" One never knows what each day is going to bring. The important thing is to be open and ready for it" --Henry Moore
No one can predict the kind of day one will have. Everyone of us would like to have a great day, but you know that doesn't always happen. I am always ready, willing and now able to accept any kind of day. In Boy Scouts we always used to say their motto: Be prepared. I am prepared for the worst of days and also for the best of days. During morning meditation I visualize the day ahead. I visualize a happy, peaceful and serene day. If the day does not progress in the peaceful way I have visualized, I take a deep breath and start over again. Any day can be started over at any time I want. Life is what you make of it. I try to make the most of each day. Have you tried to meditate or pray in the morning as a way of starting your day? It is definitely better than the cup of java!
So, let’s finish with the sinister Thornapple. There are many species of Datura plants. D. metel is a powerful hallucinogenic. It reached medieval Europe from India. In India it is used to treat rheumatism. The sensation of flying through the air is induced by this plant. Historically in Mexico the seeds were used in ritual practices.
Some of the effects of this plant are relaxation, euphoria, visual hallucinations and confusion. There are reported deaths from ingestion of Datura plants. If taken orally, the effects are longer lasting than when smoked. I think the same is true of oral marijuana called Marinol versus the inhaled or smoked marijuana. There is an herbal-gram from the American Botanical Council on Thornapple (also known as Jimson Weed) entitled, "The Traditional Uses and Benefits of the Genus Datura."
It is hard to believe that Datura intoxication was reported in the 1960’s and 1970’s. People used the drug recreationaly without knowing the dosage or potential effects. There were 4 cases of teenage Datura intoxication reported in 1968. I have not seen any intoxication in the literature in the last 30 years. There was a review of Datura intoxication published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in August 1972. At that time there were 212 cases reviewed in the literature.
Another species of Datura called D. sanguinea is used by the Indians of South America. They use it with coca. The name used by this tribe is bovahero or yerba de huaca meaning the ‘ herb of the graves.’ The yerba name is derived from the idea that the Indians can communicate with the spirits of their forefathers. Another intoxicating drink called tonga is prepared from the seed capsules of D. sanguinea.
Throughout the world, similar hallucinations have been reported in people who consume the Thornapple species. I find the reported stories fascinating and informative. It is reported that the old Indian priests drank Thornapple preparations if they wanted to communicate with the Gods. This seems so ‘ Clash of the Titans’ with Laurence Olivier as Zeus...
Although the stories shed light on the plant species, it must always be remembered that the species Datura can have fatal effects.
Some of the effects of this plant are relaxation, euphoria, visual hallucinations and confusion. There are reported deaths from ingestion of Datura plants. If taken orally, the effects are longer lasting than when smoked. I think the same is true of oral marijuana called Marinol versus the inhaled or smoked marijuana. There is an herbal-gram from the American Botanical Council on Thornapple (also known as Jimson Weed) entitled, "The Traditional Uses and Benefits of the Genus Datura."
It is hard to believe that Datura intoxication was reported in the 1960’s and 1970’s. People used the drug recreationaly without knowing the dosage or potential effects. There were 4 cases of teenage Datura intoxication reported in 1968. I have not seen any intoxication in the literature in the last 30 years. There was a review of Datura intoxication published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in August 1972. At that time there were 212 cases reviewed in the literature.
Another species of Datura called D. sanguinea is used by the Indians of South America. They use it with coca. The name used by this tribe is bovahero or yerba de huaca meaning the ‘ herb of the graves.’ The yerba name is derived from the idea that the Indians can communicate with the spirits of their forefathers. Another intoxicating drink called tonga is prepared from the seed capsules of D. sanguinea.
Throughout the world, similar hallucinations have been reported in people who consume the Thornapple species. I find the reported stories fascinating and informative. It is reported that the old Indian priests drank Thornapple preparations if they wanted to communicate with the Gods. This seems so ‘ Clash of the Titans’ with Laurence Olivier as Zeus...
Although the stories shed light on the plant species, it must always be remembered that the species Datura can have fatal effects.
Until tomorrow...
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