These medicines didn’t begin in clinical trials.
They began in fire circles. In song. In grief. In ceremony. In story.
Long before psychedelics made headlines, they were held by Indigenous communities as sacred technologies—not just for healing, but for remembering.
If you’re working with these medicines today, you’re stepping into something much older than yourself.
The question is: will you enter with respect?
Why honoring the roots matters
- To take the medicine without honoring the people who’ve protected it is a form of extraction.
- Psychedelic healing without reciprocity is just another colonization of the sacred.
- These traditions were criminalized, suppressed, and stolen from—and now they’re being “discovered” again by the West
- Healing isn’t just personal—it’s collective
- You can’t separate the plants from the people
What respect actually looks like
1. Know where the medicine comes from
- Learn the history and spiritual meaning behind the plant you’re working with
- Don’t whitewash or remix sacred traditions into something trendier
- If you’re unsure—ask, study, stay humble
2. Choose ethical spaces and guides
- Vet retreats and ceremonies: are they Indigenous-led or trained? Are they giving back to local communities?
- Be cautious of “shamans” with no lineage, or ceremonies that feel like performance
- Avoid spaces that commercialize or aestheticize the sacred
3. Give back in real ways
- Support Indigenous-led organizations and land protectors
- If you’re gaining from these practices—donate, volunteer, redistribute
- Reciprocity isn’t a trend. It’s a repair
4. Speak with care and responsibility
- Don’t center your own awakening over the cultures that have held these medicines
- Share your experience, but name the roots
- Be mindful of how you represent traditions—you’re a guest, not a spokesperson
5. Think long-term: sustainability is survival
- Some medicines like peyote and iboga are endangered due to overharvesting
- When possible, use alternatives like San Pedro or lab-grown psilocybin
- Advocate for ethical sourcing and cultural stewardship
🔍 Real talk: psychedelics aren’t just yours to claim
This isn’t about shaming anyone.
It’s about recognizing that the path you’re walking is lined with ancestral wisdom and historic harm—and both deserve your attention.
You can be part of a new story.
One that heals instead of hijacks.
One that honors the past while helping shape a better future.
Final thoughts: you’re not just taking a journey—you’re entering a lineage
To honor the roots is to remember that healing is relational.
It’s not just what you feel. It’s how you show up.
Walk with respect. Give back. Stay humble.
Because the deeper medicine isn’t in the vision—it’s in how you live after.
📚 Resources
