Author: James Anderson

What is Salvia?

You might require multiple large hits off a bong or pipe and that is still no guarantee of a large enough dose to hit a high level of salvia inhalation. For sublingual consumption, a typical dose is between 10 and 50 grams of fresh (not dried) leaf or about six to 30 leaves. Extracts usually come in 5x, 6x and 10x concentrations and here a single hit will be more than enough.

1. It is not uncommon for those taking salvia to feel an increase of pressure across the entire body.
2. Using small amounts of salvia leaves brings on a calm, glowing, slightly psychedelic experience, akin to marijuana.
3. However, salvinorin can not be absorbed through the stomach so the tea needs to be held in your mouth for seconds for each sip.
4. In Western society, research into Salvia did not start until the 1930’s, where it was described by Jean Basset Johnson as he was researching the Mexican use of psychedelics.
5. Extracts usually come in 5x, 6x and 10x concentrations and here a single hit will be more than enough.

Salvia has been called an atypical psychedelic because it acts on an entirely different pathway in the brain than traditional psychedelics. Alternatively they would probably lay in a quiet environment, or sit outside under the night stars, letting the Salvia do its work. Salvia is distinctly a different trip from psychedelics and traditional recreational drugs. The first Mazatec variation starts with a large pile of Salvia leaves, which is ground up and mushed into a pulp that can be purified into a liquid drink.

Salvia Dosage

Generally, the effects of salvia are a little different than your typical psychedelic. The most common physiological effects are dizziness, perspiration, loss of motor function, slurred speech, chills, and imbalance during standing or walking. At low doses, the cognitive effects include increased body awareness, euphoria, an increased presence of mind, altered perceptions and heightened introspection. There has never been a documented overdose Salvia, and it does not have strong addictive properties whatsoever. Its effects are extremely short, which can be either a pro or con depending on the situation (it also has little negative lingering effects).

This was referenced in a 17th century writing, and would help explain the potential origins of the plant; however, many believe this old reference to be cannabis, and not salvia. Although it is theorized that Salvia has been used for centuries, it was not “discovered” by the Western world until the famous ethnobotanist, R. Gordon Wasson is most notably the botanist who introduced psilocybin containing mushrooms to the West. Because of the way the active ingredient affects the brain, some scientists believe salvia could have implications for developing a therapy, for example, for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Salvia also has a low addiction potential, and people have not reported overdoses. They refer to the leaf as “Herb of Mary, the Shepherdess.” They believe the plant to be an incarnation of the Virgin Mary.

These extracts can be anywhere from five to 10+ times more concentrated and are used to induce intense trips. Extracts are involved in the most unique way of consuming salvia, tinctures. These tinctures are the purified liquid extract placed under the tongue to offer a quicker onset of action and sometimes lengthen the experience. The most common way of consuming salvia is by smoking the dry leaves out of a pipe, bong, or joint. Smoking salvia will usually not produce extremely strong psychedelic effects.

In Western society, research into Salvia did not start until the 1930’s, where it was described by Jean Basset Johnson as he was researching the Mexican use of psychedelics. Johnson described the leaves of the plant as being used as part of psychedelic rituals. This led to Wasson conducting further research into the plant in the 1950’s, when he confirmed that it contained psychedelic properties. In a collaboration with Albert Hoffman (the inventor of LSD), and Robert G. Weitlaner, a living sample of saliva was brought back to the West for study and classification in the early 60’s. As a result of this, Wasson went onto suggest that salvia could possibly be what the Aztecs called “Pipiltzintzintli” – meaning “purest little prince”.

Salvia: Everything You Need To Know

Salvia is a an amazingly powerful psychedelic, and although its trips are short, they can be quite intense. Some psychonauts will even go as far as to say that Salvia divinorum is the trippiest of all. With that in mind, it comes as no surprise that you should be well prepared before ingesting Salvia. Level six, the last and highest level, is the point at which total ego loss occurs, and with it the memory of the experience may be entirely lost afterwards. On the outside, the user might show strange facial expressions, utter incomprehensible words & noises, bang, trash around, topple over, or even sit perfectly still and silent.

