After years of waiting, I finally enjoyed Blue Lotus wine. I uncorked a nice red brought back form Rioja and added the Blue Lotus [5g Nymphaea caerulea, dried, granulated blossom]. After mixing it thoroughly, I recorked it and refrigerated it for three days to allow both water soluble and insoluble constituents time to diffuse. After letting the wine warm to room temperature, BN and I poured separate glasses, leaving the plant matter unstrained. After drinking approximately 4oz, I realized that BN couldn't hack the plant matter in his drink. To attempt to make it more palatable, I prepared his into a mulled wine. I heated his entire portion of wine over a gas burner for 4-5 minutes, careful not to boil. A small amount of the essential oils of clove and cinnamon was added for flavor before I strained and discarded the blue lotus mush. He found this even less palatable. We switched drinks instead. All in all, I ended up consuming about 7 more ounces than BN did. He weighs ~170 lbs. We were both calm, but looking forward to getting to know Lotus, as well as excited about seeing friends we had not kept company with in a very long time.
Fifteen minutes later, in the company of friends, I noticed what felt like a dull mental hum across the surface of my mind, so I suggested that BN and I pack an empty clove with White Lotus [Nelumbo nucifera, whole dried blossom]. After sharing the first cigarette, I remained only sporadically conscious of my surroundings and was briefly disoriented (the latter likely caused by residual nicotine, to which I'm not accustomed). As I sat with my friends, I felt very much not present. I suppose that could be called 'a feeling of calm'. I couldn't see any reason to worry if I didn't feel present. The sensation was very much like one of extended trance, the sensation after becoming the breath. I forget the breath.
While I was able to pleasantly listen to the discussions around me, I decided to smoke a second packed cigarette to intensify the effects since I was not experiencing any of the empathogenic or ecstatic effects. After a couple seconds of disorientation, I found myself further away from my surroundings than I like. Though I still appeared sober, I was no longer able to follow complex discussions, making conversation frustrating--if anything could frustrate in that space. I had to work to interact, and was no longer able to sit back and experience. The very strong effects lasted two hours, the strong for two more before I slept. In the morning, I felt slghtly 'different'--not precisely an afterglow, more a feeling of mental contentment, which faded by afternoon.
I understand now why it is called a psychodysleptic--the experience is very like a marijuana head-space. However, unlike marijuana, there was no effect on memory recall. I could not follow the conversation not because I could not remember the train of thought, but because I was not present for most of what was said. This makes me suspicious that it works on the GABA pathway of the mind, demonstrating a novel sedative action; I don't yet know. Perhaps alone, or in smaller amounts, Blue Lotus may be more profound. BN, however, experienced nothing more than a light wine flush and an unpleasant aftertaste. The difference in dosage and body weight, though significant, can't totally explain the differences between our experiences.
