Archive for December, 2008

A question I often get asked is what kind of pipe is needed to smoke Salvia The answer is simple: any will work. Sometimes a bong is mentioned as the most efficient way to get the Salvia smoke into your system; other times I have heard people mention a simple pyrex pipe being the best way. In some cases I have heard of excellent effects being had just by using a ‘ghetto pipe’.

Whatever I have may heard I would always advise that you experiment for yourself. You can never truly know what is the best option for you with Salvia until you try it out; this holds true whether we are talking pipes, smoking techniques, amount of Salvia to use and even the strength of the Salvia that you’re wanting to try.

A bong with water in it is a good way to cool down the Salvia smoke, thus making it a little easier to hold in the lungs. Again, this simply may not work for everyone.

The trick to smoking Salvia is to heat the sage up to a very high temperature and inhale the smoke. Unlike tobacco or cannabis, Salvia really does need to be very hot to combust. This makes smoking Salvia in a ‘joint’ pretty much impossible.

Many people have reported using a lot of Salvia without any noticeable effects. “Is it broken?” they ask. No, Salvia is not broken. It is just the case that the technique used when using Salvia is very important. If you get that bit wrong then you simply will not feel anything: and it won’t really matter how much you’re using. Even the lighter that you’re using needs to be able to burn the Salvia at a high temperature for a considerable time. A ’standard’ lighter is unlikely to do the trick, but a torch lighter might just be the key to a successful Salvia session.

Another of my friends decided that they would try Salvia with me. After the success of the last ‘introduction’ I decided I would up the strength of the dose that me and my buddy were trying. I went for 30x strenght. This kind of concentration is fine when you know what you’re doing (and, more importantly, what to expect), but in retrospect it was a bit much for the someone who had never tried it before now. I feel a little guilty. Fortunately I had a good idea of what to do when someone was having a bad trip, and it didn’t work out too badly.

Anyway, suffice to say we all came out of the experience a little more knowledgable, and nobody bears anyone else any hard feelings.

What was interesting was the report of the ‘bad trip’ that my friend experienced. She told me that she felt like she was in some kind of cartoon. That everything around the room appeared in vivid technicolour but looked like they belonged in some kind of animated series. The movements, apparently, looked like the animation wasn’t particularly good.

The only recoginsable elements within this animated scene were the people that were with the subject when she started on her trip: me and another friend. Everything else seemed surreal and, if the truth be told, a little difficult to comprehend.

Fortunately a Salvia trip doesn’t last very long at all: my friend was back to normal in a few minutes.

I think I’ve convinced my buddy that this one was a bad trip and that when she tries it again things will be much better. I think she’s believed me and I hope I haven’t put her off for good!

Salvia is a great drug and it is relatively safe, but it does need to be treated with respect. That’s one thing I forgot, to my detriment.

Salvia – The Rebirth

I have heard many different explanations as to what happens when one first tries Salvia. One of the greatest descriptions of what happens must have come from one of my best friends. He’s not generally a drug person but he’s an open-minded sort who isn’t afraid to try new things once in a while. He agreed to try out some new Salvia with me. I’ve used Salvia before so really this was a fantastic opportunity for him to discover what all the fuss is about.

I sat while he tried the Salvia. The room was safe and calm, and I assured him that this was going to be a short but fantastic journey into the deep unknown.

A few minutes later and he was back in the land of the sober. He had had a really calm trip, and I didn’t notice any movement apart from the inane grin that was spreading across his face. I was intrigued as to what caused this grin, so I asked him what he had experienced.

‘It was a like being born again – like a rebirth’, he said. He went on to describe in great detail how he had felt like he was travelling through a metaphorical womb of sorts, coming towards the end of the womb where a great light beckoned him. The womb walls were awash with a multicoloured kaleidoscope of psychedelic designs. What a breathtaking place it sounded like.

This experience is neither typical nor atypical of the experiences that I have heard about. Every time I try Salvia I feel a different thing. So it was with my friend: next time he tries the drug he will feel something different. That is the beauty of the drug and the beauty of the experience

Certainly my friend enjoyed the experience, and he’s planning on going under right now, as I type this. Trip away, my friend!

A ’sitter’ is someone who, well, sits. The idea is that a sitter will sit with you while you go on your journey into the world of Salvia. This person will stay entirely sober while you trip the light fantastic. Being a sitter might not sound like a very satisfying job, nor is it very glamorous, but it is entirely necessary.

