Through our worship practices and rituals, an important sacrament is the ingestion of the psilocybe cubensis mushrooms which contain the active ingredient of psilocybin.
Studies around the use of various psychedelic compounds are steadily gaining popularity for treatments of depression, anxiety and PTSD. The work of Paul Stamets has opened many doors for the exploration of mycology into several fields. He has several talks and published works on the use of not only mushrooms containing psilocybin, but a wide range of species that can solve everything from hive collapse to cancer.
Many have predicated that much like cannabis, psychedelics are making a comeback. In fact, on November 8, 2022, voters in Colorado passed a ballot initiative to decriminalize possession of and legalize limited use of psychedelic mushrooms and other plant- and fungi-derived psychedelic drugs by those 21 years of age or older. Colorado is the second state, after Oregon to make such a move.
Unfortunately, mushrooms and other psychedelics remain illegal throughout the rest of the United States. Fortunately, on Feb. 29, 2006, the Supreme Court ruled that the adherents of a small religious group can import and use an illegal drug in their worship services. In the case of Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao Do Vegetal the church, known as Uniao Do Vegetal or the Union of the Plants, that preaches a brand of “Christian spiritualism” that combines indigenous Brazilian beliefs with contemporary Christian teachings. A central tenet of the UDV faith is a belief that hoasca, a tea containing the illegal hallucinogenic drug diemethyltryptamine (DMT), is sacred and that its use connects members to God.
UDV claimed that the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) exempts them from any laws prohibiting the importation and use of hoasca. RFRA states that no federal law shall “substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion” unless the government proves the law furthers a “compelling governmental interest” and that it has been implemented in a way that is “least restrictive” to religious practices. More information and a full break down of this important case can be found HERE.
Followers of Unitivist New Doctrine does not encourage it's practitioners to break the law. Therefore, you must be a F.O.U.N.D member in good standing and follow the guidance of the doctrine in order to partake in the sacrament in a safe manner, effective manner. Guidance on rituals will be published in 2023. Please feel free to contact us for more information.