Salvia Divinorum (Ska Pastora)

Salvia divinorum

June 20, 2017 By John Reed 9 Comments

Salvia divinorum is available for purchase in the online smartshop.

What is Salvia divinorum?

Salvia divinorum is best known for its Youtube salvia trip videos and as a hallucinogen. Awareness of salvia has risen with the Internet, but it was first introduced to mainstream culture in the mid-1900’s. While the small leafy herb is now finding well-deserved popularity in Western minds, it has long been a part of indigenous Central American culture. Ethnobotanists and anthropologists discovered the plant in the Sierra Mazateca mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico, in the course of research into psilocybin mushrooms. After decades of work with the Mazatec people, the gift of a live Salvia divinorum plant made it’s way back to the United States, and from there, the plant has spread across the globe.

History

The history of Salvia divinorum is long, but the most popular methods of use are relatively modern. Traditionally, salvia has been consumed orally, either through chewing or infusions. Users began smoking Salvia in the late 20th century, which lead to today’s form of consumption: salvia extracts. Oral use of salvia has the drawbacks of relying on fresh leaves and providing a milder experience. Smoking is advantageous because the effects of salvia are stronger and dried plant material can be used. The problem with smoking salvia leaves is that the smoke is very harsh and the amount of active ingredients in the dried leaves varies drastically. Salvia extracts solve these problems by taking the active ingredient, Salvinorin A, from salvia leaves and producing a product with a standardised potency and cleaner smoke. Experienced and novice salvia users alike prefer smoking extract, because once they learn the correct dosage for their needs, they can rely on the extract to deliver the experience they’re after.

Salvia divinorum’s interaction with the brain’s neurotransmitters is unlike the physiological effects of any other hallucinogen, creating a psychedelic experience that is highly unique. The effects of smoking salvia extract are generally classified on a scale from subtle to visionary to amnesic. Light use creates subtle effects such as mood enhancement, clarified perception, relaxation and increased sensuality. Users progressing beyond this point experience a deeper distortion of the senses, leading to auditory and visual hallucination, strange bodily sensations and uncontrollable laughter. Before reaching the most intense effects, salvia users experience contact with foreign beings, identification with external objects and deep spiritual insight. This is the last stage of the salvia experience scale that anyone can report on, because effects beyond this point of intensity lead to total amnesia regarding the trip.

The acute effects of Salvia divinorum rarely last longer than ten minutes, but the residual effects of calmness and heightened sense can last for hours, and the insight and change in perspective brought about during the trip can last for a lifetime. The salvia trip is a healing experience, and the salvia herb is a safe, natural teacher.

More information: SalviaExtract: Encyclopaedia on Salvia History

Botanical

Salvia divinorum is part of the sage family of plants. On record their are roughly 900 different Salvia species, including many decorative garden sages and Salvia officinalis, which is used for cooking. Salvia is a genus in the mint family (Labiatae) Salvia divinorum is literally the sage (Salvia) of the diviners (divinorum). The plant has a characteristic weak ‘mousy-but-minty’ aroma. It is a native of a small area in Oaxaca, Mexico, growing in mountainous lands where the Mazatec Indian people dwell.

More information: SalviaExtract: Encyclopaedia on Salvia Botanical

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Chemistry

Salvinorin A (chemical formula C23H28O8) and salvinorin B are naturally occurring molecules which are different than any other pychoactive compound found in nature, including those engineered in labs such as LSD. Of these only salvinorin A is found psychoactive. It works on the kappa-opioid receptor system. Salvinorin A is present in the dried plant at about 0.18%. Active doses start as low as 100-250 micrograms sublingual; 200-500 micrograms vaporized and inhaled. This translates to 10 times the potency of psilocybin from mushrooms used in similar ways by other Mexican Indians, and more than 1000 times the potency of mescaline, from the peyote cactus (Lophophora williamsii) used as a visionary drug by the Huichol, Tarahumara and other native peoples of northern Mexico.

More information: SalviaExtract: Encyclopaedia on Salvia chemistry

Effects

POSITIVE

short duration (when smoked)
radical perspective shifting
increase in sensual and aesthetic appreciation
creative dreamlike experience
insight into personal issues
sense of peaceful appreciation for life in the afterglow, sometimes lasting days or weeks

NEUTRAL

powerful closed- and open-eye visuals
general change in consciousness (as with most psychoactives)
altered perceptions
change in emotion, anywhere from very happy, to sad, to angry
change in body temperature, flushing
sensation of physical push, pressure, or wind
sensation of entering or perceiving other dimensions, alternate realities
feeling of ‘presence’ or entity contact
dissociation at high doses, uncontrolled walking or standing
loss of awareness of surroundings

NEGATIVE

overly-intense experiences
fear, terror and panic
increased perspiration
possible difficulty integrating experiences
higher doses can cause inability to control muscles and maintain balance: falls are reported.
mild to moderate headache, usually starting after effects wear off

Daniel Siebert made a S-A-L-V-I-A Experiential Rating Scale that shows the variety of effects that can appear when using salvia.

Level – 1 “S” stands for SUBTLE effects. A feeling that “something” is happening, although it is difficulty to say just what. Relaxation and increased sensual appreciation may be noted. This mild level is useful for meditation and may facilitate sexual pleasure.

Level – 2 “A” stands for ALTERED perception. Colors and textures are more pronounced. Appreciation of music may be enhanced. Space may appear of greater or lesser depth than is usual. But visions do not occur at this level. Thinking becomes less logical, and more playful; short-term memory difficulties may be noted.

Level – 3 “L” stands for LIGHT visionary state. Closed-eye visuals (clear imagery with eyes closed: fractal patterns, vine-like and geometric patterns, visions of objects and designs). The imagery is often two dimensional. If open-eyed visual effects occur, these are usually vague and fleeting. At this level, phenomena similar to the hypnagogic phenomena that some people experience at sleep onset occur. At this level, visions are experienced as “eye candy” but are not confused with reality.