Some things that the sitter should remember are that Salvia trips are always short lived, and that it is not possible to overdose on Salvia leaves. The sitter’s job is to not panic, and to sit the trip out with the person who is under the influence. The sitter must remember that no matter how confused the person is or how crazy that person is acting, it will all be over soon.

Someone who takes Salvia might be tempted to move around. Sometimes these movements might be erratic; occasionally they may be dangerous. Things like balconies and open windows are the places where the Salvia sitter really comes into their own. Dragging furniture onto oneself is also a quick way to get injured, so it’s important that the sitter guard against this kind of action where possible. At the same time it is important for the person’s trip that they allow some freedom to move around and explore, so don’t be over protective.

Touching a person on Salvia might confuse and frighten them, so it is important for the sitter to remember to make physical contact as infrequently as possible.

Once the trip is over the sitter will be a familiar face to the person who was tripping, and the sitter might be able to help the user to discuss and recall the experience that they have just been through.

Above all, the sitter is a friend. Use common sense. Don’t ever use Salvia without a sitter there with you.

Lots of people tend to push Salvia into the same categories as marijuana and LSD. It is sometimes said to be a combination of the two substances. Those who actually try Salvia (and this is quite a small proportion of those that talk about the hallucinogenic) quickly realise that this is not a recreational drug. A Salvia trip is not ‘fun’ or ‘enjoyable’ in the same way that people really enjoy marijuana or an acid trip, but it is definitely an interesting and completely unique experience.

Salvia is a visionary herb, it is not legal pot, nor is it legal acid. Salvia produces an intense state of awareness that Mazatec Shamans have found very useful for meditation, contemplation and introspection. The ‘trips’ that Salvia users experience are journey’s into the mind’s eye; they are adventures into the soul and they are voyages of self discovery.

If you’re after a quick trip, a high that you can laugh about with your friends, then perhaps Salvia is not the drug for you. If you are a mature, philosophical and open-minded individual then Salvia might just help you to understand yourself better, or to think about the world in a completely different way. Sometimes Salvia helps people to think about an existing problem in a different light and as such it is favoured by some artists and musicians as a tool by which to bring some inspiration into their lives and, consequently, into their work.

Salvia is more than a recreational drug. To classify it as such. to regard it as such or to use it as such is a huge mistake. It is a mistake that the government and lawmakers in the US have themselves made; the inevitable banning of Salvia is just indicative a mass misunderstanding of this versatile and profound naturally hallucinogenic plant.

The acai fruit — a drupe — grows in large bunches on top of the acai palm in the Amazon basin region of Brazil. Acai is economically vital in the region as it accounts for much of the income of the local Caboclo population. It also makes up 42% of their food intake, by volume. If that’s not an acid test to show that acai is good for you then I don’t know what is.

It is quickly becoming apparent to many in the Western world that acai is a an aid to weight loss. Not only do the nutrients and goodness that are present in abundance in acai directly help weight loss, but the simply fact that, as part of a controlled diet, acai helps you eat less. There is little solid proof that acai helps weight loss, but the facts really do speak for themselves.

If you are considering weight loss, consider acai. You might just find that it provides some well needed support.

Acai is eaten all over South America, sometimes as the Acai Berry itself and sometimes as an ice cream flavor or even as a juice. Getting acai outside this region is problematic due to the volatility of the fruit; people are managing to find ways to do it, though, and Organic Acai continues to grow in popularity.

Many people have heard of the acai berry and aware of the multitude of good that it can do your body. Many of these people also realize just how difficult it is to get hold of acai in its natural form — almost impossible. All that is available is processed versions of the fruit which — with the best will in the world — will always lack some of the nutrient content of the original.

And what a nutrient content acai berries have. Amino acids are excellent for your skin’s health, and acai contains as much as your body needs to look after this important part of your body. Essential omega fats help your digestive system and help to make your muscles stronger and, consequently, your body leaner. The killer ingredient in acai though is the antioxidants which it contains in spades. Antioxidants are great for generally making you feel and look healthier, and again help to prevent premature aging.

Getting all this is difficult, as I mentioned, and this is where an extract like Pure Acai can really help.

Pure Acai is easy to transport and to store, so it is cheaper than alternatives. Pure Acai can also be taken wherever you want it: you don’t have to plan your cooking around Pure Acai like you might with other products.

