Modern day researchers, spearheaded by people such as myself, have realized that Jonathan Ott's calculations fall short of what most explorers need for a truly visionary experience. Even with a strong harmine/Banisteriopsis caapi dosage, 30-60mg of dmt is not sufficient to produce significant visionary effects in most people. So if fact, a dosage of 30-40mg of dmt is where tryptamine-like effects just begin to occur for most people, and 10-25mg dmt is not really noticeable above the gentle psychoactive effects of the harmine.

Each person is different and for some rare individuals, 30-40mg may be about as much dmt as they wish to take--but most people need at least 60-80mg for sufficient psychoactive effects and even at this dosage, you generally cannot expect a full-blown visionary experience, even when using a strong dose of 4 grams of syrian rue or 100 grams of strong caapi vine. Also, it should be pointed out that going beyond 4 grams of syrian rue (around 200-280mg of harmaline) or 100 grams of strong caapi vine (150--250mg of harmine) can increase the negative effects of these beta-carbolines--which include a feeling of heaviness, pressure in the head, inability to walk properly, more purging and perhaps more of an emphasis on bodily processes.

An oral dosage of 100mg of dmt is where the visionary qualities really begin to occur, for most people say when they are taking 3 grams of syrian rue or 80 grams of strong vine, and in context, 40-60 grams of strong vine is enough to fully mao inhibit most people.

I would say to neophyte explorers to tread carefully, and to slowly increase your dmt dosage in increments: perhaps starting at 60mg, going to 100mg, then 150mg. Some people are going to find 100mg of dmt to be exceedingly strong, and it will perhaps give them an experience they did not feel ready for.

** It came to my attention after an embarrassing number of years, that taking freebase crystal DMT orally was not as potent, colourful, or clear as taking the equivalent amount of DMT in a tea that was brewed from the plant. For many years, I couldn't see how there could be a difference, but after doing some comparisons, it was obvious that the tea was much better, and the experiences resulting from the crystalline extract were inferior.

You could take twice or even three times as much DMT crystal as the equivalent in brew, and the experience from the crystal would never be as bright or full as that from the tea. Why could this be?

With extracted dmt, with chemicals used it would appear that some dimensions and qualities of the tryptamine molecules are compromised. Also, there is the factor of isolating the alkaloids from the rest of the plant. For example, there are very few people who say that extracted pure mescaline from the cactus is as potent of full bodied compared to when they take the tea made from the cactus flesh.

When making a tea from the whole plant, you are extracting the essence of the plant intelligence from its very flesh, not just isolating the alkaloids. In the alchemic method "Spagyrics" developed by Paracelsus, often considered the father of modern medicine, the ashes of the plant are commonly burnt and then blended back into an alcohol-extracted tincture. Friends who have experimented with this procedure report that a Spagyric tincture of Ayahuasca is much more potent than a normal tea prepared from the same amount of Ayahuasca vine.

I'd be surprised if someone brewed one dose at a time.

I wonder what alkaloid composition would produce the same visions you describe with Caapi?

Why do people hate Harmaline so much? One can add different plants to Rue or Harmaline-containing extracts and really clean it up, feels as clean and clear as Harmine.

Why do people hate Harmaline so much? One can add different plants to Rue or Harmaline-containing extracts and really clean it up, feels as clean and clear as Harmine. Lemon Balm does this, Lemon EO does this, i imagine plenty of other plants or possible oils can as well. People don't understand how easily alterable this kind of medicine is (the Harmalas and DMT) by the addition of other plants/oils/supplements, etc. Sure you could use Caapi and not have to do that, even though people do that anyways as admixture plants is a big thing with Ayahuasca, so too with Rue, but why do people have so much hate for Rue as if it is inferior to Caapi? As far as i'm concerned, they're just different flavors of the same technology.

(with 5 g Peganum harmala seeds, ground, in capsules) "At about 1:45 tinnitus was obvious. At 2:00 precise movements were problematical and nystagmus was noticeable. Mild nausea and diarrhea, but no vomiting. I was sensitive to light and sound, and retired to a dark room.

