Hi peeps, a link here to an hour long documentary on Dr Octavia Rettig's shamanic work with the Sonoran desert toad/5-MeO-DMT, some friends helped produce this, the first of the "Shamans of the Global Village" documentary series. Free online streaming of the documentary until October 8th, thought it may be of interest to some. http://www.shamansoftheglobalvillage.com/
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Cool man, im going to have to start watching this. I'll comment after I watch it. Thanks! 
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This was quite enjoyable to watch! Thank you for sharing!  New to The Nexus? Check These Out: One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
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very good documentary....except the burning part
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All great and well but let me put some alternative insight on the Sonoran desert toad while we are at it. Due to the increased popularity and attention given to the Sonoran Desert toad by people like Octavio Rettig, the amount of toads in the wild has already visibly decreased, this is a highly worrying trend. People like to have them as pets but often do not know how to (or cannot) treat them correctly. For example: In the wild these toads hibernate for a long time but this never happens when they are kept in captivity, and we simply do not know what this does to the toad. The toad is a wonderful creature but let us all remind ourselves that this toad belongs in it's natural environment and not in a glass cage to be milked every so many weeks. So all who are thinking about having this very special toad as a pet, please think really well about what the impact will be not only on the toad itself but also on the environment where it was taken from! Kind regards, The Traveler
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What's Kikker's Sloagan? '"ALAS,"said the mouse, "the world is growing smaller every day. At the
beginning it was so big that I was afraid, I kept running and running, and I was glad
when at last I saw walls far away to the right and left, but these long walls have
narrowed so quickly that I am in the last chamber already, and there in the corner
stands the trap that I must run into." "You only need to change your direction," said
the cat, and ate it up.' --Franz Kafka
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Completely agree Mr Traveler,
Octavio Rettig certainly isn't advocating taking toads from the wild, he is very clear on that, but of course that doesn't mean people aren't going to.
No one should ever take toads from the wild, and while I'm not advocating having toads as pets, here in the UK at least there seems to be primarily captive bred toads available, it is up to the individual to check and insist on this, but one does not in any way have to impact wild stocks of the toad, which is indeed under threat in some of its range.
It follows though, if some people are managing to breed these toads in captivity, then such people must be doing something right and there are definitely people out there committed to the care and well being of their toads. So if people are insistent on getting a toad (which let's face it, some are as you have stated) it seems much better to me they acquire captive bred toads as oppose to wild specimens.
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Great video thanks for sharing. I was a bit worried when
he was giving them water when they're on their back but wow what a
fascinating phenomon and so great to see cultures reconnecting with
their past ways.
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I saw Octavio again this weekend, I had previously had my first session 1.5 years ago (and posted experience here).
I just have to say, in that 1.5 years, he has made a few changes to his process, but is still the same warm, loving and strong guide through the journey. He really does care, and he takes you where you need to go with full support and passion.
Since my first experience I have seen a lot of videos and chatter, but everything was reconfirmed last weekend. What an amazing entheogen, and definitely my favourite of all. Nothing else I have experienced has completely ripped the shackles off everything in what feels like 30 seconds, its so intensely and beautifully brutal, raw, and naked.
To come back to your body with a strong guide and the circle of community members holding you up, wiping you down or whatever you need is unifying.
As for the waterboarding, I saw how many times it was necessary during the experience, and it certainly adds to it. People tend to breathe shallow or hold their breath at times during, and water works well to reactivate the breathing reflex. If people feel fluid around their mouth and nose they immediately start to breathe for air.
I should probably write a proper follow up exp report, but one strange thing I noticed this time is that there wasnt any long journey of death, darkness or strange visions before this breakthrough, this time felt like I almost blacked out and then exploded into god. Previously I remember a long process before breakthrough, plus i needed a second dose. Maybe this time I was a lot more relaxed and let go much faster.
No entheogen leaves me feeling this amazing for weeks after and annihilates my depression. What a sacrament, it leaves me no question about our alien godliness. Not for everyone, but I love it endlessly.
I think he had a special rapé that he used this time (he didnt use any last time) but as I was coming out of the experience he gave me a massive dose of rapé that kicked the experience right back (and caused throwing up but it was well worth it) - maybe small amount of yopo in there? I dont know enough about it to say.
