Peyote-Inspired Visions The Huichol Indians of Mexico have used peyote in religious ceremonies for hundreds of years. Huichol yarn paintings, like the one shown here, often depict imagery and scenes inspired by traditional peyote visions. These visions resemble the geometric shapes and radiating patterns of hallucinations induced by psychedelic drugs. Today, peyote is used as a sacrament in the religious ceremonies of the Native American Church, a religion with more than 300,000 members (Swan & Big Bow, 1995). Such ritual use of peyote is not generally associated with psychological or cognitive problems (see Halpern & others, 2005).

John Mitchell/Alamy