#ubulawu

[kemetic-dreams]

UBULAWU DREAM HERBS

Uvuma-omhlope is one of the so called ‘Ubulawu’ dream herbs. This is the name associated with a series of plants from Southern Africa that are used for visions and vivid dreams. It is believed one can communicate with the ancestral spirits and gain special insights and answers through use of the Ubulawu herbs.

UVUMA-OMHLOPE EFFECTS

There has not been extensive research into the workings of Uvuma-omhlope, but based on traditional use and user experiences, the effects are very similar to African Dream Root (Silene capensis). Uvuma-omhlope encourages mental clarity and very deep dream states. Some report prophetic visions and profoundly spiritual experiences when using this dream herb.

[dexter-the-king]

African Root Dream

I am big on dreaming. I keep a dream journal. I analyze my dreams and think about them a lot. I sometimes even try to find hidden messages, that my subconscious brain is trying to send me. All this is supposed to prepare me and teach me how to lucid dream. I have had a few of those in the past, but it wasn’t my hard “training”, but mostly because of pure luck. 

After doing a vast research on dreams and lucidity I came across the African Root Dream- a sacred plant of the Xhosa people (whoever they are...) traditionally used to induce vivid and lucid dreams. I got interested, did my research on the side effects and dosage and it seemed to be completely safe and harmless, so I stared the testing phase. 

Prep Day  

The package arrives. 5 grams of the long-awaited dry root is here.

I open it up. Thought it would be bigger. There are about 10 little sticks, each about 10 cm long. I divide the package into 10 equal dosages of what I think might be 500 grams each and I start scraping the first dosage into powder using scissors. Not a very efficient way to do it, but it works.  

I decide to drink the mixture it up with water 1 hour before bedtime (that is around 1 am). It doesn’t taste good or bad. Just water with some dry pieces of wood in it (duh, who hasn’t drunk that before :D). I also shake it in a jar to create some foam, which I also drink. I go to sleep. 

Day 1 

I wake few times at night, as I usually do. I scribble down some of the key words of my dreams and so I can write the whole thing up in the morning. There is definitely something going on. I have 4 vivid dreams, one of them lucid. It only lasts a few “dreamy minutes” though. I’m in some kinda city. Suddenly I tell to myself “You must be dreaming”. I get crazy excited. First thing I always do I start or at least try to start flying. I see a nice big breasted girl, behind a fence about 50 meters away from me. And I wake up...

The other dream worth mentioning happens at my grandmas house. I am watching some kind of movie, which is not interesting at all, but my grandma tells me to leave it, because it’s an Oscar movie (so what?!). I do that and suddenly the surroundings change and I’m piloting a huge Boeing 737, trying to land it under a flyover. I miss and the construction starts to pieces like a house of cards. I take a selfie in the middle of all that. Series of selfies, which then transform into that movie effect. 

Perhaps that first experience is just a placebo, but I kinda enjoyed it and I definitely got a good nights sleep. 

In the evening 1 hour before bed time I repeat the process, only this time I leave the cut root in water for about 2 hours. 

Day 2 

I feel disappointing. No lucid dreams. Perhaps I want it too much. I got a good nights sleep and had one really vivid dream, but it didn’t seem any more vivid or unusual than my regular dreams. Similar dream signs appear. 

I am with my dad’s friend (whom I haven’t seen since high school and I’m 28 at the moment). I speak with him German (???). I try to explain to him where my parents’ house is, missing some words to explain where it is. He is surprised that my parents don’t own a house, just a flat. 

After that the setting changes and I’m taking part in a race. Racing up a hill, but I fail every time I try to run up. At some point after dozen of tries I take my shoes off to get a better grip and I succeed.  At the top of the hill I get info that the race is over and nobody was waiting for me to finish. They were kind of surprised that I was there. At the end I’m talking with a boy and it cuts here...

I will repeat the process today. If nothing spectacular happens tonight I will prepare my mixture in the morning and leave in the fridge for the whole day. 

Day 3

...and nothing spectacular happened. Dreams as regular as usually. Perhaps a bit more vivid and memory a bit better, but still it might be just an illusion. I dream about every day stuff, every day life people appear in my dream. 

I leave the mixture in the fridge for the whole day to be more potent? I don’t know. Perhaps I’m trying too much. 

Day 4, 5, 6

...well. No dream recall. I changed my sleeping pattern. Had to wake up earlier today. Went to bed quicker too. I know that I had some crazy dreams. I had this feeling after waking multiple times at night, but I didn’t seem motivated enough to memorize them. No lucid dreams though. 

