Before experimentation in any way, it is very important to be properly educated about Salvia Divinorum in order to use it intelligently.

To achieve the best results, Salvia Divinorum should be consumed in a dark quiet and safe environment. There are the traditional methods but best effects are achieved by chewing fresh leaves (quid) or using a Tincture. Using these methods produces a longer lasting experience. However the most popular method of consuming is by smoking dried leaves or a more potent extract of the leaves. Each method has its own values and differences from the others.

Regardless of which method used it is vital that the environment is properly prepared in order to gain a satisfactory experience.

Salvia Divinorum can also be used as a tea that brings about positive glowing feelings without the hallucinations or weird psychoactive effects.

Salvia Divinorum is not addictive and has its own way to see that it is not abused. Disrespect this herb and the consequences will range from no effect at all to a very uncomfortable even scary experience. So if you do, use it with respect.

Traditional Methods

The traditional methods used by the Mazatecs use more of the herb compared with other methods and are therefore less efficient. This is probably due to them having enough plants available to them so there was little need to be conservative with it. It is used in a semi or totally dark room for healing ceremonies that are usually conducted by a sober sitter.

The Mazatecs used two methods
A water based drink is made from freshly ground leaves. As Salvinorin is poorly absorbed in the stomach this method requires a lot of leaves and the drink also has a very unpleasant taste. This method is reported to have the longest lasting effect of all the methods.

Eating by chewing and swallowing an enormous amount of leaves is another method traditionally used by the Mazatecs. This is similar to the quid method but the difference is that the leaves are swallowed. Most of the effect by using the leaves in this way is due to the absorption of the Salvinorin in the mouth while the leaves are being chewed.

Smoking

Dried and crushed leaves can be smoked for a much shorter lasting but very powerful experience. They need to be smoked very hot and quickly, inhaling lots of smoke and holding it in for around 30 seconds.

Rolling a cigarette is not recommended as it needs to burn hot and the smoke should be inhaled as quickly as possible. Therefore it is recommended to use a pipe of some sort. A normal tobacco pipe will do but a water pipe or bong is best and it is also recommended that a high temperature lighter such as a jet flame be used.

An extract may be used to reduce the amount of smoke required to achieve the desired effect. Extracts are usually made by soaking a large amount of leaves in a solvent that draws out the Salvinorin from the leaves. The liquid is strained and the leaf is then discarded. A small amount of leaf is then added to the solution and the liquid is then allowed to evaporate leaving behind the small amount of leaf with the power of the original batch of leaf as well.

Extracts vary in potency anywhere from five times to thirty times as strong as plain leaf and therefore require less material to be smoked to achieve full effects. These extracts can be quite strong and a sitter is recommended especially for the first time user. Be careful of extracts that may have been made using acetone or similar solvents as they may also contain left over residue from the solvent which can be both dangerous and unpleasant to smoke. The best extracts are made using an alcohol based solvent.

Because the effects usually come on very quickly by smoking Salvia Divinorum, it is important to have a place to place the pipe or have a sitter to take the pipe and lighter away when it is finished. Fires and spills are best avoided this way.

A commercially available 5 X potent extract bottle before the Australian ban

Quid

A quid is made by rolling up 8 to 30 leaves into a ball or cylinder. These are held in the mouth and chewed slowly pausing for a few seconds between each chew. The leaves and the juice are held in the mouth without swallowing or spitting them out for about half an hour after this time they can be spit out or swallowed.

Quids can be made with either fresh or dried leaves. When using dried leaves it is best to soak them in water for a while to make them more pleasant to chew.

It takes about a half an hour for the full effects to be felt using the quid method and they can last anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour before they start to decrease.

They work because Salvinorin is easily absorbed through the membrane in the mouth. You can improve the absorption by first washing and rinsing the inside of your mouth with a mouthwash and or a toothbrush.

Tincture

A tincture is an alcohol solution specially created to hold in the mouth for about half an hour and then be spit out or swallowed. It is designed so that only a small amount of liquid is required and works in the same manner as the quid by absorbing through the membranes in the mouth.

The difference between a tincture and the quid method is that there is not the need to hold the bitter leaves in the mouth and the dosage can be better controlled. Even though the tinctures are made of alcohol the sensation is not that of becoming drunk. The alcohol acts as a solvent only to help the Salvinorin be absorbed.

Tinctures may be diluted with warm water to reduce some of the burning or stinging sensation that the alcohol may cause in the mouth this will vary person to person as will most Salvia Divinorum experiences.

The length of time the effects last using the tincture method are about the same as the quid method.

There is no danger what so ever of this form of Salvia Divinorum being used to spike drinks as reported in some news stories. Placing a tincture solution into a drink would render it inactive. To be effective the tincture must be absorbed in the mouth over a longer period of time than drinking would normally allow.

Tea

Although this method does not produce the powerful psychoactive effects or hallucinations experienced using the other methods. Salvia Divinorum makes a really great cup of tea.

Although very bitter and requiring a sweetener Salvia Tea brings about feelings of wellbeing and synergy with the surroundings as well as its calming properties it shares with most Sage teas. Unlike traditional tea drunk for pleasure this one is used more as a medicine for the soul.

Again this method is also very inefficient in that about a gram of crushed dried leaves is required per cup. The leaves are steeped in boiling water for about ten minutes and the liquid (tea) is poured through a strainer into a cup and sweetened to taste using sugar or artificial sweetener.

[ We prefer to use Stevia (also called sweetleaf, sweet leaf or sugarleaf) which is an herb used as a sugar replacement ] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia

Disclaimers ?!?

You will often find, on many Salvia Divinorum related Websites, a rather long winded disclaimer how they take no responsibility for anything that may or may not happen to you if you go ahead and use Salvia Divinorum after reading their site content.

They are basically just there to protect themselves from legal hassles that may arise if someone did get hurt. (No one has to this day - world wide)

We don't agree with that practice and find it dishonest. It may in fact be a contributing factor to Salvia Divinorum being banned in some countries as Salvia vendors with these disclaimers appear to be behaving like unscrupulous Drug Dealers.

Our Disclaimer

We believe that Salvia Divinorum has much to offer humanity and we see it as a Good thing. Its potential for abuse is practically non-existent and research has shown that there are many health benefits and possible medical applications to be produced from this remarkable herb.

• We DO want you to try Salvia Divinorum.
  However, we also want YOU to do some more homework first.
  
  
• Please don't be a fool and blindly follow an instruction about anything you find on the Internet without further researching the subject.
  
  
• We are not chemists or medical professionals, but Amateur Salvia Divinorum Researchers.
  
  
• We do not claim to be an authority on the subject, though we have tried to provide you with links to the best information on Salvia Divinorum available on the Internet.
  
  
• We have a very high respect for Salvia Divinorum and encourage you to share that respect.
  
  
• If you do use Salvia Divinorum, you are the only person responsible for your own actions regardless how safe we or others may make it sound, accidents do happen, mistakes can be made, you only live once, so please make sure YOU are sure YOU know what YOU are doing.
  
  
• If you live in a country that has passed a law against Salvia Divinorum in anyway – Remember that only you can make the decision to ignore or obey those laws. We only offer a rational way of looking at the problem. We have no power to sway your decision.
  
  

- The Australian Salvia Crusaders 2003