Magic mushrooms have always been a topic of debate ever since ancient times. And one of these debates may be based on the question whether shamans actually used magic mushrooms in their rituals or not.
Apparently, use of mushrooms for shamanistic purposes has been documented and recorded in various parts of the world. In short, Siberian and Mesoamerican cultures have both been known to use mushrooms for religious practices. For instance, Fly Agaric mushrooms have been used by Siberian people. In some cultures, such as the Khanty culture of Western Siberia, women could become shamans and use magic mushrooms.
The main aim of using magic mushrooms in the shamanic rituals was that of being able to connect with the spiritual world, by presumably achieving unworldly abilities such as running swifter, and so on. Moreover, the shamans believed that these mushrooms helped them communicate with the souls of the deceased. They were also considered to have therapeutic properties, helping cure several diseases and they could also help interpret dreams. These mushrooms were also thought to increase shamans’ courage and resistance to physical pain.
Psychedelic mushrooms have a usage history of thousands of years. The shamanistic use of magic mushrooms provides useful information for present-day scientific research examining magic mushroom spores.