In the second on this occasional series on public books about – or containing information on – Salvia Divinorum, I present a very dark and very well written book called “Peopled Darkness: Perceptual Transformation through Salvia Divinorum”. If you’re interested in the spiritual effects and benefits felt by those who use Salvia, then this is definitely the book for you. More of a scientific study than something to help you try and experiment with or grow Salvia, it is written in an engaging way and will inform and enlighten in equal measure.

The book is amongst the best of its genre, and definitely ranks amongst Aldous Huxley’s “The Doors of Perception” and D. M. Turner’s “Salvinorin”. If that’s not a reason to read it then I don’t know what is.

What is the ‘real world’ that we think we live in? What are all our standard perceptions and accepted norms based upon? Peopled Darkness: Perceptual Transformation through Salvia Divinorum tries to answer these questions.

The book follows James Arthur as he experiments with Salvia Divinorum over a two year period. This experimentation, Arthur tells us, changed his entire perception on the world. James Arthur describes how he repeatedly turned to an inner landscape where he attained a state of “thoughtless awareness” and began to use – and understand – a language that articulated precisely his innermost thoughts.

These experiences led the author to a profound re-assessment of the foundations of our accepted wisdom and perceptions. It changed his view on life itself.

The book has received nothing other than 5 stars in the user reviews on Amazon, indicating a strong showing from Mr. Arthur’s docu-book. The writing is engaging, flowing and free from speculation, as one reviewer puts it. One review refers to this book a: J.D. “a milestone in the literature of experimentation with naturally-occuring psychoactive substances”. high praise for which this book is undoubtedly worthy.

There are lots of books around that feature Salvia as their first subject. If you’re interested in Salvia Divinorum and you’re looking for some way of expanding your knowledge, then taking a look at one of these publications will take you into a world of psychoactive stimulants, psychologically enhancing trips, and the wonder of an unknown world.

Salvia Divinorum is more than just a plant that helps you ‘trip’. It’s a way of life for some people, and it has been around for centuries. Salvia makes for interesting reading even when you’re not interested in getting high. The Mazatec Indians chew Salvia to get in touch with their spiritual side; the Chinese have used Salvia for many hundreds of years. All these facts make this a most interesting and culturally diverse subject matter. Fortunately many Authors have agreed and there are plenty of books available at places like Amazon.

If you have ever thought about growing your own Salvia Divinorum to sell of for your own use, then now is the time to do. With the legal future of Salvia Divinorum in the balance, and shops selling Salvia leaves and offcuts at a startlingly low price, you can start your own garden relatively cheaply.

The Salvia Divinorum Grower’s Guide – Published by Spectral Mindustries and available on Amazon – contains complete growing guides, a comprehensive list of sources of seeds, and instructions on how to obtain cuttings of Salvia for your growing pleasure. The ‘book’ isn’t much more than a pamphlet, and it lacks a lot in the way of visual stimulation (there are no pictures at all) but it is packed full of essential information that you won’t find elsewhere. This is an essential purchase if you’re considering growing your own Salvia. Even if you’re not then there may be something of interest for you in the book.

It is a well known fact that mixing drugs of any kind can produce psychedelic effects on the user. It should be noted that this is in no way advised: there is just too much in the way of unknowns for those that try it.

One of the milder combinations is Salvia with used alcohol. Reports tell us that the alcohol can slightly enhance (meaning make more vivid, not necessarily make better) the effects of the Salvia. Others tell us that there was little or no difference the to the Salvia trip. Of course it goes without saying that the effect – or lack thereof – of the alcohol upon the Salvia trip will probably be effected greatly by the amount of alcohol and Salvia you’re using, and over what period of time the combination is used.

One combination that is definitely not recommended is Salvia Divinorum used in combination with LSD (acid). These are both very potent hallucinogenics and are both really quite unpredictable, even as far as drugs go. In combination the two drugs could really mess you up. This is most definitely not recommended.

There are many forums on the web that discuss the practicalities of combining Salvia with other drugs (and other drugs with other drugs, for that matter). In almost all cases it is not encouraged. If the experimentation is absolutely necessary then, as always, there should be a sober person present and the experiment should be done in a safe environment.

Whilst it is the case that there are no known side effects that come with using Salvia as an hallucinogenic, there are oft quoted side effects of using almost all other drugs, and pretty much all illegal drugs. Any danger that may come with combining drugs – without unknown consequences – are only intensified by the latent danger present in these other drugs.

Just don’t risk your health: it’s simply not worth it!