The Apples of Apollo: Pagan and Christian Mysteries of the Eucharist Ruck, Carl A. P.; Staples, laise !

aniel, and "einrich, Clark. (2001) Durham, North Carolina: Carolina Academic Press. #S $: 0-89089-92 -! !escription: Pa"er#ac$, %i& ' 2(2 "a)es. Contents: *ist o+ ,llustration, -ore.ord, Ac$no.led)ments, / cha"ters, re+erences, inde%. E%cerpt&s': Chapter (: acchus A)ongst *s #0 Carl A. P. 1uc$ 2ut ho.3 ,n N0sa, Dion0sos disco&ered a ma)ical "lant that .ould allo. him to esca"e. ,t .as the &ine: a "lant, that le+t to its o.n di&ides, .ould )ro. li$e a useless .eed, t.inin) its shoots o&er all the land, and ne&er +ruitin). -or the &ine +ruits onl0 on ne. )ro.th, and the ci&ili4ed arts o+ culti&ation must inter&ene, "runin) #ac$ the sterile )reener0, to .rench it a.a0 +rom its natural .ildness and +orce it to +ruit .ith its luscious clusters o+ )ra"es. ,n N0sa, all the "lants are to%ic #0 themsel&es in their natural state, dan)erous and "oisonous, the +ood o+ "rimiti&e #ein)s5 #ut the )ra"e has somethin) to o++er. Not a natural into%icant, #ut a culti&ated and so"histicated one. -rom its +ruit is manu+actured the ma)ical drin$ called .ine. 60m"osium 7ith the secret o+ this "lant, and its inestima#le messa)e o+ reconciliation #et.een .ild .ith the culti&ated, Dion0sos came #ac$ to this .orld, a 8ourne0 #eset .ith all the dan)ers tra&elers or shamans are a"t to encounter as the0 cross the +rontier #et.een realms, es"eciall0 the ultimate one that di&ides the t.o hal&es o+ one9s identit0. ("a)e /) ... :ree$ .ine .as a sacred "otion, li$e the )od himsel+, #rid)in) the +rontier #et.een cultured and natural to%ins. ;he manu+actured "roduct o+ the &inter9s art .as onl0 hal+ o+ his identit05 the other .as the )reen .orld o+ N0sa. 7ine .as +orti+ied .ith her#al additi&es, a custon still +ollo.ed toda0 in :reece .ith, .hat is onl0 the #est $no.n e%am"le, the resin added to retsina. ;hese additi&es .ere not onl0 modi+ications o+ the +la&or, #ut also o+ the .ine9s to%icit0. ,n addition to detrerminin) the num#er o+ drau)hts, the host chose the mi% .ith .hich he .ould challen)e his )uests. 7ines that needed ei)ht-+old dilution .ere still drun$ in the 1oman era, a .ine that #ac$ in <omeric times had re=uired t.ent0 "arts o+ .ater, a trul0 heroic drin$. ("a)es ( - 8) >ountain 1e&el 2ut Dion0sos #elon)ed also to the .oman o+ the sisterhood .ho had tended him #ac$ in N0sa, and to the creatures o+ the .ildness, .ho .ere the other hal+ o+ his drin$. -or this the ceremon0 re&erted to the +emale citi4enr0, the ordinaril0 su#8u)ated mothers and dau)hters. Althou)h usuall0 con+ined .ithin the inner cham#ers o+ the house and denied access to the outside .orld, the0 le+t the cit0 and con&ened on the mountainside, the nearest hol0 "lace called N0sa, in the

.inter .hen )ardens die5 and 8oined in the old tri"artite di&ision o+ maiden, mother, and crone, to cele#rate the )od in his "re-&iticultural mani+estations .ith countr0 re&elr0. ;he0 .ere called maenads, .ild .omen, co)nate .ith ?maniac? in @n)lish5 or #acchants, a+ter the )od9s other name as 2acchus ... . ("a)e 8) ... ;he rite .as a re&ersion to the "rimiti&e .orld. ;he0 hunted .ith their #are hands, "resuma#l0 +or her#s, since the0 had no e%"eriences as hunters - #ut animate "lants or entheo)ens, as is the a""ro"riate term ... . @uri"ides descri#ed their drin$ as oo4in) u".ards +rom the )round, a natural .ine, not the manu+actured so"histicated +erment, #ut somethin) li$e .ater, or mil$, or hone0, hearlded #0 the #ello.in) o+ #ulls, +or the .omen9s ecstas0 ma$es them lo. li$e co.s in estrual heat. ;his is not onl0 to #e e%"ected in a "lace called N0sa: +or nyssein means ?"ric$? o+ ?)oad,? li$e the stin)in) oistros o+ the insect that "ursued co. maiden ,o, and that )i&es its name to the oestrus5 a "lace o+ narcosis, as .ell, +or nystazo in #oth ancient and modern :ree$ means to ?)et dro.s0.? ;his enthno#otanical com"le% o+ meta"hors su))ests a +un)al a&atar, a .ild sacred mushroom, as the "rimordial her#, e=ui&alent in s0m#olism to the i&0, .hich is transmuted into the culti&a#le +un)al 0east5 and also the assimilation o+ that entheo)en .ith the narcotic "o""0 o+ the "re-:ree$ cult5 #ut no. not so much a narcotic, #ut somethin) that could induce the e%traordinar0 +eats o+ stren)th also re"orted o+ the maenads. ("a)es 8 - 9) ;heater o+ Dion0sos ;h sacri+icial meal .as al.a0s an occasion +or music and dance, as .ell. 2ut the )reatest o+ the )od9s achie&ements .as the ;heater, #0 its &er0 name, a "lace +or seein) somethin) sacred. -rom ori)ins that )o #ac$ to dis"la0s o+ ecstatic shamanic "ossession at the tom#s o+ heroic "ersons - .ith the s"irit o+ the deceased o&erta$in) the "riest and s"ea$in) throu)h him to tell his m0th, his stor0, the drama as a ritual mo&ed in the si%th centur0 +rom the countr0side into the &er0 center o+ the cit0, e&entuall0 accorded s"ace on the south slo"e o+ the Acro"olis, #elo. the monuments that .ere #ein) constructed a#o&e it throu)hout the Classical A)e. ("a)e 12) ... @&entuall0 the ;heater area, .hich earlier had #een somethin) im"rom"tu in the mar$et"lace, .as esta#lished in the "rime location o+ its "resent ruins. ;his .as the s"ace accordin) to the Dru) *ord, so stated to demonstrate the more a""ro"riate neolo)ism o+ entheo)en, the sacred and animate "lant o+ the )od9s identit0. ;he nature o+ the ;heater e%"erience .as one o+ mass s"iritual "ossession .ith a "ositi&e or #ene+icial outcome. 7hat mi)ht in more destructi&e circumstances ha&e #een a )hostl0 &isitation .as transmuted into a communal +eelin) o+ oneness .ith their shared cultural identit0 and the s"irits .ho .ere the cit09s allies +rom the nether.orld. 7hen the actors donned their mas$s, the0 .ere o&ercome #0 the "ersona each .as meant to im"ersonate, as i+ there .ere a ma)net in the other .orld to .hich the0 .ere #ein) dra.n. ... ,t .as as thou)h e&er0one .ere 8ust an iron +ilin), ali)ned .ith the s"iritual attraction +rom the other realm, delineatin) a total +ield o+ +orce, .ith each attuned to the )hostl0 "ossession. 6ince such .as the meanin) re"eatedl0 )i&en to the entheo)enic e%"erience o+ the )od, it .as ine&ita#le that he .ho had sho.n his .illin)ness to" die as "relude to resurrection .ould also lead us all alon) the "ath.a0s he had esta#lished. 6o death itsel+ .as the +inal o"timistic encounter .ith the )od, the lethal "otion, an or)asmic cosmic em#race. ... 1ather than lea&in) the drin$ meanin)less, or o+ )i&in) it the counter-cultural meanin) o+ a criminal act, .ine .as a sacrament. @ssential to the theme o+ the

