Plants of the Gods: Hallucinogens, Healing, Culture and Conservation podcast Plants of the Gods: S1E2. Hallucinogenic Snuffs
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Dec 9, 2020 Exploring the hallucinogenic snuffs used by indigenous peoples of the Northern Amazon, focusing on burola and genus adhenantra. The podcast delves into the botanical and ethnobotanical aspects of snuffs, shamanic traditions in the Amazon rainforest, the historical use of hallucinogenic snuffs in battle, the cultural significance and threats to shamanic cultures, and the impact of the rubber boom on the indigenous peoples of the Amazon.
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First Snuff Experience
- Mark Plotkin describes his first experience with Yanomami snuff.
- The shaman blew a large amount of snuff into his nostrils, causing immediate pain followed by a sense of euphoria.
Snuff Potency and Shamanic Practice
- Hallucinogenic snuffs are potent because nasal passages, rich in capillaries, allow compounds to enter the bloodstream quickly.
- Shamans often partake in these substances with the patient, which may contribute to their healing efficacy.
Virola and its Discovery
- Virola, an Amazonian nutmeg tree, is the source of a hallucinogenic snuff.
- Richard Spruce, a British explorer, first encountered Virola, inspiring Richard Schultes a century later.