How did ritual drug use become connected with purification in some religious groups?

In the context of religious groups, the connection between ritual drug use and purification is often rooted in the belief that the physical and spiritual effects of the substances facilitate a cleansing of the self.1

This association manifests in several ways:

• Ritual Preparation: Purification may involve specific preparations for a ceremony or the observance of taboos in the days leading up to it.1
• Physical Purging: Many psychedelic substances induce nausea; consequently, the act of vomiting is frequently interpreted as a ritualistic purging of faults or impurities.1
• Ethical Living: In more advanced cults, purification is viewed as a holistic commitment to pure and ethical living that should both precede and follow the ceremony.1
• Mystical Framework: Within broader religious mysticism, purification is often considered a formal stage—specifically the purification of the will—necessary to achieve the ultimate goal of ecstasy or union with the divine.2

By integrating these practices into structured cultic forms, participants seek to align their behavior with the spiritual requirements of their faith, viewing the drug-induced experience as a means to achieve spiritual growth and clarity.13