Salvador Roquet, María Sabina, and the Trouble withJipis
Hispanic American Historical Review February 1, 2015 DOI: 10.1215/00182168-2836928 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Counterculture Indigenous |
| Citations | 16 |
| Key points | Argues that the collaboration between Salvador Roquet and María Sabina exemplifies cross-cultural collaboration and presents an alternative history of psychedelic drugs in Mexico, where the counterculture was a foil to those who saw local psychedelics as powerful medicines needing respect and expert use. |
Abstract
Abstract While María Sabina has long been an iconic figure among drug enthusiasts and advocates for indigenous rights, her sometime collaborator Salvador Roquet remains largely unknown. This essay introduces the work of this iconoclastic psychiatrist and, in particular, his work with Sabina, highlighting their contributions to the world of psychedelic psychiatry and exploring the nature of their exchanges. Beyond examining the contours of the therapeutic method Roquet developed in part due to Sabina's teachings, the essay argues that their work together offers us a fascinating example of cross-cultural collaboration. Moreover, their mutual disdain for jipis introduces an alternative history of psychedelic drugs in Mexico — one in which the counterculture acted as a foil to those who believed that local, naturally occurring psychedelics like psilocybin mushrooms, peyote, datura, and ololiuqui were powerful medicines that needed to be respected, handled by experts, and used in carefully prescribed ways.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics | 2019 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Psychedelics as Medicines: An Emerging New Paradigm General population | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Theorizing that Psychedelic Assisted Therapy May Play a Role in the Treatment of Trauma-Induced Personality Disorders. | 2024 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| What Geometric Visual Hallucinations Tell Us about the Visual Cortex | 2002 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Psilocybin-assisted therapy of major depressive disorder using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a therapeutic frame | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Ketamine for the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders: comprehensive systematic review BJPsych Open December 23, 2021
- Special considerations for evaluating psilocybin-facilitated psychotherapy in vulnerable populations Neuropharmacology May 13, 2022
- Wolves Among Sheep: Sexual Violations in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy. The American Journal of Bioethics January 13, 2025
- Cognitive liberty and the psychedelic humanities. Frontiers in Psychology May 4, 2023
- A scoping review of variations in psychedelic interventions for psychological suffering associated with the end of life. Social Science & Medicine February 1, 2026
Cites 6
- Differences Between the Mechanism of Action of MDMA, MBDB, and the Classic Hallucinogens. Identification of a New Therapeutic Class: Entactogens Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 1, 1986
- Spirit Possession Revisited: Beyond Instrumentality Annual Review of Anthropology October 1, 1994
- spirits and selves in Northern Sudan: the cultural therapeutics of possession and trance American Ethnologist February 1, 1988
- Mescaline, LSD, Psilocybin, and Personality Change a Review† Psychiatry May 1, 1963
- Shamanism and Its Discontents Medical Anthropology Quarterly June 1, 1988
and 1 more in the library