>0steries .e are "ursuin) in the ensuin) essa0s is this central role o+ "s0choacti&e her#alism in the reli)ious and cultural li+e o+ "a)an anti=uit0 and its assimilation into Christian traditions. ("a)es 1A - 1 ) Chapter +: Mistletoe, Centaurs, and !atura >istletoe ;he +lo.er .hich Coo$ instructs us to disre)ard (althou)h he claims to see t.o o+ them, a""arentl0 addin) one to the missin) "art o+ the mirror), and that the 7assons and :ra&es identi+ied as a mushroom, is clearl0 not mistletoe. ,%ion, ho.e&er, is named +or that sacred "lant or entheo)en o+ the ancient Druids: ixos, in :ree$ (and also ixia), or more e%actl0 (w)ixos, #e+ore the loss o+ its initial consonant. ... ;o trace it #ac$ to its ultimate ori)in, the mistel is deri&ed +rom 6ans$rit mehati (?he urinates?) ... . Not onl0 ro0al, #ut "oisonous too, is this sacred t.i) called urine #ranch, althou)h the nature o+ its to%ins deser&es consideration: #eta-"hen0lethalamine and tr0amine, the latter +ound in er)ot and certain "s0chotro"ic toads and ce"halo"ods, li$e the stin)in) s=uid. As +or the +ormer, #eta-"hen0leth0lamine and similar amine to%ins, it occurs in se&eral "s0chotro"icall0 acti&e "lants, such as nutme) and certain cacti associated .ith "e0otl. ;he in)estion o+ mistletoe can slo. the "ulse, #ut onl0 in se&ere cases .ill it cause lethal +ailure o+ the cardi&ascular s0stem. As to .hether the s0m"tons include &isionar0 e%"erience, the re"orts are mi%ed. ;he mistletoe is a semi-"arasitic "lant inasmuch as it does "hotos0nthesi4e, #ut it e%tracts and se=uesters +luid and chemicals +rom its host. <ence, mistletoe )ro.n on di++erent hosts .ill contain di++erin) elements, .hich in certain instances are &isionar0 (#e0ond the t.o alread0 mentioned). ,n &ie. o+ its name, it deser&es consideration as to .hether the to%ins "ersist or are modi+ied in the metra#olite in urine, or .hether the mistletoe "er"etuates this as"ect o+ the +l0-a)aric (Amanita muscaria, the mushroom that .as the ori)inal ,ndo-@uro"ean entheo)en) onl0 #0 s0m#olic association. ,t shares .ith the mushroom the tradition that the0 are #oth "lanted #0 the celestial li)htenin) #olt5 and its #ranches )lo.in) a simiular )olden color in the .inter .hen the +l0-a)aric is not +ruitin) .ould ma$e a suita#le s0m#olic surro)ate. ;he to%ins in +l0-a)aric, moreo&er, are di++icult to access .ithout ethno"harmaceutical $no.led)e and &ar0 .ith maturit0 o+ the s"ecimen and manner o+ "re"aration, the urinous meta#olite a&oidin) man0 o+ the un"leasant and +ri)htenin) side e++ects5 "ossi#l0, mistletoe "la0ed a role in acti&atin) the desired e%"erience o+ +l0-a)aric. Althou)h mistletoe )ro.s commonl0 on &arious trees, such as a""le, "o"lar, and .illo., it .as onl0 the much rarer +orm +ound on the oa$ that the Druids considered sacred ("ro#a#l0 Quercus Aegilops and Quercus Ilex, the trees that the :ree$s called drys and are m0corrhi4al hosts as .ell to +l0-a)raric)5 and it .as +rom the oa$ that the "riests deri&ed their name. Clad in .hite, the0 clim#ed the tree and har&ested the mistletoe .ith a )olden sic$le, .hile others #elo. recei&ed it in a .hite cloa$, ne&er allo.in) it to touch the )round. ,t .as "resent in all their reli)ious rituals, and the0 did eat it, sometimes ma$in) a "otion +rom it. ;he0 .ere e%"erienced her#alists, and ma0 ha&e had "rocedures +or e%tractin) the desired chemicals. ... ("a)es 18 - 20) <orsemad Althou)h ,%ion is the mistletoe &ictim, as the ancestor o+ the centaurs #e #ecame associated .ith other to%ic "lants or entheo)ens, es"eciall0 those in&ol&ed .ith

A"ollo, .ho is the )od in :ree$ ritual .ho still demanded human &ictims, althou)h in Classical times the sacri+ice .as o+ten merel0 s0m#olic. ... Bne such "lant is .hat the :ree$s called ?horsemad? or hippomanes, .hich is Datura stramonium. ;his is the most li$el0 candidate +or the +lo.er on the @truscan mirror9s de"iction o+ ,%on9s torment. ;o identi+0 the +lo.er as a mushroom, as did :ra&es and 7asson, it is ar)ued that it is de"icted in cross-section5 #ut the #ase o+ the +lo.er is clearl0 not t0"ical o+ a +un)us, ta"erin) as it does to a stem. ,t loo$s &er0 much li$e the cal0% o+ a trum"et-sha"ed #lossom such as Datura, .hose &isionar0 "ro"erties .ere noted #0 Dioscorides as #ein) ?not un"leasant.? ("a)es 2 - 2C) Chapter ,: Perseus, the Mushroo) Picker Perseus .as the +irst o+ the :ree$ heroes. <e a""eared at the time .hen the :ree$-s"ea$in) ,ndo-@uro"eans .ere 8ust #e)innin) to arri&e +rom a "lace the0 remem#ered as the <0"er#orean homeland and .ere mer)in) their o.n traditions and reli)ion .ith that o+ the "eo"les .ho .ere alread0 in residence in the :ree$ lands. ;he inte)ration o+ the t.o di++erent cultures can #e seen in the ethno#otan0 o+ their shamanism, in .hich the shaman and the deit0 #oth are consu#stantial .ith the sacred "lant or entheo)en. 7e shall demonstrate that the :or)on >edusa and Perseus (and related +i)ures such as Chr0saor, Perasos, ,amos, ,on, ,o, Brion, and Buranos) dis"la0 s0m#olic characteristics descri"ti&e o+ the +l0-a)aric mushroom or Amanita muscaria. ;hese include the s"ectrum o+ color, as .ell as common meta"hors descri#in) the 6oma "lant as )olden a""les, an e0e, a multi"licit0 o+ e0es, )olden .ater, hone0, li)htnin) #olts, )olden urine, )olden semen, )olden rain, )olden sno., estrual co.s, #ello.in) #ulls, )olden hides, "elts, "hallus, &ul&a, .in)s, etc. -ar +rom #ein) mar)inal to Classical culture, here .ith the +irst o+ the heroes .e see a central in&ol&ement o+ a mushroom as an enthno#otanical sacrament in m0thical traditions. 6o also in the ma8or "re-Christian >0ster0. ;he +l0-a)aric had a role in the @leusinian reli)ion o+ the t.o )oddesses, Demeter and Perse"hone, #ut +or reasons that .e shall discuss, "ro#a#l0 not as the secret "otion that .as drun$ each 0ear #0 the hundreds o+ initiates. Nor +inall0 does it seem "ossi#le that the +l0-a)aric .as un$no.n to the )eneral "u#lic5 .e shall demonstrate that the audience o+ Aristo"hanes9 comed0 Clouds could #e e%"ected to reco)ni4e the "la0.ri)ht9s "arod0 o+ the 6o"hists (or "hiloso"hers) as ethno#otanical shamans. ... ("a)es 1 - 2) 1e+oundin) >0cenae ,ncidental to the m0th o+ the :ree$ hero Perseus is the detail that he .as said to ha&e "ic$ed a mushroom on the site o+ the cit0 o+ >0cenae to =uench his thirst. Alternatel0 the "luc$in) o+ the +un)us can also #e seen as the culmination o+ his career, or at least as e=ual in im"ortance to the #etter $no.n e"isode in .hich he deca"itates the :or)on =ueen >edusa ... An artist +rom the +ourth centur0 2C, ho.e&er, $ne. that the t.o stories, the "luc$in) and the deca"itation, .ere one and the same. Perseus is sho.n har&estin) the head o+ >edusa .ith a "runin) hoo$ or sic$le (harpe), .hich is his traditional im"lement in all de"ictions o+ the e&ent5 #ut the e"isode ta$es "lace in the :arden o+ the <es"erid sisters, and the deca"itated head, .hich he holds in his hand, is e=uated to the :olden A""les o+ the tree - and .ith a "air o+ mushrooms. Nor should there #e an0 dou#t that the mushrooms in =uestion are no ordinar0 mushrooms, #ut are "s0choacti&e or an entheo)en. ("a)es 2 - A) :olden A""les

