Calea Zacatechichi

Hello everyone, I am new to the site and Magick in general but I have a kind of extensive question I would like to ask. I didn't know where to post it so I figured here would be best. First of all I am curious as to what the views are for consuming intoxicating substances is among the general community? Well my question begins here: I am of Hispanic descent and for a time had interest in Aztec and other Mezzo-American cultures. One of the things that especially intrigued me was their use of entheogens plants. Most of them are well known in their intoxicating effects. They used various things for divination and enlightment including Morning Glory seeds, Psilocybe mushrooms, sinicuichi, datura, peyote, Salvia divinorum and the one that I am asking about Calea Zacatechichi. This plant Calea is also known as the Mexican Dream Herb because of the effects it creates. I prepare the dried herb in a tea an hour before I go to sleep and during my sleep with it in my system I have vivid and sometimes lucid dreams. Now sometimes it has occurred that I have a dream and later in waking life I have deja vu moments or certain things felt as if they have happened before like a memory of my past and it collides with my life also into what seem to be coincidence or maybe it is a form of divination. Also when I take it I sleep with a Lapis Lazuli necklace to open my psychic awareness. So does being under the influence of this plant take away from my ability to dream and see the future or can it help? Is it possible to see the future in dreams? Is it the plant teaching me or is it myself tapping into something I didn't know before?

Login or Signup to reply to this post.

"So does being under the influence of this plant take away from my ability to dream and see the future or can it help? Is it possible to see the future in dreams? Is it the plant teaching me or is it myself tapping into something I didn't know before?"

You use it for enhancing dreams, and that is it's primary function, so that is how it would work, not take away from that. I think the plant is teaching you tap into a part of yourself you didn't know before. I regard the plants as intelligent teachers, i'm sure you've heard of this in your culture.

Yes the plants were often revered to have the power of the Gods within them and they spoke directly to them with the consumption of them. Is that a belief shared in Wicca or Druidism?

So called plant allies should be used only in order to open the doorways between levels for us.Sadly most people not only use them but also abuse them and become addicted.You have to remember that our "reality" is fixed with a purpose of our physical survival.
Allies of any sort start shaking this fixed state ,which from one side is eye opening from another it can be damaging in the hands of not experienced people.Once this happen it is hard to return to your absolutely fixed state of being.Physically wise they can cause addiction and numerous side effects.Always remember it is not only your mind ,perception of reality effected but also your body and brain.There is a reason they are taken under the guidance of shaman or elders ,who are observing what is happening with you on all levels and are ready to interfere in case things get a very bad turn due to your inner issues.Also they should not be taken in same manner as sitting and drinking your afternoon coffee.You need to go through a lot of purification and preparation.

Warning :No poisonous or mind altering herbs should be taken carelessly, when it comes to dose and certainly without medical and spiritual staff (such shamans ) around you to interfere in case things go very bad physically or spiritually for you.
Assuming that your spiritual or physical bodies journey will be pleasant and easy one and that you will be given suddenly any super powers is not very smart or good idea.Some visual quests are not pleasant at all in same way as we need to learn sometimes hard lessons .Further more the dose of any herb do matter, because too little might not work to heal you and too much might kill you or cause many side effects.

I agree with Peyote that Plant Allies should be seen as Teachers and beings ,that we need to respect and listen to, not abuse and misuse.As with every force/knowledge/medicine/ability ,within the world ,which is not used in correct manner , abusing them will result in not so wonderful outcome.
The major problem comes from idea that people see plants as something not living ,without medicine and inner force ,therefore they assume they know better as being "superior" specie that thinks and analyzes.Plants do have way to know things and to communicate with everything around them ,simply this way is not the same way we use to achieve same outcome.

I am well aware of the dangers of taking known herbs and potentially poisonous ones as well. I do not take them for the bodily effects but more the ones that come to my mind and spirituality. I did make the Calea seem worse than it is because I get virtually no effects other than mild relaxation and a good night's rest. I do not consume it every night to achieve these dreams but only once every couple of weeks when I feel ready to handle the bitter brew. I have read much about other such plants and maybe because of the connection I feel with an ancient culture I do treat these plants as teachers and always thank them and prepare as if I am doing a ritual because to me it seems like one.

So by consuming them I do in fact open my mind but it stretches it in order to perceive both a normal human conscious and as well the consciousness of the plant allies?

Since plants are living is it possible to know how they hold themselves in regards to us?

When you share conscious with something either plant ally ,totem ,spirit or any other entity you can learn a lot for their state of being ,awareness ,perception and reality ,however this connection is not only one way wise.They also learn about you too ,it is like linked state in which two realities and two beings meddle.
If you get used with the Ally and they get used with, you they can show you that very easy ,however keep in mind they will also show you things about yourself ,things you might have chosen not to know and realize.
It also can get to be very confusing and strange, especially if you are not sleeping or in trance somewhere on your own .You might be performing something mundane as your work or something else that requires your full attention, when you simply end up in some shared reality.