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SAYIN Psychoactive Plant Religious Ritual Summer 2017 Vol 2 No 5 PDF
SAYIN Psychoactive Plant Religious Ritual Summer 2017 Vol 2 No 5 PDF
that are called “the archetypal images,” from the illusions and hallucinations of an-
such as the swastika, may have been used cient “ritual people” in Psychedelic Religious
by many different cultures (Fig 3, in the Rites (PRR) who had used psychoactive
next article) (Jung, 1968). Jung proposed plants during their religious rituals and who
had been very ‘high’ on psychedelic plants.
some common images and symbols in his
famous book “Man and His Symbols,” as
evidence of this common collective un- Evidence:
conscious; however, any proposed mech- Evidence for Psychoactive Plant Use
anisms for how such a common language in Psychedelic Religious Rituals
of the sub- or unconscious was construct- (PRR) in the Amazon and South
ed and concerted, until recently, have not America
been revealed. Some of the works of The native cultures of the Amazon do
Ruck, Lewis-Williams and Kent, today, not have a written history and they pass
have raised some insights to explain how on their ancestral sacred knowledge
these common language items, common through unwritten legends, articulated by
archetypes and similar symbols were the elderly to younger generations; thus
used in different cultures around the we do not know exactly when and how
globe that lived very distinctly from each the rituals utilizing psychoactive plants in
other and used totally different lan- Amazonia originated; but it is certain that
guages, and more importantly, which had the brew called Ayahuasca was the fun-
no cultural contact and communication damental sacrament used by the people
because of the distance between them and of the Amazon region. It is traditionally
the eras in which they lived (Lewis- used currently in Venezuela, Colombia,
Williams, 1998, 2005; Kent, 2010; Harner, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil (Febre-
1973; Schultes, 1992; Bravo, 1989; Akers, gas, 2010; Desmarchelier, 1996; Gable,
2011; Ruck, 2001, 2006a-b, 2008, 2009, 2007; Krippner, 2011; Trichter, 2009).
2013). Carl Ruck et al., also have interest-
ing claims and hypothesis about the ef- According to a common indigenous
fects and hidden symbolic meanings of legend, the knowledge of Ayahuasca had
psychoactive plants on the formation of been ‘divulged’ to certain shamans in
some folkloric common fairy tales of their dreams or through ASCs induced by
many different cultures; including Snow other psychotropic plants; additionally, it
White, a famous European tale, which was told to them by the –so called— spir-
exists in nearly all European nations, first its of the plants. Gayle Highpine reported
collected and recorded by the Brothers that the shamans learned how to use and
Grimm (Ruck, 2006, 2009). brew Ayahuasca by trial and error, as they
brew the B. Caapi vine with many other
The main hypotheses of this article are: plants, until finding the optimal psycho-
Many ancient cultures used some kind of active effects (Highpine, 2009). Highpine
psychoactive plants during some of their reli- notes that the name Ayahuasca comes
gious rites since the Neolithic Ages. from the Napo Runa people of the upper
Most of the mythological figures and charac-
Amazon. Napo Runa medicine men call
ters that exist in tribal religions, in ancient
the B. Caapi vine and the brew as Aya-
religions and also in the institutionalized
modern religions, such as demons, angels, huasca and have a tradition of mixing the
Satan, semi-human animals, gods, goddesses, B. Caapi vine with other plants to observe
spirits, ghosts and many others originate the combined effects. According to Gayle
Highpine, after some time of trial and people but also for Westerners, today, has
error, the shamans might have come to Ayahuasca started to play a very im-
the conclusion that certain plants caused portant role. Today many Westerners are
more psychoactive effects after adminis- flooding to the region solely for experi-
tering it with Ayahuasca (B. Caapi) to ac- encing Ayahuasca ceremonies. It is esti-
quire enhanced monoamine oxidase mated that twenty percent of the tourists
(MAO) inhibition effect on the central visiting the city of Iquitos and Pucallpa in
nervous system. Peru, today are coming to ingest the
brew. Many places like Iquitos and
As a tradition in the Amazon region, Pucallpa have become very popular des-
DMT-containing plants, such as Sychotria tinations and the number of places that
viridis (Chacruna) – leaves, Diplopterys offer Ayahuasca ceremonies has increased
cabrerana (Chaliponga, Banisteriopsis rus- gradually during the last decades (per-
byana) – leaves, Psychotria carthagenensis, sonal communication with Levent Kartal,
are used with some other brews of vines 2007-2013, experiences in Pucallpa- Iqui-
or weeds, that act as a MAO inhibitor on tos-Cusco/Peru/Colombia and Brazil).
the central nervous system, since the
MAO enzyme, found abundantly in the Traditionally, Ayahuasca is not used
body, degrades DMT very quickly; with- for recreational purposes; on the contrary,
out MAO inhibiting other “magical it has acquired fame as “La Medicina”, the
brews,” the DMT containing Amazonian medicine. There are certain rules that the
plants have no psychoactive effect, since Ayahuasca ceremony participants should
DMT would be metabolized in the diges- adhere to and it is almost always ingested
tive system very quickly (Highpine, 2009; at night with an “experienced guide”
Gable, 2007; Febregas, 2010; Stafford, (curandero, shaman, healer, ayahuasquero),
1978). Those additional “witch brews” communally and sometimes individually.