6o .e come +ull circle, #ac$ to the Cosmic ;ree #eneath .hich Perseus sle. >edusa, har&ested mushrooms, and "ic$ed a""les. 7e $no. .h0 mushrooms are associated .ith "ine, #irch, and oa$, #ut no. the oli&e tree has #een thro.n into the mi%. As +ar as .e $no., Amanita muscaria doesn9t )ro. #eneath oli&e trees. And .hat on earth do a""les, )olden or other.ise, ha&e to do .ith these +our trees3 7hen a""les are ri"e, the reddest, ri"est ones dro" to the )round. ,+ one .ere to a""roach a +orest o+ "ine at the ri)ht time o+ the 0ear, one mi)ht see #eneath some o+ the trees .hat also loo$ li$e +allen a""les on the )round. 2ut one .ould #e mista$en. ,n its earl0 sta)e o+ )ro.th, 8ust a+ter s"littin) o"en its o.n &eil-enclosed ?e))? and "o""in) its head into the o"en air, the Amanita muscaria resem#les a round, red +ruit. ;he sti"e, or stal$, is usuall0 hidden at this sta)e. ;he +ruits - +or mushroom is a +ruit - a""ear to #e l0in) on the )round. At the a""ro"riate time, this same scene can #e +ound #eneath all the mushroom9s other host trees as .ell. 1eturnin) to the same +orest a .ee$ or so later, one .ould +ind a di++erent landsca"e. ;here .ould still #e red ?a""les? l0in) a#out, onl0 ne. ones5 the +ormer a""les .ill ha&e chan)ed color and sha"e. ,+ there had #een a lot o+ rain in the inter&enin) da0s, the older mushrooms .ould #e so))0, discolored, and rottin). 2ut i+ it had #een clear and .arm, these same mushrooms .ould ha&e turned a #eauti+ul and metallic )olden-oran)e, the .armer and .inder the .eather, the more )olden and metallic the mushroom. ;his is the o"timum time to har&est. Care+ul dr0in) "roduces the same e++ect. 6o, +i)urati&el0 s"ea$in), all the host trees o+ Amanita muscaria "roduce ?a""les? that later turn to )old. Apples and golden apples ha&e lon) #een code names +or the mushroom .here&er #oth the mushroom and a""les are $no.n, e&en to the "resent da0. No. .e can see .h0 it .as that Perseus har&ested not onl0 the >edusa9s head and entheo)enic mushrooms +rom #eneath the tree o+ the <es"erides, #ut )olden a""les as .ell: more .ill #e said #elo. a#out >edusa9s corres"ondence to Amanita muscaria. ("a)es 9 - C0) 2ull <ides ;he )od "lant 6oma, +rom .hich the 6oma drin$ .as "ressed, .as called the shar"-horned #ull, the da""led #ull, the da""led co., the #ull or stallion #urstin) .ith seed. ,t .as called man0 other names as .ell, #ut these animal e"ithets .ere +re=uentl0 in&o$ed. ;hese are all animals that .ere used, alon) .ith their hides, in dail0 li+e o+ the Ar0ans, to #e sure, #ut .h0 .ould the0 #e associated .ith 6oma3 7hen the +l0-a)aric #ursts its .a0 throu)h the )round, it does so .ith the aid o+ its uni&ersal &eil. ;he .hite material o+ this is .hat surrounds the em#r0onic mushroom .hen it +orms #eneath the )round. ;he "ortion o+ the &eil that co&ers the nascent ca" is se"arate +rom it, e&en thou)h it adheres +irml0. B&er the ca", the &eil thic$ens and +orms s"eciali4ed, "ointed se)ments .hich co&er the ca" conti)uousl0. As the mushroom e%"ands #eneath the )round, these "ointed cells insinuate themsel&es #et.een crac$s in the soil. As this e%"ansion continues, the se)ments s"lit a"art, hel"in) to #rea$ the soil o"en so that the mushroom can emer)e. 2ecause o+ this, 6oma .as called the #ull .ho #rea$s u" the earth .ith his shinin) ?horns.? ;o the :ree$s, these same ?horns? .ere also the shar" #oar9s ?teeth? o+ the >edusa. 6oma .as also called the hea&enl0 udder +rom .hich the di&ine drin$ is mil$ed. ;he lar)e, rounded red ca"s s"ec$led .ith .hite &eil +ra)ments resem#le #reasts, or udders, s"attered .ith mil$. Bnce har&ested and dried, these ?#reasts? chan)e

