Spiritual Uses of Nahua Plants
The Nahua people were deeply connected to the natural world around them. Animals and plants had special spiritual properties. Some of these properties were very sacred and tied into their world view. Pulque is a revered beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant or as we know it commonly, the agave plant. They even had their deities linked to agave and its product, pulque. The god of Pulque is Tepoztēcatl, while the goddess of agave is Mayahuel. If the agave plant and its products were not sacred then they would not have deities linked to the plant.
Another plant with spiritual ties is the tobacco plant. Like the maguey it had its own associated deity, Tezcatlipoca, and had spiritual uses in offerings.
Cacao was another plant that held great importance for the Nahua. Priests would use it as offerings and the Nahua believe that consumption of cacao connects them to their gods.
Quetzalmizquitl, a cactus plant, bore strong tiers to the serpent god, Quetzalcoatl. This plant also had medicinal properties.
