[105] NGP: Chapter 1
“[105] NGP: Chapter 1”, in New Green Pharmacy: The Story of Western Herbal Medicine, 1 vol., Vermilion, 1997.
, South American shamanic traditions: Hallucinogenic [105].
South American shamanic traditions: Hallucinogenic [105].
Originating in Eurasia in around 4000BCE, Shamanic traditions soon spread widely to areas such as the Americas, the Pacific and India [105].
Shamanism is often characterised by the use of hallucinogenic plants as part of ritual, a means of accessing "other worlds", or simply as a social activity [105].
Typically, hallucinogenic plants would allow a shaman to contact spirits, both good and bad, in order to question, communicate or negotiate [105].
Sometimes spirits would even be asked to help diagnose an affliction or advise on suitable remedies [105].