Difference between revisions of "FAQ - DMT Frequently Asked Questions and Troubleshooting Guide"
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* Check the webpage linked in [https://www.dmt-nexus.com/forum/default.aspx?g=posts&m=165091#post165091 this thread] and see if your solvent and its contents is featured there | * Check the webpage linked in [https://www.dmt-nexus.com/forum/default.aspx?g=posts&m=165091#post165091 this thread] and see if your solvent and its contents is featured there | ||
* VERY IMPORTANT: Always do an evaporating test before using a solvent for the first time: Add a quantity of the solvent to a glass/pyrex/plate and let it evaporate. If it leaves residues of any kind, dont use it. If it evaporates cleanly, chances are its ok to use. | * VERY IMPORTANT: Always do an evaporating test before using a solvent for the first time: Add a quantity of the solvent to a glass/pyrex/plate and let it evaporate. If it leaves residues of any kind, dont use it. If it evaporates cleanly, chances are its ok to use. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Is this material or container ok to use with my chemicals? === | ||
+ | |||
+ | The keyword to search is "Chemical compatibility" or "Chemical Resistance", plus the material and solvent/chemical you are looking for. Below are some good links to help you already find the information you want: | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Link ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | * [http://www.nalgenelabware.com/techdata/chemical/index.asp Chemical Compatibility Search] | ||
+ | * [http://www.coleparmer.com/techinfo/chemcomp.asp Chemical compatibility database 2] | ||
+ | * [http://www.greenterpene.com/GreenTerpene_Product_Compatibility_s/48.htm Limonene compatibility chart] | ||
+ | |||
=== What are the different bases one can use? === | === What are the different bases one can use? === |
Revision as of 11:59, 28 September 2011
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Note: | This page is a transcription of the 'DMT Frequently Asked Questions and Troubleshooting Guide'[1]. |
Contents
- 1 DMT overview
- 2 DMT Chemistry and Body
- 3 DMT and Society
- 4 DMT Extraction
- 4.1 Where to start?
- 4.2 Is my solvent/chemical OK to use?
- 4.3 Is this material or container ok to use with my chemicals?
- 4.4 What are the different bases one can use?
- 4.5 What are the different acids one can use?
- 4.6 How long each acid cook?
- 4.7 How many acid cooks?
- 4.8 Can I make one long cook instead of 3 shorter ones?
- 4.9 Which ratio of MHRB:Lye:Water is the best?
- 4.10 Can I scale down/up the amounts stated in a tek if I want to extract different amounts of mimosa?
- 4.11 Can I make one big pull instead of few smaller ones?
- 4.12 How big should the pulls be / How much to pre-evaporate before freezing?
- 4.13 The layers wont separate, what to do?
- 4.14 My Solvent is Brown/Dark, what to do ?
- 4.15 How to pull / get the solvent off from the mix?
- 4.16 Should I wash my spice?
- 4.17 No precipitation problem, AKA 'Where's my snow globe'?
- 4.18 Melting/dissapearing crystals after freeze precipitation / Whats the best way to retrieve crystals after freezing?
- 4.19 How does one recrystallize?
- 4.20 What to do with the waste?
- 5 DMT Usage/Methods of administration
- 5.1 How to brew ayahuasca or analogues (mimosa hostilis / syrian rue)?
- 5.2 Whats the best smoking method?
- 5.3 I dont get any effects/light buzz only, what to do?
- 5.4 Denied breakthrough / Dark DMT trips / Not good experiences anymore ?
- 5.5 What are the dosages for ... ?
- 5.6 What is the best setting/context to consume spice?
- 5.7 Can DMT be IVed?
- 5.8 How can I estimate the amount of mimosa?
- 6 DMT/Plant storage
- 7 DMT Allies
- 8 Reference
DMT overview
What is DMT, Where do I learn the basics?
DMT is a naturally occuring substance, present in trace amounts in normal human metabolism (and its purpouse is unknown, check question 2.1 , as well as in a variety of plants and animals.
It can be extracted from some of these plants and smoked for some very strong psychedelic/entheogenic effects lasting 10 minutes. It can also be taken orally, but we have an enzyme (MAO) in our stomach that destroys dmt if taken orally, so for taking orally DMT must be acompanied by a substance that inhibits this enzyme (MAOI, or MAO Inhibitor), which is also present in some other plants.
Ayahuasca, a sacred drink used by indigenous people of the Amazon, is an example of a drink made from a dmt-containing plant (Psychotria viridis), together with a MAOI containing plant (Banisteriopsis caapi), that is drank orally for a psychedelic/entheogenic experience lasting around 4 hours.
When smoking, we do not need to use MAOI because we do not have MAOs in our lungs. Nevertheless, some people like to also ingest MAOIs before vaporizing DMT, or vaporizing a MAOI together with the DMT (such as in changa), to make the experience last longer.