Level – 4 “V” stands for VIVID visionary state. Complex three-dimensional realistic appearing scenes occur. Sometimes voices may be heard. With eyes open, contact with consensual reality will not be entirely lost, but when you close your eyes you may forget about consensus reality and enter completely into a dreamlike scene. Shamanistic journeying to other lands–foreign or imaginary; encounters with beings (entities, spirits) or travels to other ages may occur. You may even live the life of another person. At this level you have entered the shaman’s world. Or if you prefer: you are in “dream time.” With eyes closed, you experience fantasies (dream like happenings with a story line to them). So long as your eyes are closed you may believe they are really occurring. This differs from the “eye candy” closed-eye imagery, of level 3.

Level – 5 “I” stands for IMMATERIAL existence. At this level one may no longer be aware of having a body. Consciousness remains and some thought processes are still lucid, but one becomes completely involved in inner experience and looses all contact with consensual reality. Individuality may be lost; one experiences merging with God/dess, mind, universal consciousness, or bizarre fusions with other objects–real or imagined (e.g. experiences such as merging with a wall or piece of furniture). At this level it is impossible to function in consensual reality, but unfortunately some people do not remain still but move around in this befuddled state. For this reason a sitter is essential to ensure the safety of someone voyaging to these deep levels. To the person experiencing this the phenomenon may be terrifying or exceedingly pleasant; but to an outside observer the individual may appear confused or disoriented.

Level 6 – “A” stands for AMNESIC effects. At this stage, either consciousness is lost, or at least one is unable to later recall what one had experienced. The individual may fall, or remain immobile or thrash around; somnambulistic behavior may occur. Injuries can be sustained without pain being felt; on awakening, the individual will have no recollection of what he/she did, experienced, or said in level 6. People cannot recall what they experience in this very deep trance state. This is not a desirable level, because nothing can latter be recalled of the experience.

More information: SalviaExtract: Encyclopaedia on the Effects of Salvia

Forms of Salvia divinorum

Salvia Extracts for sale are available for purchase in our online store or easily accessible at local head shops in certain countries and US states (see: salvia legal map). They are sold in varying forms of 10X, 20X, 40x, 60x, etc. The “X” symbolizes that the extract being consumed is X times stronger than regular leaves (5X is 5 times as strong as regular leaf). The stronger the extract, the stronger the experience; use at your own risk.

Salvia Extract are made using dried leaf, the extraction process is complex and lengthy and improper usage of chemicals can result in bodily harm. It’s commonly made using 99% pure pro-pantone Acetone or 99% purity: Isopropanol, Rubbing Alcohol, and Isopropyl Alcohol with a combination of Naphtha.

Fresh leaf

Fresh leaf is primarily used for making a small bundle of leaves that is then held under the tongue for sublingual absorption. Fresh leaf is preferred method for sublingual absorption because it doesn’t break up in your mouth and is easier to chew.

Light – 10 g fresh / 2 g dried
Common – 30 g fresh / 6 g dried
Strong – 50 g fresh / 10 g dried

Dried leaf

Dried leaf are prepared by leaving fresh leaves out in the sun. Other faster methods to dry leaf require you to bake it in an oven at 150 degrees Fahrenheit until the leaf becomes crispy. Dried salvia leaf is used for smoking. To use dried leaf for sublingual absorption, soak them in water for ten (10) minutes. Beware that Soaking dried leaf in water can lose some of its potency. If you plan on making Salvia Extract its best to us dried leaf.

Light : 0.25g
Common : 0.5g
Strong : 0.75 – 1.00g

Tincture

Salvia Tinctures are made by dissolving extract into pure Salvinorin A or a semi-pure form of it into ethyl alcohol. It is meant to be used sublingually by holding a certain amount under the tongue for a period of time. Using Tincture usually will increase the duration of the Salvia trip but the effects will be weaker. Beware that holding strong tincture under the tongue for long periods of time can eventually cause blistering. It is sometimes best to dilute the pure tincture with water (although potency may be decreased).

Tea

To make a tea first crush 1/8 oz of dried leaves, bring water to a boiling temperature, drop the leaf into water for around 5 minutes. Afterwards, let it simmer for around 15 minutes. Salvinorin A is not orally activated, so the tea has to be kept in the mouth for around 15-20 seconds each sip. This tea, if properly brewed and consumed, can produce a state of trance when closing the eyes and a whole night of vivid and intense dreams plus some occasional closed eye visuals.

Tolerance and addiction potential

The use of Salvinorin A is not habit-forming drug and generally the need to want to use more will decrease after repeated use. Immediate usage within 30-120 minutes will decrease the effects of salvia the cause is unknown, but probably linked to how your body deals with the after-effects of Salvinorin A.

Long term tolerance to the effects of Salvinorin A does not occur. In fact, users report that this compound has a reverse tolerance and actually becomes stronger over time and with repeated usage. Salvinorin A is not affected by built up tolerance for other hallucinogens. Salvinorin A is likely to overpower other hallucinogens effects when used in combination.

