Psilocybin mushrooms, also known as “little ones that sprout,” or ndi xijtho, have been used in ritual and medicinal practices by the Mazatec people, for many years. These rites were commonly referred to as veladas. They have received extensive description in anthropological literature, since the late 50s.
Mazatec shamans believe to possess special knowledge, which has a long history dating back to Mesoamerica. For instance, techniques like corn-kernel divination are still used today in various Indigenous cultures, as documented in codices from the sixteenth century.
It was believed that, in Mesoamerica, the deities used to choose shamans through dreams, initiation rites, or during an unexplained disease. A persistent dedication to the community and the gods is implied by the ability to speak with sacred creatures and heal people. These knowledgeable individuals are known as chjota chijne among the Mazatec.
The chjota chijne enters into various forms of ecstatic trance, through fasting, self-sacrifice, or the usage of mushrooms and plants that have psychoactive effects, in order to connect and communicate with the “primary beings” or sacred creatures.
The most well-known “intermediaries” include psilocybe mushrooms, as well as Salvia Divinorum leaves, also called “Ska Pastora” or shepherdess’ herb, and Rivea corymbosa and Ipomoea violacea seeds, also known as Morning Glory. To further explore rituals using magic mushrooms, you can buy mushroom spores from preferred distributors online at Shaman Mushroom Spores.