Revisiting Wasson’s Soma : Exploring the Effects of Preparation on the Chemistry of Amanita muscaria. Kevin FEENEY Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 2010, 42, (4), 499-506 In 1968 R. Gordon Wasson first proposed his groundbreaking theory identifying Soma, the hallucinogenic sacrament of the Vedas, as the classic spotted fairy tale mushroom – Amanita muscaria. While Wasson’s theory is compelling on many levels he neglected to explain how the pressing and filtering of Soma, as described in the Rig Veda, supported his theory of Soma’s identity. This omission has led to several criticisms of his theory, including: (1) that such an elaborate process of extraction [...]
Lire la suiteAmanita muscaria: chemistry, biology, toxicology, and ethnomycology Didier MICHELOT, Leda Maria MELENDEZ-HOWELL Mycological Research, 2003, 107, (2), 131-146. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0953756203007305 The fly agaric is a remarkable mushroom in many respects; these are its bearing, history, chemical components and the poisoning that it provokes when consumed. The ‘pantherina’ poisoning syndrome is characterized by central nervous system dysfunction. The main species responsible are Amanita muscaria and A. pantherina (Amanitaceae) ; however, some other species of the genus have been suspected for similar actions. Ibotenic acid and muscimol are the active components, and probably, some other substances detected in the latter species participate in the psychotropic effects. The [...]
Lire la suiteBuraq depicted as Amanita muscaria in a 15th century Timurid-illuminated manuscript? Alan PIPER Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 2019. DOI: 10.1556/2054.2019.023 A series of illustrations in a 15th century Timurid manuscript record the mi’raj, the ascent through the seven heavens by Mohammed, the Prophet of Islam. Several of the illustrations depict Bur¯aq, the fabulous creature by means of which Mohammed achieves his ascent, with distinctive features of the Amanita muscaria mushroom. A. muscaria or “fly agaric” is a psychoactive mushroom used by Siberian shamans to enter the spirit world for the purposes of conversing with spirits or diagnosing and curing disease. Using an interdisciplinary approach, [...]
Lire la suiteThe Consumption of Psychoactive Plants During Religious Rituals : The Roots of Common Symbols and Figures in Religions and Myths H. Umit Sayin NeuroQuantology, June 2014, Volume 12, Issue 2, 276-296 Doi : 10.14704/nq.2014.12.2.753 ABSTRACT Psychoactive plants which contain hallucinogenic molecules that induce a form of altered states of consciousness (HASC) have been widely used during the religious rituals of many cultures throughout the centuries, while the consumption of these plants for spiritual and religious purposes is as old as human history. Some of those cultures were shaman and pagan subcultures; African native religions; Bwiti Cult; South American native religions; Amazon Cultures; Central American Cultures; [...]
Lire la suiteLes Champignons dans la culture. A propos d'un livre de M. R. G. Wasson Claude Lévi-Strauss L'Homme, 1970, 10-1, pp. 5-16 On sait que les hymnes du RgVeda font une place considérable à une plante enivrante, le Soma, dont le suc exprimé et filtré, puis coupé de lait frais ou caillé, était consommé par les prêtres au cours du rituel et principalement, semble-t-il, par ceux chargés d'incarner le dieu Indra et son cocher Vâyu. Chez les anciens Iraniens, une boisson enivrante, appelée Haoma dans l'Avesta, était sans doute la même chose que le Soma. Depuis le xvme siècle, les [...]
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