Legal issues

Australia : Possession and sale is illegal.
Belgium : Possession and sale is illegal.
Canada: Possession and sale is illegal.
Croatia : Possession and sale is illegal.
Czech Republic : Possession and sale is illegal.
Denmark : Salvinorin A is a Class B drug.
Germany : Possession and sale is illegal.
Germany: Possession and sale is illegal.
Hong Kond: Possession and sale is illegal.
Italy : Possession and sale is illegal.
Japan: Possession and sale is illegal.
Latvia : Possession and sale is illegal.
Lithuania : Possession and sale is illegal.
Poland : Possession and sale is illegal.
Portugal: Possession and sale is illegal.
Republic of Ireland: Possession and sale is illegal.
Romania : Possession and sale is illegal.
Spain : Possession and sale is illegal.
Sweden : Possession and sale is illegal.
Switzerland: Possession and sale is illegal.
South Korea: Possession and sale is illegal.
UK : Possession and sale is legal
USA: (States where its Illegal)
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Guam
Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota
Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania,
South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wyoming

Usage methods:

Usage methods for this compound within our tutorial index include:

User Guide for Salvia Extract

Experience reports:

External Links:

USING PSYCHEDELICS SAFELY

June 7, 2017 By John Reed 1 Comment

Using psychedelics safely

Effects of Psychedelics
Usage advices
Links / Further reading

Introduction

A psychedelic substance is a psychoactive drug whose primary action is to alter cognition and perception. Psychedelics are part of a wider class of psychoactive drugs known as hallucinogens, a class that also includes related substances such as dissociatives and deliriants. Unlike other drugs such as stimulants and opioids which induce familiar states of consciousness, psychedelics tend to affect and explore the mind in ways that result in the experience being qualitatively different from those of ordinary consciousness. The psychedelic experience is often compared to non-ordinary forms of consciousness such as trance, meditation, yoga and dreaming. Despite the fact that many governments deem many hallucinogenic or psychedelic substances to be dangerous, classifying them as schedule I drugs, many scientists have dared to study their effects. They’ve found over the years a startling, promising and powerful picture of potentially game-changing medicines. The “war on drugs” policies severely limit research on psychedelics, forcing scientists to jump through an expensive tangle of hoops and red tape in order to accomplish their mission. Restrictions aside, over the years researchers have collected a database of research showing that many psychedelics have an unprecedented potential to treat cancers, addictions and psychological traumas, among other things. The most popular psychedelic drugs are Cannabis, Ayahuasca, Lysergic Diethylamide Acid or LSD, Opium, Dmt, Psilocybin mushrooms, Ecstasy, Iboga, Peyote and Salvia Divinorum. Psychedelic substances have been used for thousands of years for religious and therapeutic purposes. These drugs differently affect the senses and how people see the world, that’s why before starting to use any of the above, one must take in consideration a number of facts.

Effects of Psychedelics

Psychedelic drugs each have different effects, depending on which type is taken, on where a user is experiencing them, their mood, expectations, and level of experience with the drug. Each drug’s effect can be different, but they all share certain qualities, depending on the environment the user is in, for example, if he’s in a stressful or noisy situation rather than somewhere peaceful and quiet. Someone may feel a sense of doubt or uncertainty, especially someone who has never tried drugs before, which can affect their experience. This could lead into extreme anxiety and can be dangerous for the user, psychedelics altering a user’s perception of space and time, as well as their thoughts and feelings.

Most commonly psychedelics effects may feel like:

Colors may seem more intense, textures richer, and contours sharpened;
People may feel a keener awareness of their bodies;
Depth perception is heightened;
Synesthesia, which is a blending of the senses and can cause people to ‘see colors’ or ‘hear sounds’ etc., is common;
Distorted sense of time;
Seeing things when eyes are closed (can be things that were there before, patterns, or entirely new images);
Hallucinating when eyes are open, also can be seeing things as different than they are or seeing entirely new images;
Heightened sensitivity to changes in the environment;
More profound emotions and feelings, possibility to have swift mood shifts;
Introspective reflection often with feelings of deep insight into oneself or the nature of humanity and the universe;
Alterations in memory, usually with impaired short-term memory at the time

Some people take psychedelic substances and get to experience a very

distressing time while under their influence, this being referred to as a “bad trip”, and can be very dangerous due to the alarming effects they may cause. The reasons of bad trips are often fear and doubt in the beginning of the experience or an unexpected event while under their influence. Bad trips are associated with the following feelings:

Panic or intense anxiety
Intense fear
Overheating
Episodes of psychosis
Disorientation
The desire to cause self harm or harm to others

Psychedelics effects are mostly unpredictable, which makes them dangerous. Hallucinations have been known to lead people to do very serious things, such as jumping off of roofs or running into traffic. Some people, however, report religious, spiritual, and enlightening experiences while using psychedelic drugs. Someone’s experience during a psychedelic trip is strongly influenced by two things, the set and the setting. The set is the state of mind, the internal environment, the beliefs of the user, and the setting is the external environment, the atmosphere the user is in. The user’s trip is as positive or negative as the set and setting is. If someone uses a psychedelic in a safe, supportive environment, the experience will develop in a pleasant, coherent, meaningful manner. But if someone uses the drug in a chaotic, unsettling atmosphere, the experience will be likewise.

Here are some of the coolest things scientists have discovered about psychedelics over the years.

LSD can mitigate end-of-life anxiety. Was associated with a lower rate of outpatient mental health treatment and psychiatric medicine prescription. LSD might, in time, be able to help other kinds of addiction and anxiety disorders, including OCD.
Lifetime use of psilocybin or mescaline and past year use of LSD were associated with lower rates of serious psychological distress.
DMT occurs naturally in the human body, and taking it could simulate death.
Ayahuasca can treat drug addiction and possibly much more.
The drug MDMA (aka ecstasy, or Molly) promotes release of the hormone oxytocin, which could help treat severe anxieties like PTSD and social anxiety resulting from autism.
Psilocybin, aka magic mushrooms, actually calms, rather than stimulates, certain brain functions, and could kill smoking addiction.

