A Spot of Tea: Or Herbs for Divination

Last month I touched on some of the stones and crystals that can aid us in divination or ascension type workings. I consider the use of crystals a passive aid as they are there more or less simply lending their energy to us to either open us up or break down barriers. However, for those who want something a little more active herbs and plants used as either teas, tinctures, or ointments are just what you are looking for!

The biggest thing to remember in using entheogens is that usually, less is best and more could land you on the floor. With crystals we talk a lot about using stones in conjunction with other crystals for optimum effect, but when it comes to consuming substances the best advice I can give you is to use them on their own, don’t play the mix and match game because you never can tell how your personal chemistry will interact with them and you don’t want to have to explain to emergency personnel why you decided to try a concoction of Datura, Amanita, and Bourbon!

There are dozens of plants that have hallucinogenic and divinatory properties but we are going to keep things fairly simple. This list is in order of weakest to strongest, based on my own experiences and those of people that I know personally. As with anything, your experience may vary as you might interact with them in different ways.

• Hibiscus
• Catnip
• Chamomile
• Poppy Seeds
• Nutmeg – if used sparingly it’s pretty safe but in high amounts it can be dangerous.
• Cannabis
• Mugwort
• Wormwood
• Salvia Divinorum
• Peyote
• Morning Glories and Daffodil Bulbs
• Belladonna
• Mandrake
• Datura
• Amanita Muscaria

Please remember that many of these can kill you with a high enough dose. And potency can vary depending on what part of the plant is used.

As with anything else, if you use common sense you can greatly enhance your divination sessions by using entheogens, just remember that they are not an easy path to getting answers and that they are no substitute for hard work and practice.