Overview

One man’s personal journey through the unparalleled trance states of salvia • Originally published as Peopled Darkness • Contains real-life descriptions of salvia-induced visionary experiences • Offers guidance for the responsible use of this psychoactive plant • Explores the shamanic awareness associated with salvia Salvia divinorum, which recently entered the visionary pharmacopoeia of the modern world, has been used for centuries in the shamanic practices of the Mazatec Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico, for healing and divination. A member of the Mint family, Salvia divinorum--“diviner’s sage”--offers a new doorway to the visionary pursuit of higher spiritual and meditative states. With repeated sessions using salvia over the course of several years, J. D. Arthur began returning each time to the same inner landscape where he found himself entering a unique state of thought-free, or “thoughtless,” awareness. There he accessed a mode of “dream language” that communicated an exquisite constellation of detailed meanings swiftly and flawlessly. His repeated immersion in these states of trance, as well as his analysis of their approach and withdrawal, led to a profound reassessment of the nature of normal perception and a reevaluation of what we refer to as the real world. With true-life descriptions of salvia-induced visionary states, this book offers a detailed experiential analysis for those interested in exploring salvia in their quest for higher knowledge.

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9781594773471

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Reviews

. . . insightful and readable. . . . let it be a guide, a doorway in itself, to bigger and better things.

For those interested in experiencing Salvia divinorum, this is an honest, detailed, and caring account of the territory you will encounter. Stephen Buhner, author of The Secret Teaching of Plants and Sacred Plant Medicine We are fortunate to have J. D. Arthur's thoughtful, reasoned accounts of 'thoughtless' passages. I agree with J. D. Arthur--go with a sober sitter. Bret Blosser, anthropologist Fascinating. Salvia Divinorum is a clear, inspiring, and insightful account of meetings with a powerful teacher plant. In the spirit of the classical psychedelic explorers, J. D. Arthur kept a meticulous record of his work with Salvia divinorum. In this easy-to-read book he provides others with a road map for their own explorations, as well as a detailed guide to the territory. After reading Arthur's book I am inspired to look again at salvia. Ross Heaven, author of Plant Spirit Shamanism and The Hummingbird's Journey to God This author's thoughtful investigation of the unique, leaf-induced state merits careful attention. His methodical approach and detailed documentation is a model of how to meaningfully explore such vast and elusive topics as time, mind, and language. His careful forays led him to establish familiar pathways both into and out of what he suggests may be another reality, or the far side of death. Mr. Arthur's conclusions beg the very question: What is thought? Kathleen Harrison, Ethnobotantist and author, March 2010 This another of Inner Traditions' serious studies of the use of shamanic psychogenic drugs. It begins with an overview of the use of hallucinogenic drugs in the United States. The author is careful to affirm that he is not promoting the use of such drugs, only recording his personal experiences over several years. He also makes clear that he did extensive research into the chemical makeup of salvia before using it, and that the drug was legal in the United States when he did his experimentation with it. Anna Jedrziewski, reviewer, New Age Retailer, April 2010 ... insightful and readable... let it be a guide, a doorway in itself, to bigger and better things. Chard Currie, New Dawn, No. 121, Jul/Aug 2010

. . . insightful and readable. . . . let it be a guide, a doorway in itself, to bigger and better things. * Chard Currie, New Dawn, No. 121, Jul/Aug 2010 * This another of Inner Traditions' serious studies of the use of shamanic psychogenic drugs. It begins with an overview of the use of hallucinogenic drugs in the United States. The author is careful to affirm that he is not promoting the use of such drugs, only recording his personal experiences over several years. He also makes clear that he did extensive research into the chemical makeup of salvia before using it, and that the drug was legal in the United States when he did his experimentation with it. * Anna Jedrziewski, reviewer, New Age Retailer, April 2010 * This author's thoughtful investigation of the unique, leaf-induced state merits careful attention. His methodical approach and detailed documentation is a model of how to meaningfully explore such vast and elusive topics as time, mind, and language. His careful forays led him to establish familiar pathways both into and out of what he suggests may be another reality, or the far side of death. Mr. Arthur's conclusions beg the very question: What is thought? * Kathleen Harrison, Ethnobotantist and author, March 2010 * Fascinating. Salvia Divinorum is a clear, inspiring, and insightful account of meetings with a powerful teacher plant. In the spirit of the classical psychedelic explorers, J. D. Arthur kept a meticulous record of his work with Salvia divinorum. In this easy-to-read book he provides others with a road map for their own explorations, as well as a detailed guide to the territory. After reading Arthur's book I am inspired to look again at salvia. * Ross Heaven, author of Plant Spirit Shamanism and The Hummingbird's Journey to God * We are fortunate to have J. D. Arthur's thoughtful, reasoned accounts of `thoughtless' passages. I agree with J. D. Arthur--go with a sober sitter. * Bret Blosser, anthropologist * For those interested in experiencing Salvia divinorum, this is an honest, detailed, and caring account of the territory you will encounter. * Stephen Buhner, author of The Secret Teaching of Plants and Sacred Plant Medicine *

Author Information

J. D. Arthur began experimenting with hallucinogens during the 1960s. This led to a lifelong interest in spirituality and the enhancement of awareness. He works with disabled adults as well as people with mental illness and lives in northern New England.

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