Soma’s Psychedelic Roots: Ancient Sacrament and Modern Mystery

Soma occupies a special place in the history of religion, mysticism, and altered states of consciousness. For millennia academicians, spiritual searchers, and psychonauts have been enthralled with this mysterious material—both a holy liquid and a divinity in old Vedic tradition. One of the first religious books available to humans, the Rig Veda has many references to soma, cherished as a celestial elixir providing superhuman skills, mystical insights, and communication with the gods.

But what exactly was soma? And what can this ancient sacrament tell us about the role of psychedelic substances in the origins of religious and mystical experience? We will explore the fascinating history and enduring mystery of soma, examining its significance in Vedic religion, its possible botanical identity, and its connection to shamanic practices and visionary experiences across cultures. We’ll also look at how the concept of soma has evolved over time, from an external substance to an internal spiritual essence, and how it continues to inspire modern seekers of expanded consciousness.

Soma in the Rig Veda

The Rig Veda, a collection of over 1000 Sanskrit hymns composed between 1500 and 1000 BCE, contains numerous references to soma. The Ninth Mandala dedicates an entire chapter to the preparation and consumption of this sacred substance. The Ninth Mandala depicts Soma as a plant-based beverage and a potent deity, bestowing extraordinary powers and insights upon those who consume it.

The Rig Veda describes the process of pressing soma from a plant and mixing it with milk to create an intoxicating drink. People said that its profound effects granted strength, courage, wisdom, and ecstatic union with the divine. One famous passage declares:

“We have drunk Soma and become immortal; we have attained the light that the gods discovered. Now what may a foe’s malice do to harm us? What, O Immortal, mortal man’s deception?” (Rig Veda 8.48.3).

This quote encapsulates the transformative power attributed to Soma; it was seen as a means of transcending human limitations and accessing divine realms of immortality and illumination. It was believed that the Vedic gods themselves, particularly the warrior god Indra, derived their powers from consuming soma.

In esoteric interpretations, soma is sometimes associated with Amrita, the nectar of immortality churned from the cosmic ocean in Hindu mythology. This connects Soma to the idea of the Elixir of Life, sought by alchemists and mystics across cultures. Some occult traditions view soma as a metaphor for the activation of the pineal gland or the raising of Kundalini energy, linking the ancient Vedic concept to more recent esoteric philosophies.

The Mystery of Soma’s Identity

While the importance of soma in Vedic religion is clear, its actual botanical identity has long been a subject of debate and speculation. The original soma plant used in ancient rituals is believed to have been lost over time, leading to various substitutes being used. Ethnobotanists and scholars have proposed a number of candidates, including:

Fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria)
Ephedra sinica
Syrian rue (Peganum harmala)
Blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea)
Cannabis
Psilocybin mushrooms

Each of these plants has psychoactive properties that could potentially account for soma’s reputed effects. However, scholars disagree on the “true” original soma. It’s possible that soma referred not to a single plant but to a combination of different psychoactive species.

Some scholars suggest that Vedic priests intentionally kept the identity of Soma secret, known only to initiates. The Vedic texts may have concealed the plant’s true nature through metaphor and symbolic language. This air of mystery only adds to Soma’s mystique and allure.

In more esoteric circles, some propose that soma was not a physical substance at all but a metaphor for altered states of consciousness achieved through meditation, breathwork, or other spiritual practices. Others speculate that soma may have been an extraterrestrial substance, connecting the Vedic tradition to ancient astronaut theories. These ideas, though highly speculative, demonstrate the diverse interpretations applied to the soma mystery.

Soma and the Origins of Religion

The use of psychoactive plants to induce altered states of consciousness is a practice that predates written history. Paleolithic cave art from around 40,000 years ago shows evidence of shamanic visionary experiences, likely catalyzed by the use of mind-altering substances. As Graham Hancock explores in his book “Supernatural,” the emergence of cave art, complex symbolism, and religious thinking seems to coincide with the discovery of psychedelic plants by early humans.

Shamanic cultures around the world have long used visionary plants and fungi as tools for healing, divination, and connecting with the spirit world. The patterns and beings encountered in these altered states bear striking similarities across cultures separated by vast distances of time and geography. Geometric forms known as entoptic phenomena and therianthropes (human-animal hybrid figures) are common motifs in both ancient rock art and modern psychedelic experiences.