Hallucinations were intense, but only with the eyes closed. They consisted, initially, of a wide variety of geometrical patterns in dark colors, getting more intense as time went on. They disappeared when the eyes were opened. Although the loose bowels and nausea were pretty constant through the first part of the trip, I was not afraid. It was as if the "fear circuits" in the brain had been turned off. The geometric shapes evolved into more concrete images, peoples faces, movies of all sorts playing at high speed, and animal presences such as snakes. It was like vivid and intense dreaming except that I remembered most of it afterwards. In another hour things became manageable and I could go out in public. My sex drive was pleasantly enhanced, and I slept very well."

The Harmala Alkaloids

The harmala alkaloids are psychoactive in man at oral doses of 25 to
750 milligrams. A small dose (25.50 milligrams) is a CNS stimulant.
it increases mental activity and produces a pleasant dreamy state for
several hours. The larger doses-- 200 milligrams up to 750 milligrams--
yield the hallucinogenic effects. The experience usually begins within one
hour and often lasts six hours or more,

The initial effects include nausea, vomitting, increased blood pressure and
heart rate, profuse sweating, dizziness and body tremors. During this
initial period you may hear humming or buzzing noises and you may notice a
wave-like movement of the environment. You may feel alternations of hot and
cold, You may even experience the feeling of sinking together with the
sensation of flight.

These initial effects can be discomforting. They tend to produce anxiety
and encourage a withdrawal from the external world. You will probably
perceive environmental sights and sounds, especially other persons, as
disturbing objects and wish to avoid them. Seek a dark, quiet place where
you can enjoy the hallucinatory trance which follows.

The hallucinatory trance consists of three successive stages of
hallucinations. You will know stage one when your sense of darkness is
interrupted by bright flickers of light. These phosphene-based sensations
first appear as colored dots, specks, stars or simple flowers. They give
way to undulating lines, circles, grids, simple forms, abstract designs and
multi-shaped geometrical patterns. Relax and enjoy a closed-eye
contemplation of the floating, ever-changing pattern of these little images.

In stage two the abstract designs of stage one give way to slowly
moving masses of shapes and colors. Larger shapes take form in a slowly
developing pattern of hallucinatory images. These images acquire a personal
character as your unconscious mind projects your fears and desires upon the
shapes and colors of your visions. Do not be alarmed if the horizon seems
to collapse in a bright flash of light or if your hallucinations turn into
frightening animals. Huge birds of prey, large jaguars and snakes are
common hallucinations with harmala alkaloids. Observe and enjoy the
bright colored imagery as it changes continually in a flowing transformation
of dream-like sequences.

Hours later, in stage three, this panorama of vivid fantasy fades into
the slow movement of shapes and colors. These images disappear, in
turn, as the last stage of the hallucinatory trance wears off. If your
harmala experiment is part of a group experience, you may be surprised by
the unusual similarity in the content of each other's hallucinations. The
harmala alkaloids tend to produce collective hallucinations--especially
archetypal imagery--among group members. This access to "collective
unconscious" is such an extraordinary effect that the harmala alkaloids have
earned the name "telepathines". These unusual alkaloids are present
naturally in harmala, the Hallucinogenic Herb of the American Southwest.

Important Considerations

Every psychedelic experience is chiefly a function of set and setting, of
preparation and environment. The better prepared YOU are, the better the
experience will be for you. Consider the following instructions:

* Do not drink any alcohol or take any drugs or medication when experimenting
with MAO inhibitors (Ie, the harmala alkaloids).

REMEMBER: MAO inhibitors interfere with the bodys ability to detoxify
certain drugs and fermented foodstuffs. Narcotics, barbiturates,
tranquilizers, antihistamines, amphetamines, all forms of alcohol and
foodstuffs containing tyramine are potentially LETHAL when used In
combination with MAO Inhibitors.

