A personal report about physical and psychological effects of liquid, orally ingested Jurema concoction in ritualistic environments

First a brief explanation of what the Jurema potion is. 

Mimosa hostilis, the main ingredient of the Jurema brew, is a perennial tree or shrub which grows natively in tropical forests from Southern Mexico to Northern Brazil, including Central and South American countries of El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Colombia, and Venezuela.

Based on its ancient name Tepezcohuite, Mimosa hostilis is thought to have been used in traditional indigenous medicine since the ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, who may have been the first to realize its therapeutic properties. Pre-Hispanic cultures, such as the Maya and the Nahua, may have used it to heal skin lesions and inflammations, and for cosmetic purposes.

These civilizations likely did not use Mimosa hostilis for its entheogenic properties, as its full psychoactive potential cannot be unleashed unless it’s consumed with a plant which contains ß-carboline MAOI alkaloids such as B. caapi (Banisteriopsis caapi), used to make Ayahuasca in South American indigenous cultures (including in Southern Brazil) or Syrian rue (Peganum harmala), which is now also a popular MAOI choice for making Ayahuasca analogs. Discovering the DMT-MAOI synergistic effect is thought to have originated much later, in the Siona indigenous community around the upper Putumayo River, on the border between present-day Ecuador and Colombia.

Ritualistic drinking of Vinho da Jurema (Jurema wine) or ajucá, the inebriating brew made from Mimosa hostilis, was already performed in shamanic healing ceremonies within the Jurema Cult (O Culto da Jurema), which is thought to have emerged in indigenous communities of Northern Brazil as early as the end of the 18th century.

This cult was and still is, dedicated to Jurema, the goddess of the forest and the daughter of Oxalá, the divinity associated by the indigenous people with the creation of the world and the human species. According to the lore, Jurema presides over the mythic paradise of the afterworld, which bears her name as well. 

The traditional Vinho da Jurema consumed by the Jurema Cult is said to induce intense psychoactive effects, including visions and a sense of visiting spiritual realms, as well as vivid and meaningful dreams after the ceremony. However, as the root bark-only drink is not strongly psychoactive, the Cult’s preparation likely included the infusion of maracujá (passionfruit) juice, which contains a moderate amount of ß-carboline alkaloids, which, in turn, could act as MAOIs and potentiate the DMT within Mimosa hostilis.

Additionally, the consumption of vinho da Jurema is done in a highly ritualistic setting, involving shamanic singing and dancing and resulting in what is often described as trance possession of the participants. Incidentally, the setting itself, as has been demonstrated in various kinds of ceremonies worldwide, can be more than enough for achieving states of trance even without the use of psychotropics.

The scope of contemporary use of Mimosa hostilis boils down to brewing it with B. caapi or Syrian rue, which are MAOIs, in the preparation of Anahuascas (Anahuasca is a term used to describe entheogenic drinks made from trytamine-rich plants other than Ayahuasca and plants containing MAOIs (Monoamine oxidase inhibitors).

The main ingredient of interest in Mimosa hostilis is, of course, the alkaloid dimethyltryptamine or N,N-DMT. Aside from DMT, the bark has also been found to contain tannins, saponins, various other alkaloids, phytoserotonin, lipids, phytosterols, glucosides, xylose, rhamnose, arabinose, lupeol, methoxychalcones, and kukulkanins.

Nowadays, 1% is mostly accepted as an average DMT content in M. hostilis.

The stem bark and flowers of the plant were also found to contain some DMT, but only in trace amounts — around 0.03% and 0.01% respectively.

Extract from Wikipedia:

People who have consumed ayahuasca report having mystical experiences and spiritual revelations regarding their purpose on earth, the true nature of the universe, and deep insight into how to be the best person they possibly can be. This is viewed by many as a spiritual awakening and what is often described as a near-death experience or rebirth. It is often reported that individuals feel they gain access to higher spiritual dimensions and make contact with various spiritual or extra-dimensional beings who can act as guides or healers.

The experiences that people have while under the influence of ayahuasca are also culturally influenced. Westerners typically describe experiences with psychological terms like “ego death” and understand the hallucinations as repressed memories or metaphors of mental states.

Recently, ayahuasca has been found to interact specifically with the visual cortex of the brain. In one study, de Araujo et al. measured the activity in the visual cortex when they showed participants photographs. Then, they measured the activity when the individuals closed their eyes. In the control group, the cortex was activated when looking at the photos, and less active when the participant closed his eyes; however, under the influence of ayahuasca and DMT, even with closed eyes, the cortex was just as active as when looking at the photographs. This study suggests that ayahuasca activates a complicated network of vision and memory which heightens the internal reality of the participants.[51]

[de Araujo, DB; Ribeiro, S; Cecchi, GA; Carvalho, FM; Sanchez, TA; Pinto, JP; de Martinis, BS; Crippa, JA; Hallack, JE; Santos, AC (November 2012). “Seeing with the eyes shut: neural basis of enhanced imagery following Ayahuasca ingestion”. Human Brain Mapping. 33 (11): 2550–60. doi:10.1002/hbm.21381. PMC 6870240. PMID 21922603. S2CID 18366684.]

Warnings:

As the main psychoactive element of Mimosa hostilis is DMT, the same warnings and use restrictions apply.

The most common physiological side-effects of consuming DMT include: an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, dizziness, confusion, lack of coordination, nausea (especially if M. hostilis brew is prepared without extracting the tannins from it, or if the brew is consumed with a B. caapi-based preparation, which often induces nausea and purging on its own), shivering, spasms….

Jurema experiences are best enjoyed in a spacious, comfortable environment, as the loss of coordination may result in injury if the space is not safe enough. 

The visual hallucinations DMT can induce can significantly distort your perception of the environment….The closed-eyed visualizations can also be overwhelming and may cause a feeling of discomfort or fear or, more extremely, psychological trauma…

DMT can also create a feeling of dissociation between the mind/soul and the body. Some view this process, often referred to as an ego-death experience, as the holy grail of DMT trips. It can catalyze incredibly powerful and profound shifts in consciousness….

Now to my personal experience.

> Visual effects:

In chronological order:1) Flowing, breathing objects, landscapes, pictures on walls that seem alive, 3D waves appearing on surfaces (e.g. trees undulating on distant mountains, dolphins swimming in a painting). Patterns, like those on carpets, appear to move. Duration: several hours2) Color saturation and contrast enhancement, changing color tones. Duration: several hours3) Visual resolution is enhanced. Duration: several hours after ingestion4) Moving colorful geometric patterns and strange symbols (similar to hieroglyphs) while eyes are shut. Duration: 2–3 hours5) Strange, eerie, sometimes frightening images popping up while eyes are shut. Duration: approx. 1 hour.6) Persistence of vision, motion blur, both with eyes open and shut. Duration: 2–3 hours. 7) Watery film-like patina in the peripheral field of vision 1 day after ingestion. Duration: 10–15 minutes.8) Graffiti (colored words and numbers) appearing on the surface of an object in dim light 3 days after ingestion (duration: several seconds).

> Acoustic effects: none

> Olfactory effects: none

> Emotional effects:

Laughing uncontrollably. Duration: approx. 30 min. 3 hours after ingestion.

Crying. Duration: approx. 30 min 4 hours after ingestion.

Thoughts: uneasiness, paranoia (e.g. seems like people are laughing at me)

>Physiological effects:

Dizziness, unsteadiness, sedation. Loss of balance when walking. Nausea.