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In the United States, it feels like most people associate shamanism and using plant medicine with indigenous cultures in Central and South America.
The more I learn, the more it seems like this practice has existed in ancient cultures all over the world.
Recently I learned about the lost history of Iranian Mysticism from Dr. Shauheen Etminan.
Before Zoroastrianism developed, there were groups of people in present day Iran called the Magi. The Magi were wise men known for their spiritual ministry and practices related to astronomy, astrology, and the interpretation of dreams. Apparently the Magi used a substance called Haoma to access the collective unconscious and bring back the information to kings and patrons.
I wanted to have Shauheen on the show to discuss what he’s learned about the Magi and their practices that can be applied to support us in modern times.
Shauheen is the founder of Ancestral Magi and VCENNA. Through his own healing journey, he became fascinated by psychedelics. His background in chemical engineering and Iranian heritage pushed him to study the role of these substances in ancient Iranian mysticism. Eventually he created Ancestral Magi to provides access to similar experiences.
In our conversation, Shauheen shares who the magi were and how they went about accessing information from the unconscious. It seems that they used a form of Syrian Rue to enter into a hypnagogic state. Within these states, they could derive insights that were useful for the people they ministered to.
Shauheen’s background as a chemical engineer helped him identify what he now believes was the substance historically known as Haoma. This spawned the creation of his company Ancestral Magi. Before our podcast, I tried some of their herbal supplements for lucid dreaming, meditation, and revelation. I definitely experienced a deepened state that felt more connected to insight.
Unlike many other psychedelic experiences which can seem all or nothing, Shauheen envisions a world where we can use light herbal products to enhance regular contemplative practices. Just like there are supplements we use for physical exercise, he thinks we can use supplements for contemplative practice. This is how the Ancestral Magi products work.
We also discuss the difference between the active agent in Haoma (beta-carbolines) compared to DMT and other tryptamines. Shauheen believes it is actually the beta-carbolines in many substances that are responsible for altered states vs. DMT. If this were true, this would be a very important insight because it is slightly different than the predominant narrative. He explains this in more detail in the conversation.
I find myself becoming increasingly passionate about learning from ancient cultures and traditions. It seems like there are many things they understood better than our present day conventions.
It also seems like if you focus on uplifting your consciousness and maintain a reverence for this type of wisdom, it comes into your experience as it's supposed to.
I hope you enjoy this conversation!
-Scott
If you liked reading or listening to this, feel free to click the ❤️ or 🔄 button on this post so more people can discover it on Substack 🙏
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Episode Transcript
Show notes:
00:00 - Ancient Practices of the Magi
09:40 - The Significance of Beta-Carbolines
32:40 - Exploring the Impact of Psychoactive Compounds on Consciousness
52:56 - Ancient Shamanic Practices and the Modern Psychedelic Industry
59:09 - Integrating Psychedelic Experiences into Daily Practices
Shaheen is one of the most qualified scholars to speak on this. Thanks for sharing this information, highly educational!