dithyramb said:
Livinglight108, I also engage with plants in a spiritual context, however since joining the nexus I have found focussing on materially oriented scientific aspects is more resonant with this place, and thus my discourse style has changed a lot, at least as it appears here. This did have positive sides to it, like getting more proficient in the material-analytic dimension. Besides, if left unchecked a plain spiritual focus tends to bring with it its own set of illusions. it's a very deep and complex world. I strive to find a balance between the extremes of getting lost in the vagueness of the depth and the superficiality of the surface material specifics.
But ultimately, unmistakably, I am a plant spirit guy. I get to know and ally the local plants of my land that call to me, this is my work. Rue is my number one ally and has been part of the world of my ancestors, in religious contexts. I was not aware of this before it called to me and I started working with it.
I too have had plenty of experiences with Ayahuasca, San Pedro, and mushrooms. I actually started this work and had my first ever psychedelic experiences with a call to a sacred healing craft of the local land, started with rue alone, then a year later tried it with mimosa. Later I got influenced by friends to try these other, non-local sacred medicines. I have turned 100% local since a few years, as İ found being faithful to rue and getting the help of other local plants when necessary is more wholesome and aligned for me in my journey . Before this journey I had never had any other experiences with any drugs/psychoactives, including MJ and tobacco, and I rarely enjoyed the alcohol I drank in social settings. This has not changed.
Regarding iboga, and iboga's similarity to rue... High dose rue by itself always reminds me of iboga. Probably the structural similarity between ibogaine and harmaline plays a role in this... (Claudio Naranjo has a study specifically on this similarity). Even though I have never experienced iboga, a lot of the mentioned differences between Ayahuasca and iboga İ find apply to the difference between Ayahuasca and rue. Rue definitely is experienced more as a stern inner voice of truth, and feels connective to one's own soul. Connection to the essence of self, and essence of all family/loved ones. This is what rue is about. A pure, divinely alligned, unified existence...
Take care, blessings.
Starting from your last paragraph upward: "The behavioral effects induced by ibogaine are
indistinguishable from effects produced by two related indole alkaloids, harmaline and ibogaine" From
The Olivocerebellar Projection Mediates Ibogaine-Induced Degeneration of Purkinje Cells: A Model of Indirect, Trans-Synaptic Excitotoxicity I similarly have yet to experience ibogaine though have been drawn to it for several years. Fascinatingly as a result of synchronicity in life, a long-ish time virtual friend has been connecting with me who is currently deeply immersed into ibogaine. I can agree with your assessment here: pure divinely aligned unified existence. However that doesn't mean it's always going to be easy as I encountered profoundly last night.
I appreciate your desire to learn more about molecules and pharmacology as opposed to just being a plant spirit guy. I share this: pharmacology is mountainously interesting. It has been said that you don't find the medicine, the medicine finds you. Anecdotally the way in which Rue came to me was during a time of extreme challenge. A friend began relentlessly contacting me out of the blue which I initially resisted. I even came to the analogy of that when all that one knows is darkness light can be (initially) repulsive. Fortunately, I overcame my fear and received his sudden advice of beginning relation with this special plant.
I might as well share what I wrote this morning in lieu of the experience I had last night. I feel as if my desire to attempt to place words upon my ongoing experience(s) is two fold: a) Perhaps they might help someone else and b) Perhaps I might be helped by others with more wisdom than myself.
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After meditating with Syrian Rue a handful of times with glowing results, I found myself a lot deeper into the medicine though not necessarily as a result of increasing my dose.
My maximal dose on any occasion never exceed 5-7 grams. My meditations were at night in quiet darkness. I consumed the seeds raw by chewing and swallowing.
I am in a place in life of great struggle in changing bad patterns primarily pertaining to addiction to substances. Sugar, caffeine, kratom, and food. What is ultimately the case is having to deal with the underlying trauma/pain which has been the ongoing cause of the self-harming behaviors.
The first few experiences with Syrian Rue were almost entirely glowing wherein I felt as if I was re united with a long lost Angel of Love. She reached in to my heart through time and space to help me feel and to feel. She wasn't forceful but instead more neutral. I was catapulted in waves of profound catharsis wherein I felt like an absolute baby crying rivers of tears along with intermittent full body convulsions. Admittedly, I find myself indulging in these states of catharsis as it feels "more real" than most other things in life. Whenever my mind wanders into questioning "why" in these deepest states of connection to the more profound pain imaginable I am met with an instantaneous response of ceasing mental pondering on the matter. The answer must then not be in mind but instead in the heart. I understand this subjective experience will sound crazy to many though I know others can likely relate on some level.
I have had a couple of deep meditative states of calm come over me wherein I was encouraged to go deeper into peace/relaxation. I am hyper aware at my minds inability to concentrate. I see clearly how easily I am taken out of the present moment. This is a good Segway into the more unpleasant qualities I've experienced thus far.
Having experienced 23 years of various plants and drugs I am no stranger to finding myself in deep psychological waters of oceanic challenge. My recreational usage of psychedelics/empathogens ceased at age 25 as a result of a suicide attempt which ultimately was a saving grace in my life though that's another story. I began working with psychedelics in a more conscious format initially alone later ceremonially with mixed results.
In two of the experiences I endured prior to last nights, I experienced tinges of what felt akin to psychic attack or negativity psychologically which is the opposite of fun. I could feel a presence of evil, of something legitimately malevolent. In the experience I had last night the rubber hit the road in a dark light where I was more deeply in rapport with a very uncomfortable aspect of what is in the end almost certainly my own self. Is it my past wrong doings in this life and or the last which persist in some form? Is it that I am a subject to a form of psychic vampirism by parasitic negative entities? I truly do not know and I realize talks on these matters is a sure route to the looney bin. However nonetheless I know I'm not the first nor last human to report on such peculiarities. Some of these attacks were centered around playing upon my core most fears often around death or loss of freedom. In some cases I'd be poked at in a way mentally where it literally felt as if a refined negative psychology was "battling" my mind field.
I found Love, laughter, and deep breathing to help. I found myself dumbfounded at the immensity of the situation. I contemplated the absurdity, the terror, and the uncertainty. I realize it's a combination of many things not in exclusion of the overall predicament we as an entire mankind find ourselves. The notion of evil prevailing over light is a real doozy for those unfortunates who carry such a fear (or realization). Sometimes I find myself considering that everything I'm doing is wrong. I consider that I should be fighting against the wrong being conducted in our world by psychopaths. I can't help but to feel a failure to myself and others.
I experienced reviews of traumatic experiences in this life and some others that I couldn't quite comprehend. These experiences were dream like though some visuals were experienced with open eyes. These experiences were akin to being played on a movie reel at a quality of speed greater than usual. I had listened to some ibogaine ceremonial African music earlier in with moderate length which definitely influenced my experience. I would suddenly be "recreating" the intense strumming of whatever instrument this man was playing, it was very clear, loud, and in my field. Along with the intensity of the music came the intensity of the experience of things occurring before me. Some of them were exceedingly uncomfortable. Yet there was also a sense of joy, beauty, and love. My breath became much deeper at times going up into my crown. My heart at times felt so much love, warmth, and connection. I had an experience wherein I felt a being attempting to protect me and to help me through.
Pardon the abrupt ending. I deduce that the unfolding will continue through my will to heal, change, understand, and to align with the divine. Thanks for reading.