color, +latten, and shri&el: #ut .hen the0 are "ut in .ater, the0 s.ell u" a)ain, at .hich time the0 are ?mil$ed? #0 the "ressin) stones. ,o, the da""led co. o+ chan)in) colors, +its this ima)er0 "er+ectl0 (in addition to the +act that she .as "ursued #0 Deus in the +orm o+ a ?#ull?). ;he #ull or stallion #urstin) .ith seed is a re+erence to the "halloid sta)e o+ the mushroom9s )ro.th, #e+ore the ca" #e)ins to "ull a.a0 +rom the sti"e in its e%"ansion, as descri#ed a#o&e. 1ather than the #reast or udder s"lattered .ith mil$, at this earlier sta)e it is a )lans "enis s"lattered .ith semen. (-or EudeoChristians, a more a"t meta"hor .ould #e a lam#, since the .hite +ra)ments also loo$ li$e a "ure .hite .ool5 #ut a #lood0 lam#.) ,ts si4e is much more su))esti&e o+ the mem#er o+ a #ull or horse - or a )od - than a human. 7hen har&ested and dried, the ca"s +rom these meta"horic animals #ecome - .hat else3 - meta"horic hides. Coincidentall0, the0 e&en #ear a resem#lance to hides. ;he ca"s are leather0 and su""le and loo$ li$e the hides o+ small round animals. 6o .e ha&e Brion, himsel+ #orn +rom hides, as a hunter o+ into%icatin) hides, .ith a .i+e .ho has the red ?hide? o+ a "ome)ranate. ,n the 6oma sacri+ice, #e+ore the ?hides? o+ the #ull 6oma .ere immersed in .ater and "ressed, the0 .ere +irst dis"la0ed on the hide o+ a #ull - a red #ull. ("a)es (( - (8) 2ello.in) 2ulls 7ith re)ard to the sound the :or)ons emitted5 a"art +rom the hissin) o+ their ser"ents, it is )enerall0 a)reed that the :or)ons mooed5 the lo.in) o+ cattle o+ cattle .as their sound. ;his mooin) coincided .ith the shamanism that accom"lished the re+oundin) o+ se&eral to.ns. ... F;he#es, >u$alessos, >u$ale, >u$enai (>0cenaeG. -or mooin) is an onomato"oetic .ord in :ree$, mukema, imitatin) the sound it re"resents, used also +or the #ello.in) o+ #ulls, the rum#lin) o+ thunder, the roar o+ earth=ua$es, and the rushin) o+ su#terranean .inds. ,n Aristo"hanes9 Clouds, the chorus o+ clouds enters as a #ee s.arm, heraldin) their a""roach .ith the ?mooin) o+ thunder.? And it can "un .ith mukes, the .ord +or mushroom (as ?mushroom? in @n)lish). ... F,Gt is co)nate .ith Mystery (:ree$ musterion). Muops in :ree$ can mean .ith ?s=uintin) e0e,? as in myopic5 the .ord, ho.e&er, also means the ?co. )oad? and the ?)ad+l0:? and hence it is a &ersion o+ the oistros, im"l0in), moreo&er, ?closed e0es? or the trance state. FCould this #e the ori)in o+ 6ocrates re+errin) to himsel+ as a ?)ad+l0?3G ,n the cham#er #eneath >0cenae, ?the ston0 )round roared .ith mushrooms? .hen Perseus con+ronted the mooin) sisterhood. And no dou#t, the thunder roared, the .inds rushed, and the earth =ua$ed to allo. "assa)e +or the sudden #ri)ht emer)ence o+ the su#terranean entheo)en. ... ("a)es (9 - 80) Chapter -: .ason, the !rug Man ;he ma)ical item that is the o#8ect o+ the hero9s =uest in :ree$ m0tholo)0 is al.a0s the sacred entheo)en. ,n the case o+ Eason, the :olden -leece .as ultimatel0 Amanita muscaria. ,n such a =uest, the hero is a shaman .hose identit0, as .e ha&e seen, #ecomes consu#stantial .ith the dru) o+ his shamanism so that man0 o+ his characteristics ha&e ethno#otanical re+erents and some o+ the e&ents are not onl0 his e%"erience, #ut that o+ the entheo)en itsel+, that is his analo)ue. <ence, Eason .as trained as a shaman and dis"la0ed s0m#olic +eatures such as his sin)le, mudd0 +oot, his non-#irth, and his name as a dru) man. Amon)st those .ho sailed .ith him on the =uest .ere the Dios$ouroi and their cousins, the >oliones,

.hose identities also are ethno#otanical, as Pillar, 6t. @lmo9s -ire, Ca", *otus, and herma"hroditic 6"here. 6imilarl0, the -leece has meta"horic characteristics o+ the =uested entheo)en, such as the :olden A""le, the +leec0 <ide, the 6hield, the tin0 >an, the @)), the 6er"ent, the horned 2ull, the 2ird, and the 2all o+ @ros. ;o initiate him +or his heroic ordeal o+ consu#stantialit0, >edea anoints him .ith the her# o+ Prometheus, .hose the+t o+ -ire .as ultimatel0 that o+ Hision and the sacred "lant. ;he theme o+ the -leece "ersisted in alchemical occult $no.led)e, #ecomin) ostensi#l0 the "archment on .hich .as .ritten the secret +ormula o+ chr0so"oeia, althou)h it, too, recalls the ethno#otanical ori)inal. ("a)e 8() 6chool +or 6hamans Eason is the *atin name +or the leader o+ the #and o+ heros $no.n as the Ar)onauts in :ree$ m0th .ho sailed in the shi" Ar)o on the +amous e%"edition to the eastern shore o+ the 2lac$ 6ea to +etch #ac$ the :olden -leece5 in his o.n lan)ua)e, Eason9s name .as .ritten as ,ason. ;his .as not his ori)inal name. <is "arents had called him Diomedes, a )ood name meanin) that he .as a lord in the tradition o+ the )od Deus. 2ut to "rotect the child +rom his enemies .hen he .as #orn, his mother had "retended that he had died, and she sent him secretl0 u" onto >ount Pelion, a#o&e the to.n o+ ,olchos in ;hessal0, to #e raised #0 the Centaur Cheiron. ,t .as he .ho named him ,ason, .hich means ?dru) man? or doctor, #ecause he tau)ht the child all he $ne. a#out #otanical "harmacolo)0. ("a)es 89 - 90) :olden -leece As should #e a""arent #0 no., the :olden -leece o+ the ram named ?:olden A""le,? )uarded as it .as #0 the dan)erous ser"ent, is identical to the :olden A""les o+ the <es"erides, )uarded #0 the sna$e-haired :or)on sisters, and all - the +leece, a""les, and ser"ents - re"resent the +l0-a)aric mushroom. ,n the stor0 o+ ;alos, a#o&e, it .as mentioned that care+ull0-dried +l0-a)aric ca"s turn a metallic )olden-oran)e color. ;his is the reason #oth the ma)ic +leece and the ma)ic a""les are called ?)olden.? 7hat ma0 #e less a""arent is .h0 the mushroom should #e com"ared to a +leece, or an a""le, )olden or other.ise. ,n its o&oid em#r0onic sta)e, the +l0-a)aric is com"letel0 co&ered #0 a "ure .hite mem#rane called the uni&ersal &eil. ;he "ortion o+ the &eil that co&ers the nascent ca" is com"rised o+ conti)uous "ointed se)ments, the "ur"ose o+ .hich is to "rotect the ca" and, #0 insinuatin) these ?horns? into tin0 crac$s in the co&erin) soil, aid the mushroom in #rea$in) throu)h to the air. As the mushroom ca" )ro.s and e%"ands, the se)ments se"arate and are s"read a"art, )i&in) the o"ened red ca" its characteristic .hite-s"otted a""earance. *oo$ed at closel0, these &eil +ra)ments, sometimes u" to a =uarter-inch hi)h and .ide, resem#le .hite .ool, es"eciall0 to those o+ a "astoral societ0. ;he #lood-red ?s$in? o+ the ca" hei)htens the illusion. 7hen har&ested, the ca" o+ the mushroom is usuall0 se&ered +rom the stal$ to "re&ent in+estation +rom +l0 lar&ae o+ten +ound there. ;hese lar&ae, unless sto""ed, #urro. u" the inside o+ the sti"e and s"read throu)h the )ill structure #eneath the ca", de&ourin) it. ;he se"arated ca" is then dried, #oth to "re&ent in+estation and rot and to ma$e the mushroom a more "otent entheo)en, +or dr0in) con&erts i#otenic acid to the much more e++ecti&e muscimol. 6e&eral other chan)es occur as .ell. As the ca" dries, it de+lates, shrin$s in o&erall si4e, and .rin$les5 as mentioned, it also turns a #eauti+ul )olden color .ith a metallic sheen, or a ta.n0 oran)e i+ handled carelessl0. Ca"s .ill al.a0s re-a#sor# a little moisture +rom the air a+ter dr0in), )i&in) them a su""leness and +eel similar to cured animal hides, .hich the0 no. also resem#le: the0 loo$ and +eel li$e the hides o+ tin0 animals. ,+ 0ou e&er ha&e seen such ?hides,? the ?:olden -leece? and

