Spiritual and Psychological Medicine
In this image derived from the Digital Florentine Codex, we are presented with the teonanacatl plant, a term that is defined both as “little mushrooms” and “flesh of the gods” (Guzmán, 2008), lying atop a hill. Its artistic framework appears easily approachable, with little yellow buds, lush greenery alongside the river, and soft painterly display. It may appear as a harmless plant, however they have the power to alter your visions and cognitive state. These mushrooms can grow in hay, fields, or on the plains as displayed. As described in the Spanish-English translation of the Florentine Codex, these mushrooms alter people's visions to range from frightful to funny, and create feelings of high anxiety in their heart. While these are the psychedelic symptoms of teonanacatl, its traditional medicinal purpose was to treat those with fevers and gout. What is interesting to unpack, is the Spanish vs Nahuatl English translation of their significance. Both descriptions explain how they are used to treat fevers and gout, however the Nahuatl translation further explains the hallucinagenic effects, explaining that it makes one feel troubled, deranged, and depressed. It goes on to say that more symptoms include hurling yourself off a cliff, screaming in fear, and taking fright. Given that this is the Nahuatl translation for this particular strain of mushrooms, it suggests that these descriptions are a more accurate representation of the psychological effects teonanacatl had on those who took them, having heavier mental symptoms rather than physical and medicinal ones.
With 53 hallucinogenic species of teonanacatl noted in Mexico, it is considered to be one of the most important and diverse organisms that is considered to be sacred in the indigenous cultures. Researchers and historians continue to remain unsure on the details, but have hypothesized that there are particular ceremonial-used teonanacatl, showing that they served a variety of purposes (Guzmán, 2008). Several indigenous groups have been revealed practicing the ceremonial and medicinal practice of mushrooms in Mexico, including the Nahuatls, the Matlazincs, and the Totonacs.
In this set of images from the Digital Florentine Codex, viewers are presented with different strains of teonanacatl mushrooms and their purposes. The lower-left image depicts the classic mushroom, used to treat fevers through eating or drinking it, and grounded and rubbed on to treat gout or swollen flesh, taking away the pain. The Nauhtl-English translation does not explain the significance of the human-like bird dancing atop the mushrooms, disproportional in size. This suggests that artists might have been giving the viewers an idea of what visions you may see if you took the psychedelic organism. As described in other texts in the Codex, visions might be funny or not make sense, as displayed in this image. The upper-right image depicts how humans engaged with teonanacatl to assist them how they saw fit. The image depicts a man figure who appears to have cut off the tops of the teonanacatl and has taken its supplements to drink. Given his dark colored eyes and slumped appearance, it suggests he is suffering from a fever and using teonanacatl or as described in this section of the Codex as peyotl for its medicinal purposes. The lower-left image shows the toloatzin strain of mushroom, described and depicted as tall and blossoms with upward facing foliage. All of these images combined show not only the visual structure and usage of teonanacatl, but also relationship between the psychedelic and medicinal usages they provide.
This image derived from the Digital Florentine Codex presents viewers with yet another form of hallucinogenic mushroom called peyotl. It is a green and white herb that grows in a northern region entitled Mictlan, as described in the Nauhtl-English translation in the Florentine Codex. With its cactus-like shape and orange buds, it is yet another artistic depiction of teonanacatl mushrooms that dont have the classic mushroom appearance. It shows that artists wanted viewers to see them within the same realm as all other plant-based medicines used during this time rather than putting hallocinogetics in a different category. If you eat or drink it, it has the same effects of altering your visions to appear comedic or frightful. However, what makes this particular strain unique is that it is seen as a delicacy towards the Chichimeca indigenous group, using it to sustain them. Furthemore, in addition to its healing and mind altering properties, it is known to give the Chichimecas the courage to fight and take away any fear, thirst, or hunger. It is meant to protect those from danger. Given these additional qualities written in the english translation, it suggests that indigenous groups such as the Chichimecas took peyotl not only for medicinal purposes, but psychological and spiritual purposes that made them feel confident and protected when going into war.
Peyotl, or in english translation, “peyote” is a rounded catcus that has over sixty hallucinogenic properties that when liquidly extracted, can help treat lesions, snakebites, and scorpion stings among other aids (Carod-Artal, 2015). This shows that upon further research than what is described in the Digital Florentine Codex, peyotl among other hallucinogenics had numerous healing properties that were beneficial to large populations of people. Researcher Carod-Artal (2015) found that the reason why there was such a spiritual connection to peyotl was because it was used in ritual and curative ceremonies to be able to connect to the spiritual world. What is unique to examine, is that while the Florentine Codex explains how the Chichimecas felt the properties of peyotl gave them protection in warfare, upon further research the Chichimeca were persecuted in the Inquisition, which resulted in the practice of peyotl for warefare being prohibited by 1720 (Carod-Artal, 2015). The significance of this shows that herbal medicine had psychological, psychedelic, and medicinal aspects but as generations modernized, this is an example of how hallucinogens became purely recreational in our modern day.
Vulputate dignissim suspendisse in est ante in. Parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus. Nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus. Quis eleifend quam adipiscing vitae proin sagittis nisl rhoncus. Nunc mi ipsum faucibus vitae aliquet nec. Dui faucibus in ornare quam viverra orci sagittis eu volutpat. Aliquam nulla facilisi cras fermentum odio eu feugiat. Accumsan lacus vel facilisis volutpat. Morbi tristique senectus et netus. Enim sed faucibus turpis in eu. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris. In ante metus dictum at. Aliquam ultrices sagittis orci a scelerisque. Egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus scelerisque eleifend donec pretium vulputate. Fames ac turpis egestas integer eget aliquet. Urna id volutpat lacus laoreet non.
