San Pedro // Wachuma
The first cactus we’d like to introduce is the San Pedro, or Wachuma. The Wachuma cactus is native to the Andes Mountains – Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Ecuador – and it has been a part of traditional Andean medicine for around 3,000 years. A carving dated to 1,300 BC shows a shaman holding a large Wachuma cactus. Since then, the Wachuma has been used by shamans in healing practices. The cactus can introduce a very bodily experience, at times very intense. It can also provide profound introspection. Even the European explorers who renamed this cactus San Pedro recognized its power. St. Peter, or San Pedro, is the saint who holds the keys to heaven. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