There is, of course, a psilocybin group, discovered by Valentina and Gordon Wasson, the magic mushrooms of central Mexico, which almost certainly played a major role in the religion of the Mayan and Toltec civilizations. This group includes the most widely spread mushroom Stropharia cubensis, which was considered the birthplace of Thailand, and now it is found everywhere in the warm tropics.

The plateau of Masatec Mexico is a growing place for two species of bindweed. The properties of ergot that interested Albert Hoffman, which ultimately led to the discovery of LSD, are the properties to reduce smooth muscle and thus be a potential help during childbirth, which was known for a long time by Sierra Masateca’s midwives. The concomitant effect of dissolving the boundaries of perception and the influx of visionary information made these species of convolvulus a preferred substitute for the psilocybin mushroom in those times when the latter was unavailable.

All shamanic plants that cause visions, including the group of bindweed from Mexico and the psilocybin group, with one exception, turned out to be hallucinogenic indoles. This is the only exception – mescaline, which belongs to the amphetamine group.

We should not forget other indoles – short-acting tryptamines and beta-carbolines. Short-acting tryptamines can be taken separately or in combination with beta-carbolines. Beta-carbolines, although hallucinogenic in and of themselves, are most effective when used as monoamine oxidase inhibitors to enhance the effect of short-acting tryptamines, as well as to make tryptamines more active when taken by mouth.

I did not mention a single synthetic substance, as I would prefer to separate the plants that cause visions from what is a drug in a popular way. The planetary problem of drugs is another matter. It has to do with the fate of nations and criminal syndicates who spend millions of dollars. I avoid synthetic means and prefer organic hallucinogens because I believe that the long history of shaman use is the first sign of approval that you should pay attention to when choosing a substance because of its possible influence on personal development. And if people have used the plant for thousands of years, you can be quite sure that it will not cause any tumors or miscarriages and will not create any other unacceptable physical effect.Over time, through trial and error, the selection of the most effective and least toxic plants for shamanic use occurred.

Other criteria are relevant in the evaluation of a substance. It is important to use only those compounds that do not harm the brain, no matter what the relation of the physical brain to the mind, it definitely has to do with the metabolism of hallucinogens. Compounds that are foreign to the brain and therefore difficult to metabolize should be avoided.

One way to decide how long the history of the symbiotic relationship between man and one plant or another is, is to determine how soft this compound is for human metabolism. If, after you have taken the plant, your eyes do not focus for another two days or three days, your knees become as sore as if they were scrubbed with sandpaper, then this is not a soft connection, which is comfortable, like a gloved hand, by the consumer.