ENTHEOGEN UK - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Below is a list of frequently asked questions regarding EntheogenUK, and Entheogens in general. If you have a question to post to the list then please check here first, as it may already have been answered. If you post a question to the list that is already answered here you will be unlikely to receive a full or comprehensive answer.
If you find the answers here are not clear enough, or you would like some extra advice, or personal experiences, then feel free to post to the list.
This FAQ is an expanding document open to development. If you have any suggested changes, additions, expansions or clarifications to this FAQ then please contact sparklingwaterfall@hotmail.com
CONTENTS
1 General Questions
1.1 What is an Entheogen ?
1.2 Why the interest in Entheogens ? It all sounds a bit wierd to me...
1.3 Why this list, when there a number of similar lists/forums already available ?
1.4 But Entheogens are drugs, and drugs are bad.
1.5 What is on topic for the list ?
1.6 Are Entheogens legal ?
1.7 Are Entheogens dangerous ?
2 Entheogen Information
2.1 What are the most commonly used Entheogens ?
2.2 I'm interested in <Insert entheogen of choice here>, where can I find out more ?
2.3 I've been researching <Insert entheogen of choice here>, where can I now get some ?
2.4 Are natural Entheogens better than synthetic ones ?
2.5 Can I produce any Entheogens at home ?
2.6 What effects does <Insert Entheogen of choice here> have ?
3 Entheogenic Experiences
3.1 When and where should one use an Entheogen
?
3.2 How long does a trip last ?
3.3 What should I do whilst I'm tripping ?
3.4 What shouldn't I do whilst I'm tripping ?
3.5 Do I need a trip sitter ?
3.6 What is the best music to listen to whilst tripping ?
1 - GENERAL QUESTIONS
Entheogen is a term that was created by a number of other key members of the psychedelic community for use in a conference on the benefits of psychedelic use. They chose to create this term, opposed to using any existing terms (Drugs, Narcotics, Psychoactives, etc), as many people already have preconceived ideas regarding drugs and drug use, which do not deserve to be associated with these substances.
The term Entheogen applies only to substances which can be used in a responsible, positive manner. As a general rule this applies to all psychedelics and hallucinogens, however it is very much down the the individual as to whether a substance is an Entheogen or not, and can include a huge variety of substances.
The word Entheogen, can be broken down into thee sections: Gen, Meaning generating; Theo, meaning God; and En, Meaning within; thus Entheogen literally means 'Generating the God within'
1.2 Why the interest in Entheogens ? It all sounds a bit weird to me...
Why not? What things are you interested in?
Our societies fear of altering ones state of consciousness through drugs is something that I don't really understand. Since the beginning of man, Entheogens of various descriptions have played a major part of every culture and civilisation on the planet.
Whether it's the drinking of Kava Kava on the pacific islands, The Ayahuasca ceremonies of the Amazonian tribesmen, the English Pagans use of flying ointments, the North American Indians Peyoté rituals, The Siberian shamans use of Fly Agaric, The Oxacan Shamans use of Salvia Divinorum and Psilocybin mushrooms, or the Rastafarians daily use of cannabis, (This list could go on and on). In many cultures, the use of Entheogens is something that is not only accepted, in is often expected.
Whatever our roots, it is obvious that somewhere in our history Entheogens have played a major part in our evolution. They have always, until now, been used to help people and to improve peoples lives in a huge number of ways. Unfortunately over the last 70 years or so, many of these substances have been made illegal, and people have been fed government sponsored propoganda with the sole aim of demonising these substances.
With the quickly changing attitudes of today's youth, and the advent of the internet, information on these amazing substances is again becoming available to those who are interested, and the subject of Entheogens is quickly becoming more and more popular.
1.3 Why this list, when there a number of similar lists/forums already available ?
Yes, there are a number of similar forums and email lists available on the internet, however most of these are mostly populated by a very large number of Americans, and have a very strong bias towards American information. Whist some of this information is useful, a large amount is incorrect, or useless to people based in Britain. This list aims to create a place where the British Entheogenic community can meet to discuss items which may be of interest primarilly to British people.