For learning more about DMT, this whole webpage is dedicated to it. Here's a few links
Links
DMT Chemistry and Body
Is it true the pineal gland produces DMT naturally and is involved in dreaming and death? What does DMT do in the body?
There is no evidence to support the claim that DMT is produced in the pineal or brain. It is only speculation raised by Dr Rick Strassman due to his previous interest in the pineal. In fact, the key enzymes necessary for this have not been found present in the human brain, therefore it seem more likely it is produced elsewhere in the body.
The same for the connection of dmt and dream, and that dmt is released when we die, both are speculation with no real evidence to back them up.
It IS proven, though, for decades already, that DMT is produced in the human body and is present at all times in trace amounts, for unknown functions (which could be several functions, see last link below).
Links
- Zero proof DMT is made in the brain
- Rethinking DMT and the Pineal Gland
- If DMT would be a neurotransmitter
Is DMT dangerous?
Researches have been made showing the relative safety of dmt. It does not cause physical damage, addiction, and any tolerance disappears very quickly. Ayahuasca, the dmt-containing brew from the Amazon, has been studied by multidisciplinary groups in Brazil and other countries and was shown that in a careful context, it presents no negative cognitive/psychiatric/social consequences, even in adolescents.
There is yet little research into vaporized dmt, but there seems to be no sign that it is in any way more dangerous physically than other administration forms. There are no reported deaths from smoking DMT. Smoking it will not lead to a dangerous overdose because the onset is so quick that one can only inhale a certain amount before being gone to ´hyperspace', without being able to smoke more until one is down again.
However:
- People with extreme heart or other conditions for whom strong emotions could be dangerous are contra-indicated, just like a roller coaster would for them.
- It is important to notice that with any psychedelic, it is a very powerful emotional/mental experience, so those with personal or family psychiatric history, unstable emotionally or going through some very difficult moments in life should be extremely careful.
- Also, it is possible that during the experience, one temporarily loses orientation in the consensus reality, so smoking/ingesting next to a cliff, sharp objects, etc, is not a good idea. BE IN A PHYSICALLY SAFE ENVIRONMENT!
- DO NOT use MAOIs (so for example an ayahuasca brew) together with stimulants or SSRI medication
Appart from that, there are psychological issues to be considered. Please read the health and safety section linked below, as well as the scientific articles also linked below.
Links
- Health And Safety Section
- Scientific Articles on DMT/Ayahuasca/Psychedelics
- Long term effects of smoking DMT
- DMT After-Effects
Is a MAOI diet / Ayahuasca fasting necessary? What kind of dangers are there with medication interaction?
Unlike some pharmaceutical MAOI, the Harmalas, alkaloids present in the caapi vine and syrian rue are reversible inhibitors of MAO subtype A, while Tyramine, the component in some food that could cause problems in big amounts, is eliminated by the intact MAO-B.
In other words, in terms of food interaction, there is no big danger related to reversible MAOI use (in for example ayahuasca or pharmahuasca with harmalas). The necessity of the strict dieting for ayahuasca is an exageration.
Some people might report some negative symptoms such as headaches when mixing a heavy food consumption before/during/after harmala consumption but several other variables may also be involved that are unrelated to tyramine and harmala-food interaction (variables such as for example self-suggestion, exhaustion from the trip, vasodilation, etc). Headaches seem specially common when mixing beer and harmalas.
In any case, it is generally considered common sense to eat light before and after the use of ayahuasca and analogues (and psychedelics in general). Just follow your good sense and you should be fine. In relation to how long to wait after the last food before taking ayahuasca, this is very personal. Some like to have empty stomach and be fasting for 6 or more hours, but this is not necessary, and others feel it is even negative to fast for so long, because a too empty stomach might make one very tired during the ceremony, specialy at the end, and can also make purging a specially difficult or uncomfortable experience. Some consider better to have eaten something light (like some fruits or cereal or light sandwhich) a couple of hours before ingesting ayahuasca/analogues.
Remember: With the exception of moclobemide, which stands in the same category as harmalas as far as reversibility and food interaction goes, avoid all other pharmaceutical MAOIs !! Pharmaceutical irreversible MAOIs are VERY dangerous to take without taking strong precautions with food and drug interaction.
What IS dangerous is interaction between any MAOIs (including harmalas) and SSRI medication such as prozac, or also with stimulants such as amphetamines or others. If you're taking SSRI's, do not consume MAOIs!! Do not mix stimulants with MAOIs either! Mixing stimulants/SSRIs with MAOIs can cause Serotonin Syndrome which may lead to convulsions or even death.
Links
DMT and Society
Is dmt legal?
Posession and sales of DMT in its pure extracted/synthesized form is illegal, schedule 1 in USA and controlled by United Nations and can land you in jail if found in most countries.