are the harmala alkaloids that are MAO- During the four hour journey into the
inhibiting beta-carbolines. The three most inner space of the consciousness, there are
studied harmala alkaloids in the B. caapi usually one or more shamans who will
vine are harmine, harmaline and tetrahydro- also drink the brew, while singing sacred
harmine. Harmine and harmaline are selec- healing songs called Icaros. The type of
tive and reversible inhibitors of MAO-A, the Icaros sung may vary from region to
while tetrahydroharmine is a weak sero- region. For example, the Icaros sang by
tonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) (Callaway, the Shipibo has a very distinct character
1999). This inhibition of MAO-A allows with its whiffling and whistling, which an
DMT to diffuse, as not metabolized, experienced person can easily differenti-
through the membranes in the stomach ate. According to tradition, they are said
and small intestine, and eventually cross to be passed from generation to genera-
the blood–brain barrier to activate some tion and are to be sung for healing or pro-
certain receptor sites, such as 5-HT recep- tection (personal communication with
tors, in the brain. Levent Kartal, 2007-2013, experiences in
Pucallpa- Iquitos-Cusco/Peru/Colombia
Whatever the origins might have and Brazil).
been, Ayahuasca has always played a cen-
tral role in the magico-religious life of the Vomiting is a very common occur-
Amazon; and not only for the indigenous rence in Ayahuasca ceremonies. Although
the purgation can be an uncomfortable pants in the rituals also may vary; but the
experience for some participants, tradi- –so called- positive effects of Ayahuasca
tionally it is usually interpreted as a posi- have become one the interests of neuro-
tive effect of the brew and considered a science research in the West. South Amer-
cleansing; thus the participants are told ica, and especially the Amazon rain for-
not to inhibit the urge to vomit; and usu- est, has become one of the new hubs for
ally after vomiting, a sense of serenity the revival of the study of the “archaic
arises. After drinking the brew with the entheogenic ASC” (personal communica-
blessing of the Shaman, the participants tion with Levent Kartal; Levent Kartal’s
return back to their spaces waiting for the Ayahuasca experiences, 2007-2013, Pucall-
effects to commence. Absolute silence is pa-Iquitos-Cusco/Peru/Colombia.) (Fe-
usually expected during the 30-45 bregas, 2010; Desmarchelier, 1996; Gable,
minutes before the journey starts. People 2007; Krippner, 2011; Trichter, 2009; Diaz,
can light a mapacho (tobacco rolled ciga- 2010).
rette) or their tobacco filled pipe while
waiting or listening to the sounds of the The review of the literature showed
jungle with its myriad of creatures. Due that in the South American and Amazon
to the MAO inhibiting effect of the tobac- cultures, psychoactive plant use, not only
co smoking, it may enhance the psychoac- Ayahuasca but also others, was very com-
tive after-effects of the brew, after the mon during religious rituals and other
experience starts to subside. During the religious ceremonies for many centuries
journey, the shamans may personally pay (See Table-1A, 1B).
special attention to people who might be
having difficulties. They can sing specif- Other World-Wide Evidences for
ic Icaros, lay on hands to heal, burn in- Psychoactive Plant Use in
cense, or blow tobacco smoke, which is Religious Rituals
very common in Ayahuasca ceremonies. For the Old World, Merlin has re-
Although the character of the ceremonies ported that psychoactive plants (opium,
may vary from region to region, this is the Cannabis, Ephedra, Blue Water Lily (Star
general unfolding of a traditional Aya- Lotus), mandrake plant, Peganum harmala)
huasca ceremony in the Amazon region. have been found in the archeological re-
The plants used for cooking the brew may search associated with the religious ritu-
also differ. For example, Diplopterys als in many places, such as Egypt, Middle
cabrerana, which came to Iquitos from East, Mesopotamia, North Africa, various
Colombia recently, is not as widely used parts of Europe, China, and many parts of
in Iquitos as it is in Colombia; and not all Asia, reaching back to Neolithic Ages
shamans use the datura in their brews. (Merlin, 2003) (See Figures 5, 6), and other
Sometimes the participants in the cere- investigators have confirmed similar find-
mony may not drink the brew him/herself ings (Dobkin, 1984; Lewis-Williams 1988,
and just participate passively. And the 2006, 2008, 2005; Metzner, 2002; Nichols,
music of the ceremonies may vary, some- 2004; Ruck, 2006, 2009; Bravo, 1989;
times accompanied by communal dances Akers, 2011). (See Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6;
such as those in the Santo Daime Church Table 1-A, B)
in Brazil. The experiences of the partici-
Figure 1: Archeological and anthropological evidences of psychoactive plant use in early historical times.
A) An old lithograph about psychoactive plants published in 1850.
B) Shaman’s spiritual world during ASCs induced by psychoactive plants. Old cave drawings, Texas.
C) Archeological evidence found in Los Pecos, Texas in 2007. There was clear evidence that the Neolithic cave drawings were
made under the effects of Peyote (or jimson weed).
Figure 2: Psychoactive substance use in Amazons and Ayahuasca, DMT containing plant.
A) Accessories of a traditional Ayahuasca ceremony.
B) A Shamanic drawing belonging to his spiritual world.
C) A Sculpture descending from 900 B.C. depicting the intranasal use of DMT, with fangs, wide open eyes and mucus run-
ning from the nostrils. Peru.
D) Archeological evidence for psychoactive plant preparation kit. The tools have carved figures of entoptic images on
them.
Figure 3: Archeological evidence of opium and magic mushrooms from the ancient Anatolian cultures. 1500-500 B.C.