the ?little +leece o+ Deus? e"ithets suddenl0 come into +ocus. ;he +l0-a)aric is a m0corrhi4al +un)us5 that is, its m0celium .ill onl0 )ro. in association .ith the rootlets o+ certain trees. 2ecause o+ this, the +ruitin) #odies o+ Amanita muscaria m0celia, the red and .hite mushrooms themsel&es, .ill al.a0s "o" their round .hite-s"otted heads into &ie. #eneath the cano"0 o+ their host, )i&in) the im"ression that the0 are ri"e +ruit that has +allen +rom the tree. 2ecause the0 are round and red and the "ro"er si4e, the0 are li$ened to a""les #0 an0one +amiliar .ith that +ruit. And a)ain, #ecause the0 turn )olden as the0 dr0, the0 there+ore #ecome )olden a""les. :olden -leece and :olden A""les: onl0, and al.a0s, +ound in certain s"ecial ?)ardens,? on certain s"ecial trees. And 8ust as .ith the :arden o+ @den and its s"ecial tree, al.a0s )uarded #0 a .hite-toothed ser"ent. ("a)es 118 - 119) ;he ;he+t o+ -ire Prometheus .as the +irst o+ the ne. a)e shamans to o"en the "ath.a0s o+ communication #et.een .hat are no. the t.o meta"h0sical realms. 7ithout him, the celestial and chthonic .orlds .ould ha&e stood a"art. ... -rom the 8uice-li$e ichor that +alls +rom Prometheus .ould s"ran) the entheo)en that is consu#stantial .ith him in his torment. Prometheus9s +amil0 su))ests that the0, too, .ere shamans. ...2e+ore the the+t, Prometheus, li$e ,%ion, had #een honored to dine .ith the Bl0m"ians on am#rosia and nectar. And it .ent under the name o+ ?-ire,? this thin) that he stole. 2ut ?+ire? .as #oth the li)htenin)#olt and the +ier0 core o+ the &olcano. ... As .e ha&e seen, Prometheus is the anti"ode o+ his #rother Atlas, .ho is the +ather o+ the <es"erides, and the tender o+ the :arden o+ the :olden A""les, .hich some $ne. had #een ?:olden Cattle? #e+ore the0 metamor"hosed into ?A""les,? in .hich case Atlas .as their herdsman instead. ... Prometheus hid the stolen ?-ire? in a narthex, the stal$ o+ the )iant +ennel (Ferula communis). <e is sho.n in &ase "aintin)s .ith the +ire #urnin) at the ti" o+ the lon) hollo. columnar reed, a simulacrum o+ the A%is. 6uch stal$s .ere used #0 her# )atherers as containers +or the "luc$ed "lants5 and the narthex is interchan)ea#le .ith the th0ros as the em#lem o+ the ecstatic de&otees o+ the )od Dion0sos, and an indication o+ the s0m#olism in&ol&ed in their mountain re&els. Not sur"risin)l0, se&eral #oo$s on medical her#alism .ere entitled Narthe%. ;he nar thex is, in +act, et0molo)icall0 the ?narcotic container.? ;he +ire at the ti" o+ the narthex, moreo&er, descri#es the +l0-a)aric, .ith the red narcotic ca" ato" the sti"e5 in +act, the sti"e o+ a mushroom .as commonl0 called its th0ros. ("a)es 1A1 - 1A ) An)i and the -ire#ird A)ni is the Hedic )od o+ +ire5 his name, in +act, means +ire. *atin i)nis, ?+ire,? and @n)lish i)nite and i)nition are co)nate .ith 6ans$rit a)ni. ,n man0 Hedic h0mns and other <indu stories, A)ni is also identi+ied .ith 6oma, the .ondrous eli%ir "ressed +rom dried and reh0drated Amanita muscaria: the t.o names are o+ten interchan)ed in the same stor0. ;his is #ecause o+ the +ier0 nature o+ the the di&ine mushroom5 not onl0 does the #ri)ht red-oran)e ca" shine li$e a )lo.in) coal (.ith the &eil +ra)ments on the ca" resem#lin) .hite ash), #ut .hen eaten it has a sli)htl0 hot taste and o+ten causes the eater to s.eat "ro+usel0. 7hen in the throes o+ such intense "ers"iration, it is eas0, in +act almost lo)ical, to thin$ that one has s.allo.ed a +orm o+ +ire.

;his con+usion o+ names is e%em"li+ied in the Hedas #0 the com#ined +orm A)ni6omau, .hich literall0 means ?+ire-8uice,? +or 6oma itsel+ means ?the "ressed one,? and that .hich is e%"ressed as its +ier0 8uice. Eust as 6oma .as simultaneousl0 +ire and .ater, A)ni .as thou)ht to ha&e #een #orn +rom the .aters, +or he is also the hea&enl0 +ire, li)htnin), that +alls +rom the rain clouds and sets the earth a#la4e .ith terrestrial +ire. 7e should note in this re)ard the man0 m0ths .orld-.ide .hich e=uate li)htnin) stri$es .ith the #irth o+ mushrooms, most nota#l0 Amanita muscaria. ;his is the reason A)ni .as thou)ht to ha&e carried 6oma +rom hea&en to earth. ,n "ersoni+ied +orm he is said to ha&e carried 6oma in a hollo. reed, the same ?narcotics container? used #0 Prometheus .hen he stole +ire +rom hea&en. ,n Hedic m0th, ho.e&er, it is not +ire that is stolen +rom hea&en, #ut the +ier0 mushroom eli%irI ("a)e 1AC) Chapter /: .esus, the !rug Man Christianit0 e&ol&ed .ithin the conte%t o+ Eudaic and <ellenistic healin) cults, ma)ic, shamanism, and >0ster0 initiations. All +our o+ these ine&ita#l0 im"l0 a sacred ethno"harmacolo)0, .ith traditions )oin) #ac$ to earlier a)es o+ the ancient .orld. As a contem"orar0 o+ Eesus, and similarl0 dei+ied, the shaman A"ollonios o+ ;0ana aroused the ire o+ those .ho chronicled the ori)ins o+ the Church ;rium"hant, as did also the &arious Christian cults the0 deemed heretical. A"ollonios 8ourne0ed to the 2rahmans o+ ,ndia and .as #a"ti4ed .ith the 6oma sacrament o+ the Hedic reli)ion. Althou)h "ro#a#l0 not the +irst to do so, he #rou)ht this $no.led)e #ac$ to the ?Na$ed 6a)es? o+ @)0"t and the >editerranean lands. ,t .as +rom the healin) and #a"tismal cults o+ Eudaea and @)0"t, such as the ;hera"eutai and the @ssenes, that Christianit0 arose, "er"etuatin) ethno#otanical sacraments that )o #ac$ to >oses and the ma)ical +ood called manna. ("a)e 1 A) ;he Eesus +rom Na4areth ,n the <elleni4ed .orld, the Ee.s tended to re"lace their <e#re. names .ith :ree$ names that sounded similar. <ence man0 an assimilated Eesus .as called ,ason, li$e the Eason o+ Classical m0tholo)0, "erha"s to a&oid the a""ro#rium o+ #elon)in) to the "eo"le .ho had cruci+ied the Na4arene, #ut e&en Christians ado"ted this manner, inscri#in) their name on the .alls o+ the catacom#s. ("a)e 1 C) ... ,n :ree$, this ,ao is the root +or the ?dru)? (ios) o+ the ?dru) man? or doctor (ia tros) .ho "er+orms the act o+ ?healin)? (iasis). As a healer, ,esous .as the ?sa&ior? o+ his namesa$e ,esoue (Eoshua): easil0 reco)ni4ed as a male &ersion o+ ,aso (or ,eso), the :ree$ )oddess o+ healin). All the )os"els use the &er# ?to heal? ( ia sthai) o+ Eesus9 ministr05 and he re+ers to himsel+ =uite o+ter as a ?dru) man.? <ence, the Na4arene .as *ord and 6a&ior, ,ao9s a)ent in healin). ;he iao-root, mo&eo&er, +ortuitousl0 rein+orces the assimilation o+ ,esous to the name o+ the m0thical hero ,ason (Eason), +or Eason .as so named +or the ceremonial chrismation or anointin) that made him a shaman. ,n the <e#re. tradition, >essiah is the name +or the ?anointed,? .ho in :ree$ is called Christos. ,t is as the Christ that *ord Eesus 6a&ior can la0 claim to the +ul+illment o+ the "ro"hesies, announcin) the return o+ ,ao. ;he ritual o+ chrismation had #ecome a &alidation +or the authorit0 o+ $in)s and "ro"hets5 #ut the un)uent o+ annointment ori)inall0 con+erred its "o.er throu)h the entheo)en that made the reci"ients consu#stantial .ith the sacred "lant o+ their shamanism, +or #oth $in)s and "ro"hets .ere di&inel0 ins"ired. ;he0 .ere a mani+estation o+ the "resence o+ )od amon) us, .hich is the name @mmanuel.? ("a)es 1 /-1 8) F+ootnoteG 18. ... Chrismation .as also a mode o+ administerin) healin) #alms. ,n the Bld ;estament, chrismation in&ol&es "ourin) the anointin) oil o&er the head, .hich +unctions to "uri+0 (o#&iousl0 in a s"iritual sense, not to cleanse "h0sicall0) and to con+er "o.er, stren)th, or ma8est0. ,ts most common occurrence is the

