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entheogen
March 2008 
Salvia Divinorum Primer
Rich
I figured that I better talk about salvia divinorum now while it is still legal in most states in this country and also legal in most countries on the planet.
The Basics
Salvia divinorum is a plant used for its psychoactive effects. Given the right dose, individual, set and setting, it produces a unique state of 'divine inebriation' which has been traditionally used by Mazatec healers. This inebriation is quite different from that of alcohol. Salvia divinorum is both similar to, and different from, other drugs that affect the brain and behavior. In many ways Salvia divinorum is a unique 'magical' herb. Salvia (and the salvinorin it contains) is very difficult to categorize pharmacologically. It does not fit well into any existing pharmacological class.
What is a Salvia divinorum experience like? It is almost certainly not like what you expect. Even if you have considerable experience with other psychoactive drugs, you will find that salvia is significantly different from what you may have encountered before. Salvia is unique, and it is best understood on its own terms, and not by analogy with other substances. Salvia is not a recreational drug, rather, it is best used by those wishing to explore deep meditative states, spiritual realms, mysticism, the nature of consciousness and reality, or the possibilities of shamanistic healing. Experiences vary with the individual, set, and setting as well as with dose and route of administration. It produces a short-lived inebriation that is very different from that of alcohol. However, like alcohol it interferes with the ability to drive, produces incoordination (ataxia), and may produce slurred speech.
The inebriation, at low doses, can facilitate aesthetic and sensual appreciation. However, the experience is not marijuana-like, and salvia is not a marijuana substitute. At somewhat higher doses, visionary trances occur. The lowest level visions consist mainly of closed-eye imagery somewhat similar to the hypnagogic phenomena that many people experience when falling asleep. These tend to be two dimensional faint images. The term "eye candy" is an appropriate description of the interesting closed eye visuals that are not confused with reality. At this level communication with others is still easy and one can move about although clumsiness will occur. With a higher dose vivid visual images occur even with eyes open, and with eyes closed one may completely enter the visionary world, and it will seem quite real, but upon opening ones eyes one will reestablish contact with ones surroundings. Speech patterns may be interfered with and communication is difficult. At still higher doses, one remains conscious but completely enters an inner realm and loses all contact with ones actual surroundings. Some people may move around in this deep trance state and for this reason a sitter is required for anyone seeking to explore such deep levels. With very high dosage a brief period of unconsciousness or at least the inability to subsequently remember the experience will occur.
Further information can be found in this FAQ.
The Expert
Daniel Siebert is an independent researcher, pharmacognosist, ethnobotanist, educator, and author. He has been studying Salvia divinorum for over twenty years and was the first person to work on the human pharmacology of salvinorin A and to clearly identify this compound as the psychoactive principal of the plant. He has studied Salvia divinorum in its native habitat and has worked with it under the guidance of Mazatec shamans.
The Experience
Erowid is a member-supported organization providing access to reliable, non-judgmental information about psychoactive plants and chemicals and related issues. They work with academic, medical, and experiential experts to develop and publish new resources, as well as to improve and increase access to already existing resources. They also strive to ensure that these resources are maintained and preserved as a historical record for the future. [Somebody has to preserve all of this seemingly wild and crazy stuff] ;-)
Words fail to describe the salvia experience but you can read others attempts at putting it into words here. Be prepared for some mind-blowing recollections.
For a good video introduction to salvia, check out this short student documentary on Salvia Divinorum:
Finally, if you have time, check out Alex. The video is a little long but captures a full salvia experience. Alex’s experience resonates very deeply with me. During the salvia experience, everything happens so quickly that words fail to convey what is being witnessed moment to moment.
“It feels like my mind is a camera and it’s taking pictures and every time there’s a flash my mind is thinking and while there’s not a flash my mind is not thinking.” ~ Alex
Alex is only one of several hundred “younger” persons that have posted their salvia experiences on YouTube. Unfortunately most of these “young” people have little or no framework to understand or comprehend the experience. So what are we to do? Make salvia illegal and sweep it under the rug with marijuana, LSD and MDMA?
When are we going to stop, wake up and pay attention to what is being revealed to us?
“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain” ~ Wizard of Oz
Access: Public
Interesting post Rich…..
You know, the reason I never tried it, and I guess I would……if I trusted the source…..
I've heard that it kind of puts you in a stupor and makes you drool. And that there can be some uncomfortable side effects. But there has to be the common sense angle…….and I very well may be wrong……
Why do so MANY people use pot and so FEW people use Salvia…….and I know, you said it's NOT like pot…….but part of me thinks……come on, if it WERE that good, everyone would be doing it……doesn't it grow in a lot of places and isn't it therefore pretty cheap, especially if it's legal? One would think if it's that good, a LOT more people would be using it. Yet I see it nowhere. I've gone to rock concerts and festivals where people were doing everything……but not that. There has to be a reason why.
Thanks
Fee
hehe… I originally thought the same thing, “if it WERE that good, everyone would be doing it…”
I've researched and experimented with several sacred plants that are readily available for purchase on the internet. It “works”. I was shocked when I first stepped into “salvia space”.
…Amazing what the internet has made available to all of us…
Most of us have had altered states induced by alcohol. Coffee, sugar and chocolate induce altered states are common to most of us as well. Some of us have also experienced a marijuana induced altered state. Psilocybin mushrooms, peyote and LSD can produce even more intense altered states. These altered states can be induced without chemicals or plants through meditation, yoga, tantra, drumming, chanting, ecstatic dance, hypnosis and sensory deprivation.
The salvia experience [in my opinion] seems to be the king, actually the queen of altered state induction. There are different levels that can be reached during the salvia experience. At low levels the experience is unbelievably meditative. At high levels I've seen users get lost in the emptyness and drooling goes along with the stupor.
The phrase, “How far down the rabbit hole do you want to go?” is a great way of approaching the salvia experience.
In my opinion it is that “good”. So good that it can be beautiful, enlightening, blissful, shocking, uncomfortable and frightening… all at the same time… all in a 5-minute “trip”.
Once you experience it, you will understand why you don't see it being used in public at rock concerts and festivals. You may actually find it there but those using it will be in private places holding their own private salvia ceremonies.
I hope that helps.
Oh I'm sure it “works”…….I'm not saying that I don't think anything would happen…..
But again…….you seem to be focusing on the psychedelics angle…….and I've come across many many people in my life that were into LSD, Mushrooms, X, etc……
If this Salvia gives you such a great experience, why were they not doing it? And it's not like no one knows about it. I've heard about Salvia since the 80s. Every once in a while it would appear in “High Times” magazine. But still, no one I've ever met seems to be into it.
And hey, I'm not saying that YOU don't dig it………hey, for all I know it IS great……and if you were over here I'd give it a shot, but…….I don't know……let me check some things out…
I'm not seeing anything horrible about it.
So mail me some.
I'm of course assuming that since it's legal, that's a reasonable and legitimate request!
I've had some amazing experiences on LSD and Mushrooms so………hey, why wouldn't I try it once?
It depends on how you define “great experience”. By “being into it”, do you mean “would they do it on a regular basis while relaxing and socializing”, then no, they would not be into it.
Please understand that I am trying to bring some clarity around the use of salvia. This conversation is typical when discussing salvia with persons that are new to salvia. There is a lot of confusion when comparing salvia to other plants and drugs.
Please read the FAQ. Your questions will be answered there.
I don't really have any more questions. I did some research and found it to be relatively harmless, with probably more upside than downside, especially if used responsibly. It seems like it may be worth trying. I'd even give it a shot myself under the right circumstances. If I found a lot of bad stuff, I'd say so.