A Fundamentalist's Journey to the Mystical: Entheogens and Spiritual Awakening

Challenging Tradition to Commune with the Divine

So, here's the story—finally—the one that unfolded after my earnest prayer. I know this might sound utterly unbelievable, perhaps even crazy, but this is precisely how it happened. A voice echoed in my mind, urging me to Google "Joseph Smith and magic mushrooms." While I'd heard the term "magic mushrooms" before, I had only a vague notion of what they were. And what could they possibly have to do with my heartfelt prayer? I decided to brush off the strange prompting for the time being.

Photo by Christopher Ott

The Reluctant Search

As night fell and I prepared for bed, the voice resurfaced, more insistent this time: "Don't forget to Google Joseph Smith and magic mushrooms. Do it before going to bed." Seriously? I thought. In my mind, magic mushrooms were drugs, and drugs were unequivocally bad. And involving Joseph Smith in this? (Just to clarify, or for those who don't know, I was a Fundamentalist Mormon at the time.)

But the urging wouldn't relent. So, to appease whatever was stirring wi…