Chapter 1
The sacred mushroom ceremonies of Oaxaca
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Chapter 2
Edible forest gold and cornfield delicacies
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Chapter 3
Deadly lookalikes and fungal survival science
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Chapter 4
From ancient rituals to modern medicine
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YOUR GOAL
Master of Mexico's mushroom kingdom
Ch 1 · The sacred mushroom ceremonies of Oaxaca
choko Oaxacan Sacred Mushroom Ceremonies
In the mountain dark, we ask the holy children to heal.
choko The active compounds in these sacred mushrooms were isolated and named by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann.
Fun Fact
Mushroom stone carvings: Ancient Maya communities carved stone sculptures shaped like mushrooms, dating back over 2,000 years, suggesting a very long history of fungal worship.
choko Mazatec healer María Sabina introduced Westerners to sacred mushroom ceremonies, known as veladas, in Oaxaca.
Glossary
velada (noun)
An evening or nighttime social gathering, performance, or vigil. In Oaxaca, Mazatec healer María Sabina famously conducted these nocturnal rituals using sacred psilocybin mushrooms.
An evening or nighttime social gathering, performance, or vigil. In Oaxaca, Mazatec healer María Sabina famously conducted these nocturnal rituals using sacred psilocybin mushrooms.
Quiz
Who was the Mazatec healer who introduced Westerners to the sacred mushroom ceremony known as a velada?
choko Sort Oaxaca's wild mushrooms to discover how traditional healers use them in sacred ceremonies.
Quiz
In which historical 16th-century document did Spanish chronicler Bernardino de Sahagún record Aztec mushroom use?
Quiz
In which Mexican state is the town of Huautla de Jiménez, famous for its sacred mushroom ceremonies, located?
Quiz
Which magazine published the 1957 article by R. Gordon Wasson that brought global attention to Mexican sacred mushrooms?
Quiz
Which Swiss chemist first isolated the active compound psilocybin from Mexican mushroom specimens in 1958?
Quiz
Which specific mushroom species did Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann use to isolate psilocybin?