The sacred rituals of peyote: History, meaning, and cultural legacy

Peyote, or Lophophora williamsii, is a cactus species native to the southern USA and northern Mexico. Rich in mescaline and producing strong visionary experiences, peyote plays a central role in the traditional spiritual practices of certain Native American groups.

In this guide, we take a comprehensive look at sacred peyote rituals. We’ll explore how peyote is traditionally used, as well as the structure and flow of peyote ceremonies, and the music, prayers, and other rituals involved. Moreover, we’ll look at the beliefs and history of the Native American Church, which continues to host peyote ceremonies as part of its spiritual practice.

Note: At Zamnesia, we do not condone or promote the recreational use of peyote. This article is written for informational purposes only.

If you choose to try peyote or explore its ceremonial use in more detail, remember to do so respectfully. This sacred plant has been held in high esteem for centuries and is not a simple party drug.

History and origins of peyote rituals

Peyote is native to a very small portion of North America, namely the Chihuahuan desert that spreads through northern Mexico and a small part of southern Texas. The oldest archaeological evidence of humans using peyote comes from the Shumla Caves and dates back almost 6,000 years.

Located along the Rio Grande in southwestern Texas, the Shumla Caves are a series of naturally occurring prehistoric rock shelters. In the 1930s, archaeologists uncovered peyote samples in one of the caves. Based on multiple radiocarbon assays, these samples were found to date back to roughly 4,200 BCE (Terry et al., 2006).

The samples in question weren’t natural pieces of peyote cacti. Instead, they were effigies shaped like small discs or buttons, made out of ground peyote and other plant matter. They contained roughly 2% mescaline and were likely made for use in spiritual ceremonies.

Close to the Shumla Caves, archaeologists also uncovered a rock painting now known as the White Shaman Mural. Thought to date back around 4,000 years, the mural and its anthropomorphic imagery have been interpreted as depicting the birth of time, shamanic practices, and the consumption of peyote.

The Native American Church and peyote’s legalisation

One of the most iconic forms of peyote use comes from the peyote ceremonies conducted by the Native American Church. However, these ceremonies are relatively modern, dating back to the mid-to-late 19th century and the relocation of native tribes following the 1830 Indian Removal Act.

Tribes like the Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, and others were likely introduced to peyote through natives from northern Mexico, such as the Huichol, Cora, and Tarahumara. One great advocate of peyote and peyotism was Quanah Parker, a Comanche leader and one of the founders of the Native American Church (NAC), who was rumoured to have cured a serious illness using the cactus (Jay, 2019).

Naturally, the use of peyote among indigenous people was met with legal, racial, and religious opposition by Christian missionaries and Indian Agents (US or Canadian officials tasked with interacting with indigenous tribes). In 1917, states like Colorado and Utah passed local peyote bans. In 1918, a federal ban passed the House of Representatives but failed in the Senate (Dawson, 2018).

Nonetheless, peyotism became a central part of life on native reservations, and the ceremonies united friends and family through singing and prayer. Anthropologist Omer Stewart (1987) said that the Oklahoman ceremonies held a notably “high moral tone”, especially when compared to those traditionally held in Mexico. It was here that the seeds for the Native American Church were born.

Founded in Oklahoma in 1918, the Native American Church’s origins can be traced back to the 1890s, when peyote was introduced to the people of the Great Plains. The church’s beliefs and practices blend aspects of Christianity and Indigenous spirituality to varying degrees (The Pluralism Project, n.d.).

For example, the NAC is monotheistic and believes in a supreme being or God known as the Great Spirit, rejects papal authority, and adopts some other Protestant characteristics. However, there are many different schools or “ways” within the church, with two of the most common being the Cross Fire way and the Half Moon way.

The US government eventually banned peyote, listing it as a Schedule 1 substance under the 1970 Controlled Substances Act. However, members of the Native American Church won back their rights to legally use peyote in 1978 with the American Indian Religious Freedom Act: a law that made an explicit legal exemption allowing members of the NAC to use peyote as part of their spiritual practices.

