The Salvia divinorum Research and Information Center - Shroomery

Daniel Siebert Speaks…
amazed. It was a truly wonderful experience. Ever since then,
I have been passionately interested in this plant.
Will: Salvia divinorum has a reputation for producing very
bizarre effects. Do you feel this plant can be used for
spiritual/personal growth outside of its traditional use by
Mazatec shaman?
Daniel: Absolutely. I think this is the main reason people are
drawn to Salvia divinorum. It is like a trans-dimensional
doorway that allows one to step outside of consensual reality,
providing a unique opportunity to explore the nature of
consciousness and the fundamental mysteries of existence. It
can take one through death and birth. It can transport one to
another place and time. It can show you the creation and end
of the entire universe. Experiences like these leave a lasting
impression and are tremendously enriching. I believe that
Salvia divinorum will also prove extremely valuable as a tool
in psychotherapy, because it allows access to the deep inner
reaches of the psyche. I have heard from many people whose
lives have been positively transformed as a result the insights
gained from their experiences with this herb.
There is an interesting double-blind experiment currently
underway in Canada that is studying the effectiveness of
Salvia divinorum as an aid to meditation. The study is headed
by Ian Soutar and is being funded by MAPS. Ian has been
involved with a group of Quakers who practice silent
meditation. They have found that low, non-visionary doses of
Salvia divinorum taken sublingually have the effect of freeing
the mind of distracting thoughts and promoting a clearer,
more focused state of mind that is ideal for their meditation
practice. This study is interesting to me because it is
exploring a whole new approach to working with Salvia
divinorum.
Will: Tell me about the book you are currently writing.
Daniel: Yes, of course. I am very excited about the project.
The book has grown much larger than I had originally
conceived, and consequently is taking me much longer to
complete than I had originally planned, but I feel that it will
http://www.sagewisdom.org/interview.html (4 of 13) [04.09.01 10:20:50]