Wasson’s alternative candidates for soma

This article examines the correspondence of Gordon Wasson (1960s), wherein he argues that Amanita Muscaria (Fly Agaric) was the ritual sacrament Soma described in the Riga Veda, against alternative contestants such as Psilocybe cubensis or other psychoactive plants.

Abstract

“Citing recently published challenges to R. Gordon Wasson’s identification of Vedicsoma as the psychoactive mushroom Amanita muscaria (fly-agaric), this article reviews unpublished letters by Wasson in which he considered and rejected other psychoactive plants as candidates, including the mint Lagochilus inebrians, Convolvulaceae (morning glory) seeds, the fungal parasite Claviceps purpurea (ergot), and especially the psilocybin mushroom Stropharia cubensis, known also as Psilocybe cubensis. Apart from their historical interest, these letters-from the Tina and Gordon Wasson Ethnomycological Collection at the Harvard Botanical Museum-demonstrate that Wasson remained open to refinements of his theory.”

Authors: Thomas J. Riedlinger

Summary

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Wasson’s Alternative Candidates for Somat

R. Gordon Wasson considered and rejected other psychoactive plants as candidates for Vedic soma, including the mint, Convolvulaceae (morning glory) seeds, the fungal parasite Claviceps purpurea (ergot), and especially the psilocybin mushroom Stropharia cubensis.

Theories abound that the soma described in the Vedas was at some point replaced by a surrogate psychobotanical substance or alcoholic beverage, including the Syrian rue, ghee, barley and/or hops, dates, palmyra palm or coconut palm, and Cannabis sativa.

This article does not discuss all soma theories, but rather how one particular theory emerged from several other candidates.

WASSON’S SOMA/AMANITA THEORY

R. Gordon Wasson proposed that soma was a psychoactive fly-agaric mushroom, and his evidence came from an analysis of the physical attributes of soma, which correspond to mor- Veda 9.74.4].

Wasson errs in supposing that the Vedic soma was drunk in the same way as the Siberian urine. There is no shred of evidence for priestly impersonations in the Rigveda, and where priests do act in persona dei, the procedure is clearly revealed by the language of the ritual and litany.

Ingalls’ objection to Wasson’s interpretation of Rig Veda 9.74.4, that “the navel of Order, the ambrosia is born”, has been extended by other critics. Flattery and Schwartz (1989 :6) argued that soma was Peganum harmala L. (Zygophyllaceae), and that the RgVeda does not mention the soma plant or its roots, leaves, blossoms or seeds. They also contended that any evidence for the botanical identification of soma must have its basis outside of the text.

Wasson’s experience with A. muscaria was “a paradoxical reaction,” in other words idiosyncratic. McKenna believes that the mushroom’s unpleasant effects fall far short of soma’s storied reputation as a “visionary intoxicant of tremendous power and an unparalleled hallucinogen.”

Other fungal entheogens grow at lower levels, are easily identified and gathered, and are effective, but fail to conform to Brahmin practices. The possible role of Stropharia cubensis growing in the dung of cattle in the lives of the lower orders remains to this day wholly unexplored.

McKenna (1992: Ill) cites Wasson’s (1986b: 133-134) discussion of a prohibition against Brahmans eating mushrooms, but concludes that Wasson dismisses, ignores, and passes over ample evidence that Stropharia cubensis Earle was considered an alternative candidate for soma.

Lagochilus inebrians

Wasson recalls suggesting to Huxley that Soma might be the fly-agaric, but abandoned the idea quickly in favor of Convolvulaceae (morning glory) seeds, which he found in Bactria and used as an hallucinogen as far back as we can trace its history.

Morning glory seeds

Wasson reported having met with Abram Hoffer on 11 April 1962, and that Hoffer’s research had found lysergic acid amides in Mexican morning glory seeds, leaves, and stems, and that Hoffer thought the amides were in all morning glories.

Wasson (1962d) introduced A. muscaria to their project and pointed out that the passage from the Mahabharata, not the Rig Veda, suggested a relation between urine and soma.

Our talk on Saturday was most exciting for me, especially your casual mentioning of the episode in the Mahabharata of Indra offering his urine to the gathering that was looking for soma, and telling them that lhal was soma. I now suggest that you keep your ears anuned to trees that are particularly sacred.

Wasson (1962e) further detailed his theory that Psilocybe cubensis had been adopted by the Hindus as a post-Vedic surrogate for soma.

The Aryan composers of the Rig-Veda hymns composed them in their original homeland in the mountains, c. 3000 B.C., where soma grew. Later, down in the Indian plains, they used various substitutes, but the original soma remains to be discovered.

Sir. cubensis grows only in hot countries, and if it must pass through the digestive system of the cow, then the supply of soma might become the monopoly of Brahman priests.

Researchers have tried to determine the presence and quantity of ibotenic acid and muscimole in Amanita muscaria by feeding it to goats and reindeer, but the urine showed no signs of either ibotenic acid or muscimole, leading the researcher to conclude that the mushrooms had been transformed into other compounds.

Wasson’s final alternative candidate for soma was Claviceps purpurea , a fungal parasite of rye, barley and wheat that the English call ergot LSD. Hofmann extracted ergonovine from ergot of barley and the resulting fluid was tawny yellow.

In a subsequent letter to Hofmann, Wasson affirmed that the ergot possibility for Soma naturally occurred to him. However, he posed a problem with the theory that no one had yet subjected the Wasson-Hofmann theory to the acid test.

Wasson and McKenna suggest that Psilocybe (Stropharia) cubensis, a type of mushroom that contains psilocybin, was available in India to Vedic priests, their successors and/or imitators, but that the species’ distribution was sharply curtailed by changing climatic conditions and a cattle disease epidemic.

Francesco Festi concluded that muscimole’s action is different from that of indole hallucinogens, such as LSD and psilocybin, and that the hallucinatory effects of A. muscaria are due to its antagonistic action on y-aminobutyric acid (GABA), one of the principal neurotransmitter amino acids of the central nervous system.

Psilocybe cubensis is not poisonous except for being hallucinogenic, and people sometimes experience nausea in early stages of hallucinogenic sessions.