Need guidence, had bad trip, want to try again.

[oldbuckwhopaints]

Basically, I smoked not too long ago and had an incredibly intruiging experience, but there were parts that were absolutely terrifying.  I'd like to try again because i'm really curious and was wondering if this is a good idea.  
I smoked 10x from a pipe and took one medium sized hit (i'm not a very experienced smoker), and from there I do not remember exhaling.  I was in my room with two not very close friends (these two had only very mild trips).  At first I had the sensation that all that I had lived, which now seemed a vague memory, was a lie that I was just now waking up from.  I was hurtling through space while attached to a giant rolling sphere that was somehow conscious, I was completely removed from my identity and autonomy, etc etc, basically I was really pretty far gone.  Things got bad shortly after that when I felt trapped in a prison of my mind.  My perceptions broke up into patterns of random images that kept folding away from me.  Basically, I was attempting to escape as though my trip were a physical space, and it felt like I'd been going about this for years.  In short, though my description doesn't do it justice, this gave me insight into just how bad hell could be.  What is also strange is, since then, I've smoked weed a couple times and started going back to that place.  Everything lost meaning, synesthesia, and perception breaking down into puzzle pieces made of random images that I had no control over.  The last time I smoked however, it was incredibly comforting to be with people and organic things.  I have an intuition that i should try Salvia again in the sunshine outside in the grass.  Should I even try it again?, should I just get some shrooms (haven't tried those either)?  Thanks for input.

[braha_kahn]

I wouldn't call this a bad trip  

SWIM has done salvia couple of times but SWIM only did x10 once... SWIM was so amazed about it's effect (SWIM had some kind of an OBE) that SWIM still haven't had the urge to try it again...

You have to know for yourself if you wanna do the experience again or not. Allthough SWIM found the experience very enlightening SWIM is still waiting for a good moment to do it again  

[TooStonedToType]

It's hard to put into words, but really you've done a great job of describing a classical salvia experience.  That wasn't a bad trip, it was a learning expereince.  I'd say you're ready without knowing more.  Yes, you will try it again and get some mushrooms.  You've seen the other side - you won't be satisified until you see it again.

Salvia outside in the sunshine is fine, but it isn't as intriguing as in a dark enviornment.  IMHO.

What about music?  Do you have any favorites you might think could further your journey?

[senorsalvia]

As TSTT said; that wasn't a 'bad trip' per se...  You have done a really concise job of relating some of the more common mindscapes and introspective areas that Salvia will propell you to....  I can understand your amazement, but really, from all the data available; Salvia just might well be the most benign and safe entheogen out there....Sure it is a bizzare place to find oneself in; especially as she rockets you ther so quickly, but think for a minute...  Even though you say things were so alien, so utterly strange,,,  You DID have the cognitive ability to remmber enough of the experience to bring this trip report to us....  I'd say your 'observer self' was functioning quite well, while you were 'out there'...  I'm betting that you and the Green Goddess were meant for each other.....   As far as shrooms, hey whadda I know, to each his own...  I find shrooms to be sorta fun, but they just don't have me feeling any sort of 'cosmic significance', no state of learning and introspection...  Hell, that does not mean you should not do them just for the sheer hedonistic hell of it, but for me, Sally is my darling========= sal

[Azure Void]

To me this sounds like it has all the hallmarks of an outstanding learning experience of a very spiritual nature. In that sense it's not bad at all.

But, a salvia "trip", in my experience, can manifest some of the same qualities and characteristics whether it is a light jab, or a knock-out punch of a trip.

An extremely intense trip may be described with much the same sorts of words and phrases as a much lighter version of the same thing. In my case, when I've given trip reports, people respond with much more interest in my descriptions of my lighter episodes. For the episodes that were too strong, I could only use the same sorts of descriptions but add exclamation points...

The salvia is also interacting with your mind, your being, your essence, and you may be a 5X, 10X, or 100X consciousness (in terms of receptivity or openness), at least at a particular time.

In YOUR case, it doesn't sound like you need 10X to trip on, or at least not so much of it. Some people are hard heads, some say salvia does nothing... They may need to smoke a lot more than you do.

I recommend chewing quid, taking tincture, or smoking quality raw leaf. Daniel Siebert's standardized leaf is reliable (I think it's 6x). I used to use a scale and dose up until I found the most productive level trip.