A) Anatolian Goddess figure with resemblance to magic mushrooms. (Anatolian Civilizations Museum-Ankara-Turkey)
B) Late Hittite (or Urartu) relief depicting the “Liberty Cap” and the magic mushrooms. (İstanbul Archeological Museum-
İstanbul-Turkey)
C) Mushroom shaped containers. (Anatolian Civilizations Museum-Ankara-Turkey)
D) Anatolian Goddess sculpture depicting magic mushrooms. (Anatolian Civilizations Museum-Ankara-Turkey)
E) Anatolian Goddess sculpture with three opium plants (Anatolian Civilizations Museum-Ankara-Turkey)
Figure 4: Archeological evidence of magic mushrooms from ancient Anatolian cultures. 1500-500 B.C.
A) A Cretan Goddess with opium from Anatolia region.
B) Two headed Anatolian Goddess figure depicting magic mushrooms. (Anatolian Civilizations Museum-Ankara-Turkey)
C) Various Goddess and magic mushroom sculptures from Anatolia. See the shape of 4 headed or 2 headed sculptures, the
body of the magic mushrooms under the soil has always a circular unified bulk, from where the magic mushrooms emerge
as separate mushrooms over the soil. (Anatolian Civilizations Museum-Ankara-Turkey)
Figure 5: 60 000 B.C.- 1500 B.C; Merlin’s Review about the Psychoactive Plant Use in the Old World B.C. Explains
Chronologically that Opium, Cannabis, Ephedra, Nymphaea Nouchali, Mandragora officinarum, Peganum Harmala were
used during the shamanic activities, religious rituals and other religious activities beginning from 60 000 B.C. until the early
centuries A.D. as presented with archeological references and evidence. Merlin MD. Archaeological evidence for the
tradition of psychoactive plant use in the old world. Economic Botany, 2003; 57(3): 295–323.
Figure 6: 1500 B.C. – 200 B.C.; Merlin’s Review about the Psychoactive Plant Use in the Old World B.C. Explains Chrono-
logically that Opium, Cannabis, Ephedra, Nymphaea Nouchali, Mandragora officinarum, Peganum Harmala were used
during shamanic activities, the religious rituals and other religious activities beginning from 60 000 B.C. until the early
centuries A.D. as presented with archeological references and evidence. Merlin MD. Archaeological evidence for the
tradition of psychoactive plant use in the old world. Economic Botany, 2003; 57(3): 295–323.
Figure 7: The archeological evidence about the consumption of magic mushrooms in Maya and Aztec cultures.
A) The Statue of an Aztec God (Xochipilli) elaborated with many drawings of psychoactive plants and their flowers (Mexi-
co).
B) Maya culture used magic mushrooms during its religious ceremonies; famous mushroom stones of Maya culture (Gua-
temala).
Figure 8: 38 Different medical or psychiatric uses of 114 different species of psychoactive plants in Quilombolas and
Kraho, Amazons-Brazil.
Rodrigues E, Carlini EA. A Comparison of Plants Utilized in Ritual Healing by two Brazilian Cultures: Quilombolas and Kraho
Indians. J Psychoactive Drugs, 2006; 38 (3):285-295.
Figure 9: Archeological and anthropological evidence that early Dionysus rituals consumed psychoactive plants and weeds.
A) Contemporary advertisement graphic design of the alcoholic beverage Green Fairy, Absinthe.
B) Label of French drink Absinthe.
C) A contemporary poster for the drama of Bacchae by Euripides.
D) 3 Bacchae from a contemporary play (Euripides) with grape leaves on their heads.
E) Dionysus and Satyr paintings from an ancient Greek vase, holding Thyrsus.
F) Bacchae from a contemporary play (Euripides).
G) Dionysus, holding a Thyrsus on an ancient Greek vase.
H) Dionysus and his hypersexual warriors, Bacchae, from an ancient Greek vase, preparing wine or the psychoactive magic
potion for the Dionysus Festivals.
I) Dionysus and, possibly, various magical (psychoactive plants) on an ancient Greek vase.
Figure 10: The God of Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) and Wine: DIONYSUS (Dionysos-Helen) or
BACCHUS (Rome).
A) The hypersexual, hyper-orgasmic, and promiscuous magician warriors of Dionysus: The Bacchae, from a contemporary
re-creation play (Euripides).
B) A Statue of Dionysus, with grapes and grape leaves.
C) A Statue of Dionysus, depicted with various plants and fruits at the head intermingled with his hair, particularly grapes
and grape leaves.
D) Dionysus statue. In most of the Dionysus statues, the hair of Dionysus is interwoven with grapes, from which wine was
made; however a closer detailed analysis of these statues will reveal that not only grapes, but also other herbs and plants
were placed with grape leaves.
E) Dionysus with a Satyr, holding the magical stick, Thyrsus. See the tip of Thyrsus, that is not always in the shape of a pine
cone, but it may resemble other plants, such as Phalaris species or wheat, as well.
Figure 11: Paintings depicting Dionysus Rituals and Orgia. 18th and 19th Centuries.
Figure 12: THYRSUS: The Magical Cane that could cure diseases and easily manufacture wine and probably
many other mind altering plant-origin drugs. Note that the THYRSUS contains many different plants and
herbs, at the tip.
A) A medieval painting depicting various psychoactive plants.
B) A contemporary re-animation of Dionysus in a play.
C) Bacchae carrying a Thyrsus. A detail of an authentic ancient Greek vase. Notice the tip of Thyrsus, that is not pine cone
shaped, but resembles another plant, such as phalaris species (see figure 13, 14).