* Provide a comfortable setting which is as free as possible from unforeseen
distractions and intrusions. Make sure you will not be disturbed for six
to eight hours.

* Enjoy your trip!

Albert Most

By way of conclusion, I present two additional examples. Unlike all other examples in this chapter, which consist of specific visualizations pertaining to specific content items, these examples are records of sessions. They cite or summarize the various visualizations experienced by one individual drinker in one setting. I bring them in order to give the reader a more direct feel of the visionary experience induced by Ayahuasca.

The first example consists of a 'real-time' verbatim report of what I saw in one session in which I partook of Ayahuasca by myself. I spoke aloud describing what I was seeing and notes were taken by the person who watched me. This session is not part of the core corpus and it is the only session of which I have such a recording. Overall, I would characterize this session as one of moderate strength. In it, there were no grand visions and most of the visualizations in it are snapshots and relatively simple scenes. Furthermore, in this session I had very few ideations and no special psychological insights or spiritual experiences whatsoever. Yet, I find this report to be especially valuable in portraying the general flavour of Ayahuasca visions. Manifest in it is a fairy tale-like ambience and an overall air of magnificence and enchantment. Also featuring in the report are several details that are characteristic of Ayahuasca visions in general—these include fire (note the various ways it is incorporated within the narrative of the vision), light-producing objects, carriages, and processions. Also recurrent in the report are turning movements, upward movements, and looking forward far into the distance. One comment made by a person seen in this visual sequence is a good example of how ideas relate to Ayahuasca visualizations. The entire sequence lasted about forty minutes:

A golden crystal chalice.

Flowers. In the flowers there are birds and insects and the birds go up and up.

A wheel is turning and there is a rod that is turning round and round. From it, a fire ignites.
An old man holds a taper and from it the fire climbs up and up.

A futuristic city.

A Chinese king is sitting and turning his parasol. Now he is in his study. In the background, birds are kissing one another.

A great hall—like an animated movie.

There is a code here—like that of Morse or the genetic code. The code is constituted by many, many dots, the density between which varies. All this is a language calling to be deciphered.

There is something that pushes up and up. It is like a mountain train. All the time it goes up and up.

A car from the 1920s. Delightfully magnificent. From it emerge light and flowers. Advancing with this light, we pass along gold-plated walls and come out through a staircase made out of gold and ivory. The steps go up and down and reach a theatre.

Up in the heavens there is a woman escorted by a man. In the woman's hand there is a torch that swirls. Lights come out of it in the form of flags and the flags turn into hats full of gems. The gems are sparkling.

A scene in Europe in the sixteenth or perhaps the eighteenth century. Knights are riding. They are mounted upon magic motorcycles full of colours and light. All is like a cartoon and enchanted. It is all part of big procession. There are also small dwarfs there. Two of them are holding a banner with the insignia of the sovereign.

An Indian is smoking a big pipe. Through an old telescope, a man is peering into the far reaches of the universe. A view of the planet Earth turning round and round.

Beautiful gardens like Versailles and the Tuilleries.

There are ballerinas there. Like a cabaret. Their thighs are exposed. One woman gets to the balustrade and is watching the audience.

The Indian is smiling. The message is that 'all of these are the expressions of the same source, a source of bounty and grace'.

In a King's reception hall. There are chalices full of wine. Long processions of carriages proceed further and further. Slowly, all the time, the horsemen are pushing forward. In the hall, the seats are made out of silver. There is a feast. A big pot is placed in the middle. A fruit salad is offered in goblets of finely polished, very clear glass. Slowly, the chef pours some sort of syrup or gooey topping. The sauce covers the fruit and then it ascends upwards.

An elephant lifts up its trunk high and looks far, far forward. Up there are birds and they are looking in my direction. There are flowers, and butterflies are flying from flower to flower. All are washed in the light of the sun.

Women are dancing. Carriages come one after the other and the wine flows. An officer approaches a carriage and salutes. The footman bows and opens the carriage's door. The Queen is stepping out.