My first several experiences with this plant were with commercial extracts. Overall I found it to be strange, confusing, and harsh, leaving me with little desire to try again. I ordered some plain leaf after reading more positive things about it, and recently got to try it.

I ground the leaf finely, packed roughly half a gram and did a 2 liter grav, in order to maximize the amount of smoke in one inhalation. Very quickly I started to feel the characteristic strangeness of salvia. My limbs felt like they were made of iron and I forgot I could move them for the first several minutes. Everything looked very warped, there were faces on the walls, and my depth perception was off.

I closed my eyes, and saw myself appear in a blurry, fluorescent meadow. In front of me was a female silhouette, but I could not make out her features.
"Why am I here?"
"You wanted to be."
Oh, right...
"You're afraid to go any further."

I was. That didn't mean I had control. Splotchy darkness began to spread in front of me. No! I wasn't ready. I forced myself to turn around and opened my eyes suddenly. I was back in the room. I tried to focus on the aloe plant, which was was waving its arms and trying to communicate. Faces on the walls loomed over me as I tried not to blink.

I knew I had to go back. There was something I had to see. I closed my eyes again, and returned to the meadow. She was still there, waiting, expectantly.

"Why am I afraid?"
"You don't know what to ask." She was bored, and clearly dissatisfied with my question.
"Should I come back once I do?"
"You could do that. Just make sure you're ready."

I left and opened my eyes. I felt a strong urge to write down the conversation, so I would remember. (But how could I actually forget?) I knew she wanted more of me than what I had to offer her at that moment. I felt how terribly afraid I was, of what I might see, but I also had a deep feeling that it was something I really needed to see. I knew that if I wanted her to show me, I would have to give myself over to her completely. But I also had the sense that she would be there if I were to return.

When I feel ready, I want to try to see her again. If I rush it and come back unprepared, she made it pretty clear that she'll be pissed.

I think it's important with these teachers to listen to the messages and heed any warnings they may have for us, especially with Salvia, which has taken many on some pretty rough trips by the sounds of it.

I read other peoples reports on it and it often sounds like a very difficult experience and one in which they become fearful of ever returning to. Personally, it has never been negative for me, but I have also never had the kind of breakthrough experiences others seem to have. What I can say is that this plant has healed me, on two occasions now, of some physically painful ailments that were with me for many months. Where nothing else worked, this amazing plant spirit brought healing!

Even though I know now, after a bit of research, that Salvia acts on some opioid receptors (KOR agonist), which could help explain it's ability to alter our sense of pain, there is more to it than that. It didn't just remove my pain, it also taught me how to help myself and explained what my body needed from me, which was all so incredible and unexpected.

But like you experienced and were clearly told, I think it's a good idea to go in with some kind of intention or seeking of some answer. There is really so much there to be discovered... even this experience you had is full of many lessons. It's a beautiful thing.

Good luck in your future explorations with this incredible plant spirit.

It is good to see that you're taking the right precautions and steps towards experiencing a more neutral, caring and meaningful relationship with the powerful, divine salvia.

There's certainly no need in rushing anything and your approach seems quite respectful and honest. In the truest sense, salvia isn't harmful at all. Ime, being prepared for salvia is like a slow and steady jack-in-the-box. Once you've crossed the threshold, it opens right up and wide! Patience is incredibly helpful with salvia. To know that you are able to step down upon this recent experience can significantly improve your growth and maturity. Feeling 'the call' can profoundly affect the overall tone of the experience, as well. Ime, persistence almost always unlocked assistance, but then there are those bare naked experiences in which you must sober up and integrate what you've experienced.



Being apart of witnessing this process can be radically humbling. Perhaps this 'something' or 'giving over' is the breakthrough dose through which you desire. These higher levels of consciousness usually require a strong-enough dosage. Particularly any OOBE's. A sitter can be of ease, too. It'll come. Take your time. 'She'll' always be there for you and to deliver what you need to know.

Hope these words are of help. Trust your intuition.

Great post! Nice writing!



As I read your post I thought of this quote. She wanted you to bring forth everything. Bring it all to the table. The whole of you.

Thank you all for the thoughtful responses.

I am somewhat wary of working with this plant in the future, so I'm definitely waiting until the time feels right. It was unlike anything I've experienced. Also I think this helped me to realize how much my own fears and anxieties were interfering with my own learning and progress, which in itself is an important lesson.

I agree that what you get from working with plant teachers depends on whether or not you can fully surrender yourself to the experience, and be open to what you need to be shown. It's clear that this plant in particular really demands respect and the right intentions.

very interesting read! thank you for sharing! I myself have had only a very samll handfull of salvia experiences (with commercial extractions..i think as high as 60x) and these experiences were terrifying. though highly intriguing and fascinating in retrospect. And as you had mentioned reading here on the nexus a lot of members seem to have a great relationship with the pant and this has peaked my interest once again.

You said in your OP that you had ordered and just smoked "plain leaf" how much bigger of a dose or hit did you take compared to extracted or enhanced salvia? it seemed from your writing that you had some what of a grip on what was happening? although you were "afraid" but were you comfortable? I remember my salvia experiences not only being disorientating but flat out scary and uncomfortable..

thanks again for the story! i will certainly be doing more research!

I smoked about half a gram of the leaf in one hit. A bong definitely makes it easier to inhale more efficiently than a smaller pipe. It's hard to describe the specific differences, but as a whole it felt gentler and more mystical. I was present in the sense that I didn't completely break through, although I forgot I could move for a while and felt pretty detached from my surroundings. I felt relatively relaxed throughout. "Relaxed" is not a word I would use to describe the times I smoked extracts. The effects also seemed to linger, and I felt pretty stoned for over an hour afterwards.

I would definitely recommend trying some of the leaf if you are interested in working more with this plant. It's also significantly less expensive and much more pleasant to smoke.

I also find salvia to be a wonderful and powerful teacher and ally.

Got some extract I still have yet to try.