D) Ancient Greek coin depicting a Thyrsus on it.
E) An ancient Greek coin with the head of Dionysus and also a warrior of Dionysus carrying a Thyrsus.
Figure 13: THYRSUS; The magical cane or wand that could cure diseases, turn water into wine or psychedelic
drinks, and gave sexual performance to males or females. The symbolic LOGO of the Dionysus Cult and Ritu-
als. Please Notice the tips of Thyrsus: Is it a pine cone, or a different plant, such as wheat or phalaris spe-
cies?
A) A Bacchae making love to a Satry, using Thyrsus. Detail from an ancient Greek vase. Notice the tip of Thyrsus.
B) A Bacchae, using her Thyrsus, induces an erection in a Satyr. Notice the tip of Thyrsus.
C) A Bacchae, holding a Thyrsus in her hand. Notice the tip of Thyrsus. From an ancient Greek vase.
D) Satyrs and Bacchae, carrying Thyrsus on an ancient Greek vase. Notice the tips of Thyrsus.
E) Dionysus holding a Thyrsus. His warrior, a Satyr, is presenting a drink to Dionysus. Detail of an ancient Greek Plate.
Notice the tip of the Tyrsus.
F) A classical pine cone.
G) Phalaris species (see also figures, 14 and 15). Phalaris species resembles wheat, however the body is more elongated
and there are more protruding structures on Phalaris.
H) A Bacchae is curing a man with a sexual disorder, probably, or to induce erection. The symbolic meaning here is not the
magical wand (Thyrsus) inducing erection, but the psychoactive aphrodisiac plants are meant to enhance sexual potency of
men. A detail from an ancient Greek plate or vase.
Figure 14: The plants Ephedra and Phalaris species resemble the psychoactive plants drawn in the Me-
diaval ages and also the tip of THYRSUS.
A) Ephedra plant resembling ancient drawings of psychoactive plants. (Ephedra Torrean)
B) A psychedelic medieval lion painting. Notice the plants which resemble ephedra and phalaris.
C) Ephedra plant. (Ephedra nevadensis)
D) An ancient medieval painting which depicts the magical plants of the alchemists. See the resemblance of this plant with
ephedra and phalaris species. Please remember that most of the magical alchemy plants were psychedelic and psychoac-
tive plants at those times.
F) Drawing of Phalaris species, which contain high amounts of DMT. (Phalaris canariensis)
G) Closer view of Phalaris aquatica. See the resemblance of this plant to the tip of Thyrsus.
H) A DMT containing Phalaris species: Phalaris arundinaceae
Figure 15: The details of the reliefs from İstanbul Archeological Museum. The Liberty Cap and Phalaris-like
drawings. 1500 B.C.
A) Details from an ancient relief. See the resemblance of the flowers and leaves to Phalaris species and/or wheat.
B) A less close view the detail given at A.
C) Mithra or Perseus wearing Liberty Cap, symbolizing magic mushrooms, and communicating with eagle headed god.
D) Closer view of Liberty Cap. Notice the root of the mushrooms in the double mushroom Liberty Cap, plunges into the
wall, as another proof of this Cap symbolizing magic mushrooms.
Figure 16: Smoking in Europe. In most of the medieval paintings of Taberns (Taverns), men and women were depicted
th th
as smoking pipes. Above paintings are from the early Medieval Ages between 12 century to 16 century. According to
th
Wikipedia, tobacco, which was harvested in the Americas by the Indians, became popularized in Europe in 17 century. In
most of the paintings of Brueghels and Bosch, and other early painters we see that the people who are entertaining and
drinking, also smoke pipes. Did these pipes contain tobacco or some other weed such as, cannabis, opium, wormwood or
some other psychoactive weed? When we focus on the shapes of these pipes they are not tobacco pipes, but rather ob-
long, elongated, elegant pipes that have a very small reservoir to hold a small amount of what is smoked, which is pro-
bably psychoactive and effective, while smoking too much of those weed could be dangerous and hazardous. Did early
medieval Europeans consume an important amount of cannabis, opium or other psychoactive plants and weeds, which
could then be manufactured easily as home-made!
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SexuS Journal www.sexusjournal.com │ Summer-2017 │Volume: 02 │Issue: 05 │Pages:201-236
◦◦◦ Sayin HÜ. Psychoactive Plants-Religious Rituals-Archetypes ◦◦◦ ISSN 2536-5185 (web) ISSN 2536-5169 (print)
Figure 17: The Sun-Gods of Horus, Attis, Mithra, Dionysus-Osiris, Krishna have all the same life stories, symbolizing many
astrological events. Why are these same as the life of Jesus Christ. Was Jesus Christ a continuation of the Pagan Sun-Gods?
