ABSTRACT
eligion is a system of beliefs and behaviors that deals with the relationship between humans and the sacred supernatural. In interacting with the supernatural world, an individual may have experiences that transcend ordinary experiences, such as a trance or hallucination. These experiences and emotions are important elements in religious practices. This chapter explores the use of hallucinogenic snuff, tobacco, peyote, and marijuana in religious contexts. Interpreting the changes in mental state when one is in an altered state of consciousness is largely influenced by culture. The religious interpretations of altered states of consciousness generally fall into two categories. First, supernatural power, usually in the form of spirits or gods, enters the person's body, a phenomenon that we call spirit possession. The second common religious interpretation of an altered state of consciousness is that a person has entered a trance state because the soul has left the person's body.
