Nestled in the arid landscapes of southern Texas and northern Mexico are the humble peyote cacti—bluish-green plants that blend into the dusty terrain. For those who know them, these aren’t just plants. They are teachers, healers, and sacred companions. To Native American communities, especially members of the Native American Church, peyote is far more than a cactus. It’s a vessel for connection, prayer, and healing—a sacred medicine passed down through generations as they’ve endured colonization, displacement, and cultural erosion.
Yet this sacred plant, revered for its spiritual and cultural significance, faces a growing existential crisis. Overharvesting, habitat destruction, and the booming demand from the growing psychedelic renaissance threaten peyote's survival, jeopardizing the traditions and identities of the Indigenous communities who rely on it for spiritual and cultural sustenance.
Lack of Access
Lack of access for religious use has become a growing concern among Native American practitioners of peyotism, who hold the cactus sacred and refer to it as “the medicine.” This venerable plant, containing the psychoactive alkaloid mescaline, has long been central to their spiritual and cultural practices. While the 1994 amendment to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act grants an exemption allowing Native Americans to use, possess, and transport peyote for traditional religious purposes, the reality of accessing it has become increasingly fraught. Overharvesting, habitat destruction, and illegal poaching have placed immense pressure on the slow-growing cactus, which can take anywhere from 10 to 30 years to flower and mature. For more than two decades, practitioners have sounded the alarm, urging action to protect both the species and the sacred traditions tied to it.
Psychedelic Renaissance
The challenges facing peyote conservation are further complicated by the demands of the burgeoning psychedelic renaissance. Native American Church members have voiced concerns over efforts to decriminalize peyote, fearing that increased accessibility for medical research and treatment of various ailments could exacerbate overharvesting. Additionally, the natural habitat of peyote is under mounting pressure from agriculture, housing developments, wind farms, and the construction of the border wall. This sacred cactus, containing the psychoactive compound mescaline, holds profound cultural and spiritual significance for many Indigenous peoples but is now increasingly threatened by a combination of ecological and societal factors.
Among Indigenous communities, there is a strong consensus that peyote must be protected and safeguarded from misuse by medical researchers, investors, and advocates of decriminalization. However, approaches to addressing this issue vary within the Native American Church. Some groups, guided by their leadership, have opted for a proactive strategy, using philanthropic funding to conserve and propagate peyote in its natural environment. Others, however, express skepticism toward external funding sources, wary of potential exploitation, and instead emphasize the need for U.S. government support to ensure the plant’s protection. These differing perspectives illustrate the complexity of aligning traditional stewardship with modern policy and conservation efforts, underscoring the delicate balance required to honor peyote’s sacred role while safeguarding its future.
Peyote’s Sacred Role in Indigenous Spirituality
For members of the Native American Church, peyote holds the Creator’s spirit. It’s not merely a plant or even a medicine but a spiritual guide. Generations of Indigenous families tell stories of how peyote has helped them through trauma and guided them during times of transformation.
Darrell Red Cloud, an Oglala Lakota and vice president of the Native American Church of North America, recalls singing ceremonial songs with his family as a child as peyote illuminated their prayers. “Our people were not religious people,” he says. “We were prayerful people.”
For others like Frank Dayish, former vice president of the Navajo Nation, peyote serves the same purpose as Eucharist does for Catholics. "Peyote is my religion," he states, his voice carrying the weight of countless prayers offered through the sacrament.
Peyote’s spiritual significance dates back to lifetimes ago. According to one story shared by Adrian Primeaux, a Yankton Sioux and Apache member, peyote first revealed itself during a time of struggle and displacement in the 1830s. It spoke to an Apache woman praying for survival on barren land during a forced relocation. “Eat me, and you will be well,” it told her. This story has lived on for generations, reminding Native communities of peyote’s role as a guide and life-giver amid unimaginable hardship.
An Environmental and Cultural Crisis
Unfortunately, this sacred plant is now under siege. Poaching, overharvesting, agricultural development, housing projects, wind farms, and the construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall have decimated peyote’s natural habitats. Once abundant, thriving peyote gardens are now a memory for many Native harvesters. Zulema “Julie” Morales, one of only three licensed peyoteros legally harvesting peyote for sale to church members in Texas, recalls the time her father could harvest enough peyote to fill large trays. Today, she struggles to fill even a single tray.
