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I don't want to cause any problems in the forum. I'm not on drugs, and I never do any illegal drug, I didn't tried even marijuana. But, for research purposes, I smoked Salvia Divinorum a few times. It's not a recreational drug. It's something really different from any other drug, and the ways the substance is believed to act in the brain, it's also totally unrelated to other psychedelics. I don't like even to call it a "drug", because it leads to comparisons with other unrelated and bad stuff, so I think the right word is "entheogen"  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entheogen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entheogen)

Here in my country, and in most places, the plant is legal. But I'm aware it's illegal in some places, so if this can lead to any problems or the administrators thinks this post is not suitable for this forum, I will delete it.

I don't encourage anyone to smoke salvia, although it's almost proved that is not addictive, and there are no serious risks, even with high doses (but always having a sitter), this isn't this post's purpose, so please don't take it as a drug apology.

My experiences with Salvia are such difficult to explain, that I won't do it for now. It's hard for me writing in english, it takes me a lot of time to find the correct words, even with easy ideas, so I should not be able to express myself correctly this intriguing experiences, as it's very difficult to do even on my first language.

All that I can tell you, is that my interest in fractals are related somehow to this experiences. You won't believe me, but I've seen (and feel) 2D fractal shapes and even 3D figures that I've recalled when later I saw for the first time mandelbulb & mandelbox images. I was truly amazed because I found many that were very similar to what I saw!

Today, searching for "salvia+fractal" on google, I found this experience report that comes very close to some of mine, and I want to share it with you, as for now, and maybe if you are interested I'll try later to write my own.

Here's the link for the trip report:
http://www.erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=61015

Information about Salvia:
http://www.sagewisdom.org/

I appreciate your comments and thoughts.

Yet another Salvia Divinorum experience related to fractals:

http://www.erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=34073

Rather than thinking you are weird or out of bounds, acknowledge the cultural significance of enthogens and realise that the experiences are the same because the cause is the same which is discussed in a scientific context here (http://www.fractalforums.com/fractal-related-links/nova-fractals-documentary/msg28346/#msg28346).

I might add here that it is a rare thing in these days to admit to the irrational basis of our rationality, to acknowledge the set notFS as the source of the set FS, to admit to the profound influence of mysticism, mystical ideas and religious belief on our most scientific and rational, and mathematical conceptions and paradigms, to look for the yin in every yang  and the yang in every yin, to understand and accept shunaya and move on.

Peace out,  Dudes and Dudettes!

Eternal peace.  :thumbsup1:

Hey!
Have you seen things like this : (watch in 720p or download the movie in high quality) ;D ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Mb3mssgPhw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Mb3mssgPhw)

It is from the beginning of the movie "Enter the void".


Interesting testimony BTW. I've heard this plant is legal too in France.

my fractals extended beyond da screen of monitor...was able to see n understand 3D....was shocked to discover..quantum leap for my relationship to my fractals...anytime Sacred Teacher Plants are involved...always grow to deeper n clear fractal visions..
carefully keep at it !! :alien:

I forgot to thank you Kali for this post ! (I'm ten months late :) )
It is very powerful, introspective and leads to metaphysical questions.. but I didn't see fractals at all :( .

Hi Kali,
welcome to the interesting but strange world of Salvia divinorum. I meet "her" first in 1999 and had a quite heavy experimental phase of about 250 journeys with this plant years ago. Because the experiences were so interesting I made a (mainly german) page about it: Realityshift - Salvia divinorum (http://psykick.de/salvia/). There is also an art page: Salvia Art Gallery (http://psykick.de/salvia/en-gallery-art.html). The images "mirrorworld" and "Spiegelkabinett" are done by myself and you see that I have used fractals there to visualize some effects of this plant.
I also had done a short fractal zoom (very bad quality, sorry) many years ago:
Salvia divinorum fractal flight (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGVxqdyMguQ)

The image "Spiegelkabinett" and the video try to show the type of travel through some kind of reflected worlds. So Salvia has fractal shape properties - reflections, broken or shifted dimensions, twisted space, holographic character. More like Mengerbox/Mandelbox than the usual mandelbrot type.
I also have some experience with the more common tryptamines (mushrooms, acid) and from my point of view their effects on mind are more fractal in nature than that with Salvia divinorum. Seeing/feeling/being fractal structures - repeated forms, farn like, patterns, spirals - is one of the most common component in such experiences. Thats why I think that also our brain has many fractal properties and that even our conscioussness arises at the border between order and chaos. There, were the interesting places are...

The best visualization of tryptamin induced experience (in this case Ayahuasca/DMT) is in the film Blueberry. Face at 6:31 is a perfect illustration of the feeling:
Blueberry Ayahuasca DMT (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gagR2_Yi8wE)


Ofcourse using a fractal program is safer :yes: than using entheogens  :nono:          :hrmm:

The first time I experimented with salvia, the table in front of me unfolded into a fractal image that resembled this:

(http://wmi.math.u-szeged.hu/xaos/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=galleries:3d:fracta13.jpg)

The stuff isn't for everyone, but it can certainly bring the fractal aspect of nature to life.

what can I say, it's just that our brain is chemical computer, so chemicals do affect the way it works. some cause effects you enjoy, some cause effects you would not want to experience again. either way, it breaks the intented way the brain should work. it's like plugging your device in wrong voltage outlet, it might work without exploding right away, but ultimately you have to be really lucky to not have adverse effects. because you have to actually change the circuitry in order for this setup to be safe, and it's not something you could do with the brain atm.