Overdoing it is not a good idea 'cause it can scare you off of salvia, and you'll miss out on it's instruction. I believe Salvia is an awesome teacher. But, take it gradually: even the lighter trips are very instructive.

And don't think just because someone else smoked three bowls of 12x, says he flew into the sun and was burned alive and LOVED IT, that you need to match the dosage. Salvia just doesn't work that way.

[aveilexists]

yes, you're description is exactly what i experienced both times i smoked salvia. here's a quick summary of my interpretation of the experiences: i took a hit, hypersensitivity, it felt like the scene before my eyes began to roll over me, fingers sensation, images/sounds are prolonged and fold over, one after another, and yes, it was all apart of a rolling sphere with terraces sorta, everything is apart of this sphere (or beast) and then there is the void, blackness, lots of orange and firey colors, it felt like i was rolling or flowing toward somewhere and when i reached it, it was like a peak or summit, THE END, and it felt like i had the choice to leave, jump off into the unknown, but it was too terrifying for that, not yet, so then it felt like it rolled back to where i started, back into my body, almost like i floated upstream and back down stream, now as for my thoughts during the experience, i felt the same feeling that everything i had experienced in this ordinary consciousness was a joke, a lie, a BIG DREAM, there was something very real about all this, definately reminscent of hell, bondage, eternity, after that i acquired a newfound weariness of death, conveyor belt feeling, "ride the snkae" THE END by The Doors, and last thing, as i moved nearer to the END of the peak, there were voices that were making references to tripping out and being artistic and englightenment and things of that nature. basically, there was something very true about these experiences and i plan on visiting many more times. DMT - i don't know if you are acquainted with it, but it supposedly had very similar testimonials and many users actaully report having the same exact experience...something like visiting a different world with people like us, kinda elvish, and having them say things like: "what are you doing here...you're not supposed to be here yet." crazy man. i think it's really interesting though that we had the same experience...there's something to all this.

[TroutMask]

I found DMT and N2O to be more similar than are Salvia and DMT. Salvia was much more intense for me.

-TM

[OOzOO]

After experiencing Sally space multiple times (or as my husband and I call it..getting "sticky") I have to say that I've developed a firm belief that the kind of experience you have with salvia depends a great deal on your attitude towards it, and yourself.  Salvia seems to draw a person inwards, to a greater extent than anything I've tried or read about, and for those who love and accept themselves, or are on a search for a better understanding of themselves, this can be a wondrous thing.  Experiencing your own inner space can be either frightening or enlighting, but it is always profound.

I was in shock for several days after my first experience...I had to wait more than a week to "digest" it before I could open myself to experience it again.  Wait until you are ready.  Wait until you are in a good mood, and feel eager to explore, and are with someone you trust implicitly.  Then ease gently into Sally space and enjoy the ride!

[plantshaman]

Sounds like you should try again but be careful with 10 x . 10x is more than adequate unless you are VERY familiar with psychedelics. Even if you are a seasoned tripper your still in for something with unbelievable possibility.

I would suggest to continue getting to know the essensce of salvia  but proceed with a less concentrated extract . Even dried leaf should not be underestimated and that makes 5 x a good place to start . I think most people would find somewhere between plain leaf and 5x to be the ideal concentration...Those who are hard headed or want to take it to a level that might be EXTREMELY intense and possibly unpleasant should go for 10x or greater.

you probably purchased 10 x and don't want to buy anything till that is gone so..... control the dose by weighing a pre determined amount of 10x and smoking all of it . Try to hold it in for the same amount of time  with each experiment. Work your way up till you are just too  terrified to take it any higher s Don't take sally without a sitter unless you are extremely experienced and even higher then 5 x I don' t recomend without a sitter under any circumstances.

You may find your trips more beneficial and less crazy if you go into them with some sort of intent like a question, healing, learning or helping others.

[EA-1306]

Anybody use the traditional method that was employed by shamans? Anybody use it for a shamanic purpose? It seems some are just taking it to see how it is and feels, with no intention or goal to pursue or guide them.

I think it makes a much better tool than it does a recreational enthogen.

[TroutMask]

Shamans never get to have any fun...  

-TM