This perspective places soma within a much older tradition of entheogen use in religious and spiritual contexts. Its prominent placement in one of the world’s oldest religious texts attests to the central role that altered states of consciousness played in the formation of early belief systems and cosmologies. Soma may represent one of the earliest codified sacramental uses of psychedelics in organized religion.

Some esoteric thinkers propose that the universal themes in shamanic visions point to an objective spiritual reality accessed through altered states. In this view, soma and other entheogens act as “keys” to unlock doors of perception, allowing humans to commune with transdimensional entities or explore non-physical realms of existence. While highly speculative, these ideas challenge conventional notions of reality and consciousness.

Ancient temples and sacred beverages

Archaeological evidence suggests that the ritual use of psychoactive substances was a widespread practice in many ancient cultures. Religious sites dating back thousands of years have found traces of various entheogens.

One of the most intriguing examples comes from Gonur Tepe, an archaeological site in Turkmenistan dating to around 2,000 BCE. Excavations led by Viktor Sarianidi uncovered evidence of large-scale production of a ritual drink believed by some scholars to be soma or its Persian equivalent, haoma. Chemical analysis found traces of ephedra, cannabis, and opium poppy at the site.

Similarly, ancient Egyptian temples show evidence of ritual use of blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea), a mildly psychoactive flower associated with the god Nefertem. The iconic eye of Ra symbol may represent the pineal gland, which some esoteric traditions link to visionary states of consciousness.

These findings point to the widespread use of consciousness-altering substances in ancient spiritual practices across cultures. Sacred plants and ceremonial preparations like soma seem to have played a key role in early religions, mystical traditions, and the exploration of non-ordinary states of consciousness.

Researchers have proposed that the design of many ancient temples and sacred sites specifically aims to enhance altered states of consciousness. We may have crafted these spaces’ architecture, acoustics, and even electromagnetic properties to induce mystical experiences, with or without entheogens. This suggests that the ancients had a sophisticated understanding of consciousness and its manipulation, challenging modern assumptions about the knowledge of our ancestors.

Evolution of the Soma Concept

Over time, the concept of soma evolved from an external, plant-based substance to an internalized essence of divine consciousness. Later Hindu and Buddhist thought reflects this shift, portraying soma as an inner elixir of immortality, accessible through meditation and yogic practices.

Soma is associated with the pineal gland and the “third eye” chakra, linking it to intuition, insight, and expanded awareness. It is believed that the release of inner soma leads to a variety of mystical manifestations, such as:

Light/illumination
Strength/vitality
Wisdom/gnosis
Psychic abilities
Beauty/aesthetics
Ecstatic bliss

The internalisation of the soma concept coincides with a wider shift in Indian spirituality, which now views enlightenment as an inner state to cultivate instead of an external substance to consume. The Buddha and other figures taught that one could find nirvana within through practices like meditation rather than through external rituals or intoxicants.

Nevertheless, the memory of the powerful effects of the original soma drink lived on. Various attempts were made over the centuries to recreate the fabled elixir using different plant combinations. The true identity of Soma remained an enticing mystery.

Some Tantric and alchemical traditions equate soma with the nectar of immortality (amrita), which the pineal gland secretes upon awakening through spiritual practices. Some describe this inner soma as a tangible substance, linking yoga’s esoteric physiology to the ancient Vedic soma cult. Some practitioners claim to experience a sweet taste in the back of their throats during deep meditation, which they attribute to this inner soma, or amrita.

Modern Interest in Soma and Entheogens

In the 20th century, as psychedelic substances entered Western awareness, new interest arose in ancient practices like the soma ritual. Researchers like R. Gordon Wasson proposed that cultures around the world had used sacred mushrooms and plants as paths to mystical insight. Wasson famously suggested that Amanita muscaria mushrooms were the true identity of soma, based on linguistic and cultural evidence.

While Wasson’s specific theory remains controversial, the broader recognition of the widespread ritual use of psychoactive plants in human cultures has grown. Various indigenous spiritual traditions have acknowledged substances like psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, peyote, and cannabis as important elements.

This has led to renewed interest in the potential of psychedelics to induce mystical-type experiences and personal transformation. Research at institutions like Johns Hopkins University has found that pilocybin can reliably induce profound spiritual experiences in controlled settings. Some see this as scientific validation of what ancient soma drinkers knew intuitively: that certain plants can act as keys to unlock mystical states of consciousness.

