Drugs weren’t just used to reach the gods—sometimes, they were the gods. In this episode of Pills and Power, we explore deities whose identities were inseparable from intoxicating substances. From Shiva and the ritual use of bhang and the mysterious soma, to Xochipilli and the psilocybin mushrooms woven into Aztec cosmology, we trace how drugs shaped worship, authority, and everyday life. We’ll look at the rituals, the evidence, and the followers who kept these traditions alive—and how their influence still lingers in religion, culture, and modern drug debates today.Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/soma-Hinduism

https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/news/2024/10/ritual-and-religious-uses-psilocybe-mushrooms-mesoamerica

https://scholar.google.ca/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=Pachamama+Virgin+Mary&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&t=1768365260290&u=%23p%3DD6bOd8LPTz0J