Mushrooms, Myth and Mithras: The Drug Cult That Civilized EuropeThis illustrated book traces the history of an unlikely force in the shaping of Western civilization: the use of psychedelic mushrooms, namely by a secret society called the cult of Mithras. Nero was the first emperor to be initiated by the group’s “magical dinners,” and most of his successors embraced the ritual as a source of spiritual transcendence. The cult was officially banned after the Conversion, but aspects of their rituals were assimilated or co-opted by Christianity, and the brotherhoods persist today as secret societies such as the Freemasons. This is a fascinating exploration of a powerful force kept behind the scenes for thousands of years. |
Contents
| 9 | |
| 21 | |
| 41 | |
three The Water Miracle | 67 |
four Death by Bulls Blood | 77 |
six Attis under the Same Cap | 101 |
seven Pater Magister Sacrorum | 119 |
eight A God for the End of Time | 135 |
nine The Bread of Heaven | 151 |
The Drama in the Sky | 177 |
eleven Freemasonry and the Survival | 197 |
Envoi | 227 |
Appendix The Mirgia Mushroom Among | 235 |
| 283 | |
About the Authors | 292 |
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Common terms and phrases
actually Alfredo González Celdrán almond altar Amanita muscaria ancient Apples of Apollo assimilated Attis banquet birth Blaise Daniel Staples botanical bread bull’s blood Carl A. P. Ruck Carolina Academic Press cave celestial century Christ Christian Clark Heinrich configuration cosmic cult deity depicted divine drink Eleusis emblem entheogenic Entheos equinox Eucharist Father fiery Freemasonry fungal god’s goddess Gordon Wasson Gorgon grades of initiation Greek haoma head heaven Heliodromos Hidden World Jonathan Ott José Alfredo González krater lion magical Masonic Medusa metaphor Mithraea Mithraeum Mithraic Mithraic Iconography Mithraic Mysteries Mithraism Mithras mushroom Mysteries of Mithras myth original Pagan Perseus Persian Phrygian cap pinecone plant potion probably psychoactive Raven relief religion rites ritual rock Roman Rome sacrament sacred Santa Prisca secret serpent shamanic similarly solar Soma spiritual stars sword symbolism tauroctony Templar tion tradition tree Ulansey University Press visionary Water Miracle wine Yezidi zodiac