I was talking with someone today about a Salvia experience I had last year, and I thought some parts of the story would be interesting to share here as well. I really love Salvia and I think she is very under-appreciated.... This particular experience combines Salvia and Nettle root in a 7 consecutive day practice, and I found that these plants are kinda synergistic in some ways (apparently nettle has really small amounts of some psychedelic alkaloids that can theoretically potentiate the salvia a tiny bit).

The previous year I had spent a few months in Peru working with San Pedro and Ayahuasca, and I had learned a practice used in the Amazon called dieta - you basically restrict your diet and lifestyle while daily consuming the same plant in an effort to connect with that plants spirit.... The restrictions are supposed to open you up to the plants spirit, and often times you use Ayahuasca within the diet to connect with the plant further. Sort of like a milder but longer vision quest in some ways. When I got home I wanted to test out to see if dieting local plants at home was as insightful as dieting in the Amazon, so I decided to diet nettle which was very abundant all around my house. I didnt have Ayahuasca at the time, but though if I put enough effort into it I should still get some results!

I did 2 weeks dieting the leaf of nettle with mild results - although I was dieting very casually, what they call in the Amazon "dieta suave" (the smooth diet). It is much easier to do if you have to go to work and things like that, but takes much more time as you dont go as deep as when you diet strictly in isolation. I have had the feeling that the nettle roots were going to be deeper for me, and finally got around to gathering some. I dried them for 2 days by the heater, and didnt really know when I was going to drink it yet.

I had the house to myself one night, and decided to do a salvia ceremony (a chewed quid, not smoked - maybe 4 grams of dried leaves). I asked salvia to help me with the issues I have been working on around my mother who had committed suicide years before with anti-depressants. I have done little bits and pieces of work around my mother, but had recently found that maybe there was some unfinished work there.

Salvia gave me some useful info, but about an hour into the ceremony, she tells me to really work on issues with my mom, I should drink nettle root the next 7 days. She also said I could work with her as much as I want during this time, so I thought a ceremony each night sounded good. I had been wanting to connect with salvia more deeply in this fashion for a while. If I was dieting I might as well get as much work done as possible right?

So I did 7 days of drinking nettle early in the evening and then either quidding salvia before bed or drinking salvia tea before bed. Salvia made it very easy to talk with nettle, and this experience was much deeper then my two previous diets with the nettle leaves. Drinking before bed also lent itself to some deep journeys with salvia as the restful and relaxed state before bed really helped me let go.

A few days into the diet, nettle performed some extraction type work on me, and then I started singing these wonderful icaros - way more powerful and solid then I had sung before. I was really wanting to develop that skill at the time, so that was a huge bonus for me.

A couple nights later, things started getting much deeper. After drinking salvia tea nettles spirit came on strong, and said we had more work, but this time, more similar to soul retrieval or reclaiming lost power. He told me he is good for soul retrieval work, because of how deep his roots go. He showed me how my mother had a spiritual illness, which I inherited part of, and that this illness is what mostly caused her depression. I saw my mother as a child, and had the opportunity to help her through a really harsh and traumatic childhood experience she had.

I stepped in, and protected her before the people in this vision could hurt her badly, then sat and talked with her. I told her it wasnt her fault, and we had a long conversation, where I kept comforting her, and she kept telling me her fears. At the end, she finally agreed to return back to her body (her spirit body now, as my mother is deceased). I took her back, and as she joined the rest of herself, and sat and held my mother for a long time comforting her.

Eventually, my vision changed, and I saw myself as a little child - maybe 4 years old. My parents divorced when I was 3, and this little me was taking it very personally (one of my oldest memories is trying to comfort my parents through their divorce at this time). I had the opportunity to tell myself some really wonderful things here - and I just somehow knew what to say.... I think perhaps my mother was guiding my words. I dont feel like the things I said came from me, but from somewhere else through me.... Very wonderful.

After this personal healing work, I kept connecting with the plants during the last few days of my diet. Eventually I ended up dieting the leaves again for another week when I had a few Ayahuasca ceremonies planned, and that just built on things further!

Salvia connected with me a lot as well, but informed me our connection requires another short and more focused diet with her infused in tequila.... I still havent gotten around to it, but I hope I make that happen soon. She consistently surprises me with the level of depth and insight she brings to the table.

