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The Benefits of Peyote: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Medicine
A dive into the peyote cactus.
Modern psychedelic research is touting the benefits of substances such as psilocybin, LSD, and ayahuasca. The former two have been integrated into Western popular culture for decades now, while more and more people are travelling to South America for ayahuasca ceremonies.
However, a lesser-known psychedelic, peyote, has been used in Indigenous healing and spiritual practices for thousands of years. Many Indigenous people praise peyote for its healing effects for a myriad of mental and physical ailments.
What is Peyote?
Peyote ( Lophophora williamsii) is a small and spineless cactus found in North America. It naturally occurs in the South of Texas in the US, and all across Mexico. The word peyote comes from the word peyotl from the Aztecan language Nahuatl, meaning “caterpillar cocoon”, in reference to the shape of the cactus.
Crucially, there are many different psychoactive compounds found within the peyote cactus. Among them is mescaline, which is responsible for the majority of the psychedelic effects found in the cactus.
The peyote cactus is considered sacred to Indigenous people within the region. A publication released in 2005 used radiocarbon dating to identify the age of two…
