An annotated bibliography of 49 texts on Indigenous psilocybin mushroom practices curates academic works from anthropology, history, archaeology, ethnolinguistics, and ethnomycology. The selected books and articles foreground overlooked research and subject matter, covering contemporary practices and historical uses across cultural traditions in Mexico and other regions. The annotations provide brief summaries, contextualization, and critical appraisals, aiming to offer a diverse overview of research and an accessible resource for further exploration. The team of psychedelic researchers behind this bibliography hopes it will contribute to more nuanced dialogue around Indigenous people and practices in the context of the so-called psychedelic renaissance.
In the 1950s, as psychiatry turned toward psychopharmacology, Canadian researchers in an isolated prairie mental hospital pioneered a unique blend of psychotherapy and psychedelic substances like mescaline and LSD. The correspondence between psychiatrist Humphry Osmond and writer Aldous Huxley reveals how they developed their psychedelic approach to therapy, combining interests in psychoactive substances, perception, and empathy. Working far from major research centers, Osmond sought collaborators outside psychiatry, fostering an innovative regional approach that blended traditions.