BODY WEIGHT:

230 lb

I am a 56 year old man that had never tried anything of this type. I have been a stoner for the past 35 years, relying only on ganja for my pleasure. I have recently become aware of the need to do some searching. I have been searching for spiritual truth for many years, but had always rejected the use of drugs as a path. I had apparently bought into the US Gov's propaganda, I grew up in the 60's ( class of 68) but had been a redneck in HS, violently opposed to drug use.

I met up with MJ the night I came home, at 19, and found my wife and baby gone, only a note that she left for good. I called a buddy and he produced a joint, been there ever since, except for the years in the army when I ran the drug testing unit for my division and was tested 2x weekly plus randomly. I smoked all thru college and professional life and so far, 4 years into my retirement.

I decided to try to get to another level and experience the psychedelic realm after reading about the healings of the Shamans and their use of Ayahuasca. I read about the drugs used and eventually landed on this site, where I found experiences listed and reading them both quieted my fears a bit and heightened my curiosity.

I drove 90 miles to the city ( I live in a very remote town in Arkansas, retired from Dallas, Tx) and found a store selling 20x Salvia D. I bought 2 grams and headed home.

I had been reading the experiences listed here to find a report that involved someone older and inexperienced like myself. I wondered about the dosage, the reports all list body weight, but I wasn't sure about it because no height or level of physical conditioning was ever talked about. I am 230 pounds but 6'3' as well and only a few pounds above my workout weight of a few years ago. I didn't know if body fat levels had any influence on the usage or dose level. I am a big guy, old , and yet I am not carrying a lot of extra weight. The reporter I found closest to my weight said that he used a very small dose and warned of using too much. I used altogether, about 0.2 to 0.3 grams during the entire episode, spread out through 8 or 9 hits over an hour.

My wife agreed to be my sitter while she read this site to gain some perspective. She had not read any of this stuff and had no idea of what to expect. I was going to wait until the next day to try it, but she looked at me about 10:00, kids were asleep ( I have 5 yr old twins) and said 'well'.

We turned down the lights and put on some mellow rock to listen to and I sat on the bed.

I placed a small amount of the stuff on a wire screen in my pipe and smoked it, big hit, held in as long as I could. I waited a few minutes and felt the warm wash over me and my balance was affected. I was hoping to see some visual effects, never have had any, and was anxiously looking around the room for any Dali-like changes. Nothing. But when I laid down and closed my eyes the colors were amazing and they were moving, making very bright colored patterns. I was looking up at a towering stack of balloons that were extending forever up from each corner of the bed, which now looked like a giant playpen.

I opened my eyes , hoping to see some alteration in perception in the room. Nothing. I took another hit. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the colors for a few minutes, but wanted to see something more 'vision-like' I suppose. I got up and stumbled over to the desk and loaded the pipe again. The Salvia definitely affects the balance and coordination. Took two hits and laid down. I was looking at my wife and suddenly the buzzing started. It was like a bunch of crickets and birds were outside the window, but the sound was all around my head. I could feel something pulling me into what seemed to be the corner of the room. I could not (or dared not) look in that direction. I was being pulled up and away thru the corner of the room. I remember my wife saying, rather sarcastically 'are you leaving me?', to which I said ' yeah, they are taking me away'.

I remember almost a feeling of panic. I wanted to go with the flow, but I was afraid of not seeing my wife again, and as I stared at her and reached out, I floated back to the bed and became heavier..that is, I found my weight again..no floating away. I enjoyed the view with my eyes closed for a few minutes, but it seemed to be over.
I took several hits and was picked up again, floating feelings. I made my way back to the bed and laid down, hoping to be pulled thru the wall. The room seemed to slip past me, I was at the corner of the room and held it between my outstretched hands, one hand on a side, like carrying a cardboard box, and was turning the room over and over looking at it like a cube. The outside surfaces of the room/cube were different brilliant neon colors. The area behind me and all around the outside of the room was all dark, I never looked in that direction, my attention was focused on the room and watching my wife. She was engrossed in the experience files on this site and had her back to me.

I am disappointed to some degree. I was hoping to see more visual distortions with my eyes open, but that never happened. I think I am more disappointed in me than the drug. Overall I took about 8 or 9 hits on the pipe, spread out over an hour. I really did enjoy the closed eye visuals, but I am disappointed that I didn't stay there..kept getting up to hit the pipe to push the experience further. I backed off when I was feeling like I was being pulled thru the fabric of the room. I felt I was half in and half out of this dimension, but I didn't dare look into the direction I was being pulled.

I chastised myself for my cowardice and resolved to try again, maybe Sunday, with a bit more preparation, maybe create a ritual, fast for a day,and ask for help from the spirit world.

As a side note, I suffer from erectile dysfunction. I believe that I had some nerves cut when I had my vasectomy reversed in 98. I have a young wife, she helped me raise my teens and now wanted her own babies. The surgery was 4 hours long and a terrible experience, DON'T DO IT, they have other ways. Anyway, I got an enormous, almost painful erection, which I thought was weird, but given the warm feelings I assumed that my circulation was in high gear and accounted for the erection. My wife was not interested at the time, still wonder what sex would have been like while having all the visuals. Not exactly a spiritual thing, huh?

I can see that there is a powerful substance in this stuff, my lack of experience is probably what colored the trip. I really think that I will try again and have better results. The apprehension is much less now, having seen that I will return to myself after a short while...gee, my govt lied to me again, go figure. I will try harder to prepare myself and the setting for my next trial. The effects of this stuff were much stronger than anything I have ever had. I was out of weed, but hope to have some for a companion at the next trial, nothing like an old friend along for the ride. I will continue to read and evaluate the effects while I experiment with it. I am ordering some live plants to add to my garden and greenhouse. Don't like to expose myself to the perceived scrutiny of entering a head shop, it kinda peels away the carefully crafted 'bubba' personna I use to escape notice. I just don't look the part of a person doing weed, I look like the guy out to bust them.

Exp Year: 2007	ExpID: 60605
Gender: Male
Age at time of experience: 56
Published: Sep 13, 2009	Views: 5,806
[ View PDF (to print) ] [ View LaTeX (for geeks) ] [ Swap Dark/Light ]
Salvia divinorum (44), Mindfulness (405) : First Times (2), Mystical Experiences (9), Health Benefits (32), Entities / Beings (37), Guides / Sitters (39), Relationships (44), Small Group (2-9) (17)