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I Should Know Better
Salvia divinorum
Citation:   First Timer. "I Should Know Better: An Experience with Salvia divinorum (exp31398)". Erowid.org. Mar 2, 2004. erowid.org/exp/31398

 
DOSE:
50 mg smoked Salvia divinorum (extract)
BODY WEIGHT: 165 lb
This whole thing started because I have been using marijuana for my insomnia and arthritis for awhile and ran out. It's extremely difficult to find marijuana, so the alternative was to look for other more easily obtainable substances. So I tried wild dagga, kanna, and wild lettuce. None of these helped my insomnia nor did they have any discernable side effects except for seared lungs and a headache. Why am I telling you this? I found Salvia during my search for other herbs and because of my experiences with previous alternatives, I vastly underestimated Salvia's power.

I had taken LSD, Shrooms and Mescaline about twenty years ago, so I do have some first hand knowledge of mind trips.

I ordered 20x extract because I thought this herb is going to be like the other ones I tried, basically useless. Luckily I did read a lot about this minty leaf before smoking.

First try:

Early morning, didn't have to be at work today.
Smoked 50mg in one hit. I thought this was a small amount to start with ... wrong. After holding in the hit for about 30 seconds I looked down and there were just swirling colors where the floor should be. Then the gravity started. It felt like something was pulling hard on my sleeve and left side. Pulling me down into the couch which was now flatting out. I was becoming the couch and I said to myself 'I only did a little bit'. The gravity part of the experience was uncomfortable and was detracting from the experience and what I expected. There was also a strong feeling that someone or something was trying to control me and that was a bit creepy. I did know however, that I had smoked Sally and that I would not be gone very long. I did try to stand up just to see if I could and I couldn't. If I didn't read and study about sally I think I might have freaked out, not because of the visuals but because of the gravity. Within 2 minutes I was back to normal and awestruck. Holy crap this stuff is potent. The rest of the day I was thinking that I'm done with Sally, I really didn't like the gravity and found it scary.

One person suggested going to a 5 experience on the Salvia scale the first time, this is a foolish suggestion even for experienced trippers. Salvia is not like anything I've ever tried. I would build up to the experience and have a sitter if possible. I would also use nothing more than 5x the first time.

Two days later:

It's about 11:00pm. The time is a better one to try this new wonder and have decided to go slow and give it one more try.

Smoked about 10mg. I feel a slight coldness in my hands and arms and a familiar feeling the Sally is here but then the effect just fades out. Looks like a have to increase the dose.

Smoked a 25mg hit. It's coming on stronger now I lay down and close my eyes. The gravity starts but it's not as bad laying down as it was sitting up my first time. I see two colorful wheels at my waist. The left one is spinning clockwise and the right is spinning counter clockwise. The rings are actually part of my body.

Now I here a women's voice and the world starts folding in and out of me (again gravity related) at this point I opened my eyes and the room looked normal. I closed my eyes again and saw my body in liquid or elastic form move about the room and then get stuck in one of top corners of the ceiling. I looked over to the right and up to see it. I then opened my eyes and realized I was looking straight ahead and had never really turned my head. At this point the effects are fading rapidly.

Smoked another 25mg hit. I layed back and soon felt a tugging on the left side of my face. Maybe because the right brain is more visual I always seem to feel the effects on my left side first, before it takes over the rest of my body. The tugging continues and I feel and see my body become unspun like yarn starting on the left side of my face then moving down. My body has become an elastic fluid substance and I watch it swirl around the room. Then something becomes clear. I'm not having an out of body experience in the typical sense. My mind did not leave my body and go traveling. My mind is on the couch and my body is swirling around the room. Soon the swirling mass comes back to me and I open my eyes to reality.

These trips do not last very long for me but they are very intense. I will experiment some more with this armed with a better respect for Salvia and having been humbled. It's unfortunate that many of my peers do not approve of such experiences and since finding a sitter is difficult I doubt I will be traveling into 5 territory on the Salvia scale. Over time it will be interesting to see if I can learn to direct the experiences and learn to open up my mind and use Salvia more effectively. My description of the events does not even come close to what I experienced, It is very hard to put them in words.

In closing I would like to say be careful and have respect for Salvia. Read the FAQs and Users Guide on www.sagewisdom.org and make sure you know what you are getting into. I came close to screwing up the first time I tried it and I should know better at my age.

Exp Year: 2004ExpID: 31398
Gender: Male 
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Mar 2, 2004Views: 25,032
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Salvia divinorum (44) : First Times (2), Alone (16)

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