You knew this post was coming, right? Let’s get some points
of order out of the way. First, yes, you can do magick without drugs. Why you
would want to remains a mystery to me. Drugs are not a “short-cut.” The use of entheogens
by spiritual practitioners goes all the way back through pre-history. I think
it’s pretty inconvertible to say that drugs have been a part of most religions.
All the way from the wine you drink at a Catholic mass to ayahuasca. If you
want to argue that all of those magi were wrong, take it somewhere else.
Point of order number two: The creator of this blog does not condone the use of illegal drugs.
Please follow all local laws when imbibing substances. Those using substances
should be of sound mind and body. When in doubt, consult a physician. I highly recommend
doing as much research as possible before taking any substance. Please see: Multidisciplinary
Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) http://www.maps.org/.
With that out of the way, I’m actually going to talk about a
drug that is legal in all fifty U.S. states – blue lotus.
The Egyptians obsessed over blue lotus, also known as the
blue water lily, aka nymphaea caerulea, which grew along the banks of the Nile.
The blue lotus is perhaps the most common motif in Egyptian art, appearing
throughout all phases of Ancient Egyptian culture. While the lotus has multiple
symbolic meanings in Egyptian culture, and remains a powerful symbol in many
traditions, especially Hindu (albeit a different strain), the obsession with
the lotus probably has a lot to do with its psychedelic properties. Records of
Egyptians drinking lotus steeped in wine, eating lotus, and smoking lotus are
numerous.
The active ingredient in blue lotus is aporphine, a
substance not yet well researched or understood. Numerous psychonauts report that
blue lotus has effects similar to MDMA – with the user experiencing heightened
emotions, particularly feelings of connection to others, and a warm-fuzzy
feeling. Unlike MDMA, lotus is not an amphetamine. In fact, it acts as a
sedative, and has been useful for some in eliciting lucid dream states.
I tried blue lotus a few times a couple of years ago, making
a tea of lotus stamens with about 5g per cup of tea, steeped for about ten
minutes. I can attest to the similarities with reports of MDMA use, although
those effects were extremely mild. Overall, a great way to relax.
I’m gonna go a little deeper this time, having just
purchased 28g of dried lotus stamen from my favorite source for legal herbal psychoactives, Bouncing Bear Botanicals. Full disclosure, yes, that’s an affiliate link and if
you purchase using it I get a discount on future orders. Any instructions to be
found on using blue lotus are all over the place. Everyone seems to have a slightly
different opinion. Some believe the flowers are best, some the stamens. Some
used prepared tinctures, others fresh. I’m using the stamens again because it
makes sense to me that the stamen would have the highest concentration of the
plant’s chemical byproducts, but I can be totally wrong. All I know is it
worked last time. I may try using the dried flowers in the future.
My intentions for my mere 28g are as follows:
Use 20g to make a lotus wine. I’m doing this by merely
pouring off some of bottle of sweet riesling and adding the dried stamens. I really
looked for an Egyptian wine to use, but it being an Islamic culture now,
exported Egyptian wine is a difficult find. The choice was made simply to
offset some of the bitter aspects of the lotus. I’m going to let that steep in
the fridge for two weeks, try some, and then let it steep for two more weeks
before removing all of the dried plant material. I also intend to eat a pinch
of the used plant material when I drink the wine to try and heighten the
effects.
I’ll use 5g to make another cup of tea. To honor my gods and
ancestors and help cover the taste, I will brew it with an herbal tea imported
from Poland, made of apples and rosehips. I’ll let the lotus steep for fifteen
minutes, and this time will also eat a pinch of the used lotus to strengthen
the effect. Keep in mind, IMHO the taste of the blue lotus ain’t that bad, but
it’s not that great either. I’ve had worse.
The last three grams I will mix with my regular smoking
herb, and give that a try.
So expect some trip reports in the near future, and probably
some more history on the blue lotus.
