Disclaimer: I'm not a medical doctor. Consult your doctor, lawyer, mother, personal psychic, healer, and your local congressman/woman before ingesting this stuff. In fact, just don't ingest it at all.
But since you aren't going to take my advice....
WORDS OF CAUTION
Safety is always my first consideration when preparing herbs. It should be yours, too. So I'll break down the safety considerations for our friend, Mr. (or Mrs.) Calea Zacatechichi.
1.) Allergic Reactions
It's possible to have an allergic reaction to Calea. It's usually minor, but can be painful, and I wouldn't be suprised if it could be serious for some people. Symptoms include (but might not be limited to) lack of physical stamina, swelling in the extremeties with rash on the feet, between toes. Swelling in the hands, with redness on the fingers, mild nausea, drowsiness, very mild vertigo.
ALLERGY TEST: Test it first, and avoid the allergenics altogether. To test it, just keep 2 small leaves of Calea Z. under your tongue or in your cheek for about 15 minutes, ingesting the resulting juices. Expectorate the leaves, and wait for about 15 more minutes. If you feel ANY swelling or itching in your extremeties, discontinue use. FURTHERMORE, if you feel swelling, treat with topical diphenhydramine (benadryl.) DO NOT expose yourself to the sun while using topical dyphenhydramine. That in and of itself can make the allergic reaction 10 times WORSE, and can result in a doctor's visit. So just whole up indoors, wear a hat, whatever, but don't get a lot of sunshine if you are using topical diphenhydramine due to Calea allergy. MOST people aren't allergic to the stuff. If you are allergic to it, you can 'chew' the leaves for about a week, 'deal' with the mild reaction, and you will probably then have a resistence to the allergy. If you don't have a reaction with just a couple of leaves, you will PROBABLY be fine, so continue to the next section.
2.) NAUSEA
Cale Z. is simply the worst tasting edible substance known to man. If you make a tea of the stuff, be very near a place where you can vomit freely. I'm serious.
3.) LUNG CANCER
Your chances of getting lung cancer by smoking Calea Z are probably so small that they aren't worth mentioning, but what the heck. I don't recommend smoking ANYTHING, so I thought I'd put this little notice here that smoking ANYTHING can damage your lungs, since they aren't prepared to handle burning gases, tar, and the large (comparitively) and dense particles found in smoke.
EXPECTED RESULTS
Every person's body has a unique physiology, and a unique chemistry. Therefore, your results may vary. These results are typical, however.
MILD EUPHORIA
Especially when smoked in a large-enough quantity, Calea Z can produce a REALLY mild cannabis-like euphoria, but without the apathy. It's not the same thing, so don't just buy a ton of Calea Z. to smoke because 'budz' is illegal. You will probably not get the same effect just by drinking the tea, since the stuff tastes so terrible that the psychological effect of the bad taste offsets the euphoric feeling one might otherwise encounter.
MENTAL CLARITY
Strangely enough, I've found that using Calea in ANY form tends to clear the mind. It alters the perception of time so that it appears that time is passing more slowly, and it makes one feel more 'in control' of things.
VIVID DREAMS
This should be obvious, since this is a Lucid Dreaming Forum. Now you won't AUTOMATICALLY become lucid in your dreams, but your chances of lucidity are greatly increased. Furthermore, your dreams can seem so realistic (in some cases) that they are actually MORE enjoyable than a normal lucid dream where the level of clarity is not as high. The level of clarity, or continuity produced by Calea Z. is due to the fact that the 'Memory Continuity Facilitator' function is turned ON by Calea Z. and therefore MCV jumps (jumping from one time/place to another time/place suddenly in a dream) are not as likely.
SIDE EFFECTS
None noted, unless you have an allergy to the stuff. There are no reports (or suspicions by scientists) of ill effects resulting from the use, long term, or short term, of this herb.
PREPARATION & DOSAGE
I will list the three most common methods, then my new method.
1.) SMOKING
Smoke one or two cigarretes of the leaves/flowers. It's a little bitter, but not too bad. Do so right before you are going to sleep, but do NOT smoke it in bed.
2.) TEA
If you are brave, and want to try the tea, take about 3 grams of calea leaves and steep them in simmering (not heavily boiling) water for about 15 minutes. Add honey, sugar, or whatever else you can find to make the stuff taste better, but for the love of God, don't add citrus. TRUST ME. There are various herbs and berries you can add to this to make it taste better. One such berry is called 'magic berry' but unfortunately, I don't have it's latin name. I'll post more about that issue later.
3.) ALGAE CAPSULES
You can get algae capsules at your local herbalist, or maybe even wal-mart. Alternatively, you can empty some capsules of other herbs or supplements that you have found useless, and repack them with Calea Z. insted. Get about 1 gram, and fill two capsules. Ingest about 30 minutes before bedtime.
4.) RESIN RECIPE
Procure a bottle of 190 proof (95%) alcohol such as Everclear. Brand is completely unimportant, so get the cheapest crap you can find. Be REALLY careful, though. This stuff is as flammable as gasoline (petrol, for those of you in the UK.) Place 1 part Calea Z. Leaves in 2 Parts Alcohol in a sealed jar. Leave it for 3 days. Filter out the leaves with cheesecloth, and pour the resulting liquid into baking pan(s.) Allow the stuff to evaporate, and you will be left with a nice disgusting goo. Scrape that stuff into capsules and voila. Uh.. but be careful, and keep in mind that this will be about 5x as potent (maybe more, perhaps a lot more) than just the tea. So remember, the resin resulting from 1.5 grams MAX should be your starting dose. If you MUST, you can fill the algae cap the rest of the way with sugar or whatever else is lying around.
5.) EXTRACT RECIPE
Get the cheapest bottle of Vodka you can find. That suff is about 100 proof, which means it's 50/50 water/alcohol. Use 1 part leaves of calea Z. and 2 parts Vodka. Place in a jar, shake once daily, after one week, strain, pour into a baking pan, allow the alcohol to evaporate, bottle for use. It's less potent than resin, but more potent than tea. I haven't tried this because I don't see the point. It will still taste only slightly better than donkey feces.