Links
Are the natural ingredients such as mimosa, and ayahuasca, illegal?
Links
Whats the price of dmt / Can I trade dmt?
DO NOT BUY OR SELL DMT! We at the nexus are against selling/profiting with this incredible substance. We do not know and we do not want to know how much it costs in the street, we do not want it to be sold on the streets! This is not only disrespectful and shows a lack of understanding about the power of this substance, but its also a liability for the whole community. Dealing/trading DMT can attract the attention of authorities and create a problem not only for yourself but for all others in the community.
Talking about DMT sales or trade will result in suspension from the forum!
All the reasons why we dont believe in it are listed in the thread below
Link
DMT Extraction
Where to start?
There are several ways of extracting DMT, and different ways use different chemicals and take different time. It is recommended that before embarking on extracting, one reads up at least a couple of different teks (link on the bottom) to understand the processes.
The basics of an extraction is:
Dmt in acidic solution is in salt form and therefore water soluble, while dmt in a basic solution becomes a freebase and not water soluble but rather soluble in non-polar solvents (like limonene, naphtha, etc). Non-polar solvents separate from water like oil, it stays as a layer on top. By playing with the pH (adding an acid or a base) you make the dmt move from one place to the other while most of other impurities dont, and then you separate the layers by pippeting/separatory funnel/decanting, and then retrieve the dmt from the non-polar solvent by evaporating it or freeze-precipitating (putting it in a closed container in the freezer, and as the temperature goes down the solubility of dmt in the solvent diminishes, so after some hours dmt precipitates and can be retrieved). There are differences depending on the process of extraction you use but that is, in a very general way, how it works.
There are some new developed teks for extracting dmt with food-safe materials and/or no petro-chemical solvents, such as BLAB , Amor Fati's approach, or Q21Q21's extraction tek. The biggest advantage is, as said, the use of relatively non-toxic material and no petrochemicals but instead solvents such as limonene, which is basically pure orange oil. The disadvantage is that to retrieve the dmt from limonene, you cannot evaporate it (as limonene doesnt evaporate cleanly, it leaves gooey residues), and freeze precipitation also doesnt work (as even in freeze temperatures, dmt is still too soluble in it so it doesnt precipitate), so there are 2 extra steps, which are to 'salt out' the limonene by mixing it with an acidic solution, evaporating that solution and then freebasing the resulting product if one wants to smoke it (or just keeping the salt for storage or oral consumption), as explained in the teks mentioned above. These steps are just as easy as any other step done in the earlier steps of the extraction but the fact that its two extra steps means some extra time and work which some people might not want.
There are also the standard STB (straight-to-base) teks that have been used a lot before the food-safe/limo teks, the two most common being Noman's tek and Lazyman Tek. The mimosa (or whatever plant material extracted) is put straight in a basic solution from the beginning, with no acid-adding step, and hence the name. The advantage of STBs generally being that they need less steps, maybe simpler for beginners, and can usually be quicker, and the main disadvantage being the amount of lye/caustic soda they require (lye being dangerous if it spills because it causes serious chemical burns and could make one blind, though if done correctly it will not be on your final product. Also disadvantage of using much lye is it is watched in many places due to being used in meth production, so it might be suspicious to buy it, or even impossible to find, specially in some specific places of USA). Another possible disadvantage of STB teks is some people claim the final product is not as clean, its more yellow. Yellow dmt isnt necessarily a problem, though, some people even prefer it. Also, one can easily do a recrystalization (look below in the FAQ for explanation) which will effectively clean up the final product quickly and with very little solvent needed.
Then there are the A/B extractions (acid/base), such as Vovin's tek and Marsofold's tek. As the name suggests, the plant material is first simmered/boiled in acid 3x, filtered and later the base is added. The advantage being that when one is adding the base and mixing the solvent, the solids were already removed after the acid step, making it easier to mix the solvent, and easier to discard everything later. Also the acid step allows one to do a defat, though usually that is considered a wasteful way of cleaning up because it needs a lot of solvent for removing a bit of fats, which can be accomplished more efficiently with a recrystallization on the final product. The disadvantage of an A/B is that it takes longer because of the initial acid step, and if one isnt thorough enough in this acid step one will lose a lot of actives when discarding the solids before moving on to the Base step.
Links
Is my solvent/chemical OK to use?
Before using any solvent, one must make sure it is a clean evaporating solvent with no toxic/residual additives (or for other non-volatile chemicals used, make sure it has no toxic/unwanted additives). Always:
- Read the ingredients on the solvent's or chemical's label. Make sure it is pure with nothing appart from the desired chemical (for example: Naphtha/Aliphatic hydrocarbons)
- Google "solventbrand solvent/chemical msds", searching the brand of the solvent you have access to, to see if it has an msds, which usually contains more in depth information on what the product contains. For example "merck acetone msds". Or alternatively:
- Check the webpage linked in this thread and see if your solvent and its contents is featured there
- VERY IMPORTANT: Always do an evaporating test before using a solvent for the first time: Add a quantity of the solvent to a glass/pyrex/plate and let it evaporate. If it leaves residues of any kind, dont use it. If it evaporates cleanly, chances are its ok to use.
