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The Spirits of Plants Cause My Mind to Unwind
Huasca Brew (Syrian Rue & Various)
Citation:   dreamrhythm. "The Spirits of Plants Cause My Mind to Unwind: An Experience with Huasca Brew (Syrian Rue & Various) (exp74976)". Erowid.org. Nov 21, 2009. erowid.org/exp/74976

 
DOSE:
T+ 0:00
  repeated smoked Cannabis - Hash  
  T+ 0:00 2 Tbsp oral Syrian Rue (tea)
  T+ 0:20 12.5 g oral Mimosa tenuiflora (tea)
  T+ 0:20 2 g oral Banisteriopsis caapi (tea)
  T+ 0:20 6 leaves oral Psychotria viridis (tea)
BODY WEIGHT: 150 lb
The context and setting of the experience was in a rural park on the Big island of Hawaii. The medicine to be imbibed was a combination of syrian rue, mimosa tenuiflora, and very small amounts of ayahuasca vine and chacruna leaf; to include those plant spirits in the brew. The experience was to be shared by myself and my friend C whom I have a close brotherly connection with. We ground all of the materials in the blender seperately and set off with our supplies to the park.

It was a cloudy day at about ten in the morning when we arrived. First we rode into the park and stopped under some coconut trees to harvest coconuts to drink during our journey. After that we strode down the beach to find a good camp spot to build a fire and brew our medicine. To paint a picture of the scenery, which I feel was key to the set and setting of the journey; we were on the rocky coast of southeastern hawaii, tide pools and lava rocks were all along the shore, the tides were raging that day giving me the impression of powerful elemental forces at work to aid in our healing. There were coconut and ironwood trees surrounding us and our fire pit, soft pine needles of the ironwoods creating a comfortable dry cushioning on the ground. We began to brew around noon, proceeded to brew the mimosa, vine, and chacruna leaf together. Lilikoi (passion fruit) juice and pulp was also added to acidify the mixture along with small amounts of coconut water. The brew was cooked over the fire for about an hour and ten minutes, cooled down strained and then the syrian rue was brewed for about ten minutes following that, also with small amounts of lilikoi and coconut water. The rue was then cooled and strained through cheesecloth and strainer.

C and I said a prayer over the finished brews and set our intentions for healing and visions. I spoke that I wished for the medicine to bring me health and healing on all levels, my friend said much the same and then we took turns drinking the rue, finally settling after intaking about ¾ of what we brewed between the two of us. I believe I drank a bit more than him. I feel it’s important to note that we were both fasting on coconuts all day, eating very little coconut and drinking only coconut water. We also were chasing the brew with coconut water to clear our palettes of the nauseating taste of the potent medicine. Also, we were smoking hash intermittently throughout the whole day. We settled down near the fire for a bit to wait for the rue to work its magic before we drank the other half of this alchemical elixir of healing. C walked off for a bit to go to the bathroom and after he returned we both started to note some effects coming on. We checked the time and it was three o clock now. We waited a total of about twenty minutes before intaking the mimosa combination. I drank at least a third of what we had brewed, perhaps a little more, and C drank maybe half of what I drank.

Time passed and I started to feel uncomfortable within myself and C noted the same feeling. He got up to take a walk and I stayed put by the fire, we were both dealing with a fair bit of nausea on and off. Though with my previous experiences with this particular brew were much more nauseating than this time, I attributed this to the lilikoi’s subtle sweetness and perhaps from the coconut fasting. C came back and went again several times, he said walking helped the nausea. I preferred to stay by the fire and lay down. After about an hour with little effects coming on we both were discussing how the brew might not be very potent, that perhaps the root bark was too old or something wasn’t right. I commented that I had felt better before taking anything and now I just felt slightly sick and uncomfortable. This period didn’t last much longer. I stood up and C went again for another walk. I began to kind of pace about in his absence and I leaned against a coconut tree. My thoughts were beginning to accelerate, emotional issues were being brought to the front of my mind. I began to think about many things in my life I choose to ignore normally, the medicine started to really kick in now.