Well, that's it. I hope you've found some useful information here. If I missed anything, or if there are any unanswered questions, let me know. I didn't mention anything about combining methods or dosage to results ratios, so if you're interested just ask. Furthermore,I've tried this in conjunction with several other herbs/minerals/vitamins including.. L-hydroxytryptophan (5-htp), vitamin b, kava kava, valerian, neem, echinacia (lol, yes, echinacia.) Let me know if you wanna know the results. I would have posted them all, but I don't want carpal tunnel syndrome.
So this wasn't a FAQ at all. Sorry. It was more of a beginners guide. Oh well. Nobody asked specific questions, so I can't rightly say they were 'frequently asked.' LOL. Anyway, you get the point.
I finally got a hold of some CZ and my capsulating machine and empty capsules came into today!
I just wanted to ask what part of the plant do you grind up and use...the buds, leaves? Both? I'm assuming you just throw the whole damn thing in, but I just wanted to make sure.
Vitamins
Neither vitamins B nor C have any effect (to my knowledge) on Calea Z. since it's not a precursor to seratonin or melatonin, and therefore doesn't require said vitamins to bond with anything or to inhibit uptake.
What to use:
The buds and leaves are most potent, but the stems are pretty decent too.
Davion, I read your trip report on erowid and you said that you only use 1gram in the capsules and in this message you said that you use about 3 grams in the tea, but in other places I've read that you have to use 1 oz. (28g) for the tea. Is this because of different strengths of calea zacatechichi?
With the capsules you get more of the alkaloids than with the tea, but it takes longer. Anyway, I recommend 1-3 grams in capsule form. 1 gram is mild, 3 grams is better.
As for the tea, if you just want more vivid dreams, then 3 grams is fine. 5 max.
BUT...
If you want the all-out jungle-of-the-amazon-mind-blowing experience, try 1 ounce. But I'm warning you right now that there will be a major potency difference.
Auditory hallucinations are possible with a 1 ounce dose, as well as mild visual ones. It's also more of a sedative for most people.
Most people take psychadelics for a 'trip.' I wrote this FAQ to cater to those just wanting to improve dream recall. SURE, you will have to play with the dosage more to get the right results for you if you don't use an ounce of the stuff. But the lower dosages are totally safe, inexpensive, and they don't disrupt your daily life at all.
I can't say how you'd feel the next morning after taking 1 ounce of Calea in tea. But my friend from Peru says there is no hangover, and that the experience is usually positive.
What about putting 20 grams ground up in a vial, then pour everclear over the herb to fill the rest of the small bottle. Let it sit for a couple of days while agitating it every morning and every night.. On the third day use an eye dropper and putt 5 drops on your tongue...
..the best when it's just ingested alone, so that it's not absorbed into the food. However you CAN mix it with food. The only trouble there is it will take longer to have an effect on you.
Well, the effects come on faster, but it doesn't last as long. We're talking probably 2-4 hours if smoked. Whereas ingesting orally (liquid form) you'll probably have mild symptoms the next day.
Thanks for taking the time to write the faq. I'm going to make some extract from my remaining Calea.
I've so far had very little luck with my experiments. I've posted separately, but to sum it up, Calea SOMETIMES seem to make me dream more vividly, but it really screws up my dream recall. I wake up knowing that I had a lot of dreams but just can't remember any details. I'll continue experimenting with different doses and see what happens.
Faeryking, your idea of smoking after 6 hours sleep and then going back to sleep sounds like a good one to me. Try it and let us know what happens.
Please let me know about the combination you tried..I would love to hear about your combination experiments with say, kavakava, or Vitamin B, etc.etc...
thanks for this info and it seems like your busy but:
i wanted to take calea with the capsules so i can just swallow them. and i had some questions like:
how much should i ingest at a time?
what preperation needs to be done before putting it in a capsule?
does it matter what kind of capsules?
and will this interfere with anyothere medications?
is the effect better/worse with taking capsules?
davion: i hope your still around to look at this forum. if you do read it please acknowledge my response cuz im buying this soon and need answers..
faeryking: i just read a post about you smoking calea and got it from mazatec garden. i was thinking about buying it there to. could you tell me how the quality is/potency/shipment time/if it came grinded or in leaves?..please answer im ordering soon. thanks alot
It cam as buds and leaves with a little bit of stems, all of which is usable..
As for its potency...well, most people on this list who used their stuff said it worked fine. I am trying to work out the doses myself..I have been smoking it, but I use less than a bowl of the stuff with mild success..I think if I smoke a whole bowl or make a tea and camolflage the tase with sour pickle juice(dill pickles also being an aid in lucidity) it might work a whole lot better..
Ont thing to be said about Amazatec garden inc is that they are fast at delivery!!
so the calea had to be broken up. any suggestions on what i could use to grind it up alot ( close to sand ) cuz im putting it in capsules to just swallow like a pill. so maybe you could also answer a question for me: does the calea have to be prepared a certain way before putting it in capsules, or can i just grind it up, capsule it, and swallow?
also...i think you should smoke more then a bowl. depending on how big. go for like 1-3 grams. i read thats the best. and they sell a seperate herb which is meant for taking the bad taste out of calea. thanks..
Since this is my first post let me say hello to the forum. Only been here twice but I think I will be hanging around awhile.
I have been experimenting with calea for about six months now. I tried the "tea and smoke method" a couple of times before giving up on it and switching to capsules. I figured it would be easier to control the dose up or down accordingly. Besides I just couldn't bring myself to drink anymore of the AWFUL tasting tea. I ground up almost 1/2OZ of calea in a coffee mill. I put the ground calea into size 00 capsules. With some loss in making I figure each capsule holds 1/4g.
Some of the effects I get at different doses (your results may vary) I mean it be careful
takes about 50 mins to kick in
1/4 gram: no effect
1/2-3/4 gram: a little more relaxed, increase in # of dreams, a little better then normal dream recall, lucidity.
1-1.5 grams: quite relaxed, alot better dream recall, most dreams are of the pre lucid; something is not quite right feeling, occasional dips into lucidity; I'm dream then its gone.
