Entheogenic healing in Rastafari: Decolonization through Cannabis, Consciousness and Collective Ritual

To illustrate the Herb’s role in the psychosocial development and collective healing of Rastafari, we will delve into the following aspects, substantiated by ethnographic material from published literature and the fieldwork of the first

author:

Training, Legitimacy, and Authority. This section will explore the processes, customs, and knowledge transfer within Rastafari, shedding light on the roles of Rastafari teachers and how the Herb plays a pivotal role in the transmission

of knowledge.

Traditions of Rastafari Healing. Within the realm of Rastafari spirituality, we will examine philosophical perspectives related to healing, particularly focusing on Rastafari livity and the significance of plants in addressing illness and

disease.

Healing Rituals. Here, we describe various Rastafari rituals involving the Herb, encompassing preparatory and post-session integration activities. This exploration underscores ritual’s crucial role in the spiritual and physical

well-being of Rastafari practitioners.

Altering Consciousness as Decolonial Praxis. This section will explore how Rastafari shapes consciousness to establish intentional connections with the divine. Our focus will be on linguistic and spiritual aspects found in Rastafari music and discourse, illustrating how language and spirituality, coupled with the Herb, serve as tools for manifesting the divine and redirecting consciousness away from colonial influences.

Ethnomedical Ideologies. In this part, we will examine entheogenic rituals in Rastafari through the lenses of sensory processing, emotional regulation, and neurochemistry. We will examine the effects stemming solely from ritual prac-

tices, those attributed to cannabis, and make a comparative analysis between the viewpoints of Rastafari and biomedical perspectives.