The Nectar of the Gods! “Plants of the Gods, Their Sacred, Healing, and Hallucinogenic Powers,” by Richard Evans Schultes, Albert Hofmann & Christian Ratsch

Why Read It

At the ripe autumn ages of 77 and 86 years old, Richard Evans Shultes and Albert Hofmann combined forces to produce this classic work, The Plants of the Gods. Both men felt this book needed to be brought to the public, in order to provide further scientific and academic support to the psychedelic movement. Shultes is widely considered the father of ethnobotany and Albert Hofmann discovered LSD. These gentlemen impacted western culture in such profound fasti, and this book is an opportunity to sit at their feet and hear stories of how plants with psychedelic properties have shaped cultures and peoples throughout the history of time.

The book provides a detailed index of 97 plants with confirmed psychedelic properties and over 400 exquisite, high resolution images. It then dives deeper into the classical psychedelic plants, including Peyote, Psilocybin, Ayahuasca, Cannabis, and Soma, and provides a multi-page detailed account of the history and use of each plant medicine.

Overview

“Plants of the Gods” unfurls a mesmerizing tapestry of humanity’s ancient and enduring relationship with psychoactive flora. Penned by the pioneering ethnobotanist Richard Evans Schultes, alongside the famed chemist Albert Hofmann, and the knowledgeable Christian Rätsch, this tome delves deep into the mystical realm where nature meets the divine. From the Amazonian shamans to ancient Aztecs, cultures worldwide have revered these plants not just as mere substances, but as gateways to transcendent realms. With vivid illustrations and scholarly insights, the book beckons readers on a journey through time, exploring the sacred, medicinal, and visionary roles these plants have played in human history. A spellbinding union of science, history, and spirituality, “Plants of the Gods” illuminates the profound bond between humans and the botanical world.

Key Takeaways

Historical Significance of Psychoactive Plants: Across the annals of human history, psychoactive plants have been used for spiritual, medicinal, and communal purposes. From the indigenous tribes of the Amazon to the ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica, these plants have often been central to religious and healing rituals. Their widespread use underscores the universal human yearning for transcendent experiences and healing.
Diverse Range of Psychoactive Flora: The book catalogues an array of plants, such as ayahuasca, peyote, and cannabis, elucidating their unique properties and cultural significance. The sheer diversity of these plants, each with its own distinct biochemical profile and effects, showcases nature’s vast pharmacopeia. Different cultures, based on their environment and traditions, have gravitated towards specific plants, incorporating them into their unique socio-religious fabrics.
Interplay of Culture and Botany: The use and reverence of these plants are deeply intertwined with cultural narratives, traditions, and societal structures. It’s not merely the biochemical properties of these plants that define their use; cultural interpretations, myths, and societal needs shape the rituals and practices surrounding them. This emphasizes the inseparable bond between humans, their environment, and their cultural evolution.
Modern Rediscovery and Ethnobotany: While many modern societies drifted away from traditional plant use, there’s a renewed interest driven by ethnobotany, psychotherapy, and spiritual exploration. This resurgence, marked by the exploration of substances like psilocybin for therapeutic applications or the rise in ayahuasca tourism, signals a modern quest for healing and understanding rooted in ancient wisdom. However, this reconnection also brings forth challenges like sustainability and cultural appropriation.
Sacredness and Respect: The traditional use of these plants is often steeped in a profound sense of respect, viewing them not just as substances, but as sacred entities or teachers. Such a perspective fosters a symbiotic relationship where the plant is honored and its use is approached with intention and reverence. In contrast, a lack of respect or understanding can lead to misuse, highlighting the importance of traditional knowledge in guiding contemporary explorations.

"Quotes"

~ “The outstanding difference between use of hallucinogens in our culture and their use in preindustrial societies is precisely the difference in the belief concerning their purpose and origin: all aboriginal societies have considered — and still do — that these plants are the gift of the gods, if not the gods themselves.”

~ “Soma, the god-narcotic of ancient India, attained an exalted place in magico-religious ceremonies of the Aryans, who 3,500 years ago swept down from the north into the Indus Valley, bringing with them the cult of Soma. These early invaders of India worshiped the holy inebriant and drank an extract of it in their most sacred rites. Whereas most hallucinogenic plants were considered merely as sacred mediators, Soma became a god in its own right. An ancient Indian tradition recorded in the Rig Veda asserts that ‘Parjanya, the god of thunder, was the father of Soma’ (Indra).”

~ “Today, Ibogaine is in the spotlight of neuropsychological research, which has shown that the alkaloid can ease drug addiction (to such drugs as heroin and cocaine) and make way for a cure. Ibogaine calms the motor activity that is present when under the influence of an opiate.”

~ “There is a magic intoxicant in northwesternmost South America that the Indians believe can free the soul from corporeal confinement, allowing it to wander free adn return to the body at will. The soul, thus untrammeled, liberates its owner from the realities of everyday life and introduces him to wondrous realms of what he considers reality and permits him to communicate with his ancestors. The Quechua term for this inebriating drink — Ayahuasca (“vine of the soul”) — refers to this freeing of the spirit. The plants involved are truly plants of the gods, for their power is laid to supernatural forces residing in their tissues, and they were divine gifts to the earliest Indians on earth.”

~ “The Huichol Peyote hunt is literally a hunt. Pilgrims carry Tobacco gourds, a necessity for the journey’s ritual. Water gourds are often taken to transport water back home from Wirikuta. Often the only food taken for the stay in Wirikuta is corn tortillas. The pilgrims, however, eat Peyote while in Wirikuta. The must travel great distances. Today, much of the trek is done by car, but formerly the Indians walked some two hundred miles.”