Use of psilocybin or psilocin containing and its use along with DMT-containing
psychoactive mushrooms (magic mush- Sychotria viridis, Diplopterys cabrerana, Psy-
rooms) was wide spread in many religions chotria carthagenensis in the Amazons); (see
in Europe and around the Middle East Figures 13, 14 and below for details).
and Mesopotamia, where the appearance Peganum harmala (Üzerlik otu, Nazar otu in
of magic mushrooms emerges from nearly Turkish) is so widespread in Turkish, Ana-
all cultural and religious rituals, as depict- tolian and Middle East culture that its
ed in the folkloric remains and art . In Per- dried capsules are strung together and
sia (1500-1200 B.C.), the Sun-god Mithra hung in homes or vehicles to protect
wears a “liberty cap”, (Psilocybe semi- against "the evil eye"; also Peganum harma-
lanceata) which is in the shape of a mush- la is burnt as an incense to get the Jinns
room in most of the sculptures and reliefs, (imaginary and superstitious ghostly un-
as well as the Sun-god Attis (Greece, 1200 seen evil creatures, having a non-
B.C.) (See Figures 3, 4 and 17). Also the materialistic body) and evil eye away.
appearance of opium, Cannabis, Ephedra, Peganum harmala is widely used in the cul-
Nymphaea nouchali (water lily), Mandragora ture for luck, magic, and against evil in
officinarum (mandrake plant), Peganum Iraq, İran, Syria, Afghanistan, Turkic Na-
harmala, wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), tions etc.
and various kinds of hallucinogenic lo-
tuses are very common in the reliefs and During the last decades, hundreds of
sculptures of the remains in most of the archeological and anthropological items of
archeological findings (Ruck, 2001, 2006, evidence came out in Mexican, Maya and
2009, 2013; Diaz, 2010; Nichols, 2004; Lew- Aztec cultures that magic mushrooms
is-Williams, 2005; Akers, 2011; Metzner, (psilocybin), peyote (Lophophora williamsii,
1998; Schultes, 1992; Merlin, 2003; Miller, mescaline), cannabis (THC), and some
2013). (See Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8). other psychoactive plants were used dur-
Among these, use of Peganum harmala in ing shamanic and religious rituals (Cas-
Anatolia and the Middle East is of particu- taneda, 1985; La Barre, 1979; Stafford,
lar importance, because it is not a halluci- 1978; Metzner, 2002; Miller, 2013; Ruck,
nogenic plant; although, it might have 2009; Schultes, 1992; Blainey, 2005) There
been used for its anti-helmintic and anti- are over 20 different species of entheogen-
protozoal effects, it contains the beta- ic mushrooms found in Mexico, so it is
carbolines harmine (4.3 %), harmaline (5.6 reasonable to make the connection be-
%), harmane (0.16 %) that have MAO inhib- tween the known transcendental proper-
iting effects. The evidence that Peganum ties of psilocybin mushrooms and the use
harmala was also associated with “Sha- of mushroom altars in ritual consumption
manic Practices and Religious Rituals” can ceremonies (Blainey, 2005; Dobkin de Rios,
be a proof that many Phalaris species, that 1974).
contain DMT, and are found abundantly
in Anatolia and the Middle East, might Rodrigues and Carlini, after two years
have been used with Peganum harmala in of field research, reported that they could
those regions for shamanic and religious identify a total of 169 psychoactive plants
purposes, throughout hundreds of centu- which were utilized in the preparation of
ries, just like Ayahuasca to get more potent 345 local prescriptions for 68 ailments of
DMT-hallucinogenic effects (B. Capii vine the CNS, classified as tonics, analgesics,
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SexuS Journal www.sexusjournal.com │ Summer-2017 │Volume: 02 │Issue: 05 │Pages:201-236
◦◦◦ Sayin HÜ. Psychoactive Plants-Religious Rituals-Archetypes ◦◦◦ ISSN 2536-5185 (web) ISSN 2536-5169 (print)
and memory enhancers, thought modifi- ries (Stafford, 1978; Popik, 1995; Sayin,
ers, tonics for the brain, anorectics, hallu- 2012a). The mechanism of the action of
cinogens and anxiolytics (Rodrigues, ibogaine is still obscure; it is assumed that it
2006). Some of these psychoactive plants is a kappa opioid receptor agonist and
were said to descend from the ancestors, NMDA receptor antagonist; however
and most of them were used in both heal- these effects cannot explain very different
ing and religious rituals in the Brazilian forms of the altered consciousness levels
culture for hundreds of centuries (Fig-8). induced by ibogaine, including an onei-
ropherenic state, conscious dreaming and
The possible use of toad toxins by the the auto-psychoanalysis of the subcon-
Mesoamerican cultures for psychoactive scious, experienced during the whole
purposes has long been proposed. We “trip.” [The phenomenon of "conscious
know that the toad was recurrently de- dreaming" just mentioned has the formal
picted in Mesoamerican art (Kennedy, contemporary designation of "lucid
1982), with the toad image forming the dreaming", and the objective study of
base of mushroom stones (Wasson, 1980). sleep by means of polysomnography in
Many species of the toad genus Bufo have lucid dreamers has documented the fasci-
parotid glands that excrete the chemical 5- nating co-occurrence of the waking state
hydroxy-DMT, also called bufotenine. within the rapid-eye-movement (REM)
Bufotenine has a similar chemical structure sleep state, as a distinct form of "dissociat-
with psilocin, and induces powerful hallu- ed state" in which the lucid dreamer can
cinations when administered by smoking direct the dream action. (LaBerge, 1990;
while combined with some type of MAO Godwin, 1994; Mahowald, 1998; personal
inhibitor (Blainey, 2005). communication with Carlos H. Schenck)].
