Ceremonies & Medicine

Mazatec mushrooms: the tradition behind the medicine

IMPORTANT cultural accuracy: Mazatec / Oaxaca, NOT Maya. Candlelit night-ceremony feel, mushrooms, or Oaxacan highland imagery, wide horizontal. Do NOT use any…
Photo: Nico Rossi

Psilocybin mushrooms have been used in the Mazatec highlands of Oaxaca for generations, in quiet night ceremonies known as veladas. Before the medicine became famous, it was, and still is, a sacred tradition. We share that history with respect, because the lineage matters as much as the mushroom.

The Mazatec velada

A velada is a night ceremony of song, prayer, and intention, traditionally guided by a curandera. It is unhurried and deeply held, and the singing is part of the medicine. The tradition carries a depth that long predates the modern interest in psilocybin.

How the world found out, and what got lost

In the twentieth century the tradition was shared, then taken out of context and turned into a trend. A lot was lost in that translation. Remembering where the medicine comes from, and who carried it, is part of using it well.

How we hold this at Lunita

With respect for the lineage, never as a costume. We try to keep the medicine and its origins together, and we are clear about what we are and what we are not.

In short

Frequently asked questions

Is this an authentic Mazatec ceremony?

We honor the Mazatec tradition with respect and are honest about what we offer and what we do not claim to be.

Who leads it?

People who hold the practice with care and in the right spirit.

Why does the lineage matter?

The tradition gives the medicine its meaning. Respecting the source is part of the work.

Where to go next

Letters from the jungle

Occasional notes on ceremony, stillness, and what's unfolding at Lunita. No noise, no selling.