Over all, the week long diet was an ecstatic and blissful experience for me - both plants are really wonderful friends! It was about a year ago, but I still think that was my deepest dieta yet - deeper then either of the diets I have done in the Amazon the previous or following summers. Planning on a coca dieta soon - so we will see where things keep progressing!

Nice ! Im going to try it! Thanks!

Very nice..I think salvia is underutilized as well, and it is one of my greatest allies and has gifted me with many of the deepest and most profoundly revealing visions of my life. Maybe she chooses those of us who she really opens up to. The plant is for me as deep and healing as mushrooms and ayahuasca, and can take me into very specific internal landscapes to find lost pieces of myself etc in a way that no other medicine so far has really been able to do. I always chew and swallow the leaves.

I have been harvesting wild nettle leaf and rhizomes for years. It's one of my stable herbs to wildcraft and the patches I harvest from are very special to me.

Wow! It gives me such joy to read this! I agree with jamie that Salvia is a highly under-utilized plant spirit ally. I have found that Salvia opens me up to a lot of other greenery, and energetically it makes complete sense that Nettles would work synergistically with Salvia. I believe they are part of the same taxonomical family, too. I'm curious if you can expand on this, though:


I have chewed Salvia before, but what I really like is drinking strong/thick Salvia tea. The first time I drunk it, changed my life drastically for the better--I felt really "in it," as in grounded in reality. The second time, however, it drastically changed it for the worse--I felt really out of it.

I am a little afraid to go deeply into it for this reason. But I do know that I have benefitted greatly from the wisdom Salvia has imparted on me. I just don't want to get too wise, if you know what I mean. Your journeys of soul retrieval sound really awesome, and something I could benefit greatly from. I can definitely do a dieta.

What was your diet, exactly? Were you abstaining from animal products? Spices? Processed foods? How strict was it?

Thanks for sharing!!

Excellent post, thank you Travsha.

I have been thinking how best to approach a dieta with salvia for some time now, and your post has given me some good ideas, at just the right time...nettles everywhere here!

Interesting about the tequila suggestion: I'd read that a shot is sometimes used to wash the quid down in trad Mazatec use. I'd assumed it was just to rinse the bitterness away, but maybe synergistic too? My best experiences to date have been with homemade alcoholic tincture.

I find salvia definitely has a synergy with alcohol, though I'm not talking being totally inebriated. I had some plain leaf after enjoying an alcoholic beverage, I was relaxed from the alcohol but definitely not drunk. I got a more visual experience and stronger too. I'm not sure if it's an actual pharmacological synergy or just that I was more relaxed and willing to let go from the alcohol in my system. Maybe that is why the Mazatec used tequila? Or it might have just helped with buccal absorption.

Anyway, back on topic, I find the sage goddess a valuable ally too. I took to her quite well, or more accurately she seemed to take to me. It doesn't take much plain leaf for me to go places and from the very first time I had her she accepted me and treated me well. A few stern teachings sure but always with love in her heart. I have always tried my best to approach her with full respect hence why I have taken a long break though I have been feeling a slow but sure pull back to her

Interesting report about the dieta travsha, thanks for sharing

Nettle has small amounts of Acetylcholine, Histamine, Serotonin, Scopoletin, Quercetin and Nicotine according to this page: http://psychotropicon.info/en/errata-pharmacopoeia-phyton-die-brennnessel/ (you may need to use google translate)

It's in such small amounts or is unable to cross the blood-brain barrier though, so there wouldnt be any effect normally for nettle - but I think there is something synergistic about them. Also the same family of plants as cannabis and hops - good family to be a part of!


I have had bad experiences smoking before, but not with orally ingested salvia.... I know salvia can get pretty intense though - my wife for example has lived entire past lives during salvia visions!

I went less strict with the dieta at the time - what is called "dieta suave". Strict would be just eating fish, a little chicken breast, rice, green bananas, potatoes, green beans and oatmeal. Nothing else - no added sugar or flavors or salt or oil, no sex, and even no sweeter fruits or other veggies.

I went much less strict though - I felt nettle wanted me to avoid cannabis for the week, and avoid oils, salt and sugar. I ate whatever else I wanted, but also didnt pig out or snack a lot - I tried to eat really healthy and fresh foods. I also ate less heavy foods like red meat or dairy - lighter foods seem to go better with dieta. I think this works depending on the plant. Worked for me at least - just might take a little more time to get the same depth of connection as when you go strict. I think some plants might not be down with this type of dieta though.....