Conclusion

Well... I don’t want to today that the root doesn’t work. Perhaps my mindset was not good enough. Perhaps I am in a crazy, unstable life moment right now and it may have impacted the failure of the experiment? Perhaps I should’ve drank the mixture in the morning and not in the evening? There are many unknowns, but overall I am dissappointed and I kinda feel burned out with the lucid dreaming idea. I think I will take a break. I won’t push myself anymore. Perhaps a fresh mindset will change things. 

Dexter

[drugusersbible]

Also known as African Dream Root, my experiment with ubulawu constituted one of my first forays into the botanical arena. Whilst the preparation was complex and time consuming (involving sucking the froth off the top of the concoction), I actually experienced very little, or at least not enough to be certain that this wasn’t a placebo effect. The issue here, I suspect, may have been that my sample was old and dry, because this is certainly a real deal in terms of effect. I may revisit this in the future should the opportunity arise with fresher root.

www.DrugUsersBible.com

[the-lucid-movement]

Plants and Herbs for Lucid Dreaming, Pt.2 - Oneirogenics

In the first part of “Plants and Herbs for Lucid Dreaming” I talked about natural sedatives that help to fall into deep relaxation, which can be useful for the Wake Induced Lucid Dream Technique (WILD). Today I want to look more deeply into the other side, namely plants that are useful for the Dream Induced Lucid Dream Technique (DILD). Oneirogenic (dream-inducing) plants have been used for thousands of years to create REM-sleep, hypnagogic states of consciousness or even out of body experiences. While using oneirogenics alone doesn’t necessarily create lucid dreams, mixing them with a day full of reality checks and dream work usually does.

The Dream Herb (Calea zacatechichi)

The Dream Herb is a very well-known oneirogenic, since it has already been used by the Aztec and is still being used by the Chontal Indians in Mexico, who call it “the leaves of God” for its dream-inducing properties. While awake, this plant has little noticeable effects and is being used to treat fever and diarrhea. However, during sleep the plant’s power to create divinatory dreams is conspicuous. Not only does it induce extremely vivid dreams, but it also helps to improve dream memory. Compounds: sesquiterpene lactones (zacatechinoloid, germacrene, caleochromenes), flavones, alkaloids Usage: To create desired effects a huge amount of the dream herb is needed. The minimum amount is said to be 25g of dried leaves, while an appropriate dosage is said to be 1gram/kilogram. The dried leaves can be smoked, eaten or be used to brew tea. In addition to the huge amount that is needed, the plant is extremely bitter. Therefore extracts of the plant are more popular. Use it 2-3 hours before sleep.

African Dream Root (Silene capensis)

Sacred to the Xhosa people in South Africa, the African Dream Root is used by shamans to induce prophetic lucid dreams and to contact their ancestors during sleep. While most people don’t feel anything during waking state, some mention a better organization of their thoughts and a stronger sense for scents and colors. In general, the effects of the plant don’t start right away, but it takes up to one week before dreams become more clear, vivid and divinatory. The African dream herb is believed to be one of the most powerful oneirogenic plant. Compounds: The chemistry of S. capensis is currently unknown, and there is little research into its active ingredients. It is believed that triterpenoid saponins cause the oneirogenic effects. Usage: Traditionally the African dream root is consumed every day as the drink Ubulawu (250mg of the root mixed with water). 250mg can also easily be put into a capsule and swallowed. While it takes a few days for the effects to start, it is said that they last a few weeks after the last intake of the root. Higher doses are used as an emetic and do not lead to faster or stronger effects in the dream world.

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

Native to Europe and Asia, Mugwort was a famous herb in the Middle Ages of Europe to induce divinatory states and to keep away evil spirits. It is a very well-known herb to lucid dreamers, since it makes dreams more vivid, colors more saturated and improves dream recall. However, it is said that it can also cause restless dreams or even nightmares. Its medical use includes epilepsy and rheumatism, as well as causing abortions, which is why pregnant women should not take Mugwort. In general, Mugwort should not be taken regularly or in higher doses, since its ingredient Thujone is toxic and can cause convulsions. Compounds: essential oils (camphor, thujone), sesquiterpene lactones (vulgarine, pilostachyin, flavonoids (rutin, quercetin), polyynes, triterpene, carotenoid Usage: Brew a tea with 2-3 gram of dried herbage right before sleep. The herb can also be smoked. Do not use if pregnant, and do not use regularly or in high doses.

Unfortunately many potent herbs that could be of great use to induce strong closed eye visuals and vivid dreams are controlled substances, such as salvia divinorum, ibogaine, datura and amanita muscaria. But there is no need to break the law, since there are many more legal plants to strengthen our dream states:

Harmal (Peganum harmala) African Dream Herb (Entada rheedii) Sweet Gale (Myrica gale)