Is this material or container ok to use with my chemicals?
The keyword to search is "Chemical compatibility" or "Chemical Resistance", plus the material and solvent/chemical you are looking for. Below are some good links to help you already find the information you want:
Link
What are the different bases one can use?
Always read the labels carefully and make sure there are no unwanted chemicals together with the desired base.
- For STB: Sodium Hydroxide/NaOH
- For A/B: Sodium Hydroxide/NaOH, Potassium Hydroxide/KOH
- For Dry tek: Calcium Hydroxide
What are the different acids one can use?
Always read the labels carefully and make sure there are no unwanted chemicals together with the desired acid.
Plenty of different kinds of acid will work, but generally people preffer the first one on the following list:
- Vinegar (acetic acid)
- Lemon Juice (citric acid)
- Phosphoric Acid
- Hydrochloric Acid/HCl/Muriatic Acid.
Link
How long each acid cook?
30 min - 2 hours cooks in a crockpot on low-medium (or just low fire on the stove). Some people avoid boiling and only simmer, but it appears DMT salts are very stable even at boil temperatures, so there doesnt seem to be diminishing yields when boiling. Also, it's important to stir once in a while during the acid cook.
How many acid cooks?
General consensus talks about 3 runs, 2 being minimum and 5 being over-careful.
Can I make one long cook instead of 3 shorter ones?
No. You can, but yield will be smaller. Like washing clothes, its better to make more cycles with clean water then only using the same water for washing all clothes.
Which ratio of MHRB:Lye:Water is the best?
For STBs, 1g MHRB:1g Lye:15ml Water is generally accepted as a good ratio. People have had success with significantly less water, but 15ml per g bark is a recommended amount because less than that might make the whole mixture too thick and it can make the separation of the solvent more difficult. Also, one actually needs much less lye but this amount of lye helps prevent emulsions forming as well helps break down the plant material so that dmt is more exposed to the water.
Alternatively, one can just add enough lye for the solution to turn completely black, and go ahead and extract. If emulsions form, add more lye.
Can I scale down/up the amounts stated in a tek if I want to extract different amounts of mimosa?
Yes, just scale the quantities proportionally according to your situation
Can I make one big pull instead of few smaller ones?
No. You can, but yield will be significantly smaller. Like washing clothes, its better to make more cycles with clean water then only using the same water for washing all clothes.
How big should the pulls be / How much to pre-evaporate before freezing?
100ml per pull per 200-300g bark (or a 2-3:1 ratio of bark:naphtha) is a sensible recomendation. More wont hurt but it will waste solvent as you will have to evaporate much afterwards. Less solvent per pull is even better, as long as you repeat more pulls to compensate. Sometimes people use more solvent than this recommended amount, like when for example if using this ratio in one's container the layers are too thin and it is hard to separate the solvent (though there are tricks for better separation). If the plan is to freeze precipitate and one uses more naphtha than the recommended amount, it is recommended to pre-evaporate the naphtha before freezing.
The amount that one should pre-evaporate depends of course on how much solvent used. The idea about pre-evap is that the solvent should be as saturated as possible with dmt so that most or all of it precipitates when put in the freezer. If its not saturated enough, then not much (or not at all) will precipitate. So if one used more than 3:1 ratio of bark:solvent, then pre-evaporate enough to reach the equivalent of it (so if one used, lets say, 100ml per 100g bark, pre evaporating till a third of original volume is recommended). Here's an attempt to explain why not having it saturated enough may result in no or low yield
Later pulls will most likely be less saturated with dmt than first pulls, so for the later pulls (like lets say the 4th and 5th), it would be logical to pre-evaporate even more than the first pulls. In the example given above, instead of evaporating until a third of original volume, maybe one could evaporate until there is only a quarter or a fifth of original volume.
Some people gauge the amount of pre-evaporation by doing it until the solvent starts getting cloudy.
In any case, remember to re-use the naphtha after retrieving the crystals from precipitation, and/or evaporating it all the way down to see if there are any actives that remained in the naphtha after the freeze precipitation
If one is extracting a different plant or using a different solvent, then the ratio recommendation can change. Though in extractions that one salts out the solvent (like for example in BLAB and other limonene-based extractions), one can (and even should) use significantly more solvent, because all alkaloids will anyways be retrieved with the salting step.
The layers wont separate, what to do?
Possible fixes:
- Dont shake next time, if you did so! Instead, Stir/roll/turn upside down slowly, several times.
