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Recently, some religious groups have been advocating the use of psychedelics for their perceived mystical and spiritual benefits.
Medical anthropologist Pardis Mahdavi explains that psychedelics can interact with brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin and lead to altered perception, cognition and mood. Some, such as ibogaine, can induce powerful visions and dreams. However, these substances also carry some risks and need to be administered by trained and certified facilitators.
Native to West Africa, the iboga plant has long been used by traditional healers throughout Africa. And the Native American Church has long used the psychedelic peyote, a hallucinogen, for services.
Mahdavi, who has been studying the impact of psychedelics on consciousness and spirituality, writes that more recently a series of churches across the U.S. that use ayahuasca as their sacrament have touted its use. “The mystical experiences that these medicines offer as pathways to connect people to the divine are profound, ” she writes.
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Congregants at Colorado’s first psychedelic church, in Colorado Springs, on Feb. 18, 2025.
Jason Connolly/AFP via Getty Images
Pardis Mahdavi, University of La Verne
Several religious groups have historically used psychedelics for healing. Now, a growing number are pushing for their use as a way to mystical experiences.
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