Indigenous Medicine and Psilocybin Mushroom Rituals in Mesoamerica

This project analyzes Indigenous medicine, especially psilocybin—a classic psychedelic or serotonin agonist that preferentially activates the 5-HT2A receptor subtype—which can enhance symbolic behavior, promote collective rituals, and amplify synchronicity. 

In the last two decades, psilocybin and psilocin have been at the forefront of scientific research due to their therapeutic potential to treat conditions such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, palliative care, and addiction. Such research has generated clinical studies and changes in legislation, influenced the design of public policies, fostered more favorable public opinion, and spurred the creation of a growing industry. However, while the globalization of psychedelics in the twenty-first century represents a new paradigm in some respects, the relationship between humans and psilocybin mushrooms has a long tradition, especially among Indigenous peoples. 

Acknowledging such traditional relationships is imperative for better understanding the therapeutic potential and the cultural and psychological transformations associated with these psychedelics. Anthropologists and mycologists have recorded sacred and ritual uses of psilocybin mushrooms by at least 11 Indigenous peoples in México. However, colonial legacies and prohibitionist policies have undermined Indigenous rights and enabled testimonial and epistemic injustices.  

This project addresses such challenges in the globalization of psychedelics by calling renewed attention to the ancient legacies of Indigenous medicine. It takes a cross-cultural approach using diverse methodologies (historiography, iconography, hermeneutics, ethnography, and ethnolinguistic analysis), studies of primary sources (sculptures, ceramics, codices, manuscripts, chronicles, oral history), and includes specialized studies produced by Indigenous researchers. 

Project point person: Osiris González Romero