A minority technology
Ayahuasca in western Amazonia, peyote in the Chihuahuan desert and Native American Church, psilocybin mushrooms in parts of Mesoamerica, iboga in Gabon, tobacco very widely. Most traditions labelled shamanic use none of these.
Set, setting, and structure
In traditional contexts, substance use sits inside dietary restriction, sexual abstinence, song repertoire, a trained specialist, a bounded ritual and a community that interprets the result. Removing that structure does not preserve the practice.
Sustainability and law
Peyote populations are under pressure from over-harvesting and land loss; ayahuasca demand affects forest and community economics. Legal status varies sharply by country and by religious exemption.
Safety
This atlas is educational and does not provide dosing, sourcing or preparation guidance. Serious interactions exist, including MAOI-related risks with ayahuasca, and cardiac and psychiatric contraindications.