Spirituality Studies 10-1 Spring 2024 47 Samuel Bendeck Sotillos to these dangers by advising screening and preparing subjects, but on the whole it honors the esoteric/exoteric distinction only perfunctorily. Even within the psychedelic movement, the need to ground oneself in a spiritual practice has been thought of as imperative: “Psychedelic experience, without the accompanying… daily practice, may otherwise be frittered away in an excess of narcissism and self-indulgence” (Strassman 2000, 306). Without submitting ourselves to an authentic guide, while following a proper traditional path, the ego will go down a blind alley of endless self-assertion. There were always initiatory rites and ethical norms that governed the taking of sacred medicine. These could not be transgressed without harming the psyche, and the experience itself was mediated by means of a collective wisdom inherent to a time-tested sacred path; it was not for the ego to engage in precarious innovations. The psychedelic renaissance does away with all these protections – as do its counter-cultural heirs – who tend to observe a few more precautionary measures, while still adhering to a fundamentally secular paradigm. Today, many sacred medicines are being threatened with extinction because of ravenous consumerism, commodification, and a reckless extraction of these plants. The growing demand for entheogens in the West has disrupted traditional communities and their ecology; in some cases, these medicines have dwindled in number, making it difficult to access them for traditional ceremonies. The rise of psychedelic tourism has also had a significant impact on this dire situation. These developments are inseparable from modernity’s spiritual malaise, along with other consequent crises such as those related to mental health and the environment (Bendeck Sotillos 2022b, 34–55). 4 María Sabina and the Appropriation of the Sacred The question is often asked as to which people have rights to sacred medicine. An obvious response is the indigenous peoples who have used them for millennia. Yet what remains unclear is who else might be justified in making claim to them, and what protocols ought to be observed by those who are not the traditional custodians of these remedies. The notion of “cultural appropriation” is a major hurdle to overcome. Who owns the rights to these plants, seeing as they are not always the property of one people (even if they do happen to be the traditional users)? The loss of the sacred in the modern world and the trauma of secularism that has followed in its wake, should provoke a discussion regarding the destruction of cultures (Bendeck Sotillos 2022c, 23–53). Because of our alienation from our primordial nature (and thus each other), we identify with culture in an absolute manner, not realizing that it enjoys only a relative status; in other words, all people are extrinsically diverse by nature, yet unified as one humanity at a more underlying level. By contributing to the well-being of First Peoples, who have made entheogenic medicines available to the world, we can learn to fully respect their sacred epistemologies and healing modalities. Approaching diversity requires a profound sense of humility that sees culture as the outgrowth of divine revelation, which, in turn, is inseparable from spiritual tradition. María Sabina’s paternal side of the family was known to possess traditional healing knowledge. Although she came from a line of indigenous healers, she also identified with the Christian tradition and did not see any conflict in embracing both spiritual paths. María Sabina was true to the Mazatec religion while remaining committed to the Christian faith, seeking always to be close to God. The first “ceremony” (Es. velada) she attended where mushrooms were used was when her uncle became sick and required treatment by a healer. Subsequently, María Sabina herself became very ill and it was reported that she could not move. Sacred medicinal mushrooms were then successfully administered to her, during which time María Sabina was told that she too would be able to heal people through her devotion to God. For example, her sister also became sick, and it was predicted that she would die, but María Sabina was able to cure her, and word quickly spread regarding her abilities. Notwithstanding these gifts, she had a very difficult life and suffered greatly. Without María Sabina, Wasson’s contributions to psychedelic research would not have been as influential, both as they are now, and prior to the ban on these substances. However, it was because he disrespected their traditional uses that María Sabina later expressed regret for introducing Wasson to psilocybin mushrooms: Prior to his arrival on the scene, “nobody took the mushrooms only to find God. They were always taken for the sick to get well” (María Sabina quoted in Estrada 1981, 73). She remarked: Before Wasson, I felt that the saint children [note: mushrooms] elevated me. I don’t feel like that anymore. The force has diminished. If Cayetano [note: García]
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