coronation o+ $in)s, .hich sometimes is accom"lished #0 Jah.eh, himsel+5 #ut "riests and "ro"het-shamans are also anointed, as also are o#8ects to set them aside +rom "ro+ane use. ,n !xodus A0,2A s"., Jah.eh s"eci+ies the in)redients +or the chrism, ma$in) clear that such un)uents contained her#al additi&es to the oil: Canna#is sati$a (kaneh #osm, usuall0 translated ?aromatic cane?) is com#ined .ith "er+umin) s"ices (cinnamon, cassia, and m0rrh) in oil. ... ;he "s0choacti&it0 o+ the ?s"ices? in the anointin) oil, in addition to the Canna#is, deser&es attention. Cinnamon and cassia are mild to moderate stimulants. >0rrh is re"uted to ha&e medical "ro"erties. ... ;he +irst solid e&idence o+ the <e#re. use o+ canna#is .as esta#lished in 19A/ #0 6ula >enet (2eneto.a), a little $no.n Polish et0molo)ist +rom the ,nstitute o+ Anthro"olo)ical 6ciences, 7arsa.. Canna#is, usuall0 thou)ht to #e o+ 6c0thian ori)in, has a much earlier occurrence in 6emitic lan)ua)es and a""ears se&eral times throu)h out the Bld ;estament. ;he .ord in =uestion is kaneh #osm, .hich in traditional <e#re. is kanna#os or kanna#us. %an means ?reed? or ?hem"?5 and #osm, means ?aromatic.? ,t is no. translated as ?calamus,? the mistranslation startin) as earl0 as the 6e"tua)int. %aneh #osm occurs also in &ong o' &ongs .1 , .here it )ro.s in an orchard o+ e%otic +ruits, her#s, and s"ices: on the &ong o' &ongs as an ethno#otanical encomium o+ the entheo)en. ,t occurs also in ,siah A,2 .here Jah.eh lists amon)st the sli)hts recei&ed in sacri+ice, the insu++icient o++erin)s o+ kaneh #osm5 and (eremiah /,20, .here Jah.eh, dis"leased .ith his "eo"le, re8ects such an o++erin)5 and !zekiel 2(.19, .here it occurs in a catalo)ue o+ the lu%urious items in the im"ort trade o+ ;0re. 2enet concludes that these re+erences con+irm that hem" .as used #0 the <e#re.s as incense and into%icant. ;his conclusion has since #een a++irmed #0 other scholars. ,t is ironic that calamus ?s.eet +la),? the su#stitute +or the alle)ed canna#is, is itsel+ a $no.n hallucino)en +or .hich ;>A-2 is deri&ed. ("a)es 1 ( - 1 9) Bn +irst )lance, it ma0 a""ear to #e onl0 a stran)e coincidence that the 2rahmans o+ ,ndia .ould ha&e an anointin) rite that closel0 resem#les those o+ the earl0 :ree$s, Ee.s and, later, Christians5 that there ma0 #e a causal lin$ #et.een all o+ them onl0 comes into +ocus .hen scrutini4ed under the lens o+ ethno#otan0. Amanita muscaria, the +l0-a)aric, is a mushroom o+ unusual e++ects and "otenc0. ;hou)h usuall0 consumed in its dried state, either alone o+ com"ounded .ith admi%tures o+ mil$, hone0, #err0 8uice or .ater, the dried mushroom can also #e )round, .ith oil, into a "aste o+ &ar0in) densit0 and +luidit0. ;he resultant mi% can either #e strained o+ its solids or le+t intact5 either .a0 its color .ill #e reddish-)old, or am#er, as .as the ointment o+ the +ier0 #ath o+ the 2rachmanes. Dru)s com"ounded .ith oil and ru##ed into the s$in are a#sor#ed into the s$in alon) .ith the oil, .here the dru) readil0 enters the #loodstream &ia the ca"illaries. ;he thinner the s$in at the "oint o+ a""lication, the more =uic$l0 and easil0 the dru) .ill #e a#sor#ed. ;he human s$in han)s, as it .ere, +rom the s$ull, .here it is "ulled taut and thin #0 its o.n .ei)ht, ma$in) it a "rime site +or anointin).? ... ,+ enou)h o+ the dru) enters the #loodstream, one is indeed initiated into a >0ster0, one in .hich sensations o+ risin) a#o&e the )round or e&en +l0in) are not uncommon. ;he statement that the earth ?#illo.ed li$e the sea? re+ers to the liminal onset o+ the entheo)enic e%"erience, .ith auditor0 hallucinations, .hen all +orms o+ matter a""ear to dissol&e into .a&es o+ "ure ener)0. ("a)es 1CA - 1C ) @use#ios Fcom"iledG his histor0 o+ the Christian church +or the @m"eror Constantine, .ith onl0 Philo9s essa0 as his source ... 2ut @use#ios .as heir to .hat Christianit0 had #ecome, a+ter the heretical in-+i)htin) o+ its earliest 0ears. ,t .as a "uri+ied reli)ion no., that had e%"un)ed .hat .as unacce"ta#le to the rulin)

