Grandfather Peyote - Abuelo Hikuri, thanks for reminding us to live each day between ceremony as if the magic hasn’t left. The real medicine is in the day to day reality where we give thanks and face the challenges with you by our side.
Peyote cactus’ botanical name is Lophophora williamsii. It is a small spineless cactus that is found in parts of the south west United States and throughout many parts of Mexico (Sierra Madre Occidental, Chihuahuan desert, also states of Jalisco, Nayarit, Coahuila, San Luis De Potosi, Zacatecas, Tamaulipas, Nuevo León) Peyote is most known for its medicinal, spiritual, and personal development properties. It contains psychoactive alkaloids including most prominent mescaline. Peyote is known as a spiritual Grandfather and when consumed it’s very easy to understand its presence as that strong, guiding, protective but gentle energy. When we look at the cultures who have lived their lives in sacrament to this plant and its spirit we are able to learn many meaningful lessons. Peyote has been consumed for around five thousand known years by indigenous people of these regions. It spread in use and growth over the generations as nomadic cultural and tribal life influenced evolution and needs.
Most significantly in the country of Mexico, peyote is known for its name in the Aztec prehispánic language of Náhuatl as Peyotl. It comes from the word caterpillar coocoon. It’s from the root Peyoni which means to glisten. Some may infer that’s indicative of its silky, delicate, flowers that almost have an opalescence. Maybe perhaps it refers to how simple things “glisten” or breathe and appear while on the medicine. The Wixarika faith is lived by its people Wixáritari, also known as the Huicholes. The religion is comprised of four main dieties including Corn, Kayumari (Blue Deer), Hikuri (Peyote) and the Eagle. Their existence is descended from the Sun God and through this path opens the connection to other deities of knowledge and emotion. They consume peyote during all aspects of their lives including as a child, when pregnant or nursing, and as elders ready to transcend this current journey. There are other indigenous groups such as the Cora, Tarahumara, Hopi and Tepehuan within Mexico who partake in eating peyote for spiritual growth, healing and wellness but they don’t hold the sacrament of peyote and it’s prayer pilgrimages at quite the same depth as the Wixaritari do. It is consumed in ceremony generally as a family group led by a medicine man (mara’kame) or wise community member in service of this path. One May consume this medicine also alone on personal pilgrimage to the holy desert to pray and receive messages from Kayumari.
Kayumari is is sacred spirit of the Blue Deer of the Wixaritari (Huichol) people. His spirit is said to visit and translate messages through visions, astral travel, connection and expansion within the Akashic field and much more. However, as one of the four main sacraments Kayumari stands out as the energy of creation. From that too comes sexuality, family, choices, responsibilities and balance all stemming from DUALITY. He teaches us about mirrors and reflections, accepting new perspectives, trying new things and welcoming our own evolution within our spiritual selves.
Kayumari helps us recover our own internal memory of our soul. He reminds us to allow time for healing, rest and balance to recover the memory of who we truly are and how to act moving forward , honouring our highest path and reflecting a sacred relationship with nature and all of its elements.
The visions and experiences felt while consuming Peyote are reflective of many similar themes. Tatewari is the fire spirit and is a beautiful energy sent to focus attention, cleanse, transform, and amplify connection with spirit.
The Wixarikas are wisdom keepers like many other cultures during our times who developed a symbolic language clearly able to communicate and understand one another based on what unites us.
PHYSICAL AILMENTS BENEFITING FROM PEYOTE: Cancer Chronic Pain Diabetes Skin disorders Ocular health Oral health Reproductive and hormone balancing High blood pressure Rheumatism Snake & insect bites Labor Pain Paralysis from stroke Poor circulation EMOTIONAL & MENTAL IMBALANCES BENEFITING FROM PEYOTE: Alcoholism - ** search studies of Dr. John Halpern, Harvard Medical School, his years of study with this plant and its relationship to healing. Depression Anxiety PTSD ADHD Post partum depression Eating Disorders COMMON EXPERIENCES & BENEFITS OF PEYOTE: Improved concentration Greater problem solving Open flowing communication Deeper bond with Nature Changing into a healing or environmental guardian role Turning Vegetarian or Vegan Choosing Sobriety from alcohol Deeper connection with self, partners and loved ones More open to forgiveness More open to receiving More compassionate
Peyote is a plant that allows the body to relax and receive what is needed to purge out old toxins, imbalances, and recognize the presence we have in our lives and how each facet of our health is a pillar of our foundation. Those pillars are comprised from physical, sexual, mental, emotional health. Each pillar needs to be able to equally hold its weight to support the weight of the whole. Using this medicine you are able to go into those pillars and nourish and condition which increases strength and vitality.
There is no supporting medical evidence for peyote because you can’t just take peyote one time and say OMG... I’m all better. My “knee or tummy” is all better. The physical symptoms we experience in our lives are manifestations of our emotions asking for a response to be heard. When we are open and able to flow emotionally, we have the ability to maintain balance which allows our immune system to maintain healthy operations. A compromised immune system is the indication of some emotion being stored or overloaded more than the physical body can process at one time and causes weakness in its ability to function.
Our current mainstream health system is focused on how well we can treat and eliminate symptoms causing the imbalance. Treatment of chemical altering through pharmaceuticals is suggested to bring relief from symptoms so one can enjoy life. What this system fails to focus on is that the root cause of pain or illness cannot be suppressed. It needs to be let go as we do not have the ability to release trauma and energy like animals do. No medical researchers are able to gain funding and legitimate support for a project that studies the abilities of a plant and its connection to spirituality, balance and regaining equilibrium within to eliminate all the need for healthcare, meds, supplies, infrastructure, and systems. The companies who support the current supported mainstream medical research in this world are mainly funded by pharmaceutical giants linked to other household consumer driven brands, their peers, politicians and allies.
We do know however the indigenous people of the Americas have been using various types of cactus to serve all of these purposes for millennia and they have been peaceful, environmentally immersed, balanced and living to maintain harmony for generations to come. Some tribes of South America are known for consuming and praying to a cactus called San Pedro or Wachuma with a similar reflective story, including that of the Santo Dime movement and the Native American Church (NAC).
The Native American Church is also known as Peyotism and the Peyote Religion. It is a Native American religion that teaches a combination of traditional Native American beliefs paired with Christianity, and the sacramental use of peyote. The NAC was founded in the Oklahoma Territory in 1918 by Quanah Parker, a Kiowa warrior and guardian and believes in a supreme being known as the Great Spirit or the Creator which parallels and weaves the fundamentals of Christianity. The NAC also includes served all Canadian members. Today there are approximately 250,000 members of the NAC.
The Indigenous people’s of the United States familiar with using peyote in their spirituality are many but here are a few main groups: Lakota, Navajo, Apache, Kiowa, Mescalero, and Comanche. Sitting in ceremony with Peyote, Abuelito Hikuri or the Creator can be in a different style, offering or altar depending on location, intentions, leadership, or cultural presentation. There are times and places appropriate for this medicine to be used. It needs to be paid attention to with respect as it is pure spirit and whether or not you are ready it will deliver. Yes. There are often times on the medicine that there may be discomfort but that is the medicine doing it’s work of bringing awareness to what needs to leave or realign within. The true medicine of peyote and any psychedelic compound is to be able to let go completely for a short time so when you return you are able to carefully and purpose walk the steps of your real life with ease and grace.
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