Lacinia at quis risus sed vulputate odio. Elit ullamcorper dignissim cras tincidunt. Diam vulputate ut pharetra sit amet. Sit amet facilisis magna etiam tempor orci eu. Interdum velit euismod in pellentesque massa placerat duis ultricies lacus. Sagittis vitae et leo duis. Phasellus faucibus scelerisque eleifend donec pretium vulputate. Neque laoreet suspendisse interdum consectetur libero id faucibus nisl tincidunt. Suspendisse potenti nullam ac tortor vitae purus faucibus ornare suspendisse. Vitae congue mauris rhoncus aenean vel. Maecenas ultricies mi eget mauris pharetra et ultrices.
Massa id neque aliquam vestibulum. Iaculis eu non diam phasellus. Imperdiet sed euismod nisi porta lorem mollis. Nisi est sit amet facilisis. Facilisis volutpat est velit egestas dui id. Ut venenatis tellus in metus. Sagittis id consectetur purus ut. Risus sed vulputate odio ut enim blandit. Odio pellentesque diam volutpat commodo. Morbi tincidunt ornare massa eget egestas purus viverra accumsan. Mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh. Turpis egestas integer eget aliquet nibh praesent. Cras adipiscing enim eu turpis. Rutrum tellus pellentesque eu tincidunt tortor aliquam. Dignissim enim sit amet venenatis urna cursus. Nec dui nunc mattis enim. Lectus proin nibh nisl condimentum id venenatis a condimentum vitae. In nulla posuere sollicitudin aliquam ultrices sagittis. Auctor neque vitae tempus quam pellentesque nec nam aliquam sem.
Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames. Pulvinar sapien et ligula ullamcorper malesuada. Arcu vitae elementum curabitur vitae nunc sed velit dignissim sodales. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris commodo. Nec tincidunt praesent semper feugiat nibh sed. Mattis rhoncus urna neque viverra justo nec. Habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames. Hendrerit dolor magna eget est lorem ipsum. Vitae ultricies leo integer malesuada nunc vel risus commodo viverra. Vestibulum morbi blandit cursus risus at ultrices. Dignissim convallis aenean et tortor. Lobortis elementum nibh tellus molestie nunc non blandit massa enim.
Felis bibendum ut tristique et egestas quis ipsum suspendisse ultrices. Viverra nam libero justo laoreet sit. Laoreet suspendisse interdum consectetur libero id faucibus nisl tincidunt eget. Volutpat maecenas volutpat blandit aliquam. Vitae proin sagittis nisl rhoncus mattis. Lorem donec massa sapien faucibus et molestie ac. Elementum sagittis vitae et leo. In arcu cursus euismod quis viverra nibh cras pulvinar. Velit dignissim sodales ut eu sem integer vitae justo. Lorem donec massa sapien faucibus et. Consequat interdum varius sit amet mattis vulputate enim nulla. Vitae tortor condimentum lacinia quis vel eros donec ac odio. Volutpat diam ut venenatis tellus in metus vulputate eu. Urna et pharetra pharetra massa massa ultricies. Integer enim neque volutpat ac tincidunt. Integer enim neque volutpat ac.
Quam id leo in vitae. Ac turpis egestas sed tempus. Auctor eu augue ut lectus arcu bibendum at. Diam maecenas sed enim ut sem viverra aliquet eget sit. Eu ultrices vitae auctor eu augue ut lectus. Quisque id diam vel quam elementum pulvinar. Et egestas quis ipsum suspendisse ultrices gravida dictum fusce ut. Velit dignissim sodales ut eu sem integer vitae. Diam ut venenatis tellus in metus. Ut faucibus pulvinar elementum integer enim neque. Rhoncus aenean vel elit scelerisque mauris pellentesque. Diam in arcu cursus euismod quis viverra. Cras tincidunt lobortis feugiat vivamus. Blandit aliquam etiam erat velit.
Nam aliquam sem et tortor consequat. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam id. Nec ullamcorper sit amet risus nullam eget felis eget. Cursus euismod quis viverra nibh cras pulvinar mattis. Suspendisse ultrices gravida dictum fusce ut placerat orci nulla pellentesque. Tellus elementum sagittis vitae et leo duis ut diam. Sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing. Sagittis vitae et leo duis ut. Mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id. Amet volutpat consequat mauris nunc. At imperdiet dui accumsan sit amet. Turpis massa tincidunt dui ut ornare lectus sit amet est. Urna et pharetra pharetra massa massa ultricies mi quis. Enim praesent elementum facilisis leo vel fringilla est ullamcorper eget. Rhoncus mattis rhoncus urna neque viverra. Sed lectus vestibulum mattis ullamcorper velit sed ullamcorper morbi.
Eu consequat ac felis donec et. Duis ultricies lacus sed turpis tincidunt id aliquet. Sit amet tellus cras adipiscing enim eu. Sed risus pretium quam vulputate dignissim suspendisse in. Velit euismod in pellentesque massa placerat duis ultricies lacus sed. Quam viverra orci sagittis eu volutpat odio facilisis mauris sit. Et tortor consequat id porta. Et leo duis ut diam quam nulla porttitor. Amet porttitor eget dolor morbi non arcu risus quis. Duis at consectetur lorem donec massa sapien faucibus et.