By the time C came back I was coming up fast. I told him such and he said he wasn’t feel much still, I then commented how I think I had taken quite a bit more than him. I started to see visions of stars overlaying my normal vision, hexagrams and hexagons and luminous colors started to show up all over. We spoke about going down to the water to view the ocean and waves and I grabbed my doumbek and we left the fire to visit the water. When we got down to the water my trip was accelerating into hyperspace with enormous speed. I sat in the sand by the rocks and exclaimed ‘Wow, this is coming on fast’ I also kept saying ‘holy shit’ and ‘oh my god’. Maybe 10 minutes later I was peaking. I looked out to the sky and the ocean and clouds and perceived this luminous dome of the atmosphere encasing the earth, I perceived the earth as a living being abounding with enormous beauty and majesty. I sensed the spirits of the plants were speaking to me, telling me ‘LOOK, life is beautiful and amazing!!” and saying “wake up!!”. I felt totally enlightened and in tune with the spirit world.

I began to laugh at the ridiculousness of life in general and how humans get caught up in so many games and how there behind it all exists this realm of perfect majesty and beauty all around, just waiting to be accessed through spiritual practice and plant medicines. I started to squeal and laugh with blissful delight as I had so many realizations about the nature of the universe and life on this planet. I knew that no matter what nobody could touch this state of inspiration and euphoria I was feeling, I was mine to behold, a gift from the earth and from God. I explained many of these things to C while I was speaking in high voice, the kind of high voice you might hear if someone is speaking in the middle of laughing, if they were overwhelmed with emotion and intensity as I was. I realized everything is always okay, and that love pervades all, that inside of ourselves there is nothing but spirit through and through and that consciousness is the only thing we really have, all else is temporary, spirit is transcendent and I was witnessing my spirit. My vision was becoming a blur of movement, everything and anything was moving in front of my eyes, intricate geometric patterns and stars overlayed all my vision. Deep fractal caves and tunnels opened up everywhere I looked, I lost sense of self in those visions. This was around 4:30 or 5 pm.

I stayed in this state for hours, lost in time, lost in thoughts and space. I played my drum and felt the amazing rhythms pouring out of my hands, divinely inspired. C and I also beatboxed and traded freestyling flows back and forth for a while. I was unable to keep up with any particular activity for too long because my attention span was constantly wavering, my mind dancing here and there over all the different thoughts, exploring the worlds inside of each and every thought. Everything I thought about had a million different associated meanings and depths to dive into and all of it was incredibly profound. I remember chanting Om Namah Shivaya for a time and witnessing the ancient feeling of those sounds and I felt as if that was the song of the universe I was singing, and that it is always happening and I was just singing along with it. I became the song and the song was of God. A praise to Shiva and I was Shiva and I was also witnessing Shiva. Everything hit me so hard and just made me feel so elated. My perspective was refreshed and my mind cleansed of all its clutter during that peak spiritual experience. I received so many messages but the resounding message through it all was that no matter what everything is alright, no matter what we witness, see, feel, perceive, behind it all is a sense of peace and centeredness that we can tap into. That centeredness is where spirit dwells.

Eventually C and I went back to the fire and smoked more herb and I started to ground out a bit. I thanked C profusely because I knew I was needing him there during the experience and I didn’t want to feel like a burden. I apologized for anything that might have bothered him because I knew my extreme feelings were making me feel and act outrageously good and I didn’t know if that might have bothered him. He explained it was all good, he was happy to be there and he wasn’t bothered or disappointed about anything. I told him I loved him and that I was so grateful for him holding space during my intense experience. At about 8 o clock I finally started to really come back to base reality, though I was still very much feeling the spirits of the plants within me. I could talk a little easier and function a little better. I still felt some small amount of confusion at times but it was dissipating fast. We drove out of the park and went back to his place to eat some food. He was ravenous at this point because he didn’t take nearly as much as I and so didn’t have the spirit food I was feeding off of during my own experience.

To summarize I would say that I received the perfect message I was meant to receive from the spirits of those particular plants, which was the message of the beauty of life and the majesty of the spirit world, always waiting to be tapped into and to receive love and energy from. This experience brought up all my demons and made me face them with the extreme power of blissful love that blasted them all to smithereens. I feel so much more respect for the world and for life, and so much appreciation for the blessings I received and the visions I witnessed. Thanks to the creator, the spirits of the plants that caused my mind to unwind, and thanks for the earth our mother and provider. Aho.

Exp Year: 2008ExpID: 74976
Gender: Male 
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Nov 21, 2009Views: 29,055
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Huasca Brew (268), Mimosa tenuiflora (74), Syrian Rue (45), Banisteriopsis caapi (169), Psychotria viridis (170) : Small Group (2-9) (17), Nature / Outdoors (23), Mystical Experiences (9)

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