I recently produced some harmala freebase from syrian rue and have done some initial experiments. To be honest, I'm a bit perturbed by the results as they haven't been quite what I expected. As I understand it, syrian rue is high in harmaline and has less harmine and THH. I've been using a VG vaporizer to smoalk it.
First attempt:
20mg
There's an immediate effect but quite subtle. However gradually over the next 15 minutes I feel an increased effect. There are no OEV but with closed eyes I can see a fine patterning behind the retinas. I feel slightly stoned as if I had smoked a small amount of marihuana and I feel slightly more relaxed. I'm aware of internal dialog which seems to continue unabated.
After 30 minutes I vape around 15mg of dmt. The effects come on much slower than normal but are probably about twice as strong as I would have expected with very stark visuals. The experience seems softer than a normal dmt trip, almost ecstatic with quite a gentle, loving edge.
Second attempt:
20mg, followed by 10mg after 15 minutes, followed by another 10mg 15 minutes later
Starts very much like the 20mg dose. Again not too much in the way of OEV but the CEV are pretty strong. Again I feel pretty stoned. The internal dialog really starts to take over big time and the calm self-observation that I began with is lost and I struggle not to simply get taken over by the thinking process. In fact it goes so far that I really believe that there are other people there that I'm conversing with. It's difficult to distinguish imagination from reality. I try to bring myself back to "it's just me sitting alone in this room" but it constantly draws me back.
20 minutes after the last dose I again vape 15mg of dmt. A very slow onset. I'm lost in waves of ecstacy with immensely intricate imagery. Interestingly I can open my eyes briefly and see the room obviously changed but not "alien world" style and then go straight back into the experience. Far more manoeverable than a normal dmt experience but I've lost the ability to experience this from a non dual perspective - I'm caught in the dream and enjoying it. Overall it doesn't seem useful in the sense that I normally find dmt. The experience lasts much longer than usual and only slowly tapers off after 20 minutes. I'm watching the ceiling fan go round dragging pink kaleidoscope edges.
Third attempt:
20mg
Similar to my first experience but I feel I know the score a bit better this time. I'm trying to see how this experience is useful. It causes some sort of relaxation but doesn't allow the probing into sensations in the body that I find so insightful with most types of entheogens. My level of confusion is increased and meditation is bitty and wanders in and out of irrelevant thoughts without allowing me to observe them.
Fourth attempt:
15mg before going to sleep
I'm interested in harmalas as a sleep aide as I often don't sleep well. I sat in bed to smoke then lay down. 5 minutes cuddle with my girlfriend then I switch out the light. I can see the intricate patterns behind my retinas again and a slight, but not profound, relaxation of the body. I probably spend about 20 minutes getting to sleep wondering if the visuals are going to distract me too much. I wake up half an hour after falling asleep slightly perturbed that it hasn't had the deep sleep inducing effect that I had hoped for. I then spend almost the entire night waking up at half hour intervals. Each time I awake I'm aware that I've been dreaming some sort of visually intense dream. I manage to get back to sleep fairly quickly each time but the overall effect for the night is not one of deep rest.
I'd be very interested to hear from anyone who has used (or especially vaped) harmalas in a positive way. I was hoping to gain clarity and insight but I can't say this has been the general effect. Its influence on the dmt experience is interesting but I'm not completely convinced here either.
In all of reality there are not two. There is just the one thing. And I am that.