Why was vomiting sometimes viewed as purification in psychedelic rituals?

In the context of drug cults, vomiting is often interpreted as a symbolic and physical act of purification. Because many psychedelic substances naturally induce nausea, practitioners frequently view the resulting vomiting as a purging of personal faults or negative energies.12

This concept of "purging" is a recurring theme in various ritualistic traditions. Beyond the immediate physical sensation, the act is seen as a way to cleanse the body and spirit, often serving as a necessary step to achieve a state of readiness for spiritual experiences or healing. In some traditions, such as those involving ayahuasca, this expulsion is explicitly framed by shamans as the removal of negative influences, facilitating a sense of rebirth or spiritual clarity. Similarly, in other cultural practices like the Navajo sweat-emetic rite, the use of emetics is a formal requirement for curing illness and rectifying ritual disturbances, where the failure to vomit may even be considered inauspicious.123