Peyote is a plant belonging to the cacti family that is distributed in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, in the desert strip that surrounds the Tropic of Cancer. It is a small cactus, bluish green in color and unlike many other cacti, it does not have spines. The fame of this small cactus is due to the fact that it is the most widely used hallucinogenic plant in all of North America, although it is also recognized for its medicinal properties.
With no spines, peyote’s main defense against predators is an unpleasant taste that prevents desert animals from trying to eat it. Behind this peculiar taste are more than fifty substances known as alkaloids. Many of these substances have psychoactive properties that alter the perception of reality when consumed in adequate amounts. The best known of these substances —and the one responsible for the effects associated with the consumption of peyote— is mescaline.
History
Peyote has a long history that goes back to the Precolumbian era. Its long medicinal and ritual tradition among the Mesoamerican indigenous people (Mexicas, Huicholes and Navajos), have made it a mythologized and revered cactus since ancient times.
Obviously there is no evidence to confirm the origin of the use of peyote, but there are some images that are more than 3000 years old where ceremonies are represented in which what appears to be peyote is consumed. Already in 1560, the Spanish who arrived, specifically the Franciscan monk Bernardino de Sahagún, described the hallucinogenic effects produced by the ingestion of said drug; he pointing to the Chichimecas as the precursors of its use. Therefore, the first existing European historical reference belongs to the 16th century, but from then on, there have been innumerable references.
Already at the end of the 19th century, peyote began a period of expansion towards the north thanks to the resurgence of the Native American Church, closely linked to native spirituality. In this current, peyote is known as «medicine» and is used to fight addictions or diseases. Also, many other organizations use peyote as a spiritual initiator.
effects
Despite having been used since time immemorial, peyote is one of the most powerful psychic drugs that are currently known. Its effects take time to be noticed, but once they start, the psychedelic trip is powerful and intense. If you think of any drug that produces a similar experience, you can only talk about some mushrooms like Psilocybe cubensis or LSD-25.
At first you can notice strong nausea, vomiting, cramps and crying that are not related to sadness. In the indigenous ritual ceremonies the initial vomiting is considered the part in which the soul was purified. Then begins a psychedelic and introspective journey that can last between six and twelve hours. The «trip» is usually a hallucinatory, sensory and sensitive experience that can range from the maximum sensation of pleasure and joy to paranoia. The sensation of pleasure usually increases and becomes a more strange and psychedelic trip. The consumer begins to see images of very bright and intense colors, that is, a particularly visual experience is suffered.
Next, the journey begins to blow our minds away, sending us to a dark, empty and calm place, far away from everything previously known. At that moment you can literally feel the sensation of flying, and you are immersed in an altered state of consciousness in which empathy and pleasure flood our body along with inexplicable visions and sensations. These sensations may vary depending on the individual and his personal situation when consuming peyote. Some people suffer much less pleasant experiences, even a little traumatic, so it is recommended to consume it in a group, together with people who can help us relax and calm down.
As the hours go by, the experience diminishes and, little by little, we begin to feel control of our conscience again. The next day a feeling of relaxation usually accompanies us and physical fatigue.
How is it consumed?
To experience the effects of peyote, mescaline from several heads of the plant must be consumed. Up to three heads of peyote can be considered a low dose—depending on the size of the heads and the concentration of alkaloids. Marakame and other priests often consume far more than ten buttons to experience profound alterations in consciousness.
Peyote is extremely bitter and is usually accompanied by a sweet drink to make the taste more bearable. It is consumed fresh, but it can also be preserved with honey, dehydrated or prepared as an infusion. The effects of peyote begin to appear one to two hours after consumption and can last up to eight hours.
In traditional medicine, peyote can be applied topically—either fresh or as an ointment—to relieve muscle, bone, and joint pain, as well as to promote healing and treat skin infections.
How to use
exist three main ways to consume peyote: chew the cactus ingesting its juice, fill capsules with well-ground dry peyote heads and, finally, make teas or infusions.
The generic dose is 100 mg, although the dose varies depending on the consumer and the peyote consumed. Some people need less than 100mg and others don’t feel a powerful experience until they reach 350mg.
Regardless of the chosen form of consumption, at Gea Seeds we recommend consuming peyote in a very dosed way in order to better control the trip. Namely, consume little amount, wait an hour and, depending on the effect, decide whether to increase the dose or not. Knowing oneself can save unpleasant experiences.