"o.ers o+ the 1oman .orld, and had reser&ed certain rites, $e"t secret, +or an elite. Paul, .ho is lar)el0 the creator o+ this reli)ion, had soon di&orced his #ranch o+ Christ9s disci"les +rom an0 somatic in&ol&ement, at least "u#licl0, in the s"iritual ra"ture. ,n Corinth, no more than +ort0 miles do.n the coast +rom the )reat @leusinian sanctuar0, in lan)ua)e that no one in his audience could ha&e misunderstood, Paul declared the ne. >0ster0, the 6econd Comin), .hich in those da0s .as e%"ected as imminent - e&en usin) the Platonic meta"hor o+ the mirror5 +inall0 to see the Hision +ace to +ace instead o+ throu)h a )lass dar$l0. -lesh .ould "ut on immortalit0 (athanasia), a""ro"riatin) +or the ne. cult e&en the entheo)en o+ the ancient :nostic &isionar0 "hiloso"hies, the pharmakon tes athanasias or ?dru) o+ immortalit0.? Paul e&en s"ea$s de+iantl0 o+ ?drin$in) do.n the drau)ht o+ Death and +indin) that it has lost its )oad,? the stin), .hich +or the :ree$ hearer .ould #e the old meta"hor o+ the 2acchic estrual madness. ("a)es 1/2 - 1/A) ;he 2urnin) 2ush >oses .as a ma)ician5 o+ this much .e can #e certain. 7hate&er o+ the occult arts he ma0 ha&e learned +rom the "riest-ma)icians o+ @)0"t, as a 0oun) man under the "rotecti&e .in) o+ Pharaoh9s dau)hter, he too$ .ith him to the .ilds o+ >idian, .hen he +led +or his li+e a+ter $illin) an @)0"tian. ... ("a)e 1/A) ... <e .as raised +rom earl0 manhood in Pharaoh9s household, and as such .ould ha&e #een e%"osed to the traditions o+ @)0"tian ma)ic and reli)ion. <e +led to the .ilderness, accordin) to the "aradi)m o+ the shamanic initiation and enli)htenment. 7e are told he herded shee" on the >ountain o+ :od, .here he met a +ier0, tal$in) )od-"lant that em"o.ered him .ith di&init0: +l0-a)aric mushrooms are +ound in that re)ion in the s"arsel0 +orested mountains, and onl0 +or a "eriod o+ t.o or three months +ollo.in) the rains. ;his is .here and .hen shee" are )ra4ed in an arid land. ... ;he m0sterious "lant, ne&er #e+ore seen #0 >oses, a""ears to #e a+lame: +l0-a)arics resem#le #urnin) coals +lec$ed .ith .hite ash. >oses hears the "lant callin) his name: aural hallucinations are not uncommon e%"eriences o+ entheo)enic into%ication. ;hat the "lant sa0s ?, am? is )i&en as a si)n o+ authenticit0: a true entheo)en a.a$ens the ?, am? o+ :od .ithin the initiate. As "roo+ o+ his ne. em"o.erment, his stall is trans+ormed into a ser"ent ... .... ;he ser"ent is em#lematic o+ the shaman9s essential 8ourne0 to the under.orld, the hole its entrance. ;he second si)n is the .hite ?le"rous "atches? on >oses9 #reast, +or he and the entheo)en are no. consu#stantial. Accordin) to the narrati&e, the ?sna$e9s scales? ha&e #een ma)icall0 trans+erred to >oses. ;hese "atches, the &eil remnants, are stic$0 and readil0 adhere to the "ic$er9s hand, #ut are easil0 .i"ed o++. ;hen he turns the .ater red: "lacin) +l0-a)arics, es"eciall0 dried s"ecimens, in .ater turns .ater di++use red, as i+ it .ere mi%ed .ith #lood. 20 these si)ns an initiate .ould $no. the ri)ht mushroom had #een +ound. >oses there#0 is endo.ed .ith su"erhuman coura)e and con+idence. ;hese are .ell documented s0m"toms o+ +l0-a)aric into%ication, alon) .ith "h0sical stren)th and endurance. ;hat ni)ht, the "lant attem"ts to sacri+ice >oses: +l0 a)aric is ca"a#le o+ "roducin) a &iolent illness in the initiate that can easil0 #e inter"reted as ecstatic death. ... -l0-a)aric sic$ness is not unto death, all a""earances to the contrar0. Bne al.a0s re&i&es, e&en +rom a coma-li$e state, in due time, automaticall0. No shamanic initiation is com"lete .ithout a &isit to #oth hea&en and hell, the ecstatic death and re#irth5 and no. >oses has e%"erienced #oth. ("a)es 1/C- 1//) 6hamans in the Desert ... And Eesus, too, o+ course, .as ?a hol0 thin) in his mother9s .om#.? ;his re"resents the cult o+ ?6e"aration? em"hasi4ed in the Kumran scroll, +rom the <e#re. root ND1, or ?Na4iritism.? 6uch "eo"le .ere called Na4orites o+ Na4oraeans. Eesus .as a mem#er o+ this cult5 there .as no to.n o+ Na4areth in his

da0. ;he so-called Eesus o+ Na4areth .as a misunderstandin) o+ his cult a++iliation. 6imilarl0, its "lacement su""osedl0 in :alilee is a misunderstandin) o+ the +act that :alilee .as a center o+ Na4oritism. :alilean is a code name +or the #athin) sect o+ the 6i$aroi. Eesus .as su""osedl0 ?immersed? #0 Eohn the 2a"tist, himsel+. And .hen he emer)ed +rom the .aters, the hea&ens o"ened u", and he sa. the 6"irit o+ :od, in cor"oreal +orm as a do&e descendin)5 and a &oice +rom hea&en ac$no.led)ed him as its son. ;he e&ent is easil0 seen as Eesus9 initiation as a ma)os or shaman, consu#stantial .ith the entheo)en o+ his initiator0 e%"erience, com"lete .ith the do&e as his animal +amiliar and the transcendent illumination. ... ;hereu"on, Eesus se"arated or .ithdre. into the .ilderness +or his Na4orite "eriod o+ s"iritual trial and torment, another common element in the shaman9s initiation. ("a)es 1(2 1(A) @ucharist ... A "lant that .ent #0 the name o+ aphrodisias in *atin, +or e%am"le, is "ro#a#l0 to #e identi+ied as ?s.eet +la)? or Calamus (meanin) ?reed?), a marsh iris5 the same "lant in :ree$ is called a$oron, named +or its ?healin)? "ro"erties. <ence, ?medicinal? and ?a"hrodisiac? meta"hors coincide. ,n actual +act, Calamus is a "o.er+ul stimulant, che.ed in 2ritain durin) the De"ression as a su#stitute +or to#acco. ,ts use #0 Nati&e Americans includes "u#ert0 rites in .hich the initiates +eel themsel&es ?.al$in) a +oot a#o&e the )round.? Bne in+ormant claimed ?an e%"erience &er0 similar to *6D? .ith a he+t0 dose. ;he acti&e a)ent is ;>A-2, .hich is ten times more acti&e than mescaline. ("a)e 188) 2read and 7ine, -lesh and 2lood ;he author o+ the :os"el o+ Eohn literali4es to the e%treme in his rendition o+ .hat Eesus himsel+ said re)ardin) this ma)ical meal - or does he3 ?, am the #read o+ li+e (manna). Jour +athers are manna in the desert and the0 are dead5 #ut this is the #read that comes do.n +rom hea&en, so that a man ma0 eat it and not die. , am the li&in) #read come do.n +rom hea&en. An0one .ho eats this #read .ill li&e +ore&er5 and the #read that , shall )i&e is m0 +lesh, +or the li+e o+ the .orld.? At this, his incredulous audience ar)ued amon)st themsel&es, as$in), ?<o. can this man )i&e is his +lesh to eat3? Eesus re"lied: ?, tell 0ou most soleml0, i+ 0ou do not eat the +lesh o+ the 6on o+ >an and drin$ his #lood, 0ou .ill not ha&e li+e in 0ou. An0one .ho does eat m0 +lesh and drin$ m0 #lood has eternal li+e, and , shall raise him u" at the last da0. -or m0 +lesh is real +ood and m0 #lood is real drin$. <e .ho eats m0 +lesh and drin$s m0 +lood li&es in me and , li&e in him. As ,, .ho am sent #0 the li&in) -ather, m0sel+ dra. li+e +rom the -ather, so .hoe&er eats me .ill dra. li+e +rom me. ;his is the #read come do.n +rom hea&en5 not li$e the #read our ancestors ate: the0 are dead, #ut an0one .ho eats this #read .ill li&e +ore&er.? ;hese are the .ords o+ a ma)ician. Eesus has identi+ied himsel+ as the true manna, ?#read? +rom hea&en. 2ut this #read has a curious =ualit05 it is also +lesh that contains #lood. ... ;here is onl0 one su#stance that corres"onds "er+ectl0 to the terms #read and #lood as the0 are used here: Amanita muscaria, the +l0-a)aric mushroom. ,t seems to come on the clouds and +all +rom hea&en .ith the +ertili4in) rains, a""earin) as i+ #0 di&ine +iat in the &ir)in earth #eneath trees, .ith no +arther a""arent #ut the hea&enl0. *i$e lea&ened #read, this di&ine ?in+ant, .ra""ed in the .hite s.addlin) o+ its uni&ersal &eil,? e%"ands in si4e o&er time. ;he color o+ its ca" is crimson, the color o+ #lood. 7hen the mushroom ca" is dried, as it should #e #e+ore use, it

