Biblical Entheogens: a Speculative Hypothesis
Time and Mind 2008 DOI: 10.2752/175169608783489116 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Trance Exegesis Literature Ecology |
| Citations | 43 |
| Key points | Proposes that the ancient Israelite religion was associated with the use of entheogens, based on textual and ethnobotanical evidence. |
Abstract
A speculative hypothesis is presented according to which the ancient Israelite religion was associated with the use of entheogens (mind-altering plants used in sacramental contexts). The hypothesis is based on a new look at texts of the Old Testament pertaining to the life of Moses. The ideas entertained here were primarily based on the fact that in the arid areas of the Sinai peninsula and Southern Israel there grow two plants containing the same psychoactive molecules found in the plants from which the powerful Amazonian hallucinogenic brew Ayahuasca is prepared. The two plants are species of Acacia tree and the bush Peganum harmala.The hypothesis is corroborated by comparative experiential-phenomenological observations, linguistic considerations, exegesis of old Jewish texts and other ancient Mideastern traditions, anthropological lore, and ethnobotanical data.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The globalization of ayahuasca: Harm reduction or benefit maximization? | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond | 2014 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Antipodes of the Mind: Charting the Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca Experience | 2003 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Towards psychedelic apprenticeship: Developing a gentle touch for the mediation and validation of psychedelic-induced insights and revelations. | 2022 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Ayahuasca healing beyond the Amazon: the globalization of a traditional indigenous entheogenic practice | 2008 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 21
- The Immortality Key: The Secret History of the Religion with No Name Journal of Psychedelic Studies March 12, 2021
- A Gratuitous Grace: The Influence of Religious Set and Intent on the Psychedelic Experience Journal of Psychoactive Drugs August 8, 2018
- Strange fires, weird smokes and psychoactive combustibles: entheogens and incense in ancient traditions. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs December 1, 2010
- QEEG studies of the acute effects of the visionary tryptamine DMT. Cosmos and history 2015
- Ayahuasca-induced personal death experiences: prevalence, characteristics, and impact on attitudes toward death, life, and the environment Frontiers in Psychiatry December 19, 2023
and 16 more in the library