What Does “Entheogen” Really Mean? Why Words Matter in Talking About Psychedelics

Magic mushrooms are everywhere in today’s headlines—from clinical trials to Silicon Valley startups—but the way we talk about them is just as important as the science itself. Language doesn’t just describe psilocybin; it shapes how we understand and accept it.

Consider three words often used to describe the same mushroom: hallucinogen, psychedelic, entheogen.

Hallucinogen makes the experience sound like a glitch—mere tricks of the brain. But people who join ceremonies or clinical studies often describe life-changing insights. Calling it a hallucination misses the depth of what they feel.

Psychedelic began with promise in the 1950s, meaning “mind manifesting.” But it soon became tangled in counterculture rebellion, neon posters, and political backlash. For many, it still feels more Woodstock than wellness.

Entheogen, however, reframes the story. Coined in the 1970s by Carl Ruck, it means “generating the divine within.” It acknowledges that mushrooms have long been part of rituals, healing, and spiritual exploration. And today, even clergy from major religions report psilocybin as one of the five most spiritually meaningful experiences of their lives (study, 2023)

This shift in language matters. A patient may hesitate to accept “hallucinogens” in a trial. A policymaker may dismiss “psychedelics” as counterculture relics. But “entheogen” opens space for meaningful conversations about healing, spirituality, and culture.

At the same time, words remain translations. Indigenous Mazatec healers never said “entheogen.” They spoke of niños santos—the sacred children. For them, mushrooms were not a trend or scientific subject but part of a living tradition.

At Her Magic Mushroom Memoir, this is exactly the territory we explore. Through story, history, and lived voices, the podcast asks: What happens when science, culture, and spirit collide around something as small—and powerful—as a mushroom?

Mushrooms are not just chemicals; they are gifts of the earth. And the language we use today may shape the future of how they heal, inspire, and connect us all.