mello.s to a ta.n0 color similar to that o+ #read5 and #ecause dried mushrooms re-a#sor# moisture +rom the air a+ter dr0in), the0 tend to sta0 as su""le, similarl0 sha"ed and colored as a round o+ the +amiliar "ita #read. 7hen mushrooms are "ut into .ater, their +ormer red color mani+ests itsel+ once more, tintin) the .ater as i+ #lood had #een in+used, rather than mushroom 8uice. Bne could sa0 that such .ater resem#les #lush .ine, the .hite .ine that has dra.n a rose color +rom contact .ith the )ra"e s$ins, in much the same .a0 that .ater dra.s color +rom +l0-a)aric ca"s. 7hen moistened, the dried ca" chan)es com"letel0 in its te%ture and +eel. ,t no. ta$es on =ualities eeril0 similar to human +lesh - and .hen s=uee4ed, ?#lood? runs out5 it #leeds. @atin) the ?+lesh? o+ this ?#read? and drin$in) its ?#lood? +ills one .ith such &italit0 that ordinar0 li+e seems unidimensional and em"t0 #0 com"arison, as Eesus im"lied. ;his +eelin) o+ ?true li+e? #ecomes so o&er.helmin) that one identi+ies not onl0 .ith :od #ut .ith eternit0. A state o+ )race is achi&ied, a communion o+ di&ine lo&e and )ratitude - than$+ulness, as in the Na) <ammadi <0mn o+ ;han$s)i&in), in the $no.led)e throu)h :od that eternal li+e can #e o#tained, a+ter an ecstatic death that .as onl0 somatic. ("a)es 19C - 19/) An)el9s 2read ;he ma)ical +ood called manna in :ree$, +rom the <e#re. man (>N) .as su""osedl0 named +or the astonished =uestion, ?7hat is this3? (>N <7A) .hen it miraculousl0 a""eared to the ,sraelites5 +or it .as also the ans.er, ?;his is .hat.? ... ... ,t is e&en "ossi#le that the :ree$ .ord amanites itsel+, i.e., Amanita, .hich has no ,ndo-@uro"ean et0molo)0 (mukes or mykes #ein) the :ree$ .ord +or mushroom +rom the ,ndo-@uro"ean root) .as assimilated +rom the <e#re. man5 amanites does not occur in :ree$ #e+ore the <ellenistic "eriod, althou)h it #ecame the common .ord +or ?mushroom? in modern :ree$ as manitari. ... ("a)es 19/ - 19() An earl0 Christian a)a"e hall has recentl0 come to li)ht #eneath the #asilica at A=uileia in northern ,tal0, .hich is still used as a church. ,ts mosaic +loor .as laid #e+ore AA0 AD. ;he desi)n de"icts the :nostic theme o+ the stru))le o+ the +orces o+ *i)ht and Dar$ness, as a com#at #et.een a coc$ and a tortoise, .ith a "illar se"aratin) them, surmounted #0 an am"ule o+ "er+ume, s0m#oli4in) the s.eet +ra)rance o+ the m0stical ecstas0. ;he "anel is +ramed #0 si% .heels o+ +ire and +our st0li4ed mushrooms. ;he mosaic also de"icts #as$ets o+ snails and mushrooms, the snails #ein) em#lematic o+ resurrection, and the mushrooms =uite "ossi#l0 identi+ia#le as +l0-a)arics. A tom#stone +rom the same area and "eriod de"icts a #a"tismal scene as a mushroom homolo)ue. ("a)e 20() ;rans+iruration o+ :ethsemane ;oo close to di&ul)in) the >0ster0, "erha"s, is *u$e9s account o+ the ;est, +or not all o+ the manuscri"ts include the a""arition o+ an an)el to stren)then Eesus in his a)on0: +or hsis s.eat +ell li$e )reat dro"s or clots o+ #lood (throm#oi haimatos). Eohn, +or similar reasons, omits the .hole :ethsemane ;est, e%ce"t to ha&e Christ acce"t the #etra0al and arrest as a Cu" that the -ather has )i&en him to drin$. ;he Cu" is not a meta"hor at all, #ut the +ier0 "otion +or the enli)htenment con+erred u"on those initiated into the +ull >0ster0 o+ the @ucharist. 60m"tomatic o+ +l0-a)aric is the s.eat that +ell +rom Eesus, that cool s"rin) ni)ht, li$e lar)e dro"s o+ #lood, .hen he came +ace to +ace .ith his ;ester. ;he mushroom can "roduce co"ious ri&ers o+ +e&erish s.eat5 since the initiate #ecomes consu#stantial .ith the entheo)en, the #lood0 clots o+ ?s.eat? corres"ond to the ?#lood0? dro"s that issue +rom a h0drated mushroom ca", colorin) the .ater in .hich it soa$s a &inous #lush red. ;he dro"s o+ #lood also descri#e the initiate9s ordeal, a condition $no.n as

hematidrosis, in .hich #lood issues +rom ca"illaries in the s$in due to e%treme emotional or s"iritual e%citement. ,t is a cu" o+ some +ier0 mi%ture ... ("a)e 210) ;he a)on0 o+ :ethsemane too$ "lace at the Bil Press, "erha"s an element o+ the m0tholo)i4in): +or Eesus .as the "ro"hesied >essiah, anointed, as it no. .ould a""ear, .ith the same am#er +e&erish "harma$on that A"ollonios disco&ered amon) the 2rachmanes. ;his act o+ "ressin) is si)ni+icant, since not onl0 does it 0ield the oil o+ chrismation, #ut also the 8uice o+ the )ra"e, the .ine that .ill #e transu#stantiated into the #lood o+ Eesus. ;he 6oma o+ the 2rahmans .as named .ith the e"ithet o+ the ?Pressed Bne,? "ressed in sacri+ice +rom dried mushrooms soa$ed in .ater, to "roduce the drin$ o+ #lood. ,n the <ellenistic a)e o+ reli)ious s0ncretism, it .ould ha&e #een ine&ita#le that 6oma #e con+used .ith the :ree$ .ord +or ?#od0,? soma (althou)h its co)nates are "ro#a#l0 to #e +ound in :ree$ sus, and in @n)lish ?s.ine,? the #oar #ein) a common meta"hor o+ +l0-a)aric). ;he communion e%"erienced throu)h the @ucharist .as real and "ro+ound. ;he0 ?tasted the )oodness o+ the *ord,? as Peter "hrased it, and a+ter.ard had the con&iction o+ +aith that onl0 the direct e%"erience o+ :od could "roduce. ,nitiation .ith the +l0a)aric creates intense +eelin)s o+ oneness .ith :od, unitin) all to)ether into a con+raternit0: ?-or .here t.o or more meet in m0 name, , shall #e there .ith them.? And since it is the #od0 and #lood o+ the entheo)en that "roduced this oneness, it too "arta$es o+ the unit0. ("a)e 211)

;his com"ilation #0 ;homas 2. 1o#erts L Paula Eo <ru#0, M 199C-2002 C6P