Morning glory flower seeds (Turbina Ibogaine has been patented and also
corymbosa), called Ololiuqui by the Aztecs, confirmed by NIDA to treat various forms
contain lysergic acid amide (LSA, similar of addiction or substance dependence,
to LSD). The LSA molecule is almost iden- such as of heroin, cocaine, alcohol, tobac-
tical in structure to LSD, but not as potent co, and methamphetamine (Popik, 1995;
as LSD; however when hundreds of seeds Alper, 1999; Maciulaitis, 2008; Sayin,
were ground into a powder, they would 2012a) (H.S. Lotsof, U.S. Patent 4,499,096;
be blended into a cacao beverage, and Chem. Abstr. 102,160426w (1985).; H.S.
sometimes psilocybin mushrooms were Lotsof, U.S. Patent 4,587,243; Chem. Abstr.
added to the mixture (Wasson, 1980). Even 106,12967r (1986);D.P. Bocher and C. Na-
though the Morning glory is found ranjo, French Special Drug Patent No.
throughout Central America and the Car- 138.081;081713m, Inst. Class; H.S. Lotsof,
ibbean, there is evidence that they were U.S. Patent 4,857,523; Chem. Abstr.
only purposely used for religious rituals in 112,32041m (1989); H.S. Lotsof, U.S. Patent
Mexico (Schultes & Hofmann, 1992; 5,026,697; Chem. Abstr. 116,17031x (1991);
Blainey, 2005). H.S. Lotsof, U.S. Patent 5,152,994; Chem.
Abstr. 116,100980b (1992)). This is an in-
Another interesting hallucinogen ibo- teresting incident which also supplies
gaine (Tabernanthe iboga), which induces a supporting proof for the statement that
48-hour-“inner journey”, has been used in most of the ancient shamanic cultures
the religious rituals of the Bwiti cult by the called and believed in the psychoactive
shamans in Gabon, West Africa, for centu-
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◦◦◦ Sayin HÜ. Psychoactive Plants-Religious Rituals-Archetypes ◦◦◦ ISSN 2536-5185 (web) ISSN 2536-5169 (print)
plants as “healing medicine” for centuries, written in 1230) of which lyrics were used
just as in the case of ibogaine, which has by Carl Orff to compose his famous work
marvelous healing effects on the human of the Carmina Burana in 1936 (Azar, 2006;
psyche to affect one’s personal psychology Sayin 2014).
very deeply, treat abstinence syndromes
and many forms of addictions. Very little is known about the ingredi-
ents of kykeon or absinthe, the famous high-
alcoholic, aphrodisiac drink, which most
Evidence for Psychoactive Plant probably induces mild hallucinations. Alt-
hough there is very inconsistent infor-
Use in PRR mation about the authentic absinthe, its
in Greek-Hellenic Cultures and main ingredients were aniseed (Pimpinella
Anatolia anisum), ethyl alcohol, grape-juice wine,
Dionysian Rituals, the Bacchae, wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), a spe-
Kykeon-Absinthe and Wormwood cies of parsley (Apiaceae petroselinum), fen-
More than 2000-2500 years ago, in nel (Foeniculum vulgare) and some other
Greece and Ionia (Aegean coast of Anato- herbs. Its alcoholic concentration used to
lia), during September, there was a tradi- be as high as 45-74 %. This special drink
tion of very famous carnival-like rituals in was described as “a hallucinogenic-
the village called Eleusis. Some selected aphrodisiac potion” that was consumed
and high-class citizens were allowed to during the long “Dionysian festivals and
enter into these Eleusinian religious pagan orgia”. Its active hallucinogenic ingredient
festivals. These ceremonies continued for was probably thujone (in Artemisia ab-
several days and very little is known sinthium), a cannabinoid receptor agonist,
about these rites today. The ritual was while it might have also contained other
partially described in the 2nd century psychoactive plants and herbs, such as
A.D.: ‘‘… of all the divine things that exist magic mushrooms (Webster, 2000), ergot
among men, it is both the most awesome and compounds and LSA (kykeon; Wasson,
the most luminous’’ (Wasson, 1978). There 1978; Ruck, 2000, 2001, 2013, 2006a-b,
had always been a rumor that men and 2009), opium, (Ritter, 2008; Gimpel, 2006;
women drank a very powerful “magical Lachenmeier, 2006a, 2006b; Azar, 2006;
potion” during these rituals. Most proba- Daniélou, 1992; Sayin, 2014). It is interest-
bly, these rituals were the imitation of ing to note that another cannabinoid re-
“Dionysian rituals” and the potion was ceptor agonist, cannabidiol, has recently
some kind of psychoactive drink, such as been found to effectively control the dis-
absinthe (or kykeon) (Wasson, 1978; Nich- turbing dreams/nightmares--i.e. hallucina-
ols, 2004; Ruck, 2000, 2006, 2009; Azar, tions during REM sleep--and associated
2006; Daniélou, 1992; Sayin, 2014). There abnormal parasomnia behaviors--viz.
are even 13th-century secular love songs dream-enacting behaviors--emerging with
about these rituals, known as Carmina Bu- REM sleep behavior disorder in patients
rana (‘Songs of Beuern,’ 5 songs of morals with Parkinson's disease (Chagas, 2014;
and mockery, 131 love songs, 40 drinking and personal communication with Carlos
and gaming songs, the most important H. Schenck).
collection of Goliard and vagabond songs,
with obscene themes and satirical of the The contemporary alcoholic beverage
Church, of old Northern Europe culture; absinthe (Green Fairy) was different from
the Eleusinian. Absinthe originated in the mus, orgasm) (Figure 9, 10,11) (Daniélou,
canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland in the 1992; Azar, 2006; Sayin, 2014).
late 18th century. It rose to great populari-
ty as an alcoholic drink in late 19th- and During the orgia, people danced, enter-
early 20th-century France, particularly tained, listened to music and drank wine.
among Parisian artists and writers. Owing One of the most important details of these
in part to its association with bohemian rituals, which the historians and anthro-
culture, the consumption of absinthe was pologists always ignored, is that the fa-
opposed by social conservatives and pro- mous drink kykeon or, probably, absinthe
hibitionists and it was banned at the be- was one of the main aphrodisiac agents in
ginning of 20th Century. Ernest Heming- the magical potion that these dancing
way, Charles Baudelaire, Paul Verlaine, people drank during these festivals. Was-
Arthur Rimbaud, Henri de Toulouse- son, Hoffman and Ruck, hypothesized that
Lautrec, Amedeo Modigliani, Picasso, kykeon contained ergot alkaloids (from C.
