Throughout the centuries, natural herbs and plants that produce hallucinogenic effects have been used for various reasons within a religious context, ranging from religious rituals to alleviating cold and flu symptoms. These religiously structured 'drug' experiences are culturally and socially organized, and are defined by those who use them. One can cross-culturally examine the religious practices and meanings of using hallucinogenic substances with those who use them recreationally.

A hallucinogen is 'classified' as "any of a group of substances that alter consciousness; also called psychotomimetic (mimicking psychosis), mind-expanding, or psychedelic drug,aE? (www.encyclopedia.com). The group includes mescaline, or peyote, LSD, PCP, MDMA (ecstasy), and marijuana.

One religious entity that uses a hallucinogenic substance in its religious practices is that of the Native American Church, the largest indigenous religion in this country. This church blends fundamentalist Christian elements with pan-Native American moral principles. The sacramental food of the group is peyote, a hallucinogenic cactus, light blue-green in color, bears small pink flowers, and has a carro

Furthermore, are the clever, yet repugnant to most Westerners, uses of urine in connection with the Amanita muscaria. As observed by Russian anthropologist, Waldemar Jochelson in 1905, that the urine of persons intoxicated with fly-agaric does not go to waste, as others drink it to prolong the state of hallucination, for it the substance stays within the system. This also holds true for reindeer, which also have been widely reported to have eaten the mushroom, thus they are considered sacred. As put by psychologist Rogan Taylor, "It is hardly surprising that the tribes considered the reindeer to be great spirits. What other animal could satisfy simultaneously both hunger and the desire for ecstatic experience?aE? (www.ayla.brinkster.net).

Furthermore, Calea Zacatechichi is used to answer questions of the unknown through one's dreams. For example, whenever it is desired to know the cause of an illness of the location of a distant or lost person, dry leaves of the plant are smoked, drunk, and put under the pillow before going to sleep, and it is reported that the answer to one's question will appear within their dream. The human dosage for divinatory purposes is reported by the Chontal is a handful of the dried plant.

As observed by Russian anthropologist Vladimir Bogoras, a Chukchi tribesman took off his snowshoes after eating some of the mushroom, and deliberately walked for hours through the deep snow just for the sheer pleasure of conducting exercise which caused no sense of fatigue. This early stage of Amanita muscaria intoxication is clearly preserved in a Koryak myth in which their culture hero, Big Raven, found himself unable to carry a heavy bag of provisions. He implored the great deity Vahiyinin (Existence) to help him, and was told to go to a certain place where he would find spirits called wapaq, who would give him the strength to complete his task.

Other less noted hallucinogens or healing herbs include that of the Illinois bundle flower. This is a woody perennial herb that has been used by Native Americans to alleviate symptoms of colds and flu. This herb is also made into a pulp used to alleviate skin and eye irritation. The seeds need to be soaked and scarified in order to germinate properly. This root bark contains DMT and is used by some as an inebriant. The root bark is stripped from the root immediately after harvest. This can be accomplished by pounding the fresh root, causing the bark to split so it can then be peeled from the core. Once the root bark is dried, the DMT can be extracted (www.peruvian-journey.com).

Similarly, the West African shrub, called Tabernanthe iboga (or Eboka), is used as a stimulant and entheogen by the Bwiti cult. This entheogen is sacred to the syncretic Christian Bwiti cult of the Fang people of Gabon. It is also used at lower doses as a stimulant and aphrodisiac. Adherents to the cult believe use of eboka allows them to contact their ancestors. Initiation into the cult involves consuming large quantities of the drug (which in a few cases has lead to death), for the purposes of "breaking open the head."

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)