A good friend who is also the significant other of my apprentice has been lavishing me with both the poisonous and healing gifts of Nature’s bounty. A wonderful combination of Hermeticist, witch and shaman, so far he’s brought me Tree Datura seeds, Atropa Belladonna berries, Bittersweet Nightshade, Black Nightshade, and Castor Beans. The first two poisonous plants are the most common ingredients in traditional flying ointments, so using very careful dosage I will be testing out a couple ointments. I will probably end up making a non-toxic one for the Botanica to aid in flight, but without the annoying side effects of paralysis, hallucinations, and vomiting (only other trad witches will think that’s funny). Also, just last week the same friend dropped off a large bag of fresh Devil’s Club from deep in the mountains above Nelson for me to use in my healing. It grows like a weed in the mountains and he cuts it back every year to clear a trail, so he figured why waste it when there’s a witch who can use it! My lovely apprentice was there with him and made sure to do proper petitioning and supplication to the spirit of the plants before digging them up. Now my house smells of nothing but Devil’s Club – a bitter scent somewhere between ginseng and ginger.
Another friend of mine suffers from hypoglycemia, so I am testing out a tea for them using Devil’s Club bark and Huckleberry leaves – both of which have shown in scientific studies to reduce or inhibit the symptoms of diabetes and hypoglycemia by stabilizing blood sugar. If it works, then it will become a healing tea to be sold regularly in my Botanica. I’m currently developing other healing teas as well, my “Sleep-Aid” tea has already been tested and found very effective and I am also working on a cold & flu tea, a headache tea, and a stomach/indigestion tea. My previous recipe for the stomachic tea had Devil’s Club in it, but I might take it out and use it for an internal healing wash instead as it caused some mind-altering results in one of my test subjects, by no means at the hallucinogenic level, just a shift in perception that freaked the poor fellow out a bit. It was drunk by the local shamans to help them travel to the spirit world after all… so hmm, perhaps for a magical tea instead.
Today I awoke to a perfect spooky foggy fall morning
Hi Sarah
I am curious to hear your views…we hear alot from pagan authors about “never never never” in regard to using plants like datura or others included in flying oinments. I do not doubt the toxic nature of these plants, or the need for absolute respect in their use. No one wants to be responsible for giving advise that leads to someone’s poisioning.
That said, I feel like Im missing out on part of the experience of what we are as shamans, witches and seers. Aware of the risks, I ask, are these plants likely to help me achieve anything that I cant do in trance or deep meditation already. I really struggle with astral projection. I feel like it should be a more concrete Out-of-Body experience than it seems to be for me.
look forward to hearing your thoughts,
Anthony
It’s pretty clear shamans in almost every culture were popping drugs before flight and there are record as far back of the use of flying ointment in the Bible as well as ancient Greek literature. The ritual use of entheogens by shamans was for travelling the world, for transversing the worlds, and for shapeshifting.
To say “never never never” is to take the safe route as an author, no published author wants to be responsible for an idiot’s misadventure or death so it’s safer to warn people away. Not all pagans are witches and not all witches are meant to be “shamans” – so I don’t think the use of entheogens is for everyone, but only for those who can be responsible in their use when it comes to dosage and proper consumption. Entheogens are not for fun and recreation, they are powerful plant allies that can either aid or destroy you. They are not something to try for the fun of it, but should be treated with the utmost respect with many precautions taken. It is also important to not have an addictive personality because even just dabbling in poisonous drugs can lead such a one down a very dark path. One such witch was Robert Cochrane, he started experimenting with solanaceae plants, especially belladonna, but not just on himself but also on his unwitting coven mates – they did not find it amusing and left him. When he committed suicide it was with lithium, belladonna, and hellebore.
All of the plants in the solanaceae family and those containing tropane should never be ingested as they cause permanent heart damage, they should be applied externally only (Belladonna, Tree Datura, Thornapple/Jimson Weed, Hemlock, Water Hemlock, Mandrake, Monkshood, Opium Poppy, and Calamus/Sweet Flag). There are also different levels of entheogens. The ones listed above are the most dangerous – to get similar results without the danger of death one should try certain mushrooms or non-toxic smoking blends instead.
Slàinte,
Sarah
Thanks for your info…you mention external use for the most dangerous plants…is this to say an external preparation of these sorts of plants, such as in the famed oinment, is less likely to cause heart damage and still be effective? I really apreciate your candid response, please be assured that I am not about to gobble, smoke or smear anything for some time yet, and not without a sitter.
I am contemplating a three year diploma in medical herbalism, which would allow to practice as a registered herbalist in my country. =)
Thanks and many blessings,
Anthony
Your very welcome Anthony. Your questions are always very thoughtful and in depth. Yes the solanaceae should only be rubbed on the body externally either in ointment or tincture form. Other witches have described the ointment as being more pleasant, especially than ingesting the same plants.
To become a certified herbalist is a good way to go if you want to work closely with plants – plus you’ll learn all the proper dosages and will be a lot better off than most of us witches and shamans. Plus it would be fun!
Slàinte!
Sarah
Hi Sarah!! Its a good idea to make a flying ointment, I already made some with belladona, datura, basil, and poplar…
It helps to enter in trance and connect to the otherworld…
Greetings from Mexico
Maximiliano Garcia.
Most excellent Maximiliano! Nice to know other modern witches are using flying ointments!
I couldn’t agree more, Sarah! This is definitely not for everyone. I’ve been experimentig with entheogenics for 15 years, and I’ve seen a lot of misuse – but my personal experience has always been good. Right now we grow our own plants for smoking and even on that we make the deepest research possible.
I have castor oil seeds and white belladona (solanum douglassii) seeds in the drying – would you like some?
I have done some flying as you call it w/mushrooms. It was very positive and always done w/an open spirit. I would be intersted in learning about some of the other plants you mentioned. Also I have dozens of castor plants. Could you share w/me how you use them? Right now I just admire my magnificent plants and recently was told to make a compress w/the leaves for female discomfort. Do you know anything about that? Whew! That was a lot of questions, I hope to hear some feed back.
Peace and Blessing,
Rosewillow
I don’t know much about castor plants except they are very poisonous. Sounds like you might need a good reference book on pschoactive plants. I’d recommend The Encylopedia of Psychoactive Plants or Plants of the Gods
For online resources check out Erowid and this Drug Guide.
I would be very interested in the white belladonna seeds. Would you like anything from me back? Besides the ones listed in the above post I also have seeds of henbane, rue, and hawthorn. Careful with the customs label
As soon as they’re dry, I will mail you a good amount. Some Devil’s club would be awesome in exchange, it doesn’t grow here
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