1.75-2 grams: slightly sedated, considerable time in the boarder state; half awake half asleep; if not asleep when it kicks in, alot of lucid moments ranging from the not right feeling to the am I awake game to full on clear sharp "I'm dreaming ha ha"
3 grams: (once) sedated, I spent a quite a while in the in between state and followed all the way the into to dreaming. Once there I was lucid but it was strange. I was aware of my body and my mind both at the same time. Like a dual awareness. New and different for me at least to that degree.
I have yet to draw any conclusions but it seems to me that the better you are at recognizing that you are in a dream the less you need but who knows. I still have more things I want to try before I really write it up.
I hope this was helpful. Comments, questions, and suggestions gladly taken
If you want it in powder form, get a morter and pestle. They are pretty cheap and work wonders at powdering. From there you can make the resin, put in capsles or use in tea with greater success...
I've just put CZ straight into capsules after grinding it up and got some effects (about 2-4 capsules), but i also smoked a little before going to bed as well.
But i'm guessing the resin capsules will be ALOT stronger.
you said 2-4 capsules...but how much was in each capsule. and do you have any experience with resin. like if i use 10 grams of calea to make the resin..with i end up with ten grams of the "goo". i might sounds stupid..this is my first time. what do you recommend me doing since i cant smoke ( asthma ) and dont wana try the tea.
my original plan was just grind it up and capsule. try about one gram the first time. then more. with the resin though...since its made with alcohol will the alcohol go into the mix when i put it in the capsule...no right...i dont no im all confused. please try to straighten this out for me. thanks alot...
The alchohol evaperates leving only the extracted calea Z resin.
The alchohol basically breaks down the cells walls and allows the oils from inside the plant to combine with the alchohol. Now just set the stuff out and let the alchohol evaporate, which will happen quickly beacuse alch. evaporation point is so much lower than water or oil...
So now the goo is basically the left over oils of the plant and desolved plant matter..
Thanks for the info Funk, it seems quite informative... I'm wondering if it would work well to just grind up the required amount of leaves and put the resulting powder into a small amount of COLD water. This way, you do not taste the calea because the nasty taste of the leaves does not flavour the water (as in the hot tea), and you avoid the hassle of making an extract. I'm gonna experiment with this method to ingest some salvia, maybe tonight!
I actually like the hassle of grinding the herbs. If you are somewhat of a shaman than you would respect the time of preparation. It gives one the time to recite chants or prayers over the herbs while being crushed...Creating a spiritual element within the practice of Calea...
servo, as I understand it salvia will not work if swallowed because it is de-activated by the digestive system. The mazatec method of drinking fresh leaf juice probably works by absorption through the mouth. Some people make an alcohol extract which is held in the mouth. I have not tried this, I'm quite happy to smoke it. I'm a non-smoker but the idea of smoking a tiny amount of material a few times a year doesn't bother me that much. The problem some people have with smoking is the rapid onset - having your identity completely destroyed in less than a minute can be somewhat disorientating.
Thanks for that info, illumination... I tried making my “salvia suspension”, though I was too lazy to grind the salvia, so I just crumbled it (about 20 leaves) in my fingers. The resulting drink was more of a “slurry” than a suspension so I had to drink it with a spoon. Some of the taste did escape into the water, so it was not a perfect idea. I’ve previously tried chewing (about 16) rehydrated salvia leaves, which left me with only a very mild “dazed” effect. Also, I’ve tried a few times to smoke it in a bong, which resulted in me feeling high and slightly dizzy for about 15 minutes, but no other effect, that’s why I resorted to eating quite a large amount. So anyway, I drank my slurry before sleeping which yielded no noticeable effect. I’ve read that some people are initially insensitive to salvia, so I’ll give it one more try in the bong, otherwise I’ll order a 5x/10x extract to smoke! Do you have any comments on this, illumination?
anyone here know of a good site that talks about the science behind calea and how its not bad for you at all..my mom wants to make sure im not doing anything stupid..thanks..
First: I want to thank Davion for his most excellent post and knowledgeable information. But I would like to add a comment. On the producing the resin method by soaking the Calzea in alcohol, one of the problems is it takes too long for the alcohol to evaporate. A quicker method is to place a pan half filled with water on a very low flame in a well ventilated area. Before turning on the stove, place the Calzea and the alcohol(which has been soaking for 3 days), into a heat proof bowl or another smaller pan that will fit into the larger pan half filled with water, ascertaining that there is approximately at least one to two inches from the outside of the smaller pan to the inside of the larger pan. Make certain the water does not overflow into the alcohol. This is a quick method of evaporation . After the alcohol has fully evaporated, scrape up the remaining residue and place them into capsules. This method is similar to that used in making LSD with methanol in the sixties, but that is much more complicated and illegal. Anetta
If you eat your Calea then should your stomach be empty? So it can affect faster and better that way? And will it just work fine if you grind those leafs and stems and then put that powder on your mouth and flush down with water? And if used that way how much should you take it, and one more question: how can you check how much calea you are going to take if you don't have any weight checking equipment. Any tips for that? Just have to guess it now.
And thanks for this great FAQ! It's been helpful now that my calea z has arrived!
anyone here know of a good site that talks about the science behind calea and how its not bad for you at all and how it works or something..my mom wants to make sure im not doing anything stupid..thanks..
please try to respond..im dying to try this but my mom wont let me without proof that its cool and how t works..thanks..
I'm not your doctor, and I can't make medical recommendations concerning paxil/calea z. interaction. Neither can anyone else, really, since nobody knows what calea's active constituent is.
HOWEVER, it works similarly to THC in the body, so it should be FAIRLY safe to use with PAXIL, but be careful because it does cause drowsiness and M A Y be a MAOI. I'm not sure about the MAOI thing, but that's a guess.
...should be VERY effective. Stress on VERY. Smoking the stuff IS by far the most effective way to get the effects, and smoking a resin should have similarly stronger effects as smoking 'hashish' has to smoking marijuana buds.
Sorry everyone, I've been away for a week. If I haven't answered your question, or nobody else here has answered it (there have been several nice posts) then please let me know and I'll do my best.