The flow of a peyote ceremony

Below, we’ll explore the structure of a typical peyote meeting. This information is derived from the observations and recollection of Omer Stewart (who participated in numerous ceremonies of the Kiowa and other tribes), as well as more modern sources.

Throughout the United States and Canada, there are two distinct ritual variations: the Cross Fire ritual and Half Moon ritual, named after the two main sects of the Native American Church. However, leaders of peyote ceremonies (also known as peyotists, peyote chiefs, or roadmen) have the freedom to conduct ceremonies as they wish, and often make minor variations to the ceremonial process.

The Cross Fire and Half Moon peyote ceremonies vary on many levels. The Half Moon ritual, for example, involves smoking tobacco, while the Cross Fire ritual generally makes greater reference to the Bible. In fact, in the case of the latter, the Bible is often on display, and ceremonies typically end with a sermon based on biblical texts.

Opening sequence and seating

Peyote ceremonies are typically held in tipis. Participants usually gather before sundown, though some roadmen may invite them to come even earlier and take part in preparations like setting up the tipi or picking the peyote to be consumed during the ceremony.

The participants generally sit in a circle around the central fire and altar, and some roadmen may choose to separate women and men or seat the men in front of the women. Some roadmen may also respect the traditional order of inviting participants into the space: his assistants (which may include the fire chief, drummer, and cedar man) followed by all men and, lastly, all women and children. The Native American Church considers peyote safe for children, as well as pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Next, a cedar ritual follows, involving the burning and smudging of aromatic cedar wood to purify the ceremonial space and the participants. The roadman then faces east and gives an opening prayer, invoking the four directions and the Great Spirit.

Ingestion and initial prayer

Next, peyote is brought out and consecrated. Though the most traditional form of consuming peyote is chewing fresh or dried cactus buttons, peyote tea or powdered peyote capsules might be on offer at more modern or touristic rituals (though these methods aren’t traditional and may be frowned upon).

The roadman may invite the participants to state their intention for the ceremony before ingesting the cactus. Shortly after everyone has consumed peyote, a series of prayers occur, followed by the singing and performance of traditional peyote music.

Midnight water call

At roughly midnight, a break occurs, and a designated assistant (traditionally the Water Woman) brings water for the participants to share. A prayer is offered before the water is passed around, and some roadmen explain that this part of the ritual symbolises cleansing and renewal. The fire is renewed, and another round of prayer and song ensues. By this stage, participants may be experiencing the peak of peyote's effects.

Morning water call and sunrise ritual

Near dawn, a second and final water call occurs, marking the end of the ceremony. Final prayers may be given, and participants are usually invited to sit, sing, and sometimes consume tobacco while facing the east as the sun rises. A communal breakfast usually follows.

Ceremonial peyote music

Music is central to peyote ceremonies and consists of singing accompanied by a water drum and gourd rattle. Peyote ceremonies may vary slightly, but the musical practice they entail is fairly standardised even among different tribes. The following four songs are central to all peyote ceremonies:

• Opening Song: Invites the Great Spirit into the space and sets the initial tone of the ceremony.
• Night Water Song: Accompanies the midnight water ritual
• Morning Sunrise Song: Symbolises spiritual rebirth
• Closing Song:Gives thanks and brings the ceremony to a close

The typical instruments used to make peyote music include:

• The human voice, which carries the melody and spiritual intentions of the song.
• The water drum, which is filled with water and freshly tied before each ceremony. The pitch and tone of the drum vary depending on the movement of water inside it, producing an organic, modulating sound.
• The gourd rattle, which can be beautifully decorated and is typically used by the song leaders.