- Add more basic water/lye to the mix (either mix is not basic enough or too much plant matter for too little water)
- Make a warm water bath with the whole container (remember no fire sources near solvents, and leave top slightly open for preventing building up of pressure)
- Tapping on the side of the container/vibration (like sitting on top of washing mashine)
- Adding plenty of no-additives non-iodized salt (will make the water more polar and therefore chemically help in the separation)
Links
My Solvent is Brown/Dark, what to do ?
It happens for some people that after mixing the solvent with the mimosa solution, the naphtha picks up a lot of color and when the layers are separated, there is no emulsion but the naphtha is very dark, brown/burgundy. The exact reasons for this are still unknown, but it seems to happen mostly with STB extractions, powdered bark and heated pulls. It may be that there are microscopic suspended particles of the mimosa/black liquid which for some reason refuse to settle, but nobody yet knows for sure.
Considering this is not an emulsion issue (if so, it can be solved as stated here), this issue can be solved by:
1- Wait a few hours and see if the color settles and the solvent layer gets clearer.
2- Separate the pull as you would normally, and do a sodium carbonate wash (explanation also here in the FAQ). If the wash isnt sufficient to get the dark away, then :
3- Do a 'mini A/B' (mixing the separated dark solvent with vinegar 3x, separating the vinegar and discarding the solvent. Then basify the vinegar by adding lye, and pull with fresh solvent)
How to pull / get the solvent off from the mix?
- STB: Each person finds his own way. One of the practical ways is to first, with HDPE or glass pipette/turkey baster/glass syringe, crudely separate the solvent and maybe a bit of the mimosa mix into a tall thin container. Then, with another pipette/glass syringe (or same one, washed), separate the solvent (it will be easier due to being thiner container, so solvent layer will be thicker than before) to the final container for evap or freeze precip. On this second separation, only pull out what you are sure you can do accurately, and the last bit throw back into the main container. Often people complain that the turkey baster wont hold the solvent well and will start releasing liquid as soon as you stop pulling. A glass syringe or pipette will work better, you can find them sold in lab/chem/medical supply stores or online in a variety of shops.
- A/B: Same as above, or also using a separatory funnel.
Should I wash my spice?
Washing spice has as a main function to eliminate any possible lye or other polar impurities (like droplets of the mimosa basic mix) from the final product, which might make the smoke harsher. Nevertheless, unless one was sloppy and some of the basic mimosa liquid came through to the solvent when separating, there should be nothing or very small amounts of it in your final product.
In any case if one feels better making sure the spice is cleaner (because we all know how important our mental state is in these experiences, even if its clean but if you're worried it might make the experience worse), or if one's spice is unusually harsh, then proceed to a sodium carbonate wash (DO NOT WASH WITH AMMONIA! Many people report losing yield with ammonia wash )
- Have your product still in the solvent, before evaporation/precipitation. If you have already in crystal form, redissolve in a naphtha/heptane/hexane.
- Add anywhere in between a pinch to 5 grams of sodium carbonate (yes, doesnt matter... All that is necessary is for it to be a basic solution) to 100ml clean water.
- Add your spice-containing solvent and the sodium carbonate solution together in a container. Mix/shake/whatever (emulsions will not form).
- Separate the solvent from the sodium carbonate solution using pippette/turkey baster/syphon/separatory funnel. One can repeat steps 2-4 if desired, but not strictly necessary
- Freeze precipitate or evaporate to retrieve your DMT
Remember that regardless of washing, its still very important to make sure there are no solvent traces in your spice, which can be done with thorough air drying, or redissolving your dmt in a non-toxic (or less toxic) solvent like ethanol, or pure IPA/Acetone, and evapping that again
No precipitation problem, AKA 'Where's my snow globe'?
- Evap till theres only a quarter of the naphtha left and repeat freeze precip. If it doesn't work, then go to step 2
- Add more lye/base in the basic solution, and go to step 3.
- Make small warm pulls and go to step 4
- Stir/mix and let separate the layers many times over a longer period of time before pulling the solvent out of the mix
Other possibilities:
- Bad mimosa/plant material
- Not the right solvent
Melting/dissapearing crystals after freeze precipitation / Whats the best way to retrieve crystals after freezing?
This usually happens because of remaining solvent residues warming up and redissolving the crystals.
A trick to work around that is to freeze precipitate for a day or so (if you already have the melted crystals, then redissolve them in small amounts of warm naphtha and back into the freezer), and after crystals have precipitated, take it out of the freezer, pour the naphtha off (through coffee filter just in case any crystals are not stuck to the container), close the container and put it upside down in the freezer for some more hours. This way, any remaining naphtha trapped inside the crystals will drop off to the lid of the container on the bottom.