Adding to the crisis, advocates of the psychedelic renaissance seek to decriminalize peyote and increase its use for medical research and recreational purposes. This threatens to commodify peyote, turning a sacred Indigenous sacrament into a commercialized product. Kevin Feeney, an expert studying the commodification of peyote, warns that opening access to broader markets will create a supply crisis, leaving Indigenous people unable to access their sacred plant.
The Debate on Conservation and Sustainable Practices
For Indigenous communities, the land where peyote grows is as sacrosanct as the plant itself. Many argue that transplanting peyote outside its natural habitat undermines its spiritual significance. Hershel Clark, an Arizona-based leader in the Native American Church, emphasizes that the ceremonial practices tied to peyote stem from the Creator’s grace and cannot simply be detached from its place of origin.
Others, like Keeper Trout, a Texas-based scientific researcher, believe cultivation beyond the plant’s natural habitat is essential for peyote’s survival. Trout recalls a time in the 1970s when the region’s fields were so abundant with peyote that walking on them felt like stepping on mattresses. He believes with careful intervention, the resilient plant can thrive again, although Native groups are wary of such approaches, seeing the potential for further spiritual disconnect or exploitation.
Ethical Sourcing in the Psychedelic Renaissance
The rapid interest in psychedelics for therapeutic purposes has brought both opportunities and challenges. While businesses and advocates for psychedelic medicine push for decriminalization and wider access, ethical sourcing and respect for Indigenous traditions often take a backseat. Many Native American leaders argue that peyote should remain off-limits for recreational use and unrelated medical research.
The lessons from other overharvested sacred plants and natural resources provide a sobering reminder of the importance of sustainable practices. For instance, Michigan’s chaga, a fungus once abundant, has faced rapid depletion due to unsustainable harvesting, threatening its availability and the ecosystems it supports. Similarly, wild rice, now recognized as Michigan's state grain, holds immense cultural and nutritional value. Yet, without proper regulations and protective measures, this vital superfood in the Great Lakes region could face a similar fate. These cautionary tales emphasize the need for balanced stewardship—honoring the spiritual and ecological importance of these resources while ensuring their preservation for future generations.
Advocates for peyote conservation urge anyone seeking its psychoactive effects to instead explore mescaline synthesized in laboratories, which does not endanger peyote or its precious habitat.
Initiatives for Conservation and Cultural Preservation
Amid the challenges, Native communities are spearheading remarkable initiatives to protect peyote and ensure its sacred use for future generations. The Indigenous Peyote Conservation Initiative (IPCI) established a 605-acre peyote preserve in Hebbronville, Texas, in 2017. These lands allow Native Americans to prayerfully harvest peyote within its natural habitat while preserving and propagating the plant without chemicals.
The preservation isn't merely about the cactus—it’s about restoring the sacred connection between the people and their land. Sandor Iron Rope, an Oglala Lakota leader, focuses on teaching younger generations to respect and protect peyote while filling their footprints at sites like IPCI. “This is prayer in action,” he says. “The hope is that these children, the next generation, will see the value of getting rid of their phones and learning from what is right in front of them.”
A Call for Respect, Collaboration, and Responsibility
The peyote crisis is not just an environmental issue—it’s a cultural and ethical one. The path forward requires deep respect for Native traditions, protection of peyote’s natural habitat, and active collaboration between Indigenous communities, researchers, conservationists, and policymakers. Programs like IPCI highlight the power of Indigenous leadership in guiding these efforts, but broader support is crucial. Protecting peyote is not only about the plant itself but about preserving the spiritual lifeways and sovereignty of Native peoples who have cared for it for generations.
There is also an urgent need for greater education and awareness among non-Indigenous stakeholders. Many well-meaning individuals and organizations fail to grasp the sacred role peyote plays in Indigenous ceremonies. Public campaigns that emphasize respect for Indigenous rights, combined with actionable policies to curb over-harvesting and poaching, can help alleviate some of the pressures on peyote populations.
Ultimately, the crisis surrounding peyote is a reflection of a broader challenge—one that calls for a collective reevaluation of humanity’s relationship with nature, culture, and spirituality. As Sandor Iron Rope and others remind us, preserving peyote and its habitat is about more than conservation—it’s about ensuring that sacred traditions, rooted in resilience and reciprocity, continue to thrive in an increasingly uncertain world.
Peyote’s survival rests on fostering a balance between honoring its sacred role in Indigenous cultures and addressing the modern pressures exerted by increased interest in psychedelics. This balance is not easily achieved, as it requires stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term gains. For Indigenous communities, the fight is deeply intertwined with ancestral wisdom—a perspective that sees peyote not as a mere resource but as a living, sacred being.