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Usage advices

Here are some tips on how to start using Psychedelics:

A trustworthy source – Be absolutely sure that you know what you are taking. Only take substances from a trusted source and only take substances that you are confident are pure and high quality.
A peaceful and relaxing set, and a comfortable setting – Empty your mind of harmful thoughts, of problems, make sure to eat something light so your body can be relaxed and undisturbed. Always use psychedelics in a place where you feel comfortable and safe, like your home or a friend’s home. Make sure you have plenty of time to stay in the space for the duration of the experience. Feeling any time pressure can introduce stress or anxiety to an experience. Setup the room that you will be in so that it feels cozy and pleasant. Have a comfortable place to sit or lie down, have pillows and decorations. You may want to have some music to listen to as well (music without words is recommended, as it is less likely to pull your thoughts away). Keep in mind that going from place to place, being in a public setting, or dealing with logistical matters can be difficult while using psychedelics and can also be a source of anxiety. This is not recommended and can distract your focus.
Careful dosing – It is strongly recommended to know the dose of the substance you are taking. Carefully weigh any substance and consult sites like salviaextract.com to determine appropriate dose amounts. If you are unsure about the right dose level to begin or if you are feeling anxious, start very small and try more another day.
Have someone beside you – Don’t take a psychedelic for the first time without someone present who has experience with that substance. Make sure it’s someone who you trust to help talk you through any stressful or confusing moments. Having someone around to help with practical needs (like getting you a glass of water) will let you focus on the process. Even if you have lots of experience with psychedelics, we recommend having a trusted person present (they don’t need to be in the same room, just on hand).

Psychedelics have been misunderstood and misrepresented for decades. We can help each other change that. Please help us share safe, responsible information on using psychedelics by sharing this site on any social network you use.

LINKS / FURTHER READING

One more advice: If you can, read up before you ever trip if you can. It is good to know a thing or two about psychedelics before you actually have a psychedelic experience. For this you can visit the recommended links below. Remember: knowledge empowers you and can help you get through difficult situations. And: the more you know about tripping, the more you will understand, and enjoy.The psychedelic experience – Timothy LearyA must-read: Leary was the guru of LSD, and he wrote many books. “The Psychedelic Experience” is the trip guide for many psychonauts around the world.Books by Terence McKennaLike Leary, Terence McKenna was a well known psychedelic philosopher and shaman. Terence McKenna is not as easy for newbie trippers to approach as Leary. In his books and lectures, he often takes on very difficult topics.The Doors of Perception – Aldous Huxley. A poetic look into the mescaline trip as experienced by renowned intellectual Aldous Huxley. A wonderful introduction to psychedelic thought in general.Erowids Vaults on many different psychoactives: Spiritual & ritual use of psychoactives D.M. Turner’s Essential psychedelic guideAccording to Dade Murphy, “I’ve found this practical guide to be very informative and accurate. It’s more concise and easier to navigate/understand than, say, the Vaults of Erowid or Shulgin’s books. Of course it leaves out a lot of points that more lengthy resources might go after.”

Take Control of your Dreams: Tips for Lucid Dreaming

December 13, 2015 By John Reed Leave a Comment

Lucid dreaming is the act of dreaming while maintaining consciousness during REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep. This type of dreaming allows you to tell yourself that “you are dreaming” without waking up. Awake consciousness, if used correctly, gives one the opportunity to keep on participating in the dream while defining it to be something else. If you are the type who suffers from nightmares, lucid dreaming an help you stop that bullet – though probably not as smoothly as Keanu Reeves did in the first “The Matrix” movie.

For centuries, people have tried to control their dreams. It’s even been considered a semi-supernatural ability that only some can attain. Controlling dreams, or, to use the proper terminology lucid dreaming, has received significant criticism from skeptics who dismiss conscious dreaming as just speculation, invected by people who want to believe that they have access to a special type of power. While so many people dream, few actually come forth as “lucid dreamers,” being really able to manipulate their dreams into whatever they want, as if flipping through channels of a TV set. Science, however, comes to our rescue to clear the air and prove the reality of lucid dreaming. Many studies show that the phenomenon of “lucid dreaming” not only exists, it’s more common than we think.

Although lucid dreaming sounds like a saviour and vessel for sleep-time entertainment, it definitely requires some practice. In 2009, the Goethe University of Frankfurt conducted a study wherein non-lucid dreamers were given zaps of electricity during their REM sleep. Interestingly enough, they reported having experienced lucid dreaming right after their frontal cortex was stimulated. Yet, it is pretty much impossible to always keep some scientists around just to shock you during a specific time of your sleep. But don’t worry, you can still be a lucid dreamer without the electricity! The reason why electricity works as an inducer is because it introduces external stimuli, reminding one of being in a state of dreaming. If you set up a light that goes off approximately around the same time as your REM stage begins, then you will be more likely to remember that you are dreaming.

1. Keep a Journal of your Dreams.

During an average rest you’ll dream through around five dreams (whether you remember them or not). You may also want to try keeping a dream Journal close by. Many “lucid dream specialists” suggest that maintaining a dream journal makes you more aware of your sleeping experience, and thus helps you become a lucid dreamer. Even though we tend to forget our dreams later on in the day, these specialists propose that if written right after waking up, dreams can promote lucid dreaming in the long term.

2. Perform “reality checks” during the day.

These specialists also suggest using “reality checks” regularly while you are awake – if you are committed to taking your lucid dreaming abilities to another level. What does a reality check mean? Well, since you need your take consciousness while dreaming, it is important to remind yourself of your consciousness during the day. You have to ask yourself whether you are awake of not. By making this a habit, you will find it easier to remind yourself that you are dreaming throughout your sleep. The same applies to repeating that you are aware of going to sleep before you fall asleep each night.

3. Drift back to sleep when awakened from a dream.

Trick yourself into lucid dreaming. A trick that works for me is to fool your body into waking up before your suppose to wake up then you can essentially go back to sleep and have a higher chance of controlling your dreams. Set your alarm 20 to 30 minutes before your normal wake-up time. Let the earlier alarm wake you up, and then allow yourself to fall back asleep and into your dream. Because you’re not in your deepest REM sleep, you’ll be able to control your dream more easily.

