Psychedelics: Ancient Traditions and Modern Myths | Interview with Manvir Singh, PhD
Did psychedelic traditions emerge independently across the world, or are they concentrated in specific cultural contexts? At ICPR 2026, we spoke with anthropologist Manvir Singh about the history of human relationships with psychoactive plants and fungi, indigenous knowledge systems, and the anthropological evidence surrounding psychedelic use.
The questions:
00:00 Intro
00:28 Could you introduce yourself?
01:31 Are psychedelics really ancient and universal?
03:28 What do cave paintings tell us about psychedelics?
04:49 Is the “rave in the cave” theory misleading?
06:04 What do you think of the stoned ape theory?
08:04 Why did mushroom cults emerge mainly in South America?
11:14 Could Vedic soma have been psilocybin mushrooms?
13:48 Is cannabis use in India different from psychedelic religion?
15:29 Is modern psychedelic therapy a continuation of ancient traditions?
18:08 How is your skepticism received in the psychedelic community?
19:39 Did this conference change your view of psychedelics?
21:56 How do you see the rise of psychedelic churches?
22:12 Why do people find spiritual awakening in psychedelic communities?
23:37 What readings would you recommend?
Filmed at the Interdisciplinary Conference on Psychedelic Research (ICPR) 2026 in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Watch Drugreporter’s short documentary about the event and explore more of our articles and videos on psychedelics.
Interview: Péter Sárosi | Rights Reporter Foundation – Drugreporter
Camera and editing: István Gábor Takács | Rights Reporter Foundation – Drugreporter