1.4 But Entheogens are drugs, and drugs are bad.
Probably every single person reading this takes drugs every single day without even thinking about it. A cup of coffee contains a large amount of caffeine, a large majority of the population regularly drink alcohol, do you smoke tobacco? If you have a headache you probably have no problems with swallowing a couple of asprin, paracetamol, or neurophen, and if you're really ill, the doctor can prescribe you any number of different pills and medicines. Even the oxygen we breathe is used as a drug.
Many people make a distinction between 'good' and 'bad' drugs, categorising all legal drugs as 'good', and all illegal drugs as 'bad'. This is simply not the case: A drug is a drug, and there are risks and benefits involved with taking any drug. It should be up to the person taking the drug to weigh up those risks against the benefits for themselves, and decide for himself whether or not to take the drug.
1.5 What is on topic for the list ?
As well as being for the discussion of Entheogens themselves, this list is also for the discussion of the cultures surrounding their use. This can include music, literature, artwork, religion, festivals, raves and basically anything that is in some way linked to Entheogen use.
A number of Entheogens are 100% legal. Some are borderline, and in very grey legal areas. Some are plain illegal, and even posession for personal use can be punishable with prison.
Most Entheogens fall into the grey area, where although they are illegal to consume for their entheogenic effects, it is still legal to produce, posess and trade them. Before purchasing an entheogen, you shoud always ensure that you are aware of the legal status of the substance where you are.
At EntheogenUK we obviously cannot condone breaking the law, and anyone discussing planned or ongoing illegal activity will be warned, and then removed from the list if the warnings are not followed.
It is permissable to talk about past illegal activity, or to phrase questions in a manner which doesn't imply illegal activities are going on.
1.7 Are Entheogens dangerous ?
That depends very much on what you class as dangerous. Every activity has a degree of risk associated with it, whether it be driving a car, making a coffee, walking the dog, going for a swim, or taking a drug. Responsible entheogen use, which we promote here at EntheogenUK, involves making yourself aware of any possible dangers in advance of taking the drug, and being prepared for any possible problems, no matter how unlikely.
When first experimenting with an Entheogen you should always ensure that you have a sober trip sitter. This is someone to watch over you, to stop you doing anything that may cause injury, and to help if anything should be needed. This person should be familiar with any possible problems that may arise whilst under the influence of the drug, and know the correct way to deal with these problems.
In general the risk from taking entheogens is extremely small (Statistically you are more likely to drop dead for no reason (Adult sudden death syndrome), than you are to be killed or permenantly injured from most entheogens), however some (Such as Datura, and Belladonna) have larger risks associated with them, and this should always be looked into before taking the entheogen. The main risk regarding Entheogens is not caused by the action of the drug it's self, but as a result of the entheogen effecting your judgement skills to some degree, which can make it easy to do something which could cause injury without even realising it.
When taking an entheogen, any possible weapons (knives, bats etc) shoudl be locked away, and possibe dangerous items (Lit candles, insense, knives etc) should be kept well out of the way of the person who is tripping.
If someone is having a problem whilst under the influence of an entheogen, and needs some help, then it is very important that you know the correct help to give them. Do not automatically call an ambulance (Although obviously do not rule this out if you feel it is nescesary), as depending on the state of the person, and the drug they have taken, this may serve only to make the situation worse than it needs to be (Can you imagine tripping in the back of a hectic ambulance and in a hospital).
If you ever do need to call an ambulance, try to have a sample of the entheogen that was taken available, and any information that could be useful to the ambulance crew. Unfortunately people often do not have this information easilly to hand, and in some cases, this can result in the medics administering a treatment which makes the situation worse.
2 - ENTHEOGEN INFORMATION
2.1 What are the most commonly used Entheogens ?
There are a huge variety of entheogens available to those who are interested. Some of these can be bought via the internet, Some can be picked from the wild, some can be bought in local shops, and others can be specially cultivated at home.
