Herbs for dreams.

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.herbs
Subject: Re: Dreaming drugs/herbs
From: olaf.bigred.inka.de (Olaf Titz)
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 1995 00:54:58 GMT

Tommy the Tourist (Anon User) <nobody.csua.berkeley.edu> wrote:
> Are there any legal herbs that give especially lucid dreams? I've tried Valerian, but it's not very impressive. One of the FAQ's mentioned a SE Asian herb that gave "pure science fiction" dreams, but I can't remember which herb or which FAQ. Any help would be appreciated.

Perhaps you're referring to Kava-Kava. My experience with this wrt. dreams is a bit mixed - it seems to "strengthen" sleep, i.e. you sleep deeper and shorter and dream more vivid. Perhaps it also aids in lucid dreaming, I'm not sure.

About that "pure science fiction" bit: depends on yourself. But Kava-Kava (if you meant that) is not hallucinogenic.

olaf

From: rl103465.luksi.ee.tut.fi (Lauhanen Rauli)

Tommy the Tourist (Anon User) <nobody.csua.berkeley.edu> writes:
> Are there any legal herbs that give especially lucid dreams?

Aztec Dream herb ( Calea Zachatechi ) is good. I've also used lesithin and B-6 vitamin ( Panthotenic acid ) and I've got some good lucid experiences.Because dreams reflect reality by some funny means, almost every chemical does change your dreams. Calea Zachatechi is available from ...Of the jungle

Rauli ?

From: kimmai.aol.com (Kim Mai)

I once made a concoction of equal parts kava kava and valerian root, steeped in vodka. I don't remember the exact portions or time required, but I got the recipe out of a popular herb book (a small paperback). After taking a tablespoon of it every night for about three days, I started having *very* interesting dreams. They were generally much longer and clearer than my normal dreams, and I remembered them quite well in the morning - and, sometimes, for several days afterward. They were usually normal yet interesting, though there were a few fantasy-types. They were also overwhelmingly positive, which surprised me, as I usually... well, let's just say I get rid of an awful lot of repressed agression in my dreams : ) .

One more thing - the book cautioned against using the concoction for more than two weeks at a time, as it apparently stops working.

From: John Collier <pljdc.alinga.newcastle.edu.au>

A friend of mine says that fireweed flowers, when smoked, potentiate lucid dreaming. The effect is subtle but definite. The only use of the herb that I have seen described in the usual sources is by shamans in Siberia, who used it in a solution with the muscaria mushroom. It is not a pleasant smoke (harsh), but only a little is required. It is completely wiped out by sedative drugs (e.g. the valerian or kava-kava already mentioned).

(Bees also make top grade honey from fireweed, but I doubt they dream.)

From: fisher.indirect.com (Fisher)

> (Bees also make top grade honey from fireweed, but I doubt they dream.)

Yes, but don't you imagine the bees get quite a BUZZ from it?!

Sorry. Uncontrollable.

From: dynasor.infi.net (Dennis McClain-Furmanski)

: Aztec Dream herb ( Calea Zachatechi ) is good.

Fair warning to anyone who wants to try this. Tea made from Dream Herb tastes somewhere between an Irish Spring flavored jawbreaker, and a mouthful of Neosynepherine. Pure nasty bitter. And it keeps on tasting that way for quite a while. I thought it was just the extract I had that tasted that way, but MAN is it in the herb. Three attempts with mouthwash, and it's still curling my tounge.

I could *really* use a way to drink this without the bitterness.

It just occurred to me -- it's just like chewing up a Tylenol #3.

I hope there's no nausea involved. Tasting it once was bad enough.

From: breon.netcom.com (breon moore)

> Are there any legal herbs that give especially lucid dreams?

I was on an herb walk once, and the guide introduced us to an herb called mugwort. It has healing properties, but he also mentioned in passing that it promotes dreaming. I didn't really pay attention, but I was absolutely captivated by the aroma of the crushed leaves. It was rich, velvet, earthy aroma that was so compelling that I harvested a handfull of leaves and carried them with me the rest of the day, smelling them periodically.

That night I had some of the most vivid, dynamic dreams I've ever had.

Since then I've read more about mugwort, and its ability to stimulate dreamin is cited in many sources. One recommendation is to place the crushed leaves around your pillow when you go to bed

Mugwort is a fairly common herb, you can look it up in almost any book of herb-lore or native plant life.

Dream on,
Breon

From: theing.ibm.net

>A friend of mine says that fireweed flowers, when smoked, potentiate lucid dreaming.

I'v discovered that taking the amino acids arginine, ornithine, phenylalanine, and vitamine B-6 just before going to bed with a huge glass of water will make me have very lucid dreams and I'll wake up in the morning feeling like a million bucks and usually horny as hell. Works every time.
I use the following amounts: 1500mg arginine, 750mg ornithine, 375mg pheny, and about 125mg to 250mg of B-6.

Have fun!

From: Pietro Boiar <paboyer.delphi.com>

try eating a ripe banana before going to bed. I have had many people try this and the success rate was more than convincing!

sweet dreams, Siobhan

From: isjlf.orion.alaska.edu

Someone asked about availability of fireweed seed. Like, how many tons do you want? The stuff is a wildflower here in Alaska, and I'd bet it's circumpolar. We literally get acres of it blooming during the summer. It's tall, hot-pink spikes of bloom (really pretty).

Probably any good wildflower seedsman could supply it. put the seed in the freezer for a month or two to stratify it (so it'll germinate.)

I'm sure one of the whizzes on this board could give you the botanical name.

BTW, I've never seen fireweed mentioned in any Native plant lore books here as being good for dreaming. The locals have been doing R & D in medicinal plants for about 10,000 years now :>

From the land of the wind chill factor,
Jan Flora
Homer, Alaska

From: rob.king.nfe.com (Rob King)

> I'm sure one of the whizzes on this board could give you the botanica

Fireweed <Epilobium angustifolium>; poltice was used by American Indians for burns & skin sores... I wouldn't recommend getting it started unless you really know what your in for... it is one of the most INVASIVE plants in the US..!!... a single plant can produce THOUSANDS of seeds which are easily spread... ESPECIALLY by water, and can spread VERY quickly, and is difficult to exterminate. There are STERILE hybrids of Epilobium, which spreads by roots readily, but does not self-seed... Enjoy fireweed by the roadside, because I don't think you would enjoy it in your garden.

Rob.