Davion, when you say head shop, what do you mean? Can you describe what one of those places would be like? I wanna say you mean "Chinese herbal shop" but I doubt thats what you're talkin about.....
---------
Jon,
"Free, your, mind."
Morpheus - The Matrix
what are all the names that calea z go by, cuz i called a store that sells herbs and they said they needed more then the scientific name. and they said they never heard of anything called "dream herb", so if someone could give me more names that it goes by, or something to help me, it'll be cool...thanks
The full latin name is calea zacatechichi (I think that's how it's spelt). I presume this is named after the zacatec tribe who use(d) it ritually. The only other name I know is dream herb. There's loads of mail order places on the web that sell this and other psychoactive herbs - just try a search engine. I live in England and use Archaic Herbs (although I don't actually use calea z, the alkaloids are a bit heavy for my liver).
A "head shop" is where they sell smoking equipment, and usually a variety of smokable herbs. I've no idea if those chinese herb shops sell it, but i doubt it 'cos calea is from mexico! I'm in th UK and have just ordered some from "salvia divinorum supplies". I've read that the name "calea zacatechichi" is a tribal mexican name for "bitter grass". I'm impressed with you, Steff for reasoning with your mother about calea usage! i would never even have considered such a thing, you must have a somewhat cool mum!
How much do you think one should smoke to get really good results..I have a small pipe that I uses and I smoke about a bowl and a half with mild success..
How much does it take?
I think you're right on target with a bowl or two. I think it's like anything else, you should start small and work up to what seems best for your body.
STEF: You've been given correct information by the others who've responded. Calea Z. is often called 'Dream Herb' and 'Bitter Grass.'
ALKALOIDS: Alkaloids have not yet been discovered in C. Z. If you go to http://dog.net.uk/~claude I'm pretty sure you'll find a 'white paper' on the chemical constituents.
HEAD SHOP= smoke shop, herbal smoke shop. I think this was already stated, but what the heck.
I wish there was a site that is dedicated to Calea research instead of just trying to sale it..
It would be neat to see a whole website dedicated to its use, personal experience, and suggested experiments..
It's not likely you'll have a full-blown LD the FIRST TIME you take calea zacatechichi, as a result of the calea zacatechichi.
Why?
Because there are so many factors involved in having a lucid dream, not to mention getting the dosage right for YOU and having the correct mindset.
Even with Salvia Divinorum which CAN instantly blast you into a lucid dream (even while awake,) getting results the FIRST TIME and EVERY TIME is not likely for very many people.
To understand this, you first need to understand what's going on chemically and neurologically when you are awake, asleep, dreaming, and lucid dreaming. I'm not going to go into all the details in this thread, because I did so a year ago in GREAT length and you can always go back in the archives and find several posts about this.
But suffice it to say that calea zacatechichi only partially sets the stage for full consciousness and clarity. Your brain has to do it's part, and no drug that I know of will give you instant and guaranteed lucid dreams every time.
In closing, Calea Zacatechich takes a lot of the work out of having lucid dreams, but it's not "lucid dreaming in a can." For example, skydiving is a lot easier when someone else packs your chute, suits you up, takes you to the plane, and kicks your butt out the window. That's sort of what C.Z. does. It sets everything up for you, but you STILL have to 'pull the ripcord' so to speak.
If you have no experience with lucid dreaming, your chances of getting lucid with calea z. are 25-50%. If you are experienced already, or at least have worked on recall, etc, then your chances are 50% or better.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong about this, but that's my take. Oh, by the way, I did have 3 lucid dreams the first night I tried the stuff, but I have 1 lucid dream every night regardless of what I do, so I don't think I'm a good scientific subject.
Thanks for the kind words. I think a site dedicated to C.Z. would be nice too. I've thought about putting one up, but wasn't sure whether I'd get much of a readership, and there's always erowid. Then again, C.Z. isn't at ALL a typical drug.
What about using a Novadreamer and using calea? Would that increase the chances of noticing the nova's signals?
Calea does produce near lucid states in dresms...For instance lots of flying dreams, which for me are always near lucid states!
I'm particularly curious about the "calea combos" you have experience with. Basically, I just want to know if there is a particular herb/vitamin etc. that you recommend to combine with calea to enhance ld possibilities. Also, I was wondering what the effect is of taking a large dosage. thanks
I received the plant; now is there a simple way to tast the quality of the leaves? Or does it really matter since fresh leave are probibly stronger than dried? Or is that not true??
In the case of Calea Zacatechichi, the undried plant matter is inactive. So if you try eating some fresh c.z. leaves, it will probably taste just as bad, but do nothing toward helping you have vivid or lucid dreams.
Using St. John's Wort normally (taken orally) should have a negative effect on lucid dreams since it would increase your seratonin levels. However when you burn a plant, the chemicals can be altered, lost, or changed. So the short answer to your question is "I don't know." I haven't smoked St. John's Wort.
BTW there are hundreds of varieties of St. John's Wort, and they are native to Florida, USA. If you educate yourself about the plant, and if you are in USDA Zone 8 or Zone 9 you will probably be able to find some lurking in the woods.
Results: Mild Euphoria, intense and madly fast-paced, vivid dreams, some of them lucid. I had a headache the next day, and was in a daze until about noon.
Combo #2
2 grams C.Z. plant matter taken orally via gelcaps
100mg 5-htp
100mg B6 vitamin
Results: Stomach ache, some lucid dreams, mental fatigue. The B6 is hard on the stomach.
Results: Mild narcotic-like effect, although there are no known narcotics in either substance. Excellent and vivid dreams. Back pain also relieved quite effectively.
Those are the three combos I've used most frequently. I haven't done any study as to the comparative effectiveness of any of these combinations.
i need help badly..im dying to get some calea z but i ran into a problem. my mom is being tight about me getting it cuz she thinks its drugs or something, and the local health store said they couldnt get it for me. so im all out of ways to get it. i cant order it to my house cuz i dont have a CC and my parents would see the package. any suggestions...?!?!?
Thanks for the info on calea, Davion, I think now I'll do some research on heimia salicifolia...