Strengthening networks of education and cultural exchange may be one way forward. Native leaders have suggested collaborative efforts to teach non-Indigenous audiences about the history, spirituality, and stewardship associated with peyote. Such initiatives can demystify peyote for those unfamiliar with its significance while simultaneously inviting allies into the work of conservation. Additionally, expanding investment in Indigenous-led preservation projects, like IPCI, creates pathways for communities to reclaim control over the narrative and the resources critical to their identity.
The future of peyote depends on respect—respect for the wisdom of Native traditions, respect for its ecological role, and respect for policies that limit exploitation. Without this, the world risks losing not only an irreplaceable plant but also the profound cultural and spiritual connections it sustains. This moment calls for humility, listening, and a shared responsibility to ensure that future generations inherit a world where peyote thrives, both in soil and in spirit.
Bridging Worlds Through Mutual Understanding
It is clear that the preservation of peyote has implications far beyond the plant itself—it’s about protecting an intricate web of relationships that connect land, culture, and spirit. Bridging the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives requires a thoughtful, respectful, and reciprocal approach. Non-Indigenous communities, especially those interested in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, must take the time to understand and honor the cultural frameworks that have sustained peyote for millennia.
One of the most meaningful paths forward is fostering spaces where dialogue and education can flourish. This could take the form of community-led workshops, where Indigenous knowledge keepers share their stories and teachings, or partnerships that bring together conservationists, scientists, and spiritual leaders to co-create solutions. Mutual understanding can also be cultivated by amplifying Indigenous voices in legislation and resource management, ensuring that decisions are shaped by those most intimately connected to peyote's sacred role.
At its heart, this effort is a call for humanity to move away from extractive models and toward holistic ones. Recognizing the sacredness of peyote and the land it inhabits invites a transformation in how we view natural resources—not as commodities for profit, but as integral elements of a shared existence. This shift in perspective, if embraced widely enough, has the power to influence not only peyote conservation but also broader environmental and cultural preservation efforts around the globe.
For those engaged in this work, humility will be key. It is important to acknowledge what has been lost, the mistakes of the past, and the limitations of modern methodologies. By doing so, we open ourselves to learning from Indigenous traditions that emphasize balance, respect, and responsibility. The road ahead is not without its challenges, but with genuine commitment to collaboration and respect, a future where peyote thrives alongside its stewards is still possible.
Next Seven Generations
At the heart of IPCI's mission lies a profound responsibility to future generations—a responsibility to reconnect with ancestral spiritual and healing traditions. Sandor Iron Rope, an Oglala Lakota spiritual leader and president of the Native American Church of South Dakota, emphasizes the importance of this work as a means of preserving not only peyote but a way of life deeply rooted in balance and respect. Over Thanksgiving week, at least 200 people gathered on IPCI’s grounds to engage in panels, discussions, ceremonies, and prayer, creating space for learning and reflection. “We’ve put our moccasins and our footprints in this place,” Iron Rope said. “The hope is that these children, the next generation, will see the therapeutic value in getting rid of their phones and learning about what is right in front of them.”
For Iron Rope, this is more than teaching—it is the embodiment of responsibility and action. “You can pray all you want, but you’re going to have to meet the Creator halfway somewhere,” he reflected. “You’re going to have to implement that prayer into action. And I see this as prayer in action.” This sentiment captures the essence of IPCI’s efforts, where sacred traditions become living practices through active stewardship and intergenerational transmission. It is within this convergence of prayer and action that hope for the future lies—a vision of harmony, renewal, and respect carried forward by the next seven generations.
In the Great Plains, peyote holds profound spiritual significance, woven into the fabric of Indigenous ceremonies that foster healing and guidance. Across various tribes, the union of prayer, ceremony, and natural medicines reflects a deep understanding of interconnectedness. This balance is also evident in contemporary settings, where the wisdom of ancient traditions harmonizes with modern innovations. In the Great Lakes region, practices such as sweat lodges and drum circles cultivate a sense of community and renewal, maintaining their sacred essence. Meanwhile, modern remedies like herbal balms, salves, or nerve relief cream provide practical solutions for addressing discomfort and promoting well-being. These parallels highlight the enduring legacy of Indigenous practices, where the sacred and the pragmatic come together to nurture both body and spirit.
Indigenous Peyote Conservation Initiative
https://www.ipci.life/
(Source for information and quotes in this article: Associated Press)
