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Soma: Entheogenic Plant and Expanded Consciousness

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by

Hervé Le Bevillon
in

Introduction

Soma is one of the great mysteries of the Rig Veda.

It is described as a sacred plant whose pressed juice becomes both a divine drink and a source of illumination. Soma is associated with energy, poetic inspiration, ecstasy, and immortality.

Scholars have long debated its identity. Was it a stimulant? A fermented beverage? Or an entheogenic substance capable of profoundly altering consciousness?

This is a sensitive subject, requiring scientific caution and cultural respect.

1. What the Vedic Hymns Say

In the Rig Veda, Soma:

  • Is pressed between stones
  • Is filtered and mixed with water or milk
  • Is associated with light and immortality
  • Grants vision, strength, and inspiration

The rishis describe expanded perception — a widening of awareness rather than mere intoxication.

2. The Entheogenic Hypothesis

“Entheogen” means “generating the divine within.”

Proposed candidates include:

  • Amanita muscaria
  • Psilocybe species
  • A now-lost plant

Some descriptions — absence of leaves or seeds, references to fibers (amshu) — have led to mushroom hypotheses. Yet no definitive botanical proof exists.

3. Modern Research on Altered States

Rick Strassman

Rick Strassman conducted clinical DMT research in the 1990s and published DMT: The Spirit Molecule.

Participants reported:

  • Out-of-body experiences
  • Encounters with light
  • Perception of other dimensions
  • A sense of accessing deeper reality

Strassman does not claim ancient texts describe DMT, but his research demonstrates that certain molecules can induce profound mystical-type experiences.

Stanislav Grof

Stanislav Grof spent decades studying LSD-induced states in therapeutic settings.

After LSD prohibition, he developed Holotropic Breathwork, showing that non-chemical techniques can also produce expanded states.

His work suggests that:

  • Expanded consciousness is a human potential.
  • Ego dissolution and unity experiences are reproducible phenomena.
  • Proper preparation and integration are essential.

4. Substance or State?

Even if Soma was an entheogenic plant, the Vedic context matters:

  • Ritual
  • Sacred chanting
  • Symbolism
  • Community

The plant alone would not explain the depth of the experience.

Soma may represent both a catalyst and a state of consciousness.

Conclusion

Soma remains an open question.

Modern neuroscience, through figures like Rick Strassman and Stanislav Grof, shows that expanded consciousness is real and measurable.

Yet Soma cannot be reduced to chemistry.
It represents a disciplined quest for illumination — an expansion of awareness rooted in ritual, poetry, and intention.

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