What is the best way to consume the mescaline cactus San Pedro?

Author: Elena Experience expert (psychedelics and psychoactive & medicinal plants), blogger, passion for healthy food

The other day someone told me about his trip with San Pedro, together with a friend. It was a life-changing experience in which he came very close to his creativity. The trip with mescaline gave him a huge boost to draw himself and gave him back the confidence in his own qualities. He told me that he could look at pictures with drawings and patterns for hours and the brush strokes had come to life and he was fully immersed in the world of color and form. When the trip was over he knew that he should never forget that drawing is very important in his life. 

San Pedro (Trichocereus pachanoi) belongs to the mescaline cacti, which also includes the Peyote cactus. It is a fast-growing cactus (unlike Peyote, which grows very slowly) and can reach great heights. It grows in the Andes Mountains within Peru and Ecuador. The prickly cactus has been consumed for thousands of years within shamanism and has a long tradition within ceremonial use. But in what way is San Pedro used? And how does it differ from, for example, the Peyote or Peruvian Torch? 

Read in this blog about the different ways of consuming and tripping with San Pedro. Of course you want to be able to absorb all the active ingredients and leave the spikes!

What are your hobbies and qualities?

It can be quite a quest, discovering what you 'really want to do with your life'. The options are endless, especially in this day and age. An old man once sighed to me: "the poor youth of today. It used to be simple: your father was a butcher, then you became one too. The profession was in your blood and you knew what you could do. 

Less freedom of choice may also mean a more simple existence in which happiness lies in the smaller things. Although I certainly don't want to romanticize this image, because I am also very happy with the possibility of choosing what I really want.

It gives a very pleasant and stable feeling when you can say: this is what I like to do, this is what I can do. 

If you really have no idea what your 'hobby' is, what you like to do, or what you are good at, it can help to travel back to your childhood. There is often a quality hidden in that period, sometimes somewhat hidden or unconscious. 

Perhaps you loved to skate. Try to feel where that love came from. Maybe you were not easily scared, loved the speed and adrenaline? Or was it more about the social aspect, being with others?

The Magic of the Smartshop

As a child I loved magic, magic and mythical creatures like elves and leprechauns. At the same time, my interest was sparked in Indians of the Americas. I think it's beautiful that from my young interest in magic, shamanism and the indigenous Indian people, the fascination with psychedelics started. So for me it feels very good and organic, that I now work at a Smartshop. I am sure it is also my South American roots that play a role in this. So then I can say that the apple does not fall far from the tree.

Return of long forgotten memories

The use of psychedelics can be, as in the case of my friend, a way to get to know yourself and the world better and to find out what is important in life. The qualities of yourself can often get snowed under in the day-to-day of your existence. Especially when you have a job that you don't like, you can quickly forget what it is that really makes you tick.

San Pedro is considered a psychedelic cactus that can help to recall long forgotten memories. Also, a trip with San Pedro can cause you to awaken a renewed trust and love for the world around you. 

Fun facts about San Pedro

The San Pedro cactus is also called Huachuma in the language of the indigenous people, Quechua. The cactus has been used for thousands of years for its healing properties. The power of the cactus is in opening the heart, allowing a strong connection to Love to be made again. 

The cactus grows, as mentioned earlier, in the Andes mountains, at high altitudes. You can find it at altitudes between 1800 and 2800 meters above sea level.

San Pedro is similar in appearance to another mescaline-containing cactus, Peruvian Torch (Echinopsis peruviana). However, there are differences in effect. San Pedro is considered the cactus with generally higher levels of mescaline. It is quite difficult to detect the difference in appearances between the two types of cacti. Differences generally include: San Pedro can grow larger and has smaller spines, than Peruvian Torch, which has larger and stronger spines. 

Where can I find a San Pedro cactus?

You can, of course, travel to South America and harvest a cactus in the wild. Although San Pedro is not in the danger zone of 'over harvesting', in which Peyote currently finds itself, it is advisable to leave wild specimens as much as possible. Better to grow one yourself. This can be done from San Pedro seed, or by adopting a cultivated San Pedro cactus from the Sirius assortment. 

Take good care of it, preferably for a few years, before you use it. This way you will also have built a deep connection with him and this will positively influence the trip.

Making San Pedro Tea

There are several ways people consume San Pedro. You can extract the mescaline from the cactus, you can eat the cactus raw, you can dry the cactus and grind it into powder....

The following is a method that is mostly accepted as very effective and easy, minimizing negative side effects (such as nausea). It is, however, a process that takes time. So count on spending most of the day preparing it. It is recommended that you start early so that you are ready in time and can rest and sleep early in the evening. This way you will be fresh the next day when you start your trip.

This recipe is meant for one person. If you want to trip with more people, adjust the amount.

Step-by-step plan:

1. First, it is important to have a piece of San Pedro that is at least the length of your forearm (from your clenched fist to your elbow). Some even use a bit more, in order to be able to increase their dosage a bit, if desired. 
2. When you cut a San Pedro cactus in half, you will see a beautiful star-shaped figure, edged in green and with a white center. The active substances are located just under the outer skin, in the green part. The white flesh contains very little active ingredient and causes nausea. 
3. You start by removing the spines from the cactus. Use a small knife for this. This is a chore so put some nice music on or meditate on it while you do this.
4. Then you remove the outer layer of skin. This is a layer of skin that you can normally peel or scrape off quite easily. Make a small cut with a knife and then peel it off.
5. Now you come to the moist, bright green part, the material you want, because this is where most of the active ingredient is! This part is only a few millimeters deep. You cut off this thin layer and separate it from the white part that way. 
6. You have now collected all the green material from the cactus and this is now ready to be boiled. Use 3 liters of water for this. Take a large pot, together with the water and the pieces of cactus. Put the heat on medium high and let the liquid evaporate, about three to four hours. Until you have about 250 ml left. This is now a thicker substance. Pass it through a sieve and collect the liquid, separating the cactus pieces.
7. Next, boil the cactus pieces for a second time. This time add 2 liters of water. After about two hours of cooking you will again have a thick substance left. Put this mixture through the sieve again and collect the liquid. 
8. Now mix the liquid from the first round of cooking with the second. In total you should now have about 300 to 400 ml of liquid.

The more you boil it, the more liquid evaporates and the less you end up having to drink. This can prevent side effects, such as nausea.

Preparing for a trip with San Pedro

Hooray! Your San Pedro Tea is ready. After this process of preparation, it is time for rest and preparation for the trip that is scheduled for tomorrow.

It is important to be in a good Set and Setting. So try to experience as few stimuli as possible. For example, go for a walk in nature, put your phone far away from you, meditate and try to relax and come to yourself as much as possible. 

Following a diet?

Following a diet is helpful to bring your body into a "fresh" and calm state. There is no "set" diet. Some people eat vegan for some time, no sugar, no stimulants like caffeine and alcohol. You can follow this diet for a few days weeks or even months before your trip. 

Did you experience a San Pedro trip and want to share it with the world? Sirius is always looking for interesting user experiences to publish. You can even collect Spacemiles by submitting a blog or article! Send an e-mail to [email protected] for more information.

Elena Experience expert (psychedelics and psychoactive & medicinal plants), blogger, passion for healthy food

Elena studies Organic and Biodynamic agriculture because, besides psychedelics and psychoactive & medicinal plants, she also has a passion for healthy food. Learning about the endocannabinoid system, different cannabinoids and terpenes is super interesting.

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