Psychedelics and the evolution of the Human Consciousness

We humans love to explore consciousness. Fasting, praying, meditation, shamanic drumming, ritual – all offer unique portals to alter our perception of reality. Yet, among these age-old avenues, there is another widespread way to change our consciousness, one that has captivated humans for milenia…the use of psychedelic substances. 

When I arrived in Iquitos in 2010, I was surprised to see the amount of foreigners that came to that city in search of Ayahuasca, a powerful brew used by many indigenous groups from the Amazon Basin.  Even though Ayahuasca was not my reason to be in Iquitos, my curiosity grew when listening to all the accounts of miracle healing of body, mind and spirit that the Medicine offered. Fast forward to 2023, I have been walking the path of Plant Medicine for 13 years, supporting over 200 ceremonies and working closely not only with Ayahuasca but with Wachuma, psilocybin mushrooms, kambo, and DMT.  And I am not the only one who has felt enchanted by the power of Plant Medicine. Over these 13 years in Peru, I’ve witnessed the global interest in Psychedelics surge. What once started as a handful of retreats has blossomed into hundreds of offerings worldwide, and from a few curious souls to many people coming from diverse walks of life, all converging in the pursuit of healing, awakening, connection, and meaning to their lives.

There is a renaissance in the use of psychoactive compounds. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that our dance with these potent mind-altering substances extends far beyond recent times.  This relationship, reaching back thousands of years, has been a silent partner in our human evolution, potentially shaping the very contours of the modern human brain!

The word psychedelic comes from two Greek words: “psyche,” meaning mind or soul, and “deloun,” which means to make visible or to reveal. Therefore, “psychedelic” literally translates to “mind/soul-manifesting” or “mind/soul-revealing”, and it was first coined in 1956 by psychiatrist Humphry Osmond to denote substances that change our perceptions, allowing us to experience what is behind the veils of our minds, what is hidden in the unconscious. 

There is also another word that describes these powerful substances: entheogens, which comes from the Greek words: “entheos,” meaning “having the divine within,” and “genesthai,” meaning “to generate” or “to produce.” Entheogen translates to “generating the divine within” or “producing the divine within.” This term emphasizes the spiritual aspect and sacred nature of the experiences that emerge with the use of plants, mushrooms, or frog venom (from the Bufo alvarius toad). * I will use the terms psychedelics, entheogens and Medicines interchangeably to refer to these Sacred mind-altering substances. 

Finding the divine within or unveiling the secrets of our minds, the truth is that these psychoactive substances change our consciousness and have been doing so for millenia.  

In his  “Stoned Ape Theory”,  ethnobotanist Dr. Terrance McKenna proposed that the Cognitive Revolution (70,000 – 30,0000 years ago) which marked the period of great advance in the cognitive abilities of the Homo species, may have been driven by the consumption of Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms (A.K.A magic mushrooms).  

Modern humans (Homo sapiens) originated in Africa within the past 200,000 years and evolved from their most likely recent common ancestor, Homo erectus, who lived between 1.9 million and 135,000 years ago.

In a relatively short time (in evolutionary scale), our ancient ancestors evolved from Homo erectus into Homo sapiens, and there is a profound difference between those two Homo! In a short time the brain of Homo sapiens grew from 1200cc to 1400cc and Homo sapiens developed advanced cognitive skills, symbolic thinking, a complex language, created art, tools and artifacts. Terrance McKenna suggested that it was the altered states of consciousness induced by the mushrooms that contributed to the development of higher intelligence, language, and problem-solving skills, driving the evolution from Homo erectus into Homo sapiens.  

But,  is this true? Could it be that we have evolved thanks to our relationship  with psychoactive substances? 

Even though Terrance McKenna’s theory has not been proved and there are other factors that may have influenced the development of human intelligence, recent studies using advanced imaging machines like fMRI, have revealed that psilocybin increases neural synchrony and connectivity, which enhances our cognitive abilities.  These studies have been replicated with Ayahuasca, Peyote, San Pedro cactus (Wachuma) and other psychoactive compounds with similar results. 

Entheogenics increase creativity and problem-solving skills, and they also act as portals to mystical experiences, facilitating a profound connection to the Great Mystery and the Divine within. These spiritual encounters not only nurture personal growth but also foster interconnection, group cohesion, and feelings of care and compassion within communities.

We cannot deny the importance that mind-altering substances have in human history.  For example, there is evidence of the use of Wachuma (known also as San Pedro cactus) that dates back to 8,200 years ago …8,200 YEARS AGO!!!!  And this powerful plant continues to be used until today.

For the curious minds, here is a list of some of the most ancient dates so far identified by archeological research on the relationship of humans with some psychoactive plant sources.

The list is much bigger! If you want to see the source please visit: https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/3/2/article-p63.xml.

Across indigenous cultures, these Sacred substances have been used as sacraments in ceremonial settings, acting as gateways to higher states of consciousness, tools for physical, mental and emotional healing, connectors to other realms, and sources of knowledge to benefit the tribe.  Indigenous and non-indigenous people believe that these plants have a soul and they communicate with us when we ingest them. They are here to guide us and teach us how to live in harmony with one another and our planet. 

The enduring use of this practice over millennia in every corner of the world evokes in me a sense of wonder. I imagine our ancient ancestors gathered around the fire, drinking a mysterious brew that transports them to alternate realities, unlocking the doors of unknown worlds so they can return with stories and teachings.  Just as we do today, rediscovering our connection with entheogens, it becomes undeniable that these Sacred Medicines played a crucial part in our human history and they are still an important part that can support and enrich our collective human experience.

By Mirian Janeth Jaramillo

Sources:

• McKenna, T. (1992). Food of the Gods: The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge.
• Carhart-Harris, R. L., et al. (2014). Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies.
•  Kuypers, K. P. C., et al. (2016). Microdosing psychedelics: Personality, mental health, and creativity differences in microdosers.