They used to make tequila extractions as well, and during Mazatec dietas you are allowed tequila and beer (in some places that have bad water that might be the only things to drink).

Alcohol crosses cell walls very quickly and easily so that is why tinctures often work so well - they help the plant get to its destination faster and more effectively.

I have just been doing cold-pressed tea and quids so far though - no alcohol extraction yet, though I plan on it. I never drink so I dont have alcohol around though, so I keep putting it off saying I will get it later.... From what I have heard salvia should be more effective when ingested with alcohol though and tequila is traditional. Vodka would probably work good as well.

I really enjoy these types of posts where someone is experimenting with these very organic and free-form avenues to self exploration. Thanks for that travsha, very insightful. On another note that I find more personally significant; I have been working on integrating a couple of intense (at least, intense for me) vaped dmt experiences over the last year and your report was precisely the vehicle I needed to 'remind me' and to help me move on.

Nice, thanks for sharing! I really feel that only certain people are truly drawn to a plant like Salvia. It almost seems as if the plant chooses who to commune with, in some strange way. I've given friends Salvia that was incredibly potent and they simply could not achieve more than a mild buzz even after many, many tokes.

I've wondered if my affinity and love for this plant is due to its mysterious nature. Yes, she has opened herself up to me and I've had the most important and life-changing experiences with her. I don't even refer to any other plants in that way Salvia is definitely a feminine energy, I think most would agree. Like jamie said, every bit as deep and meaningful as mushrooms, DMT, LSD, Mescaline, etc. But it's this strange undercurrent of mystery or of revelation that really intrigues me.

This whole concept of a "diet" reminds me of the book Shamanic Quest for the Spirit of Salvia: The Divinatory, Visionary, and Healing Powers of the Sage of the Seers by Ross Heaven
He does some shamanic work while dieting the leaves, it's an interesting read.

Awesome that it reminded you of your own journey!

Actually.... I had been smoking Salvia for years and though it was interesting, it wasnt personally so insightful.... Then I had a really scary and kinda dangerous situation happen once and I stopped smoking it for a few years.

After that break, she found her way back into my life.... I read the exact book you mentioned (really excellent book - I really relate to Ross Heaven), and another friend at the same time told me how quidding Salvia took them deeper then Ayahuasca.... Between my friends experience and that book I decided to give it another try but go the quidding and dieting route this time.... I smoked twice since then which only confirmed that I really prefer quidding.

In his book he smokes it though, except when he diets Salvia. He also combines Salvia with Ayahuasca and San Pedro which sounds crazy!

I think definitely a feminine energy with this plant - very distinct. I notice women especially seem to get along easier with her and go deeper faster too. Such a unique plant!

Yeah that really was a great read, I took it off the shelf and started it again after reading this thread Like the author I typically prefer to smoke. Quidding and other oral methods work and I enjoy them, but maybe I sort of enjoy the blast-off of ripping a large bong toke

I haven't combined Salvia with San Pedro but I have with Ayahuasca on many occasions. They get along wonderfully and I've gone seriously deep with them. I know jamie also has combined Ayahuasca brews and Salvia quids. I've done the quid and smoked but quidding does seem a better route when combining with Ayahuasca.

I've also made several different changa blends that included Salvia of varying strengths. Definitely my favorite plant to add to DMT, in any form

Thanks so much for the awesome report travsha!

I found it incredibly fascinating.

I think it's a good time on this thread (since talk of tequila has arisen) to remind people that good tequila can be somewhat psychedelic in its own right. It is a very unique liquor that does things that no other liquor does.

Salvia likes other green things

Sounds great, nice post.

there is totally something to this. ive found salvia to be a very powerful ally, but i have difficulty understanding her when its just the twp of us.

with xanax and gabapentin (seperate occasions), the trips were quite intensely visual and less abrasive. both of these trips featured an attractive female made of bark, which seemed very happy to see me. salvia, on its own or with another psychedelic, hasnt ever appeared this way to me.

before these two plain lead experience i had one combining extract with LSD. I wish i had been inspired enough to write that trip report. it was just so weird that i really havent figured out what to say, other than it was the most physical, sensory crossover ive ever had. i figured out how to make dmt hardware with my fingertips, and had to outrun a painting that was engulfing the music