AYAHUASCA ANALOG EXPERIENCES
by Johnny Appleseed
Two strains of Phalaris
arundinacea, "Yugoslavian
fresh- cut" and "Turkey Red,"
were bio-assayed as ayahuasca
analogs. Each variety was
harvested in late September,
1992, after being cultivated
as described in the Vernal
Equinox, 1993 issue of The
Entheogen Review. Foliage was
clipped three inches above
ground level in the early
morning (about 8:00 AM), and
alkaloids extracted by the hot
water method. The
Beta-carbolines used as MAOis
were extracted from Peganum
harmala seeds. One trial
(November 28, 1992), was made
with Desmanthus leptolobus in
place of the Phalaris extract.
All dosages were 50 mg
total Phalaris alkaloids, and
125 mg of harmala alkaloids,
except where noted. Harmala
extracts were ingested first,
with capsules pulled apart
before swallowing. Phalaris
alkaloids were taken fifteen
minutes later, with the gummy
extraction redissolved in just
enough ethyl alcohol to put it
into solution. This was then
added to enough honey, hot
water and vitamin C to make a
tea solution to maximize
absorbtion in the gut.
Effects -~ Single Trials:
October 15, 1992 -- Turkey Red
(30 mg) plus P. harmala. Very
subtle and spacy, feeling of
leaving the body. Some nausea
after about two hours. Down
in three and a half hours. I
feel very healed. Not quite a
full dose.
27-
November 1, 1992 -- Turkey Red
(40 mg) plus P. harmala. More
nausea, but spitting and lying
down helped. Informationabout
the plants comes, and the
name: "Turkey Red. " Down in
about four hours, awake for
six hours, want to talk.
November 28, 1992
Desmanthus leptolobus (45 mg)
plus P. harmala. Bad
heartburn at first, then very
visionary: the images of bulls
breaking their way into my
skull and trying to
communicate with me.
Afterwards walking around and
praying for the native people
of Australia. Very cold,
wanted cuddling. Lasted about
four hours.
December 9, 1992
Yugoslavian fresh cut (50 mg)
plus P. harmala. Took it when
tired and distracted. Not
visionary; went to sleep after
an hour. Next day felt highly
aware and strong in my body.
This continued for several
days.
Group Sessions
November 14, 1992 Turkey
Red, plus P. harmala. Six
people. Within twenty minutes
T began very violent purging,
which continued for two and a
half hours. He was in a
highly visionary state, but
seemed agitated and fearful.
I sat very strongly and after
thirty minutes began to sing
and chant. This continued on
and off throughout the
session. I did healing work
with the rattle as needed. L
kept to herself at first, but
then began to interact with T
and do healing work with him.
At one point she was
extracting from him and
purging. She said later that
after this she had a complex
visionary sequence of
exploring an otherworldly
landscape. A was very active,
singing with me part of the
time and other times alone
outside. We spent some time
communing together with heads
touching. At one point A, L
and I generated a tone-song
that could have built into a
very dynamic group visionary
experience if T's distress had
not been so distracting. We
three stayed strongly
connected through visual
contact. J stayed quiet and
withdrawn, stating later that
he did have some visionary
states, but only when he could
be alone and quiet. About six
hours.
November 16, 1992 -- Turkey
Red plus P. harmala. A and
myself. Took a normal dose,
and then another full dose at
about the second hour when it
started to peak. Began at
9:00 AM and lasted until
Midnight. Many experiences,
both connected to A and by
myself. Did a lot of praying
and asking for help from the
Grandfathers. Took a booster
of harmala extract in the
afternoon, which seemed
effective.
December 15, 1992 -- Turkey
Red, plus P. harmala. Six
people. · Began by sitting in
the configuration shown in L,.( s
dream. I sat back to back
with her, with A, N, M, and s
sitting in the four
directions. After about
thirty minutes L started to
rock, chant and then repeat:
"I remember, I remember. " She
went into a healing crisis and
began purging a lot. Later
she said she journeyed back
through her DNA and remembered
encoded memories all the way
back to the primal ocean. She
was very sick the whole night -- it reminded me of my first
jungle ayahuasca. She was in
a healing crisis for almost a
whole week afterwards. A and
I began shamanizing. A sang
and chanted to project sounds
into L' s body. I remained
seated and chanted support to
A's work. At one point I did
some sucking, extraction and
purging for L, and at times
would try to challenge and
connect with her, but she
wanted no one to touch her.
The grass rattle worked well.
M, s and N stayed to
themselves and rather quiet.
About six hours.
Summary: The experience seems
to have an inner visionary and
informational focus when taken
quietly alone in the dark. On
the other hand, taking it in a
group setting with people one
knows and trusts facilitates a
shamanic, healing experience
while enhancing interpersonal
bonds and connections. One
individual often goes into a
healing crisis, and many of
the rest of the group then
begin shamanic work. At some
point this is resolved, and
then everyone tends to enter
deeper physical and mental
space with each other. The
resulting energetic
connections seem to be a part
of the healing process. The
fine light vibrations of the
experience often last almost a
week. I feel better physically
than after mushrooms - strengthened
rather than wiped-out.
