to encourage bonds between communities and people. This means that patenting these drugs may not be a good idea in the long-term, because it’s the relationships that bring the healing. There’s also a need to ensure that this burgeoning industry benefits peoples in Indigenous communities, particularly since they may be vulnerable to exploitation.
Psychedelics startups such as Seelos Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: SEEL) have plenty to unpack from the history of the way psychedelics were used, and then they can explore how best practices can be incorporated in the use of these substances in modern times.
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