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4. Use something natural to give you an extra boost.

Use something to help you. Try Calea zacatechichi it is known as “the dream herb,” Calea Z. is from Oaxaca, Mexico and has been used for centuries by Chontal shaman/dreamers as a cure-all and a “voyaging” aid.

According to an article published at Science Direct, a study showed that during a controlled experiment patients that had taken Calea Zacatechichi extract prior to a nap were reported to have experienced an increase in the number of occurrences of reported lucid dreaming experiences. The study compared that against another group of individuals that were given both placebo and diazepam, indicating that the use of Calea Zacatechichi extract prior to sleep increased significantly the chances of experiencing lucid dreaming.

Lucid hypnagogic dreams may be experienced in these non-REM states, but because Calea Zacatechichi also increases micro-awakenings and disturbs sleep, there are more chances to promote lucid dreaming from sleep onset. This can then create a REM rebound effect leading to more vivid and memorable dreams in the morning as well.

Best way to take it is via a pill format take it 2-3 hours before you fall sleep.

Today, the science suggests that we all experience lucid dreaming at least once in our lives. While seemingly mystical or maybe even pointless, lucid dreaming actually helps us fight against some anxieties and fears. we can condition ourselves to believe that by controlling our dreams, we can find the power to right against the phobia and anxieties we suffer from in real life. Still not buying the whole phenomenon? Then I suggest having a relaxed mind right before you go to sleep. Not only will you have a good night’s sleep, but maybe even find yourself having some wonderful dreams.

Sweet dreams!

A “déjà vu” moment: The mystery explained

December 12, 2015 By John Reed Leave a Comment

You’ve probably recently had a moment wherein you’ve stopped and realized that, in some subtle detail, it all seems familiar: the same person waiting in line for coffee, wearing the same shirt, or the same car passing you on the way to work every morning. What’s happening? Many claim they’re having a moment that English language doesn’t quite have a word for.

The term déjà vu – literally meaning “already seen” – was first used by the French philosopher and research Emile Boirac in 1876. Ever since, déjà vu has been widely described in music, literature and films – it could be as subtle as a white rabbit leaping back to its burrow.

RELIEVING THE MOMENT

In his novel “In Search of Lost Time,” author Marcel Proust described the sensation of déjà vu “I had just seen, standing a little way back from the hog’s-back road along which we were traveling, three trees which probably marked the entry to a covered driveway and formed a pattern which I was not seeing for the first time. I could not succeed in reconstructing the place from which they have been as it were detached, but I felt that it had been familiar to me once; so that, my mind having wavered between some distant year and the present moment, Balbec and its surroundings began to dissolve and I wondered whether the whole of the drive were not a make-believe.”

The odd sense of disconnect Proust describes is perhaps what makes the scene seem uncanny, eerie, startling, or exciting. About two-thirds of people will experience at least a single episode within their lifetime. It typically lasts only a few seconds, or minutes, but people remember the experience in vivid detail for years afterward. Déjà vu occurs in men and women in equal numbers. It happens more frequently in adolescents and young adults, and then tapers off with age.

The recent case of chronic déjà vu was unique, because the man was otherwise healthy, at least so says the co-author of the study, cognitive neuropsychologist Chris Moulin of Pierre Mendes-France University, based in Grenoble. “There was nothing wrong with his brain or memory,” says Moulin. “There was no neurological damage.”

The subject experienced déjà vu on a daily basis, far more than the usual once or twice a year. Sometimes it lasted for up to 30 minutes. The scientists who worked on the study, which was published in December of 2014 in the Journal of Medical Case Reports, believe the cause could have been anxiety. The more he worried about it, the worse the problem became, says Moulin.

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A ‘GLITCH’ IN THE SYSTEM?

“Déjà vu occurs when people have the sensation of memory without the presence of memory,” says the psychologist Dr. Akira O’Connor of the University of St. Andrews in the U.K. The “mismatch” hen something new feels familiar results in a “false familiarity.”
An area in the brain called the temporal lobe is responsible for memory. One structure in the temporal lobe stores memories previous experiences, and another is responsible for determining familiarity. The two normally work together seamlessly. The startling sense of déjà vu is thought to occur when they get out of sync.

“We are using memory all the time,” says O’Connor. The brain is constantly creating connections and integrating information, but we are seldom aware of it – until something goes wrong. A “glitch” in the system – misfiring in the temporal lobe – could be the cause. “The brain is signalling that something should be familiar when it is not,” says O’Connor. This is comparable to the neural misfiring that occurs in epilepsy, and it could be that the same mechanism triggers déjà vu in healthy people.

O’Connor has experimented with eliciting déjà vu in the laboratory. All subjects attempted to solve a unique puzzle while hypnotized. Some were given a posthypnotic suggestion to be amnesic about the puzzle, while others were told that the puzzle would later feel familiar. During a post non hypnotized session, five of six subjects in the familiarity group experienced a strong sense of déjà vu when encountering this puzzle, whereas none of the six subjects in the amnesia group felt strong déjà vu. More recently, he has been using computerized tests and functional MRI. Although it’s still in its early stages, he says the research might allow scientists to reliably pick apart which regions of the brain are actively producing the déjà vu effect.

A second hypothesis has been proposed by Dr. Anne Cleary cognitive psychologist at Colorado State University. Déjà vu is commonly associated with places, and Cleary believes that cues in a new environment may resemble those in an old one. Thus a genuine sense of familiarity may be caused by similar spatial layouts in different places (e.g. hotels, airports, highways). She has devised a 3-D virtual reality experiment in which people encounter the same structure in various scenes within a village (called a “déjà ville”).

HAVE I DREAMT THIS BEFORE?

More than 30 scientific theories have been put forth in an attempt of explaining this puzzling phenomenon. None of them have been proven; nor do they necessarily rule each other out.