Whino: I just received my bag of calea; I tried eating it dry and washing it down with water....The problem is that you have to chew it to swallow, you can't believe how terrible it tastes! I think there's a chemical called Bitrex that they put into nail varnish etc. so kids don't try to sniff or drink the solvent - I'm sure they could use calea instead! I may try powdering some in a blender first...
Steff: I've had some experience in getting stuff past parents.. in the UK the post office has a facilty called "poste restante" where that phrase is written on top of the package/envelope, followed by your name and the address of your local post office. Then you can collect it from your post office with some id...et voila! If you are in the US i'm sure they must have an equivalent, possibly with a different name.
Thanks for the info on calea, Davion, I think now I'll do some research on heimia salicifolia...
Whino: I just received my bag of calea; I tried eating it dry and washing it down with water....The problem is that you have to chew it to swallow, you can't believe how terrible it tastes! I think there's a chemical called Bitrex that they put into nail varnish etc. so kids don't try to sniff or drink the solvent - I'm sure they could use calea instead! I may try powdering some in a blender first...
Steff: I've had some experience in getting stuff past parents.. in the UK the post office has a facilty called "poste restante" where that phrase is written on top of the package/envelope, followed by your name and the address of your local post office. Then you can collect it from your post office with some id...et voila! If you are in the US i'm sure they must have an equivalent, possibly with a different name.
This is another herb I've researched fairly extensively. It's really much better tasting (although it's not very good tasting) than C. Zacatechichi. I like it a lot and it's a helpful medicine for back pain.
I have combined it with a lot of other herbs including wild lettuce, passion flower, kava kava, etc.
i was curious if you ever tried or know anything about blue-green algea and the effects it has on dreams. maybe a little background info? thanks alot..
I did some experiments...Let me tell you the results..
I had a glass bowl with a lid that put in some calea, then I pour over it with Everclear..
I let it sit with the lid on the bowl for days. The everclear turned green showing that the chlorophil and probibly the chemicals in Calea were being extracted..
After 3 days I opened the lid and placed the bowl onto a heat pad..Now the heat pad doesn't heat high enough to boil watter, but it does heat up enough to evaporate alchohol within an hour or two.
After the stuff was done, there was a little goop on the corners of the bowl, but it wasn't a lot..Some of the herbs which I left in there for smoking purposes were coated with a glossy brown mess. This probibly the resin..
First I tried to make a tea out of the remaining herbs and then combined it with Pickle jiuce. It did hide some of the bitterness but the after taste will still get you.. It was too much for me so I said screw it, I'll just smoke the unresined herbs(not from the bowl) and add a little bit of the goop from the side of the bowl. It took a long time to figure how to scrape the goop and get it in the pipe but I managed...
I was sleepy but I didn't get the pulse sound that peaopl talk about..Went to sleep and had false awakenings, which were so real that I didn't see any dreamsigns...
I must be doing something wrong..Next I will try the capsul method...
If you had false awakenings, then the calea is WORKING!!!! Just try it until you get a better feel for the herb and it's effects, and soon you will be having the BEST lucid dreams of your life.
(this is MY OPINION, and I'm not your doctor) I don't recommend this to anyone under 21 because your body hasn't fully developed and there has been no study as to whether this will effect your growth process, etc. You are an athlete, and if you wish to continue to be an athlete, just be patient and give your body time to mature before taking in chemicals that aren't necessary. You'll thank me later.
Would it be safe to just call this a "tea" not a "drug".?
You can call it a tea if you wish, but be aware that this tea contains a mild psychadelic drug. [BUT, 'table sugar' is a drug, too. It's also mildly psychoactive, and it's chemical compound is C6H11O6.] But look, most herbal teas are drugs. 'Sleepy Time Tea' (a popular brand worldwide) is drug-packed, but my grandmother, wife, mom, dad, and minister all drink it.
Is this going to make me loose my mind, or will i hallucinate if i just drink it?
You will not lose your mind just by drinking this stuff once in a while. You MAY have mild auditory hallucinations just before you fall asleep, but they are not unpleasant, and they don't 'freak you out.' It's just like you are half in, and half out of dreamland.
Will i start to do bad in school by drinking this?
If you become obsessed with anything, your obsession can lead you to do poorly in school. However, this plant will not make you do poorly in school. It does not 'un-motivate' you like marijuana (I think that was your REAL question, right?)
Will this effect my running ability?
I don't know, but I presume that it will not if done occasionally (not more than 2x monthly on average) and if you don't become mentally obsessed with the plant. Remember, Chontal Indians use this regularly, and I'm pretty sure they're fairly athletic.
Are my parents going to kill me if i want to buy a "herb" kind of "drug" off the interent?
See the first paragraph. I don't recommend this for you, but that's just my opinion. BUT if you ARE going to use this, try doing something very mature. Go to your parents and tell them you are interested in lucid dreaming and you heard that this plant can IMPROVE cognitive functions (similarly to ginko biloba) and you wish to try it AS A SUPPLEMENT under their supervision. I don't know your parents, and I don't know your relationship with them, but most parents are not only respectful, but outright ecstatic when their offspring try to involve them in their maturation process. If you approach this right, you might get your parents' cooperation. But it depends on them, and your relationship with them.
Will this damage my liver as do all drugs?
All drugs do not damage the liver. This will not damage your liver if done in moderation and you do not have any pre-existing liver problems. To assure that you don't harm your liver, follow up the next day with cranberry juice (the real stuff) to detoxify. Also, just don't indulge in the stuff on a regular basis. Take a week or two off after each successful use. It hasn't been established whether C.Z. contains alkaloids at all, but it's possible. Alkaloids can be 'heavy' on the liver, and detox is a good idea.
How much of the crushed up calea would i put in an empty dispossable tea bag?
About 2.5 to 3 grams is a good starting dose.
Should i drink it right before i go to bed?
Yes. Drink it about 30 minutes before bedtime.
Does it make you "high"?
Only if you smoke a cigarette of it along with the tea. Otherwise it just makes you relaxed and very aware. In otherwords you might seem more 'with it.'
Will i become a "stoner"?