Vincent van Gogh, Oscar Wilde, Aleister purpureae) (Wasson, 1978; Ruck, 2008,
Crowley, Erik Satie and Alfred Jarry were 2013), however, others objected that kykeon
all known absinthe drinkers. contained psilocybin (Webster, 2000); most
probably kykeon contained some psychoac-
Dionysian Rituals and Orgia tive substances which could be LSA, psilo-
Dionysian rituals were a part of the cybin or DMT or some others. Sexual
pagan rites of the Greek-Hellenic-Roman- freedom and liberated sexual practices
Anatolian Cultures, where Dionysus and were also a part of the Dionysian Orgia,
his symbolic existence were worshipped. such that the term orgy comes from the
In Roman times, Dionysus’ name changed orgia of the Dionysian Festivals (Figure
to Bacchus. He may have been wor- 11). Theatre is also thought to originate
shipped as early as 1500–1100 B.C. by My- from these rituals, where Greek tragedy or
cenaean Greeks; other traces of the Diony- drama was occasionally performed.
sian-type cult have been found in ancient
Minoan Crete. He is a god of epiphany, Bacchae
"the god that comes," and his "foreignness" The Bacchae were very beautiful magi-
as an arriving outsider-god may be inher- cian-hypersexual-warrior women who
ent and essential to his cults. His mother served Dionysus, just like the satyrs. They
was a mortal virgin, Semele, the daughter carried a long magical stick (or magic
of king Cadmus of Thebes, and his father wand) called a thyrsus, which had a pine-
was Zeus, the king of the gods. Dionysus cone tip. The warriors of Dionysus were
(Dionysos, Iacchus, Bacchus) was the god always depicted with the thyrsus. Bacchae
of the grape harvest, wine making and were able turn water into wine (as Jesus
wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in subsequently did with great frequency), or
Greek mythology; however, after investi- psychoactive drinks, heal many diseases,
gating the philosophy of Dionysus and the or give sexual potency to men and women
real nature of Dionysian rituals-orgies, we by just touching with thyrsus. Thyrsus had
can also add the attributes of “the god of many symbolic meanings in Dionysian
altered states of consciousness (ASC) and teachings and philosophy (Figures 9, 10,
sexual satisfaction and orgasm”; since the 12, 13). During the Dionysus rituals, Bac-
term “orgasm” also comes from Dionysian chae danced, joined the entertaining peo-
orgia (orgia, orgiasm, orgiasmus, orgas- ple, and served wine and psychoactive
drinks, such as kykeon or absinthe. Most of tracted, just as in the case of absinthe, of
the Bacchae were insatiable and hypersex- which the ethyl alcohol ratio might go up
ual-hyper orgasmic ESR women who to 74 %. Thus most probably, some of the
joined the dances of the festival, as well as Phalaris species might have been used with
the long lasting sexual activities of the the ingestion of MAO inhibitor Peganum
Dionysus Cult (Sayin, 2011, 2012a, 2012b, harmale during the Dionysian rituals.
2014; Euripides, B.C.; Azar, 2006; Dan-
iélou, 1992; Ruck, 2000, 2001, 2006a-b, Sufis and Hassan Sabbah’s Cult
2013). There are also reports that Cannabis,
opium and other psychoactive plants were
Thyrsus consumed in a Sufi sect called Melamis and
Thyrsus was a symbolic magical wand also in the Cult of Hassan Sabbah,
of the Dionysus Cult, which, most proba- Hashissins (Sayin, 2006, 2007).
bly, came to be known as “witch’s brooms
or magic wands” in the medieval ages. Smoking in Europe during Medieval
The important point is that the tip of the Ages
thyrsus was different in many drawings on When we also look at the paintings re-
ancient vases and the figures on the reliefs. lated with taverns (tabern) between the 12th
Sometimes it was pinecone shaped; some- and 16th centuries, we spot the long elon-
times the tip resembled a type of magical gated pipes with a small reservoir. Tobac-
or psychoactive plant, similar to wheat or co, which was harvested in the Americas
Phalaris species, which contains DMT and by the Indians, became popularized in
is very hallucinogenic (See Figures, 9, 10, Europe in 17th century. There was no
12, 13, 14, 15). Could DMT have been used widespread tobacco use in Europe before
during the Dionysian Rituals? the 18th Century. In most of the paintings
of Breughel and Bosch, and other early
The tip of the thyrsus might have also painters we see that the people who are
been symbolizing Phalaris aquatica, Phalaris entertaining and drinking, also smoke
arundinacea, P. brachystachys, P. canariensis, pipes. Did these pipes contain tobacco or
which contain the powerful hallucinogen some other weeds such as, Cannabis, opi-
DMT and are very abundant in Anatolia um, wormwood or some other psychoac-
and the Mediterranean. Also, as men- tive weed? (see Fig-16).
