Its population plummeted from 40, in the late s when silver mining was in its heyday to fewer than 1, full-time residents after the silver crash of The town offers never-ending desert views and Old West—style buildings both restored and abandoned. But few people come to Real to enjoy the scenery. They're here to trip balls on the local cactus. Real and peyote first began to gain worldwide recognition among druggie experimentalists after the publication of anthropologist, author, and New Age teacher Carlos Castaneda's The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge in In the book, Castaneda claims he studied with a Yaqui indian shaman who showed him how to use peyote to explore "a separate reality" and uncover truths about modern society and unhappiness.
Included in his writings are fantastical tales about talking to coyotes, becoming a crow, and learning to fly. These fantastical stories have caused many mainstream scholars to dismiss his work, but they understandably piqued a lot of interest among people who really want to become crows and soar over the desert. Luis and I had our hearts set on checking it out. So a few days after he told me about all this, we hopped into his ten-year-old shitty white hatchback and hit the road to Real.
The last two hours of the trip required driving along the world's bumpiest, dustiest mile-long cobblestone road at ten miles an hour to avoid fucking up the bottom of our car.
So much dust rose from the road that we could barely see. After that spine-jarring hell, we lined up and waited outside of a mile-and-a-half-long tunnel that can only accommodate one car at a time. That tunnel, called "Ogarrio," passes through a mountain and is the only way into Real by car. Real's main drag boasts a set of varied subcultures mixing and mingling on the dusty street. Old guys with gray beards and psychedelic theories rub shoulders with Mexican teenagers from the city on party weekends who take mescal shots with bros who got bored with the beach in Tulum.
The visitors rent guesthouses in Real for a few days or take apartments and stay for months, trekking in and out of the desert to eat peyote with notions of being on a spiritual journey. You can buy cactus from someone in town or try all sorts of peyote jellies, drinks, and salves that may or may not get you high. But the real point of a trip to Real is to go out into the desert and dig it up yourself.
The desert surrounding the town, especially in the Station 14 area, is where most of the peyote grows. It takes an hour by vehicle but is too steep of a descent for a normal car. Eight passengers can fit inside and another eight on the roof. It's safer inside, but the view and breeze are better from the top.
We rode on top and ooh'ed and ah'ed at the panoramic views and dead burros along the side of the dirt road. On the trip, I talked to people who had been planning to visit this desert for years and had encyclopedic knowledge of peyote and the Huichol.
There were also others like me who were in Mexico traveling, heard about the peyote in the desert, and thought they'd check it out. In the past, some Native Americans would travel up to kilometers miles on foot to attain the peyote.
Since its scientific discovery around the turn of the 20th century , peyote use has expanded. Now, many people use the plant or its extracts recreationally. Taking whole peyote or the active alkaloid mescaline produces the psychedelic effects associated with the plant.
Mescaline interacts with the 5-HT2A receptors in the brain, which pertain to how the body uses serotonin. These receptors are also the targets of other classic hallucinogens, such as LSD and psilocybin mushrooms. People can ingest mescaline in several ways. Eating the dried crowns of the peyote cactus, boiling the cactus to make tea, and taking capsules containing peyote or mescaline are all common ways.
There are also synthetic forms of mescaline, which are generally available in the form of capsules. An exact dosage is difficult to quantify, as the plants themselves vary in potency when a person picks them. Once a person ingests it, the body absorbs mescaline rather quickly. The effects may begin in under an hour and can last for around 12 hours.
As the body breaks down the mescaline, the effects wear off. The peyote cactus is a classic hallucinogen in the same class as LSD, which has led to much of the controversy surrounding it. A person who takes peyote will likely have a psychedelic or hallucinogenic trip. Mescaline, which is the psychoactive component in peyote, is responsible for this effect. The effects will be different for everyone, though most people experience vivid hallucinations.
These hallucinations may affect multiple senses, and many people describe the trips as involving a mixing of the senses. The hallucinogenic effects of mescaline also appear to enhance the senses. Colors, sounds, and even experiences may feel richer or bolder. Time may become distorted to some people.
For others, the field of vision and objects within may shift or change. Lemon verbena is a plant you can use in cooking, teas, or take as a supplement. This article covers 5 lemon verbena uses and potential benefits. Dark leaves, clear lungs? Learn more about the potential benefits of English ivy as well as some possible downsides and how to use it.
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But what does the science say? Read on to find out. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Peyote Medically reviewed by Alan Carter, Pharm. What is mescaline? What are its effects? Is it addictive? Share on Pinterest. Is peyote use widespread? Peyote has been widely referenced in pop culture for years. In fact, anyone who has seen the movie The Doors about the iconic band of the same name is probably familiar with it. From movies to music, peyote has become part and parcel of a burgeoning culture that values freedom of expression.
Despite this, many people know very little about this psychedelic plant. Peyote is a hallucinogenic cactus native to Mexico and parts of Texas. It is a short, stubby plant with bulbous formations that contain the active ingredient mescaline , among others. It has a strong and bitter taste that keeps it safe from predation from other animals. Mesoamerican cultures, including the Aztecs, consumed peyote in their religious practices.
Archeologists date its use back at least years. Traditionally, shamans or priests used peyote to induce a state of altered consciousness to communicate with divine spirits or powers.
It also has a long history of being used in Native American religious ceremonies. As such, the DEA considers it to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. However, some regions have now decriminalized the use of peyote along with certain other psychedelic substances. It may be possible to use it legally as part of a bona fide peyote ceremony, even for non-Native Americans. However, individuals must conduct thorough research and familiarize themselves with the specific laws in their area.
It is also critical to understand that peyote is an endangered species. Therefore, users should not harvest plants they find growing in the wild. They may feel an increased sense of connection to nature or the universe or undergo personal growth. There have also been reports of instances of synesthesia. This condition involves one of the senses including taste, touch, or smell being activated but another responding.
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