One obstacle to research is that déjà vu is difficult to produce in a lab setting, says Moulin. Déjà vu is transitory. There is no method for evoking it consistently and reliably. And self-reports are subjective. “When different people say they have déjà vu, it is difficult to know if they are describing the same experience,” says Moulin.

A number of memory illusions may be related to déjà vu. Jamais vu, to start off, is the feeling of looking at something for the first time when in fact it is familiar. Déjà entendu refers to the distinct sense of having heard something already, such as a piece of music or a new voice. Déjà su means something already known (intellectually). Déjà pensee means having thought something. Déjà senti refers to having felt something previously.

Given that there is no simple explanation of déjà vu, and other memory phenomena, some people believe in mystical or spiritual causes, such as evidence of past lives or predictions about the future. Déjà vu have been reported by users using Salvia divinorum. On Erowid.org a user described his experience” I’ve been here, played out this exact moment before. Maybe once, maybe a thousand times. What’s going on? I’ve had deja vu before–this exceeds any deja vu feeling I’ve ever had before. But this extends beyond the current moment, now I’ve lived this life a hundred times, a thousand times…who knows? Certainly more than once. ” says the anonymous user. Salvia may vary well affect the temporal lobe of the brain, and would be a logical explanation for users reporting déjà vu moments. Some believe that Salvia allows you to access your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind is believed to hold memories of past and future lives and be able to access a higher plane of being. Scientists generally reject such notions, but that does not mean that déjà vu itself should be dismissed.

Déjà vu is often accompanied by a sharpening of the senses and increased awareness. As such, it could be a chance to take note of a situation or place. There could be opportunities for discovery. Or maybe the brain is signalling that there is something worth revisiting. Déjà vu can also be triggered by a dream, salvia use, mediative state, or imaginary experience.

Feelings of intuition can be useful in creativity and problem-solving too. Finally, déjà vu might serve as a reminder of the human ability to imagine oneself in past or future situations, refine memories, and reconstruct one’s experience of the world.

NEW UNDERSTANDING?

It’s been more than a decade since Moulin first encountered a patient with chronic déjà vu. That patient also had dementia. However, Moulin believes that various sources for the occurrences – not only anxiety – may still be identified.

The recent reports of persistent déjà vu may have been rare, but it was followed by a flurry of responses. “People from around the world have contacted us,” says Moulin. “Many say they had the same experience during their 20s and that it resolved spontaneously.”

Scientists hope that studying déjà vu will further the understanding of memory and consciousness in general. Knowing how memory is organized and stored in the brain could be useful for retrieval purposes, for instance. Research on the brain and cognitive processes may also yield clues that could be used in trading neurological dysfunctions.

“Déjà vu is so complex” says Moulin. “If we could uncover the difference between déjà vu and other memory experiences, we could gain a better understanding of many other problems along the way.”

Cannabis and Salvia Divinorum

November 21, 2015 By John Reed Leave a Comment

My Spiritual Experiences with Psychedelics

Cannabis and Salvia Divinorum

Marijuana triggered my first spiritual experience and was largely responsible for my spiritual awakening. Salvia Divinorum demonstrated that Heaven truly exists. Naturally, I find it difficult to condemn the exploration of such drugs.

We’ve come quite a long way in accepting Cannabis. Currently, 18 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana, Washington and Colorado have legalized possession, and almost 30% of the nation has decriminalized possession it in some form or another. More and more studies are demonstrating that Cannabis may offer an incredible array of medical uses, and that Hemp is a much neglected natural material.

While the health benefits of cannabis have been highly touted, little has been written of the spiritual benefits, as if it were still an inconvenient secret. The stigma is still in place, fostered by decades of recreational abuse. Western culture is rather schizophrenic about drugs. We rush to the doctor for a pill to cure our ills, yet discount the possibility of spiritual growth through psychedelics. We treat them irresponsibly, as recreation.

For example, MDMA, or Ecstasy, was initially regarded by therapists as a breakthrough tool for treating emotional and physical trauma, yet once it hit the street as a party drug, the potential for clinical use was quickly discarded, only now making an unconventional comeback.

Cannabis may yet turn out to be nature’s miracle drug; that doesn’t mean everyone should run out and smoke it. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that different people will experience different effects. Just because I experienced a spiritual awakening doesn’t mean someone else necessarily will. My situation may have been unique, and when my ride had run its course, I quit. It was no longer pleasurable. It was never meant to be a lifestyle for me, just a spiritual journey, the impetus for awakening.

Like many people, I experimented in college, many years ago. It was the 1980’s, and Nancy Reagan was promoting her “Just Say No” campaign. My generation was already laughing at this simplistic slogan. I was rather innocent at the time. I was an honor roll student – I didn’t drink, I didn’t do drugs, and I had never had sex. All that changed when I went away to college.

When I tell people about my early experiences smoking marijuana, they usually look at me funny like they don’t quite believe me, like the stuff I was smoking must have been laced with LSD. And of course, I assure them that it wasn’t. I never once hallucinated, or saw colorful visions, or thought my hands were melting. LSD would have been way too much for me to handle.

Most users treated marijuana as light entertainment, a pleasurable way to spend a lazy afternoon. When we smoked, my friends would giggle, but I didn’t get the joke. My amusement was always laced with the profound.

The first several times I smoked, I experienced Gaia on a very intimate level. I could sense energy fields all around me, especially from trees and plants. I could sense their vibration. Everything seemed more three-dimensional, more radiant and alive. I felt more alive, as if I had awoken from a long sleep. Everyday perception felt foggy, dull, and deficient in comparison.

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There were many beautiful sunny days when I would lay on the grass and stare up at the clouds, when I felt something akin to Unity consciousness, completely connected to the Universe around me, experiencing endless peace and an ever-present divine love. If marijuana had a religion, it might be a form of Pantheism, a belief that God is found in nature, that we reside within the consciousness of the Divine. For that reason the energy feels feminine.

