#11 - Peopled Darkness

Peopled Darkness is not the average book, instead it is one man's recounting his experiences with the entheogen Salvia Divinorum, a psychoactive member of the mint family. Much of the book are his notes taken directly following his experiences and while some a slightly profound it doesn't make for the best reading ever. Which makes sense because much of a journey like this is personal and internal, not really the best basis for a book. The fascinating part of it all, though, is how the author's accounts match up so closely with so many other people's reports found online. Drugs, especially hallucinogens seem to take people on wildly different "trips" and each is unique to the individual, but Salvia seems to be very different and takes everyone on the exact same journey. The same concepts are talked about over and over. The loss of ego/self, a female figure welcoming them, a plane of people who seem both welcoming and distant... these are almost always the same. This author contends that this is a land of the dead and that these people are actually deceased and the reason they are distant is because they know the Salvia user is not. His theory is interesting, and the transformative effects Salvia has on him are life-changing. It is just a shame that this ancient plant is best known for dumb, suburban, kids on Youtube making fools of themselves and having no respect for the history and effects. This one is a quick read and is recommended.