LOL. No. And what's more, people DECIDE to be stoners, unless they get hooked on harsh drugs like heroin, cocaine, etc. Being a 'stoner' is a mindset, and it's a sense of irresponsibility. In other words, that has more to do with your psyche than the drug. MANY marijuana smokers are responsible citizens, ceo's of corporations, etc. Others are druggies and potheads (aka useless people who are just irresopnsible and use the drug as an excuse to be useless.)
Will my mind begin to contradict itself?
Only while under the influence of the stuff would that be possible. And you'll be asleep so who cares?
Will i live in another reality?
While you are dreaming, perhaps. But while awake and not under it's direct influence, no, unless you use the drug as a crutch or excuse to do so.
Will i begin to listen to the beatles 24/7?
If you're lucky.
Will i start wearing nothing but tie dyed shirts?
Nahh.. That requires stronger psychadelics like 'shrooms' or 'acid.' LOL Unless, of course, you like tie-dye a LOT.
I want the vivid lucid dreams this plant gives, but i dont want to get into any conflics, with myself, my parents, my friends, my cat, my sister.
Good. But remember, this stuff makes you a more relaxed, balanced person if done correctly. It does NOT promote a combative attitude at ALL. Also, if your family understands what you are doing and WHY, then there will be no reason for conflict. Also, this does N O T lead to the use of other drugs as the LYING FDA would have you believe about ANYTHING THEY DON'T CONDONE. I do not see how it's even possible to become addicted to Calea Z.
IS THIS SAFE? WILL I DIE?
It's safe unless you are highly allergic to the plant and suffer from anaphlactic shock. Use the allergy test in the initial post in this thread to avoid such an event.
Ok so im paranoid, so, what do you think davion?
There is a big difference between paranoia and responsibility. Your post illustrates a high level of responsibility as well as a desire to educate yourself first. I am proud of you and impressed that you asked all those questions first.
Ok so I decided to try the capsul method, but I am acutally kinda scared to ingest the whole herb. I know I am not allergic or the alergy test and smoking it would have let me know. Still, I am concerned.
B.T.W. I have experienced the auditory hallucinations. It really isn't anything scary. It is more like if you have some kind of ambiant noise in the background(like say running water), it can turn into say a voice in the distance calling you name. But it isn't constant. So you might hear something just once and never experience that hallucination for the rest of the night..It isn't scary at all.. In fact I have had auditory hallucinations when not under any drug. Everyone has had an experience where they thought they heard something, when in reality nothing made a noise.. It is pretty much the same thing, at least to me.
But...Back to the isue of the pills.
How do I make sure I put in the right amount of calea in the pill?
Ive tried CZ probably 4-5 times. I used a coffe grinder to grind them, and put them in 1.2g capsules. I took 2-3 a night and instead of having a mind blowing dream, i ended up with nothin. I could barely remember dreams. It actually stopped my dream recall for a while. Is it just me or is it that im doing something wrong?
i was wondering, how would calea work if it is just put in capsules. i thought it had to be extracted or boiled or something to release the active ingredients in the plant. im probably wrong...em i?
How do I make sure I put in the right amount of calea in the pill?
C.Z. is VERY mild compared to just about any other drug you may have experienced. You can just crush the leaves and put them in capsules if you wish to try that method. Unless you are ingesting 20 capsules, you are not going to be getting 'too much.'
Toxic shock won't happen if you're not allergic. Just experiment with 1-2 capsules and work up from there. You should be fine.
You probably need to try the tea or smoking method. It sounds like the raw herb is just too weak for you, or your metabolism is such that you require a different method of ingestion. Smoking provides euphoria along with the full effects whereas the tea just provides the best dreaming effects. A combination is best all around.
Depending on your metabolism and chemical sensitivity, C.Z. can be activated just through chewing alone. There is no special extraction process necessary like one would expect in, say, C. Sativa (marijuana.)
You get more concentrated constituents via tea or smoking, but you can acheive the effects by chewing or ingesting.
chewing isn't too bad if you've got some miracle berry handy.
Well i heard smoking it only lasts for about a hour or 2.. probably best used during WILD's. As for drinking the tea, i guess i try it. Just have it ready... dont inhale and just down it all at once and drink something strong to get the taste out. Would that work?
No matter what you do, this is going to taste HORRIBLE. It's bitter on a very basic level, and since bitterness is one of the three base flavors (bitter, sower, sweet) your taste buds don't need the assistance of your olfactory system (sense of smell) to send the horrific taste to your brain.
I'm about to partake as I write this, and I'm gonna try some pickle juice to see if it counteracts the bitterness. I'll report later.
Yeah, I'll bet San Pedro makes it taste just swell.
But for those of you who aren't familiar with san padro, it's a pretty psychoactive plant. Proceed with much care. It's similar in 'power' to marijuana, but with different effects.
alright...well straight grounded leaves in capsules ( say 2 grams ) produce any kind of euphoric "well being". and will a resin or extract have better or the same results on dreams. like will just the plant in capsules have worse effect with dreams etc...
im also kinda confused with resin and extracts. say i buy 10 grams of calea leaves, and use it all to make a resin. when im finished will i have 10 grams of goo ( like can i fill 10 1gram caps up with goo? ).
Don't understimate Davion's taste descriptions, but I can't imagine donkey faeces tasting worse! Anyway, my method has been to eat 4 tablespoons (about 4x 1.5 grams, I estimate) of the crushed herb, and washing it down with water. The problem with the taste is not just the bitterness, but the INTENSITY!
Anyway I'm not gonna bother describe the taste any further... The first time I tried it I also smoked a calea spliff. The smoke also has a bitter taste which when combined with the ingestion experience made me feel like throwing up (and I haven't involuntarily thrown up since I was about 4, no matter how much I drink!). I find the smoke very harsh after a while, and its difficult to keep the smoke down. The worst thing is when a bit of leaf goes onto your tongue! I experienced a mild high for about 5-10 minutes afterwards, then the effects seemed to wear off. Note: its not a good idea to smoke in your room, it doesn't smell too good afterwards!
After all that malarkey I didn't get any noticeable effect on my dreams. Since then I've tried just eating the herb a few times, and also just smoking it. I still haven't experienced any effect, even on my meditation a little while after smoking.