Image at top: Not unlike waking up on the planet Pandora, from the film Avatar.

There were days when I felt the presence of God in everything I saw and touched. I was literally walking with God on my shoulder, and this deity taught me many things – that everything was symbolic, holding a layered meaning: that books, chairs, tables, trees, and little suburban houses all represented some larger concept that overlapped our pedestrian reality. It was like living inside a computer program and learning a new language, a symbolic language of the subconscious mind. Synchronicity became an everyday experience.

When I was experiencing all of this, I didn’t know anything about New Age spirituality, Synchronicity, energy fields, or Gnosticism. I was raised with a traditional Christian upbringing. I didn’t have words for the things that I was experiencing, except maybe Science Fiction concepts. It was an album by the band, The Police, “Synchronicity,” that introduced me to this term. And yet one overriding metaphor seemed to apply to my experimentation – the Garden of Eden story, the temptation of forbidden fruit, and the gift of forbidden knowledge. This is a major archetype of the psychedelic experience.

Cannabis has a long history of ritual use. According to Wikipedia, its consumption dates back to 2,000 BCE, to India, China, and ancient Greece. It was one of “five sacred plants” mentioned in the Atharva Veda.

My own spiritual lovefest with weed didn’t last very long – only a couple of months, off and on. It’d be nice to pick up where I left off, to experience this vivid connection once again, but for the most part I’m unable to. Brain chemistry adapts, something changes, the experience is never as good as the first few times… who knows. What I do know is that using any psychedelic is merely the first step of a traditional initiation process into spiritual mysteries. You can not live in that first stage of the quest forever. You must move on.

For me, the door was permanently closed. I was kicked out of Eden. And then things turned dark, very dark.

There was a Shadowside to my marijuana experience. Paranoia can, of course, be a side effect of smoking dope – one of the reasons they call it dope aside from the clumsiness, the absentmindedness, and perpetual laughter. And my paranoia was epic.

Looking back, I was probably in touch with something dark, a negative spiritual entity. I received this intense concept of a vast artificial intelligence that was trying to control the universe, that had imprisoned us on Earth. Long before the film The Matrix arrived in theaters, I was experiencing it as a literal spiritual reality. The Gnostics would have labeled this the Demiurge, the false god of the material world, of which the Archons are its minions. I looked at nature, and I no longer felt connected and loved. I saw darkness behind every brutal act of natural survival, a carnivorous circle of life. Everything became a crucifixion. And this entity was not unlike a deadly spider, tangling us in its web of lies.

There was a certain Eric Clapton song on the radio now and then, called “Cocaine.” (I had no desire to try cocaine.) Yet one verse of the song stuck in my head. It was significant to me.

“She don’t lie, She don’t lie, She don’t lie… cocaine.”

We used to refer to alcohol as “Spirits,” probably for a good reason. People used to believe that you were susceptible to specific spirits when you imbibed. Native tribes in Central America or the Amazon, who ingest peyote or some other form of psychedelic, are actively trying to connect with the spirit world, with entities attached to the drug.

There may in fact be a spirit of marijuana. As spirits go, she is relatively harmless, she amplifies what you bring to her. If you bring her light, she will shine a divine light. If you bring her your darkness, she will magnify that darkness. Yet she can be a trickster. She will allow you to completely deceive yourself, making your illusion a grand one. It’s a theory anyway. I do believe we open ourselves up to the spiritual world when we ingest certain drugs which is why I often frown upon casual use. I don’t think of it as entertainment. My experiences tells me Cannabis is a spiritual tool, one that should be respected and used responsibly. I wish that I had learned such respect and discipline during my brief honeymoon with marijuana.

My experiences were the source material for my fantasy novel, Season of the Serpent. While fictional, the story is somewhat autobiographical, how I found myself surrounded by Synchronicity, propelled into a larger reality, one that I wasn’t quite ready for. But then we’re never quite ready for transformation, until we pass through it.

I was constantly surprising myself as I wrote it, as if I were channeling something bigger than my own story. Not Truth with a capital “T”, but rather metaphorical truth. You may find you reach a place where the idea of truth and deception become indistinguishable, where it’s all about listening to the wisdom of your heart, and not your head.

The only other psychedelic I have ever experimented with was Salvia divinorum, which you can still buy legally in some states, which will produce a very short hallucinatory experience.

This is definitely not a recreational drug. People who ingest this drug report all sorts of strange experiences, from an induced out of body experience, to communicating with bizarre, multi-dimensional alien entities. The experience typically lasts a few seconds to a minute, however the perception of time is quite a bit longer.

As most people will report, this is not a pleasant experience, so I never attempted a second trip. I’m not sure if I ingested enough to induce a full out of body experience, but I certainly felt the unforgettable discomfort of my soul trying to break free. The sensation itself was strangely horrific. I felt as if I were tangled up in a web of dark cables, like black rubber bands, which were trying to prevent my consciousness from escaping my body. It was quite unpleasant. Yet, I was standing on the threshold, and I sensed so much that was just beyond the veil.

This was the really interesting part – I sensed that there really was a Paradise hidden on the other side, just out of sight. I could feel the periphery of it, as if it were just beyond my grasp. Heaven was real, and it was absolutely amazing. Just being there would instantly cure any emotional injury or sorrow. The people, and there was a multitude of people like a huge thriving city, were miraculously happy. That is what I sensed, as if I were standing just outside of a fabulous nightclub where a bouncer was refusing to let me inside the VIP door.

I actually sensed the presence of some type of guardian, an invisible authoritative figure who was very gentle, yet very strict, who deliberately kept me from seeing the other side, telling me: It wasn’t meant to be. It wasn’t my time.

I wasn’t angry about it. For some reason, I just understood.

