I picked the Syrian Rue because I've read that it has higher amounts of alkaloids in it than most other harmala-containing plants. I also wanted to be traditional so I ordered some Chacruna as well. I ground up the Syrian Rue by beating it (while it was in a plastic bag) against a hard surface with a hammer. I crushed the Chacruna leaves with my hands. I prepared a mixture of what look like proportional amounts of the plant matter in a small pot with about 10 oz of tap water, heating it to boiling. I then cooled it in my refrigerator. Next time I would like to be totally natural with it, using rain water from the mountains (where there's not very many pollutants) and fire lit with flint. I'll probably be camping when I cleanse myself next. It kind of detracted from what I think the experience should be when I used all the artificial means of production. Anyways, I did this same thing over the course of about a week, once a night, until the plant matter was depleted. The following is a kind of retrospective summary of what I experienced.
about 4-5 oz of tea
I remember laying on my couch, just kind of comatose or something, I remember having a sort of out-of-body experience in that I saw my face and my mouth was slack-jawed and my eyes were half-opened. I remember hearing a very powerful throbbing, buzzing sound that I could only describe as either a short-circuit in my temporal lobes or the underlying rhythm of the universe. I also remember lying in bed and kind of meditating without trying to, and seeing visions of a North American Indian loping across a plain, with a few trees scattered about. His hair was flowing behind him and a full moon was shining down upon him. I could identify with this man, kind of like he was myself in a previous life. I have always gotten chills when hearing Indian music, especially the pounding drums, wailing voices, and spiritual flutes. This was a very profound experience. I live really close to the Colorado Rocky Mountains and I could picture them very vividly, almost on a 'global' scale. At the same time, I remember having the same sort of feelings about Egypt and the time of the Pharisees. I've alwasy been fascinated with Egyptology and maybe this was either a psychological manifestation of my fascination or it was something more. Same with the North American Indian cultures.
I also took several walks while I was under the influence and I remember being totally ecstatic when I looked up at the stars and felt the cool night air on my skin. I remember experiencing a kind connection with past peoples of the Earth because they looked up and saw almost the exact same thing. All in all it was a very rich, mysterious, almost magical time and I plan to do it again. However I have since aquired a greater respect and understanding of this sacred practice and that will influence not only my experience but the more permanent effects. I feel like I used the stuff recreationally when it was meant to be used spiritually. I feel kind of like I took it for granted and I cannot wait to partake in a more metaphysical experience next time. Most of all I feel a little more connected with life in general but especially humanity. I feel like there is a definite unspoken bond between us all and that we allow insignificant differences get in the way of a relationship that could me quite rewarding.