Once participants have ingested peyote, the music begins, and a fairly strict ceremonial order ensues. First, a decorated cane, or staff of authority, as well as a rattle and eagle feather are passed clockwise along the circle. Whoever holds the staff leads the singing. The first singer sings four opening songs while holding the rattle and staff, accompanied by the drummer. The instruments then circulate, and all participants are expected to sing a set of four songs four times.

Traditionally, women do not sing or drum at peyote ceremonies. Instead, they are encouraged to support the ritual through prayer and presence. However, modern ceremonies might integrate women into the performance of peyote music.

Singing and drumming typically continue throughout the entire ceremony, only ceasing briefly during the water calls. The ongoing musical structure is used to sustain the ceremony’s spiritual intensity and is considered prayer through sound.

Beliefs and values connected to peyotism

While peyote rituals may appear simple in structure, they carry profound spiritual meaning. It is a sacred, community-based spiritual practice rooted in centuries of tradition and shaped by very specific world views with consistent core beliefs, even across different tribes.

Some of the core beliefs of peyotism include:

• The Great Spirit:Members of the Native American Church believe in a single, supreme spiritual being also known as the Great God or Creator. The Great Spirit is the source of all life, as well as the overseer of nature and the spiritual realm. All the songs and prayers of a ceremony are directed to the Great Spirit in search of guidance, healing, spiritual alignment, and truth.
• Peyote, the Sacred Messenger: Peyote is much more than just a psychedelic cactus. It is a sacred medicine, spiritual entity, and means of communicating with The Great Spirit. The plant is approached with reverence, from peyoteros (those who cultivate and supply peyote) down to roadmen, their assistants, and the participants of a ceremony.
• Ceremonies as a means of purification and enlightenment: Peyote rituals can be held for many purposes, such as to heal physical or emotional illness, to gain clarity regarding important life choices or one’s purpose, or to seek other forms of guidance. The overarching goal, however, is one of spiritual purification, enlightenment, and connectedness with one’s higher purpose or truth. Participants often find ceremonies profoundly insightful.
• The importance of prayer: Prayer is central to the peyote experience and is believed to carry immense power, especially when conducted communally. That’s why participants are encouraged (or even expected) to participate in prayer and song: to unify the group and its intention.
• Purity and humility: Peyotism teaches that healing and guidance can only come when one is open, honest, and willing. Participants might attend a ceremony for distinct reasons, but all are expected to come with a clean heart, a humble mind, and positive intention. Some roadmen may promote fasting before a ceremony as well as abstaining from other substances, but this isn’t always the case. Respect and openness, however, are expected at every ceremony and from every participant.
• Living tradition: Peyote rituals are structured, but they are also constantly evolving. That’s because peyotism is considered a living tradition and, like all things alive, subject to change. Peyote ceremonies, therefore, are open to innovation through the roadmen guiding them and their intent to best serve the present moment.
• The Sacred Number Four: In line with the four cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west), the number four symbolises balance and cosmic direction in peyotism, and is present in many parts of a ceremony. For example, participants may be encouraged to eat four peyote buttons at the start of a ritual and are encouraged to sing four rounds of songs. Some roadmen may also burn four cedar sticks during the early stages of the ceremony, or hold four sacred water rituals.

Peyotism: A tradition of reverence and renewal

Peyote is much more than just a psychoactive cactus: it’s a sacred plant with deep ceremonial and spiritual value for Native American tribes. Far from a recreational substance, peyote is central to a structured religion (i.e. peyotism) and at the heart of the rituals practised by the Native American Church.

Across tribal lines and generations, peyote and the rituals surrounding its use have helped native communities heal and commune with the divine. To honour this tradition, check out our article on what peyote is to further your knowledge about this sacred cactus. Moreover, why not help sustain this vulnerable cactus species by growing it at home with one of our rooted peyote plants or by learning to cultivate peyote from seeds?

Steven Voser

Steven Voser is an independent cannabis journalist with over 6 years of experience writing about all things weed; how to grow it, how best to enjoy it, and the booming industry and murky legal landscape surrounding it.

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