I don't think we can get pure drinking alcohol in the UK anymore, so I cannot make the resin. So I'm considering making an extract with vodka.
I've also thought that most of my memorable dreams occur late in my sleep (morning time) so perhaps the calea effect wears off before my best dreaming hours. So I was thinking that maybe I could wake up 2-3 hours early and then drink some calea tea (not a prospect that would inspire me to get up!). I'll post my results if I muster up the courage to do that!!
also, davion, what herb is good for giving you a high, that has no side-effects. im using calea for dreaming purposes but after reading about things like kava and etc, i was curious if there was a legal herb that could give a good high and not be bad for you. thanks..
I've never taken Calea but I have taken Ginko Biloba. 120mg a day (noticable effects after 2 months) increases and strengthens capilarys throughout the body and especially the brain. I've never had LD's before taking it (infact I've never even heard of LD's till recently)
Warning ~ It really increases any other chemicals drugs etc that you put into your system (after 2 months). I also had what lots of people might term psi experiances increase greatly, don't know if this is just me or what. I have to admit that I've stopped taking it now as I'm finding out more about OB's LD's etc before taking it again.
You can find out masses about Ginko (chinese herb from the worlds longest lived plant) on the web and there have been loads of clinical studies all of which prove its safe (just watch it if your on medication or taking any illegals)
Thanks for the great post. I agree that ginko biloba is a very effective, and very safe herb. AND I am veyr impressed that you mentioned that it amplifies the effects of other chemicals.
For all interested, Ginko Biloba, by itself, is as safe as garlic. What's more, it's a naturally occuring nootropic (smart drug) that has a lot of benefits.
I imagine that taking Ginko Biloba for about 3 weeks before Calea Zacatechichi might amplify the effects for some of those who are having difficulty getting noticeable effects.
I've never taken the stuff myself, but I have an excellent memory, so I never saw the need to spend money on improving it. But hey, until now it never occurred to me that I might be able to make use of the fact that it amplifies other things.
Well I know that B6 increases dream intencity, and Vitamin c increases the activeness of your nerves( it also makes you absorb more of the drugs/medacine you take). High Vitamin C and Anti-depressants is a big NO!
Calea increases pre-dream images.
Using all of these before you sleep could probibly help.
Hi
First,a great thanks to you Davion,and also the others! I have been searching the net for a while,but all i found about Calea were some short sentences where it grows and that it may cause vivid dreams.
Well,i ordered 30g Calea leaves.I am german,and not that experienced with drugs,so i just wanted to make sure i got everything right and i am not going to do anything stupid:
Within a week or something,i will get fresh green (?) Calea leaves.
First i will take one and try to chew it (at least one time i want to get an idea of how it tastes...)
Then i will wait if i will notice any allergic symptons such as itching.
Then,i will tore some of the leaves into peaces and make a joint out of it (using mild tabacco,dosage just as if it were mariuhana).Now i will open my windows or perhaps go outside and smoke 2 (?) of those calea joints with another one (who has more experience with drugs,but not with calea).
After that,i will just go to bed and wait till i fall asleep
Please tell me if i should use a different dosage or something
One more question:
Could i also just chew the leaves without doing anything else with them? How many should i chew?
It would be worth a try,even if i think the taste will be so horrible i can´t stand it anyway...
thanks to anyone who has still the patience to answer newbie questions
alright...well straight grounded leaves in capsules ( say 2 grams ) produce any kind of euphoric "well being". and will a resin or extract have better or the same results on dreams. like will just the plant in capsules have worse effect with dreams etc...
im also kinda confused with resin and extracts. say i buy 10 grams of calea leaves, and use it all to make a resin. when im finished will i have 10 grams of goo ( like can i fill 10 1gram caps up with goo? ).
also, davion, what herb is good for giving you a high, that has no side-effects. im using calea for dreaming purposes but after reading about things like kava and etc, i was curious if there was a legal herb that could give a good high and not be bad for you. thanks..
The resin is really potent, and if you stay awake long enough (the stuff makes you sleepy) you'll feel some of the euphoric effects.
The best thing to do is divide your bag up into doses, and then make a resin with one or two doses, while saving the rest for experimentation with other methods.
Get some gelcaps and fill them about 1/4 of the way with resin (each) and then put sugar or something else in the rest of the cap for filler.
(Disclaimer: Don't ingest blue lotus. It's not for human consumption.)
A 'get high' herb that works very nicely without a lot of side effects is blue lotus, or Nymphaea Caerulea. It provides more than just mild euphoria, but read about it first, and make sure it won't interact with any medicines, etc.
It's a good euphorant, but the effects can take an hour or so to begin. Also, the effects last a long time, so if you're going to try it, start SMALL and do so on a friday NIGHT. Then expect some of the effects the next day, too.
I tried calea zacatechichi tea twice in the last two days. On both occasions I completely filled a mesh tea bell with the leaves and flowers of the plant, got 250ml (one cup) of water to a simmer (not a boil) and steeped the teabell at a simmer for exactly 15 minutes. I waited for the tea to cool to room temperature, held my nose, drank the whole thing in one guzzle, waited for several seconds (rather than drinking something else right away, since doing so just spreads the bitterness) and then drank some dr. pepper.
After 1 hour (on the first day) I noticed the mild euphoria, and the alteration of my perceptions. I had some wild dreams that night.
On the second day (yesterday) I noticed that it took much less time for the Calea Zacatechichi to start working. In fact, it was more like 10 minutes. This leads me to believe that the effects are cumulative if used for two or more days in a row. That could be a bad thing if overused for a period of more than three or four days.
My dreams were notably vivid and I had a LOT OF THEM last night. This morning I fell back to sleep and dreamt for a while, then woke up, and repeated that whole cycle 5 times. No problem.
The ONLY CONCERN I have now is that, although I experienced euphoria, when I was interrupted by my wife, who needed my assistance with our animals just before bedtime, I felt a STRONG urge to respond in a very negative way. How dare she interrupt my euphoric relaxation?
