The End of the Soma Era and the Transformation of Vedic Rituals

For centuries, the rituals of the Seven Rivers civilization revolved around a sacred drink: Soma. This Soma, often cited in the Rig Veda, was considered a divine plant that opened the doors to spiritual enlightenment. It gave strength, inner clarity, and allowed one to connect with the gods.

Descriptions of Soma in ancient texts speak of a plant without leaves, flowers, fruit, or seeds. The word amshu , meaning filament or fiber, is found in these texts. All of this suggests that it was not a classic plant, but rather a mushroom, probably a psilocybe. This mushroom contains substances similar to those produced by our brains in altered states of consciousness.

But around 2200 BCE, a major climate change hit the region. A severe drought affected the Sarasvati Valley and other rivers in the region. This disaster caused the disappearance of many plants, including the Soma tree. Without access to this sacred drink, the priests had to change their practices.

Gradually, other plants began to be used to replace soma. Mixtures of blue lotus, ephedra, and cannabis appeared in ceremonies. But the effect was not the same, and the old rituals lost their spiritual power. This caused a division among the priests.

The first group, the majority, decides to preserve the rituals but gradually empties the inner content. The emphasis is placed on the precision of the gesture, on respect for the forms, on the recitation of the formulas. For them, performing the sacrifice correctly becomes a goal in itself. The ritual remains, but the inner dimension fades.

The second group took a different path. They sought other ways to achieve enlightenment, without going through Soma. These seekers turned to techniques such as breath control (pranayama), meditation, and introspection. This movement would give rise to the Upanishads, wisdom texts that marked a profound evolution in ancient Indian thought. From this, Hinduism gradually emerged.

Thus, the end of Soma does not mark the end of the spiritual quest. It opens a new path. External rituals give way to an inner search. Silence, breath, and awareness become the new paths to union with the divine.

The Seven Rivers civilization demonstrates a great capacity for transformation. By losing the soma, it invents other forms of spirituality, always focused on inner peace and the search for unity.