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"fascinating phenomon and so great to see cultures reconnecting with
their past ways. "I was going to bite my tongue here, but since it was mentioned..as far as I can tell there is no traditional use of this toad venom, and all claims to the contrary are to be taken as personal opinion and NOT anthropological or archeological fact. Even the Weil and Davis paper is biased because neither of the two seem to have personal experience with bufotenine, and rather simply comment on it's toxicity and non psychedelic activity. This is not an accurate representation of bufotenine, and Bufo Marinus should not be ruled out as the toad traditionally used by the Maya. Bufotenine is a visionary tryptamine with a long history of traditional use. I just don't find any of this stuff about ancient use of Alvarious venom to be compelling, and I find the way the theory is being put forth by some individuals to be a bit suspect. I get the feeling there is an agenda behind it, presenting the venom as something more exotic and with a connection to native american spirituality. I am not comfortable associating with that aspect of the growing interest in 5-MeO-DMT. I was recently contected by someone claiming to have been innitiated into carrying 5-MeO-DMT toad venom medicine, and offering ceremonies in my city, for money. This person claimed to be working in a tradition of the Seri. Before Gringos had introduced the Seri to smoking Toad venom, they don't seem to have had any contact with the stuff. This whole thing is interesting in how fast it has all taken up residence within the larger psychedelic culture. Toad venom is the new ayahuasca, for better or worse. I have noticed that with the increased discussion of 5-MeO-DMT there are more and more mentions of yopo, almost always in the context of it being another source for the 5-MeO-DMT experience. Almost never is bufotenine mentioned, even though it is more relevant to the pharmacology of anadenanthera snuffs. It's a less relevant point to make, but it has created a lot of confusion at conferences I have attended recently any time snuffs are mentioned. Never are virolas discussed either, only the Anadenantheras. I can't comment on Octavio himself or his work. My interactions with him do not go beyond brief email conversation, and the guy seems nice enough and I feel his heart is in what he is doing. I really love 5-MeO-DMT. Long live the unwoke.
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I have no experiance with 5-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, but I'm curious... TIHKAL represents bufotenine as being a compound which causes physical distress, but not much else...but the studies were preformed with mental patients and prisoners... Quote:
QUALITATIVE COMMENTS : (with 1 mg, intravenously, over a three minute period) "Within a minute (from the start of the injection) I had a tight feeling in my chest and my face felt as if it had been jabbed by nettles and this lasted for about 6 minutes. I had fleeting nausea."
(with 2 mg, intravenously, over a 3 minute period) "I felt a tightness in my throat and stomach and it seemed that my pulse was racing, although apparently there was no change in either my pulse or blood pressure."
(with 4 mg, intravenously, over a 3 minute period) "During the injection, I first felt a burning sensation in my face, then a load pressing down from above, and then a numbness of the entire body. I saw red and black spots -- a vivid orange-red -- moving around. Apparently my purplish face color lasted some 15 minutes, well after my visual things had disappeared."
(with 8 mg, intravenously, over a 3 minute period) "I became lightheaded as soon as the injection started, and then my face turned purple and I became nauseated and I felt I couldn't breathe. I see white, straight lines with a black background. I can't trace a pattern. Now there are red, green and yellow dots, very bright like they were made out of fluorescent cloth, moving like blood cells through capillaries, weaving in and out of the white lines. I another two minutes, everything was pretty much gone."
(with 10 mg, intravenously, over a 50 second period) "My face was suddenly very hot. I could not breathe fast enough."
(with 10 mg, intravenously, over a 77 minute period) "There were no psychological changes."
(with 16 mg, intravenously, over a 3 minute period) "Almost immediately I felt a burning sensation in the roof of my mouth and I felt a tingling all over my body. My face turned purple, and my chest feels crushed. Everything has a yellow haze, and I was sweating heavily and I vomited. Words can't come. My mind feels crowded. When I start on a thought, another one comes along and clashes with it. I can't express myself clearly. I am here and not here. It has now been forty minutes and I feel better, but I still feel like I would like to walk it off, like a hang-over."
EXTENSIONS AND COMMENTARY : This is a presentation of the very earliest studies done with bufotenine with human subjects, studies with 14 schizophrenic patients at a state mental hospital and with two convicts in a state prison. Two convicts at a state prison were injected over the course of three minutes, with a solution of bufotenine as the salt. This single observation, a description of hyperserotoninemia (a release of serotonin in the blood, called a carcinoid flush) was all it took, at the right time and the right place, to put bufotenine on the books as a "dangerous drug" by FDA classification. And with the passage of the Controlled Substance Act of 1970, it was placed in Schedule I as a hallucinogen, with a high abuse potential and no accepted medical utility. Whatever the actual activity of bufotenine might be, and what role it could play in explaining the complex role of serotonin in the human animal, today it would be extremely difficult to study, because of the flushing of the face of an experimental subject in a prison in Maryland in study that occurred at just the wrong time.
-shulgin/TIHKAL
Is there any real psychoactivity here? It's unclear... A good deal of Anadenanthera seed snuffs contain only 5-ho-DMT...which furthers the lack of clarity here... What is the deal with this compound? -eg
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It is most definitely active and a highly visionary tryptamine. Bufotenine is one of the more visual psychedelics. Assume any data that says otherwise is outdated, or going off old outdated sources. Many people here, including myself have experimented with pure bufotenine freebase. As to it's physical side effects - yes bufotenine can cause a lot of physical distress. The LD-50 is higher than that of DMT in the literature, yet I don't personally feel it is as safe as DMT. Bufotenine causes heavy vasoconstriction below the full visionary dose(which is similar to 5-MeO-DMT dose ranges). The old experiments with bufotenine were also IM(IV?) injections. There are speculations as to the metabilism of bufotenine in the body differing depending on ROA and pH. Vaporizing freebase, or snuffing the freebase are the most common and effective methods in my experience, minimizing side effects(they are still bad) while producing the strongest visionary effects. Long live the unwoke.
