Respecting Plant Medicines: A Call for Cultural Reverence and Reflection
SLOW DOWN
As a non-native, I do not take Peyote out of respect for Indigenous cultures and traditions. Peyote is a sacred cactus with deep cultural significance for Indigenous communities, used in religious ceremonies. Additionally, it is endangered because of poaching and unsustainable harvesting practices. Taking it without understanding or reverence for its eco-cultural context is disrespectful and risks diluting its spiritual meaning. Additionally, Peyote contains psychoactive compounds that can be dangerous if used without proper guidance. Please join me in refraining from using it unless you have received consent from the original holders.
I am a member of the Native American Church, so I can legally possess and consume Peyote, but that does not give me the right to. I am curious about the effects of this cactus and the medicine it holds, but I do not want to take it.
I am more curious about the worldview of those who have been under the guidance of this medicine for thousands of years. I am respecting and sharing Sandor Iron Rope's request of us to SLOW DOWN and contemplate the following questions:
How much can you give?
How can you help?
As an old soul and a psychotherapist who has been at this work for a while now, I know that so much suffering happens when we place our little selves first and at the center of our narratives. It's time to do things differently. I resonate with Sandor's perspective on leadership:
"As a leader you are not first you are last".
Let's take less and give more.
PS: The psychoactive compound in Peyote is mescaline which is also in the San Pedro, a faster-growing and more sustainable cactus. But it also needs to be taken with respect, proper relationship, guidance, and consent from the people who have been under its guidance for thousands of years.