Mexico’s psychedelic explorers

Ancient Traditions becoming an inspiration

Local cultures have often used psychedelic plants since the first Mesoamerican Civilizations. There is clear evidence, such as the inscriptions of the archaeological temples. Moreover, some statues of gods honour this specific matter (Xōchipilli*). Indigenous people consider these plants as a source of wisdom and healing. They only use them for specific purposes and under the guidance of a shaman or spiritual guide.

* Xōchipilli is the god of art, dance, flowers, and song in Aztec mythology. Its statue represents a figure in the throes of entheogenic ecstasy.

The position and expression of the body, in combination with the very clear representations of hallucinogenic plants support this interpretation. You can find the figure on the image at the National Museum of Archeology in Mexico City.

Psychedelic pioneers

Since the discovery of the Americas, western writers, anthropologists and artists have explored Mexico’s psychedelic traditions in the search for wisdom and knowledge. Some of the most notorious cases took place during the ’60s:

• Aldous Huxley (1894 – 1963). This English philosopher and author of “Brave New World” explored in detail the effects of the Mexican peyote cactus in his book “The Doors of Perception“.
• Albert Hofmann (1906 – 2008). This Swiss scientist was the first person to synthesize LSD. He authored more than 100 scientific articles and numerous books. Hofmann travelled to southern Mexico to search for the plant later known as Salvia Divinorum.
• Carlos Castaneda (1925 – 1998). Castaneda is an American anthropologist and author of a series of books that describe his training in Toltec shamanism. His most notorious piece is “The Teachings of Don Juan“.
• Robert Gordon Wasson (1898 – 1986). This American author and ethnomycologist published an article titled “Seeking the Magic Mushroom” in Life Magazine, describing his experience taking psilocybin mushrooms during a Mazatec ritual in Oaxaca. Many 1960s celebrities -Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and Keith Richards among them- were rumoured to visit the Mazatec region afterwards.
• Timothy Leary (1920 – 1996). Leary was a writer and American clinical psychologist at Harvard University. He founded The Zihuatanejo Project, a psychedelic training centre in Guerrero.

Why these and other public figures engaged with these traditions, and what are the details of each ritual, well deserve a series of articles that will be posted regularly in this section. Subscribe to our newsletter, stay in touch and be notified when they are published! 😉