Hallucinogens and Shamanism: A Brief Article Waterville ME

The use of psychoactive drugs was studied in the 1960s by Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert who looked at LSD and psilocybin who studied shamanic teachings and practices around the globe. These shamanic traditions involve non-ordinary states of consciousness induced by a variety of methods including ingesting hallucinogenic plants, but also drumming, fasting, wilderness vision questing, use of sweat lodges and others.

Darlene Swift-Potter LADC
(207) 861-2420
10 Railroad Square
Waterville, ME
Services Provided
Substance abuse
Types of Care
Outpatient
Special Programs/Groups
Adolescents, Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders, DUI/DWI offenders
Language Services
ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired

Data Provided by:
HealthReach Network
(207) 872-4090
30 Chase Avenue
Waterville, ME
Services Provided
Substance abuse , Buprenorphine Services
Types of Care
Outpatient
Language Services
ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired

Data Provided by:
Maine General Medical Center
(207) 872-4140
30 Chase Avenue
Waterville, ME
Services Provided
Substance abuse , Detoxification, Buprenorphine Services
Types of Care
Hospital inpatient, Outpatient
Special Programs/Groups
Adolescents, Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders
Language Services
ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired

Data Provided by:
Discovery House
(207) 872-7272
21 Airport Road
Waterville, ME
Services Provided
Substance abuse , Detoxification, Methadone Maintenance, Methadone Detoxification, Buprenorphine Services
Types of Care
Outpatient
Special Programs/Groups
Pregnant/postpartum women, Women
Language Services
ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired

Data Provided by:
Phoenix House of New England
(207) 622-7106x3350
49 Kamich Drive
Augusta, ME
Services Provided
Substance abuse
Types of Care
Residential long-term treatment (more than 30 days)
Special Programs/Groups
Adolescents, Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders

Data Provided by:
Searsport Counseling Assosiates
(207) 696-4225
18 Common Street
Waterville, ME
Services Provided
Substance abuse
Types of Care
Outpatient
Language Services
ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired

Data Provided by:
Kennebec Behavioral Health
(207) 626-3455x2000
67 Eustis Parkway
Waterville, ME
Services Provided
Substance abuse
Types of Care
Outpatient
Special Programs/Groups
Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders
Language Services
ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired

Data Provided by:
Maine General Health
(207) 861-3500
8 Highwood Street
Waterville, ME
Services Provided
Substance abuse
Types of Care
Outpatient
Special Programs/Groups
Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders, Men, DUI/DWI offenders, Criminal justice clients
Language Services
ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired

Data Provided by:
Maine General Health
(207) 621-7218
7-9 Spruce Street
Augusta, ME
Services Provided
Substance abuse , Buprenorphine Services
Types of Care
Residential long-term treatment (more than 30 days)
Special Programs/Groups
Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders, Women
Language Services
ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired

Data Provided by:
Health Reach Network
(207) 547-3065
2093 Belgrade Road
Sidney, ME
Services Provided
Substance abuse , Buprenorphine Services
Types of Care
Residential long-term treatment (more than 30 days)
Special Programs/Groups
Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders, Men
Language Services
ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired

Data Provided by:
Data Provided by:

Hallucinogens and Shamanism: A Brief Article

In the western area, many drugs are highly refined and attempted excessively or habitually, in ways that are addictive and harmful. However, in traditional societies powerful mind-active plants are consumed ritually for therapeutic purposes or for transcending normal, everyday reality. In this article I will look in detail at the ritual use of mind-active drugs for therapeutic mind-expansion as part of shamanic traditions in comparison to the modern abuse of pharmaceutical drugs as part of drug addictions and dependencies.

The use of psychoactive drugs was studied in the 1960s by Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert who looked at LSD and psilocybin who studied shamanic teachings and practices around the globe. These shamanic traditions involve non-ordinary states of consciousness induced by a variety of methods including ingesting hallucinogenic plants, but also drumming, fasting, wilderness vision questing, use of sweat lodges and others.

Metzner notes that indigenous people have a profound knowledge of plants and herbs and their effects on the body and mind and are well able to distinguish harmful from beneficial medicines. For this reason the vision-inducing plants that have a tradition of shamanic usage are much more likely to be safe, in contrast to newly discovered and synthesized drugs, the use of which may often involve unknown long-term risks.

Western psychotherapy and indigenous shamanism use similar psychoactive substances for healing and obtaining knowledge (call...

Click here to read the rest of this article from Sober Recovery


Featured Facilities