It’s safe and reliable, but takes up more leaves and raw Salvia plant than other methods. The Salvia Experiential is a six level scale designed to let users rate the intensity of their Salvia trip. The six letters of the acronym S.A.L.V.I.A. correspond to ascending levels of intensity, one through six.

Are There Any Negative Side Effects of Taking a Salvia Trip?

People have reported visions of a woman or sacred objects during hallucinations. In a survey, 18.5% of people who had used Salvia said their life would be better off if Salvia didn’t exist. For comparison, this was similar to amphetamine, where 17.7% of users said their life would be better off if amphetamine didn’t exist. If you or someone else needs urgent help after taking drugs or drinking, call 999 for an ambulance. If you’re caught driving under the influence, you may receive a heavy fine, driving ban, or prison sentence. How long the effects last and the drug stays in your system depends on how much you’ve taken, your size and what other drugs you may have also taken.

In traditional Mexican consumption, users would chew the leaves into a cud and hold the juices in their mouths for increased absorption. The second of these roles is the obligation of the tripsitter to help make the trip the best experience in any way possible. Simple emotional reassurance can go a long way during a trip gone wrong, and giving a tripping person soothing, easy to understand phrases to pay attention to can help tremendously. Try making clear to them that they are hallucinating, and that they are physically safe. Tell them who you are, tell them your name, and call them by their name, explaining that they are simply going through a bad trip that won’t last.

While a salvia tea produces psychoactive effects, it is not nearly as strong as the quid method, for example. The most common negative side effect of taking salvia is having a challenging trip. Experiencing immersive hallucinations can cause confusion, disorientation, paranoia, and panic attacks. Luckily, the salvia trip is relatively short, so these effects should diminish after 10 to 30 minutes and completely subside within an hour. Having a calming sitter on hand can also reduce the severity of a difficult experience. When smoking salvia, a typical dose is between 0.2 to 0.5 grams, but many people find it difficult to achieve the full effects from smoking salvia at these dosages or in fact through smoking it at any dose.

The two Mazatec methods have their perks, but overall, they are definitely not the choice of most regular Salvia users. When chewing, the trip takes about 15 minutes to kick in, peaks after about 30 minutes and lasts for about an hour, ending in a gradual comedown. However, some consumers who have participated in Mazatec salvia rituals say that the trip can last for several hours. Salvia, or more specifically Salvia divinorum, is a soft green plant that is part of the mint family. The plant produces a powerfully psychoactive response due to the chemical Salvinorin contained in its leaves.

Lastly, Salvia and its active ingredient are non-controlled in the US and most countries worldwide; it is commonly available at gas stations and smoke shops. The user chews the leaf thoroughly for a period of time, grinding out the Salvinorin A and allowing it to absorb through their tongue & mouth’s membranes before they swallow the leaves. The second Mazatec method is still less potent per leaf volume than a quid, talked about more later. Salvia leaves are also bitter and tough, making them difficult to get down your throat and swallow.

Many people report that as compared with other psychedelics, salvia isn’t a particularly enjoyable experience. Salvia creates a dramatic and sometimes frightening full-body and mind experience. It is not uncommon for those taking salvia to feel an increase of pressure across the entire body. On the mental side, salvia can create dizziness, increased emotionality and a dreamlike state of consciousness. The rule of thumb for tripsitting is to keep a calm head when the person tripping is not.

Using small amounts of salvia leaves brings on a calm, glowing, slightly psychedelic experience, akin to marijuana. Though it’s technically legal in most nations, driving under the influence of the plant can still get you a DUI, and public use is, as a rule of thumb, always risky. If you’re planning to trip, you NEED to have an extra sober hand around for this reason, among others.