The Competitive Edge

In the United States, it feels like most people associate shamanism and using plant medicine to access altered states of consciousness with indigenous cultures in central and south America. The more I learn, the more it seems like this practice has existed in ancient cultures all over the world. Recently I learned about the lost history of Iranian Mysticism from my friend Dr. Shauheen Etminan.  Before Zoroastrianism developed, there were groups of people in present day Iran called the Magi. The Magi were wise men known for their spiritual ministry and practices related to astronomy, astrology, and interpretation of dreams. Apparently, the Magi used a substance called Haoma to access the collective unconscious and bring back the information to Kings and patrons. I wanted to have Shauheen on the show to discuss what he’s learned about the Magi and their practices that can be applied to support us in modern times. Shauheen is the founder of Ancestral Magi and VCENNA, a drug discovery company. Through his own hea