So after those few hours, take out out of the freezer, opening the lid still upside down so the naphtha drops off (remember to save the naphtha from freeze precip to reuse.... ), and then you can scrape the drier crystals, put them on top of a coffee filter or on a plate/petri dish to finish air drying, and voilá
The container used for precipitation is ideally something with a lid that closes well, like a mason jar, and that the edges and walls are straight so you can scrape it off more easily. Scrape as much as you can of the dmt, and whatever is left inside, leave it and reuse the container for the next precipitation, or if its the last precipitation of the extraction, you can use some alcohol (or even naphtha, if its clean evapping naphtha) to pick the last bits up and evaporate in a dish or easy to scrape flat-bottom wide container.
Links
How does one recrystallize?
1- Boil some water. Turn off the fire.
2- Add your impure spice to a shotglass (weigh it before to know the amount).
3- Add around 20-30ml of naphtha/heptane/hexane per gram of impure spice to the shotglass.
4- submerge the bottom of the glass in the water. Leave it standing and/or stir it around a little bit. Most of the spice should redissolve in a few minutes, but probably a layer of goo will stay on the bottom.
5-Decant or pippette your naphtha away from the goo, put this naphtha in a clean container, close it, and into the freezer overnight for freeze precipitation. Alternatively, instead of freezing, if one wants to grow large crystals, put in a container with the lid semi-closed and/or in a place with very little air circulation, so that the naphtha evaporates very slowly. The slower the evap, the larger the crystal growth.
Its possible small amount of spice is still in the goo, so you can add another 5 or 10ml to the shotglass with the goo to pick up the last bits of dmt. This second pull will be more impure as it will pick some oils up, so freeze precipitate it separately. The goo can then be discarded
If one doesnt have a scale or for some reason cant weigh the spice, warm up a quantity of naphtha in a shotglass without the dmt and slowly add small quantities of the warm naphtha to the container containing dmt while stiring, until most dmt dissolved but a bottom layer of goo remains. Then follow step 5.
Links
Glass Shard Re-Crystallization Pictorial
What to do with the waste?
Links
DMT Usage/Methods of administration
How to brew ayahuasca or analogues (mimosa hostilis / syrian rue)?
The standard way of brewing is to first of all have the material powdered/grinded or pounded as fine as possible. Then
- 1- boil on low fire (or simmer) the plant material anywhere between 1-3hours (some people do even longer but not necessary and energetic/ecological costs become higher)
- 2- filter/strain the brew to separate the liquids and solids, store the liquid separately,
- 3- add fresh water to the solids and boil everything again. Do this for a total of 3x,
- 4- put the liquid from the 3x boils together, discard solids,
- 5- reduce the liquid on low fire/simmer to a manageable ammount, like for example 100ml per dose (dosages/amounts of each plant in this thread
The MAOI containing plant (banisteriopsis caapi vine or syrian rue) can be boiled together with the DMT containing plant (psychotria viridis or mimosa hostilis), though some also brew separately and consume one after the other.
An acid can be added to the brew (such as a dash of lemon or vinegar), but this is not strictly necessary (and neither the traditional indigenous way), specially if your plant is finely powdered, because alkaloids in the plant are naturally in water-soluble form. Though acid can increase the potency of the brew (specially for non-powdered plant material), it will also make it taste worse.
Links
Whats the best smoking method?
The visual diagram for dmt usage gives some tips not only on vaporizing methods but other tips, check it out.
Different people preffer different methods. FORGET THE LIGHTBULB METHOD as it only works for a small percentage of people, most report problems.
- Vaporgenie
A big number of people in the Nexus claim the vaporgenie to be the best vaporizing method by far! The vaporgenie is claimed to be significantly more effective as well as having a much smoother vapor than other smoking methods so if one is having trouble with harsh smoke or low effects, try the vaporgenie out. The Glass VaporGenie is recommended but otherwise the classic one will work perfectly fine.
Begin with the flame a few cms above the top and adjust as you go. With empty lungs, start inhaling slowly and steady. The idea is to inhale a dense vapour, but not too dense so that you start coughing. Its better to begin the inhaling with a not so dense smoke, and then make it denser towards the end. Keep the vapor in the lungs for as long as possible, at least 10 seconds. If you coughed or exhaled before this or couldnt inhale with all the lungs, try keeping the flame further away or adjusting the speed of inhaling so that its a bit less dense.
Usually it takes anywhere between 1-3 hits, or anywhere between 25-50mg for a full breakthrough, if you got your technique right. A torch lighter is recommended, but a normal lighter will also work fine.
- Bong/leaf bed/enhanced leaf
One method also considered successful by some is in a water bong (or plain bong), with a couple of metal screens, a thick layer of ashes or thin layer of herbs on the bottom, then the dmt in the middle, and then another thick layer of ashes or thin layer of herbs on top. It is essential to go very easy on the fire, because too much heat will degrade DMT. Keep the lighter as far away as possible so that it still vaporizes but doesnt over-heat your DMT 50mg seems to be a good dose if one wants to really go inside the dmt dimension. Inhale slowly and deeply, holding in the lungs as much as possible (at least a few seconds), exhaling, and then taking a second, third one if possible, and even fourth one if one still can. Even if after the first there are already some effects, if one really wants to breakthrough, gotta keep going as much as one can.
