Food of the Gods?
July 7, 2023 Neil Carrier, Lisa L. Gezon
This chapter surveys anthropological and ethnobotanical approaches to psychoactive substances in spiritual and religious contexts, emphasizing their roles in altered states of consciousness, divination, and healing. It reviews how indigenous shamanic traditions have been interpreted in contemporary spiritual movements and examines specific drugs—ibogaine, mushrooms, mescaline, tobacco, and ayahuasca—as case studies. The authors discuss influences of counterculture, globalization, and colonialism on contemporary use, highlighting religious organizations like Santo Daime and the Native American Church, as well as emerging therapeutic applications such as microdosing and mental health treatment.