Psychedelic Catalysts Across Prehistory, Ancient Greece, and Modernity
From the sacred soma to secret societies and supernatural science
This is an excerpt from Sky Gods and the Recipe for Immortality: The secret influence of psychoactivity over science, society, and the supernatural.
Countless tribes and cults across nearly every continent have revered many different psychoactive plants, fungi, and even animals. From coffee to LSD, tobacco, magic mushrooms, alcohol, and countless other substances — altered consciousness has profoundly affected society at large.
Psychoactivity has catalyzed both freedom and chaos across history. Psychedelic ergot, for example, likely fueled the chaotic French Revolution while LSD from ergot transformed society after the 1950–1960s. Any medicine can be a poison, and each psychoactive substance has unique risks and potential benefits.
Illustrating the complexity of set, setting, and dose across history — LSD-like alkaloids from common grain fungus both set the Middle Ages on fire and inspired revelation in Ancient Greece. Today, science is illuminating psychoactivity’s promise and peril.
Many ancient shamanic substances show medical potential for treating nicotine, alcohol, and opiate addiction. Referencing the sacred…