Specifically for enhanced leaf check link below
- The Machine
Check links below
Links
- VG VaporGenie: How to use, where to get, advantages, etc
- Helps and tips for smoking spice
- Ban the Bulb - Modify the Machine
- A guide to enhanced leaf changa
- Thoughts on using a VaporGenie
- Troubles with The Machine
I dont get any effects/light buzz only, what to do?
99% of the times, when people do not get effects, they are having a bad vaporization method, most likely burning the sspice. Try one of the methods above, and considering it is dmt and one smokes it right, it should work. Other possibility is that one has a very impure product with too much plant oils and so on. One can perform one or more recrystalizations to get a purer product that is easier to weight accurately and vaporize, and then try methods above.
Link
Denied breakthrough / Dark DMT trips / Not good experiences anymore ?
It happens with several people that they feel they aren't getting good experiences anymore, that the trips are consistently of dark motifs, negative feelings, or that the breakthrough is denied, regardless of dosage. There isn't a ready answer for why this happens, but it seems a few factors may be related to it. In many cases, this happens when people are having a regular or excessive DMT use, or when they haven't been dedicating enough to their daily lives, to integration of the experiences. Also, it may have in some cases to do with the intentions one sets before vaporizing the DMT, and with how one's mind state and the context in general is.
So a few tips on how to deal with this issue:
1- Take a break! The DMT hyperspace will always be there, there is no rush to go right now! Stop your DMT usage (and maybe drug usage altogether), dedicate to daily life, live a balanced healthy life, eat well, exercise, study, work. Do not obsess about DMT, try to only come back once you feel you have really made enough effort in improving your daily life. At least a few months break is recommended.
2- If and once you do decide to try it again, make sure it is a good place and time for it. Take care with using in the best set and setting possible (look further down the FAQ for recommended setting).
3- Do not smoke it impulsively. Meditate or spend a few minutes in silence, concentrating, breathing deeply and slowly.
4- Set your intentions straight. Question yourself why you are doing this. Try to have the best intentions and reasons as possible.
5- Use a good smoking method such as the vaporgenie or others as recommended above.
6- If it still doesnt work out for you, take an even longer break (many months/years), and/or stop it altogether. Realize that maybe DMT is just not for you. Its not a problem to admit one's relationship with a substance is not working, in fact, it shows you're being humble and conscious.
Link
- Health and Safety section: Integration
- what happened to the bright side?
- Vaporized DMT not having an effect in those who it has worked for previously
What are the dosages for ... ?
Link
What is the best setting/context to consume spice?
Check visual diagram for dmt usage for some tips on setting, preparation and also integration
- A comfortable quiet place is generally recommended. If there are friends around they should be requested to remain quiet while someone is embarking on this experience and only start speaking once the explorer talks himself and allows others. Possibility of telefone ringing or street noises or other interruptions is definitely NOT recommended.
- The presence of music or not depends a lot on personal taste. Some prefer full silence to 'concentrate' more deeply and mention that any stimulus keeps them too grounded in usual reality, while others can have very deep interconnected experiences with certain music of their own preference (often being some kind of chill out/ambient/ethno ).
- Many people preffer full darkness or indirect lighting, but sunset or sunrise in a nice nature place (if safe) can also be marvelous.
- Obviously DO NOT have sharp objects around, smoke next to cliffs, driving etc...
- It is very rare, but it may happen that one feels nauseated and/or vomits, so specially first times or those doing alone, its also recommended to have a bucket nearby, and to sit comfortably, resting the back against something soft in a way that you wont slip or fall, such as an armchair, bed with backrest/pillows or comfortable sofa.
- While we are not aware of any deaths, it would be irresponsible to discount the possibility that blocking your airway while deep in hyperspace could prove fatal, so be in a position/place where you are safe even if not conscious of the surroundings. During traditional ayahuasca ceremonies participants sit on the floor or in a comfortable chair. We recommend sitting upright (slightly reclined for stability) comfortably because the launch is far more immediate and surprising with vaporised DMT. Think of it as your pilot seat- you wouldn't fly a plane any other way!
- If you do not have a sitter to take the pipe from you, be sure that you have a safe and easy place very near to put it down when you feel hyperspace approaching. You will not be inclined to move your hand very far, so we would recommend a fireproof shelf of sorts less than a foot away. Just smoking cigarettes in bed kills many people every year, and obviously the same dangers are relevent with DMT. We have heard one report of a member who returned from an unenjoyable trip to find that she had dropped the pipe onto her leg, resulting in a nasty burn.
