Salvia
History Of Salvia (part 2)
© Leander J. Valdes III, Jose Luis Diaz and Ara G. Paul.
Remedial uses of S. divinorum
From the shaman the investigators learned that the plant could be used as a medicine as well as for the induction of visions. A low dose serves as what the investigators interpreted to be a tonic or panacea as well as for magical healing (Don Alejandro did not use such terms). An infu- sion prepared from 4 or 5 pairs of fresh or dry leaves may be taken by the glass (vase) or tablespoonful (cucharoda) as needed. It is used to cure the following illnesses, although there may be other possible uses:
- It helps one defecate and urinate. It stops diarrhea (the plant appar- ently is believed to regulate eliminatory functions).
- It is given to the sick, old or dying to revive them or alleviate their illness. People who are pale, white and almost ready to die (they have anemia) may recuperate on taking la Maria.
- It may be taken to relieve headache and rheumatism (however, when taken in the high doses that induce visions; it often leaves one with a head- ache the following morning, according to the curandero).
- There is a semi-magical disease known panz6n de barrego (sic), or a swollen belly, which is supposedly caused by a curse from a brujo, or evil sorcerer. The victim's midsection swells up due to a stone that has been put inside them. Taking the Salvia causes elimination of this stone and the belly shrinks down to size. The researchers met an old shaman who showed them his wrinkled middle and said he had cured himself of the disease by use of la Maria. Don Alejandro confirmed the illness and the cure.
Divination With S. divinorum
S. divinorum may be prepared as an infusion from 20 (about 50 g) to 80 (about 200 g) or more pairs of fresh leaves to induce visions, and may be taken by the curandero, the patient (or apprentice) or both, depending on the situation.
Only fresh foliage will serve for divination; At this dosage level, the Salvia is used to foretell the future, find the causes and cures of illnesses and obtain answers to questions about friends, enemies and rela- tives.
In shamanic training, the future healer takes la Maria to learn the ways of healing and the identification and use of medicinal plants (there is supposedly a tree in Heaven with all such herbs on it and one talks to God and the Saints about them under the influence of the hallucinogens).
After preliminary sessions in the company of the master, who takes the infusion along with the apprentice to watch over him on the journey, the future healer may continue study on his own until it is time for the next plant in the series.
Don Alejandro told the investigators that the Salvia, the morning glory seeds and the mushrooms each told their own historic (story or history) and ska Maria was the best teacher of the ways of curing, as one learned the most from it. During the course of visits, the researchers were able to participate in two sessions under the shaman's guidance.
As the hallucino- gens are never taken without a valid purpose and since the visitors were from the University, the ceremonies were oriented to teach them about healing and especially the uses of the Maria and other medicinal plants.
Don Alejandro said they would have to follow the dieta, or ritual diet for 16 days, although they could bathe and drink beer (after the first time, the dieta for S. divinorum is only 4 days in length).
The preparations for the two ceremonies were essentially the same. As dark came (about 19:30 h to 20:00 h) the curandero began making the Salvia infusion. The leaves were first counted out in pairs to arrive at each person's dose and put neatly into piles with their petioles aligned.
Then Don Alejandro picked lip part of a pile and crushed it by hand into a small enameled bowl partially-filled with water.
As more foliage was squeezed and added, the liquid turned dark green from the chlorophylls. After the potion was prepared, it was poured through a sieve into a glass which was topped off with water. During the preparations for the second session a head of foam formed on the glasses and the curandero laughed.
He explained through his son that the foam (espuma) was an indication of strength and the Maria would be very potent that evening. The glasses were covered with inverted cups to prevent the escape of the humor (que no salga el humor).
Although the foliage of S. divinorum could reportedly be kept fresh for a week or longer when wrapped in the large crushing the leaves while preparing the Salvia infusion. Straining the prepared infusion to remove the marc. The leaves of Xanthosoma robustum Schoff, the prepared infusion was said to be stable for a day.
The spent leaves were set aside to be discarded in an out of the way location where they wouldn't be defiled by people or animals. However, Don Alejandro said that they could still be used by putting them on a subject's head to refresh them after the session.
The curandero Picked up a glass of the Maria and began an oration. The Holy Trinity, Saint Peter, the Virgin Mary and other Saints were called on to watch over the partici- pants and teach the visitors the ways of curing:
In nomine Spiritu Santo (this Latin phrase was always translated into the vernacular as:
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost)
Most Holy Lord Saint peter
In the name of Leandros (the subject),
In nomine Spiritu Santo Maria, show Leandros,,
that he may see what there is in the world
For he wishes to study all the classes of medicines
Lord Jesus Christ, show him
May he learn
May he see all the classes of medicinal plants
You, who know all, show him
I want you to show him all the different kinds
of illnesses and remedies that exist in the world
In a short time he must learn your story
In nomine spiritu Santo
Most Holy Sainted Rosary
Set him free, that he may see it
Show him as you have shown me
May he recognize all that is the Universe,
All that is you History
He wishes to learn out of love and sincerity
I want you to show him, as I am asking your favor
You, Maria and Lord Jesus Christ, amen
If there is bad or good, save him
Help him out of sincerity and love
In nomine Spiritu Santo
Most Holy Lord Saint Peter
You too, Maria, show him
Set him free that he may see it
Do not be deceptive
This day, on this very date
he is going to take it (the Salvia infusion)
In nomine Spiritu Santo
Most Holy Lord Saint Peter
Help this Leandros
May he grow more, may he learn things
Show him all that there is in the world
All that is good
All that is medicinal
In nomine spirit Santo
Most Holy Lord Saint Peter
Lord Saint Anthony, Lord Saint Peter, Jesus Christ
You are the only three who know about la Maria
You must show him all that is medicinal
All that is the Universe
All that is your History
Show him, do not be bad
In nomine Spiritu Santo
Holy Sanctuary, Lord Santa Ana
You who are good, You must help him
so that he becomes acquainted with our Universe
You must teach him what I ask
to that it will be to the Lord Saint Peter's pleasure
Let Leandros take it (la Maria)
In nomine Spiritu Santo
Most Holy Lord Saint Peter
Two to four hours passed in conversation and the telling of stories. The shaman repeatedly emphasized that it was important to describe one's visions, If you are going to learn or if you are going to understand what it is all about, you must speak.
