Revisiting Wasson's Soma: exploring the effects of preparation on the chemistry of Amanita muscaria.
Journal of psychoactive drugs – December 01, 2010
Source: PubMed
Summary
Ancient texts describe pressing and filtering Soma, a sacred hallucinogen. Evidence from over 600 accounts of *Amanita muscaria* mushroom use now shows specific preparations dramatically reduce its toxic effects. This finding strengthens the theory identifying *Amanita muscaria* as Soma, revealing how traditional methods enhance its beneficial properties and clarify its historical identity.
Abstract
In 1968 R. Gordon Wasson first proposed his groundbreaking theory identifying Soma, the hallucinogenic sacrament of the Vedas, as the Amanita muscaria mushroom. While Wasson's theory has garnered acclaim, it is not without its faults. One omission in Wasson's theory is his failure to explain how pressing and filtering Soma, as described in the Rig Veda, supports his theory of Soma's identity. Several critics have reasoned that such preparation should be unnecessary if equivalent results can be obtained by consuming the raw plant, as is done with other psychoactive mushrooms. In order to address these specific criticisms over 600 anecdotal accounts of Amanita muscaria inebriation were collected and analyzed to determine the impact of preparation on Amanita muscaria's effects. The findings of this study demonstrated that the effects of Amanita muscaria were related to the type of preparation employed, and that its toxic effects were considerably reduced by preparations that paralleled those described for Soma in the Rig Veda. While unlikely to end debate over the identity of Soma, this study's findings help to solidify the foundation of Wasson's theory, and also to demonstrate the importance of preparation in understanding and uncovering the true identity of Soma.