- Prior meditation or at least focusing on intention and inner calm can be benefiting.
- Remember to let go, dont struggle. Its normal that the hearbeat accelerates in the come up. Some people fear they are dying or that they wont return, but dont worry FOR SURE you come back, as it has happened with everybody else. Some people feel that they lose their breath, but its just a feeling.. As long as the airway is not physically blocked, then dont worry our body has a built-in mechanism that prevents one from stopping breathing.
- Dont be scared, entities cant hurt you in real life if you dont believe it. Try to not make 'good/bad' judgements during the experience, dont resist!! Just go with the flow of the ride. Some images may appear positive, negative, incredible, impossible to describe, etc, but you are safe regardless of what comes.
Link
Can DMT be IVed?
It can, but we do not recommend it mainly for two reasons:
1- The only official research done with DMT by Rick Strassmann used FDA-approved ultra pure DMT fumarate. The quality of home extraction products is questionable, one may have solvent traces and other impurities that could be uncomfortable, painful or downright dangerous to inject.
2- The onset of the effects are so quick that one might not be able to take out the needle in time and accidentally ripping their vein out while in hyperspace, or putting it down too near and rolling around/puncturing oneself
IF one is gonna do it inspite of contrary recommendations, then please: Take care in making many purifying steps (several recrystallizations/washes) and making sure it has no solvent or other chemical traces in the final product (redissolving the recrystallized product in USP grade acetone or ethanol and re-evaporating, scrapping and letting it dry completely before converting to fumarates in a sterile solution, etc.).
Also, for the first try, take at most 0.2mg/kg, preferably less. And VERY importantly, do NOT do it by yourself, have a sitter that is experienced with needles inject for you and be there to make sure you are physically safe.
Links
How can I estimate the amount of mimosa?
Links
DMT/Plant storage
Does DMT go bad?
The main degradation product of dmt seems to be dmt n-oxide, which is also psychoactive. Some people enjoy and find qualitative difference in n-oxide compared to dmt. On the other hand, other people report negative experiences with old spice, but it is unknown how much is self-suggestion and how much is really true. The rate at which dmt converts to n-oxide logically depends on factors such as air exposure and temperature, but so far there havent been any quantitative tests to tell how fast it goes in a given condition.
In any case, n-oxide can be converted back to dmt using zinc dust, see link below
Many people convert the freebase to dmt fumarate for storage, as its claimed to be a more stable salt.
Link
Does mimosa go bad?
Generally mimosa should not go bad even after months/years. If it looks fine and doesnt have some mutant fungus growing on it, its perfect :) There are reports of people using mimosa that was for many months or even years in a drawer without any significant problem (though as with anything, its always more prudent to store in dark, dry, cold place).
The main possible degradation is of dmt into dmt n-oxide. Dmt n-oxide is also psychoactive, but it is not soluble in naphtha, which may cause some people to get small yields when extracting from older bark. N-oxide is soluble in limonene/xylene/toluene/etc, so one could extract it with those solvents without loss of yield. Alternatively, N-oxide can be converted back to dmt using zinc dust, see link below
For oral usage of mimosa, formation of n-oxide wouldnt really affect much as it will be water soluble so one will still get the effects when consuming the brew.
Links
Whats the best way to store DMT?
As with mostly anything, a dark, airtight, dry and cold place is the best, but dmt is reasonably stable and one doesnt have to worry much appart from dmt-n-oxide (see question 6.1)
In any case, one can also convert to dmt fumarate which is a very stable salt form of dmt
Links
Whats the best way to store Mimosa?
As with mostly anything, a dark, airtight, dry and cold place is the best, but dmt is reasonably stable and one doesnt have to worry much appart from dmt-n-oxide (see question 6.1)
Logically, bark in pieces will keep better than when powdered
Links
DMT Allies
What is jungle spice ?
Jungle Spice is the product resulting from an extraction of mimosa hostilis using a solvent more polar than naphtha (such as xylene, toluene, limonene, ether, DCM, etc). Chemical analysis has shown it to be comprised of mostly DMT (90+%), a small amount of 2-methy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline (2MTHBC), plus some non-alkaloid compounds (some organic acids, at least one fatty acid and at least one phenolic compound). The psychoactivity of 2MTHBC is unknown at this point.
Some people claim jungle spice to be stronger or produce a different experience than pure DMT. This may be self-suggestion (people thinking it is stronger/different therefore feeling it), it may be that the inactive oils/impurities present in jungle spice somehow protect DMT from heat, making a more effective vaporization, and therefore feel stronger. It may also be that 2MTHBC has a synergistic effect with DMT making a stronger experience, or it may be a mixture of all of the above possibilities.
Only further testing (such as blind experiments, bioassay of 2MTHBC and its mix with pure DMT, etc) will help us isolating the variables and answer the questions on junglespice's activity
For more information on jungle spice, check the links below