And that’s what I remember after quickly returning to normal reality. Not all mysteries are meant to be solved in this lifetime. Some are deliberately hidden from us, for our own growth.

Salvia for sale is available for purchase in our online store.

Divinorum: The Documentary

September 26, 2015 By John Reed Leave a Comment

The Project:

Roberto and his team of filmmakers and anthropologists are engaged in a crowdsourcing campaign to raise funds to make a documentary about Salvia divinorum.

The aim of the project is to spread greater awareness of the potential of Salvia for its transformative properties and how its impacted the lives of people. This has become more urgent has the Mexican authorities are discussing making Salvia illegal. Salvia has gotten a lot of negative attention that has been fuelled by bad press, silly you tube videos and mostly fear mongering of people who do not understand what Salvia is.

This documentary will provide much needed insight into Salvia that has never been discussed by the media/politicians.

I strongly encourage everyone to contribute whatever they can to help make this documentary the best it can be. $5, $10 whatever you can.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/divinorum-the-documentary/x/12180016#/story

The Team:

Nicholas Spiers: Born in the UK. He studied social and visual anthropology and has carried out fieldwork in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico. He has written for several publications on indigenous rights and transcultural cinema. He is currently living in Mexico City where he teaches and makes documentaries.

Roberto López Mélinchon: Born in Peru. Studied social psychology in Lima and visual anthropology in Barcelona. He has experience in social and transcultural research as well as in documentary and photo production. He has worked in Istanbul, India, Barcelona, Cuzco and Mexico as a researcher and documentalist. His latest work has focused on traditional medicine and medicinal plants.

Litay Ortega: Born in Mexico. She studied cinematography, social anthropology and visual anthropology. In 2011 she founded Tlazocamati, a collective of ethnographic cinema which addresses traditional medicine, music, and everyday life. Today she combines working as a professional editor with the production of independent documentaries.

Salvia for sale is available for purchase in our online store. Check your states salvia legal status before you buy salvia

A Recent Salvia Trip of Mine

October 27, 2014 By John Reed 1 Comment

Dose: 4 hits of Salvia Divinorum extract 10x
Method: Smoked
Body Weight: 180 lbs
Gender: Male
Age at time of experience: 19
Experience Year: 2011

The other night I drove to a secluded area outside my town to smoke some salvia. Upon arrival, there was a deer and a buck that galloped off into the distance a little. I brought a few blankets which I laid out and one I covered up with, and a pillow to lay my head on as I looked up at the star covered sky. I packed a bowl in my bong and sat there for about 3 minutes, breathing and relaxing my body, preparing for the journey. I decided it was time, I reached over for my bong and put it up to my mouth, lit the lighter and took a hit. I set the bong at my side and looked up at the stars again. My eyes got heavy and my senses diminished slowly. The visuals started to come, I saw a bright yellow wall with a blue meditating person at the bottom, kind of resembling Buddha. At first there was a single wall but it quickly become four separate walls all visible, the meditating person was 3D compared to the wall but the overall feeling was of 2D visuals for a short while. The walls became bright colorful shapes, used to create a beautiful environment. Many colors started to show and things were quite distorted in terms of organization, things were all over the place. Once the colorful visuals were all prevalent, the chanting sounds came into play. There was enthusiastic laughter and giggling that sounded as if it came from the colors and shapes themselves, sort of like everything being part of one connected mind that thought independently for itself, even inanimate objects. At this point, all things became part of one big environment that I could feel myself as part of; there was houses, plants and pretty much a city that I was in the middle of that was made of only bright shapes, mainly squares and circles. Once the visuals became most vivid, the effects started to wear off. I could feel it all diminishing, just like my senses before entering the foreign land. My physical sight started to come back and I was able to feel myself in my body again. I stayed laying on the ground with a blank expression on my face, listening to everything from cars driving in the distance to my thoughts and intuitive wisdom. I did have a blank expression and my body felt paralyzed, at least for a minute until feeling came back into my nerves, but I was in a complete state of bliss and enlightenment, the energy in my body was aligned and I could feel both my heart and mind in harmony. There was more than just thinking about what was around me, I was feeling it on a very energetic level. I had no worry, anxiety, stress or any other negative feeling. I was completely aligned in terms of energy and I was connected to the world around me. I got up and packed everything into my car once I felt feeling in all of my body, I sat in my car for a few minutes just thinking and allowing my body to fully adjust to being back in physical reality. I thought about how over confident I had felt, so I went to the corner store and bought a scratch ticket and it won (this is not the first time I have won on tickets right after using salvia). Earlier that day I had smoked a little salvia and went to buy a scratch ticket and I ended up winning on two tickets in a row, which only helped me maintain my state of mind and understand the harmony of my heart and mind. The experience that night was beyond enlightening; salvia divinorum is an amazing tool for obtaining nirvana and expanding consciousness.

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Salvia for sale is available for purchase in our online store. Check your states salvia legal status before you buy salvia

Salvia Divinorum (Ska Pastora)

What is Salvia divinorum?

History

Botanical

Chemistry

Effects

Forms of Salvia divinorum

Fresh leaf

Dried leaf

Tincture

Tea

Tolerance and addiction potential

Legal issues

Usage methods:

Experience reports:

External Links:

Using psychedelics safely

Introduction

Effects of Psychedelics

Usage advices

LINKS / FURTHER READING

1. Keep a Journal of your Dreams.

2. Perform “reality checks” during the day.

3. Drift back to sleep when awakened from a dream.

4. Use something natural to give you an extra boost.

RELIEVING THE MOMENT

A ‘GLITCH’ IN THE SYSTEM?

HAVE I DREAMT THIS BEFORE?

NEW UNDERSTANDING?

Cannabis and Salvia Divinorum

The Project:

The Team:

Experience reports:

Links/Resources: