Salvia divinorum as an oneirogen?
Salvia divinorum is primarly known for it's psychedelic or dissociative effects. And SKA, I know you mentioned that you did not get effects from 5x or 10x extracts. I have read that Saliva sold at headshops is very often much less potent than what is sold online. At 10x extract, Salvia should be VERY active.
This link suggests that Saliva is mislabeled as a hallucinogen and should actually be considered an oneirogenic plant:
http://www.shaman-australis.com/~claude/salvia2.html
Also, a member on another message board said this about Salvia as a dream potentiator: "one thing that I have found more reliable though is Salvia. I could just eat a tiny pinch of that and have long long vivid dreams every night for 2 weeks straight."
Anyone attempted using Salvia divinorum as an oneirogen? I will perform some experiments soon.
Salvia divinorum experiment - results
yeah, that was useful dodobird, thanks.
1st Attempt (Results):
A fingernail size amount of 20x Salvia divinorum was taken orally at bedtime in a gelcap. My mind was so restless and active all night. I saw more hypnagogic imagery than ever before, and I also heard the screeching, squealing sort of sound that an alert mind can sometimes hear upon crossing the wake/sleep barrier. So, I would say that even on a very small oral dose, the potential for helping keep the mind activated all night is great. However, the heightened mental activity did keep me awake half the night, which was unpleasant and frustrating.
Other Observations/Ideas:
I believe that the placebo effect as well as other factors could have contributed to my results, but the results were quite unique and convincing compared to my normal night's sleep. I suspect that the best methods for exploring dreams are probably the natural ones, such as practice, intent, experience, those things. But if you are curious and willing to chance a restless night in bed, Salvia divinorum might yield interesting results for you as well. I will experiment with Salvia again, but probably not right away. I need restful sleep.
Silene Capensis experiments - no apparent effect on me
In four separate experiments spread out over the course of several months, one OOO gelatin capsule packed full with powdered Silene Capensis root acquired from a reputable vendor was taken daily for 3-5 days.
Absolutely no differences from normal sleep and dreaming were noticed at any time. As always, dreaming varied from night. I'm sure that expectations and effort also played a role. As of now, my best guess is that the placebo (expectation) effect is what CAN but not always DOES have an effect on dreaming, whether the placebo is Silene Capensis, an empty pill, or whatever else.
This is just my experience. So, don't take offense if it differs from yours. Different plants often have different effects on different people.