Finally it was time for ingestion of the infusions (between 21:00 h and 23:00 h). Following Mazatec custom, at least one person didn't participate, in order to watch over the rest (Wasson et al., 1974). As a last protection against any dangers during the visionary travels, Don Alejandro performed limpias, or ritual cleansings, on the visitors,
In nomine spirit Santo
Most Holy Lord Saint Peter
This is a limpia for Leandros (subject)
Arise, listen, as it is now the time
'''In nomine Spiritu Sant
o Most Holy Lord Saint Peter
I ask Your favor for Leandros'
Heal him, care for him
For I am going to cleanse him now
Help him at this moment that he may be cleansed
Strike out the bad illnesses that he may have
Lord (Saint Peter) attend him
That he may see the Universe
What there is in the world
Everything
Help him, raise him
May he see what there is
All that he wishes to know
Save him, care for him
In nomine Spiritu Santo
Most Holy Lord Saint Peter
Reclaim this man
That he live well, live better
For this man is known by all the children of God
Heal him, as You will
Heed his messages the moment you heal him
Take care of him, help him
That is what I am saying
In nomine Spiritu Santo
Molt Holy Lord Saint Peter
Lord Jesus Christ
You know how to save him, how to cleanse him
Cure him, no matter what badness has fallen on him
Heal him, care for him
I want You to heal him and save him from all bad things
Being in my hands, I can help him,
having faith and will
In nomine Spiritu Sato
Most Holy Lord Saint Peter
Sainted Trinity, care for him
Help him, let no evil befall him
As the oration was being recited, Don Alejandro anointed the subject with a piece of copal dipped in the San Pedro. The curandero then gave him a pinch of the San Pedro to carry for protection if he felt dangerduring or after the session. After a final benediction, the potions were drunk and the light was turned out.
Session 1, August 18, 1979
The participants were Diaz, Valdes and Don Alejandro, whose son sat on a bench and watched over the others during the proceedings. The curandero and Diaz, who had taken la Maria several times previously, each had doses prepared from 50 pairs of leaves. Valdes received a beginner's dose made from 20 pairs.
They took the Salvia preparations around 22:30 h. The visitors shared a large cot while the shaman lay on a petate, or sleeping mat which was unrolled on the floor. Diaz sat quietly on the side of the cot after the lights went out. About 15 min after ingesting the infusion he began to see subtle visions, constricted like columns of smoke in the total darkness. It made no difference whether his eyes were opened or closed.
Deciding to speak out, he saw a light which disappeared as he began to describe it. The images increased in intensity. He saw a mountain made of ice, as though he were at the base of a cliff formed from large ice columns. The vision slowly changed into Cerro Rab6n, a nearby mountain intimately associated with Mazatec legends (Inchiustegui, 1977). About 23:00 h the flow of images changed into lights of various colors.
Benediction of the Salvia infusion just prior to its ingestion. shades of blue, indigos and purples, scattered as if in a spatial vacuum. Depending on his perspective, he was either traveling through them or else they were being projected toward him.
He saw a cross being encircled by a light and a mantle. As he described the imagery in words, it seemed to be fixed more clearly in his memory and he felt it would aid in later recall of the experience. Some 45 min after the light went out, Don Alejandro began to speak in a monotone. His son did not interrupt to translate from the Mazatec.
As the shaman spoke, Valdes (who had only experienced a few brief visions which he hadn't described) saw a black sky with brightly-colored objects floating in it. He suddenly found himself speeding toward one and actually felt he was accelerating through space past the rest. The light turned out to be a Mazatec village similar to that of the curandero.
Valdes saw it from above, as if he were on a hill. Shapes, like kaleidoscopic pillars of smoke, were at the sides of some of the houses, Then he was suddenly back in space, receding away from the vision.
Don Alejandro stopped speaking, turned on the light and went to look for a spy he had heard outside the house. He found nothing, but forced himself to vomit, which he said would end his visions.
The session had lasted about 1 h, and the following hour was spent in discussion of what had been seen. The curandero told the two visitors that he had watched over them during the session and ascertained what they needed to know.
The old man said that after a few more experiences Diaz would learn to heal and use the medicinal plants. He mentioned a woman, a doctor like Diaz, who would try to interfere with or get involved in his work.
Don Alejandro emphasized to Valdes, who had remained quiet throughout the night, that it was necessary to speak out about the visions and he would need many sessions before he would learn how to heal. Everyone then went to sleep and rose early the next morning.
part 1 part 2 part 3
Books Salvia Divinorum
Looks at the use of Salvia divinorum for divination, exploration of consciousness, and healing. The author is a fifth generation herbalist who does consultation work for various pharmaceutical companies. He was introduced to Salvia Divinorum by the late Terence McKenna. Small (lees than 100 pages) but informative book.
Salvia Divinorum
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