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jamie wrote:It is most definitely active and a highly visionary tryptamine. Bufotenine is one of the more visual psychedelics. Assume any data that says otherwise is outdated, or going off old outdated sources.
Many people here, including myself have experimented with pure bufotenine freebase. As to it's physical side effects - yes bufotenine can cause a lot of physical distress. The LD-50 is higher than that of DMT in the literature, yet I don't personally feel it is as safe as DMT. Bufotenine causes heavy vasoconstriction below the full visionary dose(which is similar to 5-MeO-DMT dose ranges).
The old experiments with bufotenine were also IM(IV?) injections. There are speculations as to the metabilism of bufotenine in the body differing depending on ROA and pH. Vaporizing freebase, or snuffing the freebase are the most common and effective methods in my experience, minimizing side effects(they are still bad) while producing the strongest visionary effects. Oh yes, bufotenine is great stuff. By itself i find it quite boring, as it's mostly visual. But combined with other psychedelic's it's the best thing there is. Just a very tiny amount will have huge effects then, visually. It's amazing.
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jamie wrote:It is most definitely active and a highly visionary tryptamine. Bufotenine is one of the more visual psychedelics. Assume any data that says otherwise is outdated, or going off old outdated sources.
Many people here, including myself have experimented with pure bufotenine freebase. As to it's physical side effects - yes bufotenine can cause a lot of physical distress. The LD-50 is higher than that of DMT in the literature, yet I don't personally feel it is as safe as DMT. Bufotenine causes heavy vasoconstriction below the full visionary dose(which is similar to 5-MeO-DMT dose ranges).
The old experiments with bufotenine were also IM(IV?) injections. There are speculations as to the metabilism of bufotenine in the body differing depending on ROA and pH. Vaporizing freebase, or snuffing the freebase are the most common and effective methods in my experience, minimizing side effects(they are still bad) while producing the strongest visionary effects. I'm interested in trying bufotenine.. a little concerned by some of the physical aspects of the experience mentioned but still curious. do you find it as rapid in onset as nn-dmt? have you had breakthrough experiences of the same intensity as those of dmt? If so.. Similarities? Differences?
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Really?
Interesting...
I'll have to do some deeper research...
I've actually been trying to avoid the compound when looking at plant chemical profiles, as I assumed it was not truly psychoactive...
Thank you for the information.
-eg
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I don't want to pull this thread so far off topic. Start another thread for that topic perhaps? Long live the unwoke.
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jamie wrote:I don't want to pull this thread so far off topic. Start another thread for that topic perhaps? True, while bufotenine may be present in active amounts in toads, we are not looking at either 5-MeO or 5-HO in particular here, or as they may come separately or mixed in different plant forms or separated from toad venom necessarily. Here with the sacred toad we get a holistic experience, think if someone were to experience your psychoactive essence if it was possible, what message should you share along with it consciously or unconsciously? And now that it was mentioned above about physical effects before visual effect dosage, I can say I've experienced this smoking an alcohol extract of yopo seeds, causing noticeable tension in my neck, barely any visual effect, didn't seem worth repeating. I have to wonder what modification effects it would have had I inhaled 5-MeO at the same time, and what kind of synergy exists with this holistic combo given by our amphibian earthling family. Also relating to toad freedom and protection efforts: ideally if one is set on the idea of utilizing toad venom there would be an equal exchange where the toads can benefit as well. A friend of mine is involved in a project in Mexico, which is basically an ethical toad farm. Toads in abundance can be placed back into their natural habitat. It is also important to mention these toads are not going anywhere, as they've been invasively establishing themselves for miles inland along the entire east coast of Australia. Many of them hate the toads, swerve to run them over, make coin purses with zipper mouths like I saw in a shop in San Francisco, partially because the toads poison dog water bowls and kill family pets who may eat the toad on purpose as well, and also many humans are 'speciests' who think their lives are more valuable than another earthling's. Probably not the place for such a farm. There was one video of an Australian woman who put a toad on a stump to mash to death with a mallet and it squirted poison in her eye. After this she had a new found respect for the roads due to her visionary experience. Pure toad venom to the eye, probably very irritating. Also while it is likely that these toads may have had a forgotten cultural significance due to their psychoactive venom (frog venom is known to be used as poison, maybe a human enemy got delivered a trip to toad paradise) I think with the right intention such a premise could be a good backbone for an ethical toad preservation effort.
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