On the other side of that coin is the fact that, like every other time I've used Calea twice in a row, I now have NO DESIRE to use it again. I probably won't use it again for a week or two, perhaps more.
My point? Like I said earlier in this thread, I don't recommend prolonged usage without taking breaks from this stuff. BUT, I don't see how it could be addictive.
sorry to sound rude but you missed a couple of questions. and thanks alot again, i think you contribute more help on this forum then all of us put together.
1.will straight grounded leaves in capsules ( say 2 grams ) produce any kind of euphoric "well being".
2.and will a resin or extract have better or the same results on dreams. like will just the plant in capsules have worse effect with dreams etc...
3.im also kinda confused with resin and extracts. say i buy 10 grams of calea leaves, and use it all to make a resin. *when im finished will i have 10 grams of goo ( *like can i fill 10 1gram caps up with goo? ).
that sounds really interesting. do you know any sites where i could buy some and find some good info like effects and side-effects, dangers or other good stuff? thanks alot
1.will straight grounded leaves in capsules ( say 2 grams ) produce any kind of euphoric "well being".
Maybe, but not as likely. Ground leaves are weaker than the other forms.
2.and will a resin or extract have better or the same results on dreams. like will just the plant in capsules have worse effect with dreams etc...
Resin is best, then tea, then ground leaves.
3.im also kinda confused with resin and extracts. say i buy 10 grams of calea leaves, and use it all to make a resin. *when im finished will i have 10 grams of goo ( *like can i fill 10 1gram caps up with goo? ).
You won't have 10 grams of goo. Instead you will have maybe 1 or 2 grams of goo with the chemical strength of 10 grams of calea zacatechichi plant matter.
davion why dont you wanna do calea again?? i was confused with that part..
It's very difficult to explain. I just get 'burned out' with the mental effects. There are no physical effects. I WILL use it again, but not for a week or two.
(Blue Lotus) that sounds really interesting. do you know any sites where i could buy some and find some good info like effects and side-effects, dangers or other good stuff? thanks alot
i dont think i could thank you enough, please let me know if you need anything. you really went through alot for everyone on this thread as well as others..
yet another question ( sorry i keep thinking of things )- im allergic to alot of things, and after the allergy test i was wondering how exactly the "rash" is if you are allergic. and where exactly it shows up. and does the leaf you put in your mouth taste horrible to? thanks..
The mild rash will show up on your hands and feet, along with mild swelling there. It's quite mild if you don't try chewing too many leaves at once. Just remember to keep some benadryl (topical) or allegra handy in case you get any allergic reaction, and STAY OUT OF THE SUN if you use benadryl. Otherwise you will be sorry you ever heard of calea zacatechichi, because the problems caused by benadryl's interaction with sunlight are FAR WORSE than the mild allergic reaction caused by calea zacatechichi itself.
The leaves taste really bad, but not as bad as the tea.
I am really glad, and thankful, that everyone responded so well to this thread. I put the effort into doing it the RIGHT WAY because I got tired of people having to chase around 49 different Calea Z. threads and getting bits and pieces of information.
I'm not a world renowned expert or anything (LOL) and there are others here with more entheogen experience than I have. Perhaps they will at some point do similar threads for LD related substances about which they have moderate to expert knowledge.
Oh, and this doesn't seem much like work to me since I LOVE to write, and I love herbs, and I love lucid dreaming.
Bad idea is to make tea out of the resin...Way too strong!!
Within about 30 seconds, my hearing got dull..
Although I did discover that drinking it with Diet V8 BerryBlend, makes it very tolerable! You still get alitte bitterness at the end, but it is nothing like drinking it straight!!!
I highly recomend using this for the tea...
I am never ever going to drink CZ tea again. I took about 5g and put it on a coffe filter and tied it with dental floss, i used about 2 cups of water and let it simmer for about 25mins. I had about a cup to drink and i downed it. It was just about to all come back up. I only did this cause capsules didnt work for me. I guess from now on its WILD with smoking CZ.
has anyone had experience with Kava Kava here? I just got a bottle of extract and I want to know if it will work to induce lucid dreams, and how much I should take if it does.
"Got no card so I got no soul,
Life in prison no parole no control"
A powerful euphoric mixture would hypothetically be the following, which of course I would not recommend in any way, particularly due to whatever legal conditions may apply in your place:
25g passiflora herb
50-100 psilocybe semilanceata mushrooms
Boil the passiflora herb in 2 mugs of water for 1 hour. The water should evaporate down to 1 mug in this time. Add the mushrooms, broken into small pieces, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Strain and drink. It should taste OK. Stomach should be empty beforehand, and the 2 hours previous should be spent in meditation, after which the questions should be prepared which will be explored during the next few hours. Ideally the meditation should be prepared for a anything from a couple of days to several weeks before ingestion. If used correctly this mixture can help with dream recall, after the effects have worn off. If used incorrectly it can lead to psychological repression and confusion due to the great power of these plants.
(I had some problems with my password being recognised!)
Firstly, in the UK you can get calea from http://www.salvia-divinorum-supplies.co.uk/salvia.htm , but they only do mail order. Kingbong.com also, they have some shops in the bournemouth area. i don't know of anyone in the north london area who sells it.
I've just finished my supply of calea with no good results. I was taking it as I described in a post somewhere above, last night I made a tea with about 12 grams of powdered calea. I forced it down and ate all the powder (!) before going to bed. I did notice a slight dizzy (but not unpleasant) feeling about 20 minutes after drinking. I noticed no effects except that I was wide awake after about 6 hours of relatively dreamless sleep. I still think that I would get some better results if i could drink the tea after 6 hours of sleep, then sleep for another couple of hours more. But perhaps I'm immune to the effects of calea. - which reminds me; I also tried a kava kava alcohol extraction. I didn't notice anything, even after drinking 10ml.
Illumination - what are these mushrooms you mention?? Are they magic mushrooms? If not (and if so, lol), where can I get some.
i tried 2 grams and 3 grams in caps. neither gave me any kinda dizzyness or wellbeing. the first night i had horrible sleep and a couple of dreams ( no vividness increase ). the second night, no feelings, no dreams, no nothing...