tioned above, Peganum harmale, a MAO
inhibitor, was very wide spread in the Evidences from the Old Pagan
region and used in magic and also in pa-
gan rituals (See Figures 13, 14, 15). Thus
Sun-GOD Image and Psychoac-
either in the kykeon or absinthe or in other tive Plants
drinks of the Dionysian festivals, DMT Recently the close analysis and scruti-
could have been ingested as well as thu- ny of mythology and religions has re-
jone (in Artemisia absinthium) and other vealed that some mythological god, or
proposed psychoactive substances. Kykeon goddess images and their life stories were
could be a combination of many psychoac- very similar to the monotheist Judeo-
tive plants including ergot alkaloids, mag- Christian prophet images. A scientific
ic mushrooms, Phalaris species and worm analysis of these life stories shows the re-
wood. Also DMT requires high alcoholic semblance of the life of Jesus Christ to
concentrations to dissolve and to be ex- many other pagan gods or prophets. Strik-
ingly, the Egyptian mythological god Ho-
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◦◦◦ Sayin HÜ. Psychoactive Plants-Religious Rituals-Archetypes ◦◦◦ ISSN 2536-5185 (web) ISSN 2536-5169 (print)
rus (3000 B.C.), the Greek mythological pha-Omega, the Sun, the Light, Lamb of
figure Attis (1200 B.C.), the Persian mytho- God, the Shepherd; the Light of Sun.
logical god Mithra (1200 B.C.), the Greek They were all betrayed.
mythological god of wine and ASC, Dio- They were crucified or killed. (The Sun
hangs on a cross-crux, crucified passing
nysus (500 B.C.), the Indian mythological
on each equinox?)
god Krishna (900 B.C.) and many others,
They all stayed dead for three days. (The
along with Jesus Christ had many attrib- Sun dies for 3 days on 22nd December,
utes in common, stressing the fact that the winter solstice, when it stops its move-
Jesus Christ figure was merely a continua- ment to the South and then rises up to the
tion in the long line of ancient pagan gods North again on 25th December: resurrec-
and the Sun-god, and there was enormous tion?)
resemblance in the events in the life stories They were all resurrected at the end.
of all of them, which violated the main Many details of ancient reliefs, paintings
and drawings related with them have
postulates of probability to be just a coin-
many entoptic images.
cidence, including many aspects of pagan
They died on 22nd of December and resur-
astrological symbolism (Freke & Gandy,
rected on 25th of December, the date when
2001, 2002, 2006; Acharya S., 1999, 2004; they were born.
Ruck, 2000, 2001, 2009, 2013). The resem-
blance patterns were as follows (see Fig- The above information supports the
17): hypothesis that Jesus Christ either never
Being born on December 25th. (A special
lived, or if ever he did live, most of the
date in pagan astrology when 3 king stars
stories about him were made up after his
of Orion, Sirius and the Sun come to the
death, assimilated from former pagan my-
same plane)
They all belong to the zodiac sign group of thology. Horus, Attis, Mithra, Krishna,
Capricorn. (author of the article does not Dionysus and Jesus Christ can either be
support and believe in zodiac signs and the same person (or pagan Sun-god) or a
their stories, but this is a resemblance pat- continuation of another in different cul-
tern of many of the pagan Gods and God- tures originating from the times of the
desses) Egyptians, or even before. (Fig-17)
An Eastern bright Star accompanies the Another point ignored by historians is
birth (Sirius?) that in most of the ancient reliefs, draw-
Being born of a Virgin mother. (Virgo zo-
ings and paintings, when observed thor-
diac? Calendar begins with the Constella-
oughly, it is possible to differentiate many
tion Virgo?)
Three Kings accompanied the birth and figures, objects and geometrical shapes
announced the good news (Three king that resemble many entoptic images. Also,
stars of Orion?) some of the others convey some figures of
Adored by three Kings. psychoactive plants associated with pagan
The pictures depicting them had many dis- gods and goddesses, such as, opium, psilo-
crete and hidden symbolisms of psychoac- cybin containing magic mushrooms, DMT
tive plants. containing Phalaris species, thujone con-
All had 12 disciples. (12 zodiac loci of the
taining wormwood (Artemisia absintheum),
sun?)
and pinecones, symbolizing the pineal
They all became teachers at the age of 12.
gland and DMT, which is endogenously
They were all baptized at the age of 30.
(The Sun enters each zodiac by 30 de- released from the pineal gland.
grees?)
They all had similar nicknames, like: Al-
Figure 18: Drawings of the artists who were under the effect of LSD, Psilocybin and THC. See the distortion of
the perceptions and change of space-time continuum.
Figure 19: Drawings of the artists who were under the effect of Psilocybin, THC and mescaline. Notice the
different specific effects of the hallucinogens. Each has a different format. Also notice the distortion of the self, perceived
objects and the creation of different monsters.
Table 1-A: The Overall Summary of Psychoactive Plants Consumed by Ancient Cultures During the Religious Rituals
Table 1-B: The Overall Summary of Psychoactive Plants Consumed by Ancient Cultures During the Religious Rituals
Acknowledgements:
I would like to thank Levent Kartal for providing important information about his experi-
ences in South America and the Amazonia, and about his personal trials and cultural inves-
tigations for this article. I would also like to thank Prof. Carl Ruck and Prof. Carlos H.
Schenck, for reading and editing this article, and for giving invaluable comments and in-
sights for both this article and the accompanying article.
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