The most common legally available entheogens in use today are probably Salvia Divinorum, Argyria Nervosa (Hawiian Baby Woodrose), DXM, and DMT. These are easilly available through a number of online mail order companies, most of which are based either in the Netherlands, or United States.
A number of illegal entheogens are also very popular, and although I do not condone breaking the law, I understand that these can provide extremely valuable experiences when used in a responsible manner. The most commonly used illegal entheogens are Cannabis, MDMA (Ecstacy), LSD-25 (Acid), Psilocybin Mushrooms (Shrooms) and 2C-B (Bees).
If you ever consider taking an illegal Entheogen, please bear in mind that there is no quality control on black market goods, and there is no guarentee that you will be getting what you pay for.
Dispite the additional risks of using black market entheogens, many people feel the benefits of their use still outweigh the risks, and choose to use them anyway.
2.2 I'm interested in <Insert entheogen of choice here>, where can I find out more ?
The internet is a great resource for information. The following links will take you to some of the major sources of entheogenic information :
A number of these sites contain forums which are populated by some extremely knowledgeable people. If you have any questions which you cannot find answers to, then try posting in a forum.
There are also a very popular alt.drugs newsgroup hierarchy, which contains a number of entheogen related newsgroup.
2.3 I've been researching <Insert entheogen of choice here>, where can I now get some ?
There are a number of internet based suppliers who specialise in Entheogens. The links below will take to you to some of these :
http://www.maya-ethnobotanicals.com
This is by no means a complete listing, however if you are looking for a specific entheogen, then chances are that one of these suppliers will carry it.
2.4 Are natural Entheogens better than synthetic ones ?
This is a debate which arises fairly often amongst the entheogenic community. Both sides have very strong arguments, and there are never any clear winners. This may be a bit of a generalisation, but I tend to find that people who are scientifically minded, and have very reserved views on spirituality tend to prefer synthetically produced chemicals, where as people who are spiritually minded, and tend to use entheogens for spiritual experiences prefer natural entheogens over synthetically produced ones.
From a scientific point of view, a chemical is a chemical regardless of it's source. For example pure mescaline extracted from a peyoté cactus is indistinguishable from synthetically produced pure mescaline, and should have identical effects. People who are approaching their entheogen use from a scientific angle tend to prefer this as the purity of the chemical can be regulated, and doses can be easilly monitored.
Many people, rather than approaching their experience from a scientific angle, will approach from a far more spiritual angle. Often with the aim of shamanic style voyaging, or communication with spirits or entities. A lot of people who use entheogens in this way prefer to use natural entheogens, as they believe that the spirit of the plant they are using will guide them or teach them.
2.5 Can I produce any Entheogens at home ?
Virtually all herbal Entheogens can be succesfully grown at home with minimal equipment.
2.6 What effects does <Insert Entheogen of choice here> have ?
The only real way to understand the effects of an entheogen is to experiement with it yourself. The nature of an entheogenic experience goes far beyond the bounds of language, and can very rarely be adequately expressed using words.
There are a number of sites on the internet which have a wide variety of trip reports, but don't expect to be able read a few trip reports and understand the nature of an entheogen. Having said that though, without experimenting youself, these are probably your best source of information.
3 - ENTHEOGENIC EXPERIENCES
3.1 When and where should one use an Entheogen
? An entheogen can heighten sensitivity to ones external and internal world to an astonishing degree. Likewise, projection and transference phenomena is similarly intensified. This is why one of the golden rules to the use of entheogenic substances is understanding the influence of 'set and setting'.
Set refers to ones mental state, which changes from person to person and under different situations. Set encompases ones energetic, emotional balance, beliefs and philsophies, subconscious attitudes and memories, and fundamental self-image. Also the attitude toward the entheogen itself, and expectations, plays a critical role, whether it is viewed with respect as a tool for self-learning and to heighten perceptions, or, to take the opposite extreme if it is viewed with fear and suspicion.
Setting is the environment in which the entheogenic journey is to be undertaken. Setting could vary from anything between natural or artificial environments that are expansive or constrictive, secure or hostile, harmonious or squalid. Setting also includes people present in this environment and their behaviour.