The rediscovery of entheogens has also inspired new spiritual and philosophical movements. Some modern mystery schools and occult orders incorporate the ritual use of psychedelics, seeing them as sacraments for the modern age. These groups often draw connections between ancient practices like the soma ritual and contemporary psychedelic experiences, viewing them as part of an unbroken lineage of entheogen-based spirituality.

Soma and the Akashic Field

Some esoteric thinkers have connected the concept of soma to the idea of the Akashic Field, or Akashic Records, a proposed non-physical realm containing all knowledge and experience. In this interpretation, soma may have acted as a key to accessing this universal repository of information, allowing Vedic seers to gain profound insights into the nature of reality.

This concept resonates with reports from modern psychedelic users, who describe accessing vast databases of information or experiencing direct downloads of knowledge during their journeys. This concept is also aligned with indigenous beliefs about plant teachers and the wisdom gained through ceremonial use of entheogens.

While highly speculative, these ideas challenge conventional notions of consciousness and the nature of information. They say that soma and other entheogens may change your state of mind enough to let you access non-local fields of consciousness. Mystic experiences can lead to deep insights and revelations.

Soma and the Akashic Field

Soma and Consciousness Evolution

Some theorists propose that substances like soma may have played a crucial role in human cognitive and cultural evolution. By temporarily altering neural pathways and enhancing neuroplasticity, entheogens could have catalyzed leaps in human consciousness and capabilities. This “stoned ape” theory, popularized by Terence McKenna, suggests that psychedelic plants may have been a driving force behind the rapid expansion of human intelligence and culture.

This perspective views the soma ritual as a purposeful method for the individual and collective evolution of consciousness. By regularly inducing profoundly altered states, Vedic culture may have been intentionally pushing the boundaries of human awareness and understanding. This perspective frames the use of entheogens not only as a religious or recreational practice, but also as a tool for the deliberate evolution of human consciousness.

Soma and Modern Spirituality

Today, the concept of soma continues to inspire those on the path of expanded awareness and inner exploration. While most modern seekers don’t literally drink soma, the idea of an inner divine nectar accessed through spiritual practice remains compelling.

Activating what some refer to as the “soma within” involves a variety of techniques:

Kundalini awakening practices
Pranayama breathwork
Meditation and trance states
Tantric practices
Pineal activation releases endogenous DMT

These techniques aim to stimulate the release of blissful, transpersonal states of consciousness, similar to the effects of the ancient soma drink. The goal is to access divine wisdom and ecstatic union with the cosmos through inner alchemical processes rather than external substances.

At the same time, some modern seekers are reconsidering the carefully guided use of psychedelic substances as a potential aid on the spiritual path. Researchers are investigating substances like psilocybin, DMT, and MDMA, which are controversial, for their potential to catalyze profound mystical experiences and personal breakthroughs when intentionally used in therapeutic or ceremonial contexts.

Some modern spiritual teachers and traditions incorporate both internal and external methods for inducing soma-like states. They may combine meditation, breathwork, and energy practices with the ceremonial use of entheogens, viewing these as complementary tools for expanding consciousness and facilitating spiritual growth.

The Quantum Soma

In recent years, some researchers have begun exploring potential connections between psychedelic states, mystical experiences, and quantum physics. Theories of quantum consciousness propose that the brain may be capable of accessing quantum-level information, potentially explaining phenomena like non-local awareness and transpersonal experiences.

In this context, we could see soma as a substance that enhances the brain’s quantum coherence, enabling greater access to non-local fields of information and consciousness. While highly speculative, these ideas represent attempts to bridge ancient wisdom traditions with cutting-edge scientific theories, potentially offering new frameworks for understanding the profound effects of substances like soma.

Soma’s Enduring Legacy

Whether viewed as an ancient psychedelic sacrament or an inner essence of divine consciousness, soma represents humanity’s perennial quest to access expanded states of awareness and connect with the mysteries of existence. From its exalted place in the Rig Veda to its modern reinterpretation by psychonauts and mystics, soma has remained a potent symbol of transformation and transcendence.

The legacy of Soma invites us to consider the role of altered states of consciousness in the origins of religion, art, and culture. It points to the universal human drive to experience states beyond ordinary waking consciousness, be it through entheogens, meditation, breathwork, or other means. Soma represents the perennial pursuit of gnosis, enlightenment, and union with the divine that has motivated seekers throughout history.