It is crucial to optimise set and setting as much as possible. It is difficult to determine ones set, yet if one feels imbalanced or mentally fragile, it may be wise to persue other forms of entheogenic exploration such as Aikido or Breathwork first for preperation, unless one can find an excellent guide or friend who is thoroughly knowledgeable and experienced in therapeutic contexts. One of the qualities of entheogens is that they can allow a deep understanding of our world and who we are, and this can shine insight onto how we can, if we wish, make ourselves better people and more fully unlock our potentials by unknotting various blocks that entheogens show us.
Set and setting should be fairly balanced, with a clear intention. It helps to be in a peaceful environment where there is little chance of being disturbed by strangers, and with friends should be trusted and well informed as to the nature of the experience. I find the following quote taken from Psychedelic therapy: A review of the work of Myron J. Stolaroff By Therogen to be a great description of an optimal set and setting :
Specific techniques for leading entheogenic therapy sessions have been designed by Shulgin and Jacob who published in 'Methods and Findings in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology' 1968. Participants chosen for these sessions generally had previous entheogenic experiences, were stable personalities with good communication skills, were unlikely candidates for fear response to the experience, and had a favorable intention for use of such substances. The experiments were conducted in a peaceful ranch on its own grounds. On the day of the session the drug was taken on an empty stomach, people were allowed to wander around the grounds or go into private rooms for personal exploration. Food and drink were always available, as well as a good sound system, as listening to powerful musical pieces seemed to enhance the personal work people were going through. Only in special cases did people request help or guidance, each person was left to explore in his or her own way. The day following the experience and usually after the effects of the drug had worn off, people would usually form in groups and discuss and share their personal experiences. This type of therapeutic environment leaves the entheogenic explorer to learn from their direct experience whilst simultaniously within a mutually supportive, physically secure framework where therapeutic work could be performed if needed.
As for expectations and attitudes toward entheogens, one can greatly benefit from learning something of the ancient spiritual and healing traditions in which entheogens have been utilised as sacraments. It is also beneficial to read more recent literature on the subject, such as the work of Stanislav Grof, Myron Stollaroff, Alexander Shulgin, and perhaps the writings of D M Turner, Gracie and Zarkov, and Terrence McKenna. Integrating some of the insights of these researchers can greatly expand ones expectations and appreciation of the experiences that can be accessed. It is also crucial to understand that not all entheogenic journeys are pleasant, but that even the infamous 'bad trip' can offer the oportunity for learning.
Some excellent essays regarding the use of entheogens can be found at the DrugText Psychedelic Library, particularly the section entitled Psychedelic Experience and Personal Growth. This section includes the essay Using Psychedelics Wisely by Myron J. Stolaroff.
3.2 How long does a trip last ?
This depends on ones set and the entheogen used. Research The Lycaeum and Erowid for information on duration of various entheogens. Generally classical entheogenic plants such as peyote, san pedro, psilocybe mushrooms and ayahuasca can last between 5 to 8 hours (with lingering aftereffects), iboga and LSD can last considerably longer if consumed in higher doses.
3.3 What should I do whilst I'm tripping ?
This is really a matter for personal exploration. The options are open ; appreciate nature, talk to friends, paint, write, walk, yoga, martial arts, meditate, channel, shamanise, group therapy, or just lie down and explore the deeply revealing inner process.
3.4 What shouldn't I do whilst I'm tripping ?
Anything that could bring physical or mental harm to yourself or others, such as driving a car, destructive action, or taking radical action on certain aspects of your life. Wait for at least a few days to review the situation before fundamentally altering anything in your life. Your revelation may be solid but you need to test it with the everyday mind first.
A sitter is useful in many ways. Firstly they will look out for you, and make sure you are comfortable. They can bring you things when you need them, they can change records, they can keep the setting secure, so that your experience is undisturbed. Also a sitter is reassuring on a psychological level.
3.6 What is the best music to listen to whilst tripping ?
It depends on the individual, though instrumental, positive music is recommended.