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Kava as an entheogen

Gabriel Belmont

Kava Curious
Would you guys classify Kava as an entheogen? On the scale of entheogens such as salvia or DMT, Kava is obviously on the lighter side of psychoactive, but from what I've read it is an entheogen.
Your thoughts?
 

Zaphod

Kava Lover
Would you guys classify Kava as an entheogen? On the scale of entheogens such as salvia or DMT, Kava is obviously on the lighter side of psychoactive, but from what I've read it is an entheogen.
Your thoughts?
If you go by a traditional definition of entheogen: a chemical substance, typically of plant origin, that is ingested to produce a nonordinary state of consciousness for religious or spiritual purposes. Then maybe. It however, is in no way psychoactive like Salvia or DMT. It does not in anyway impair your ability to recognize "reality" or even impair your judgement like alcohol. I doesn't even come close to the same psychoactive effect of cannabis so no I don't think it is anything like what most people call traditional psychoactive substances.
 

Gabriel Belmont

Kava Curious
Absolutely no where near the psychoactive level of those substances. I agree. But it is psychoactive right?
Kavas history in entheogenic practice seems pretty clear in so far as it's south Pacific context. I'm curious as to how this is translated across to Western culture, if at all?
 

Halibut_Acid

Krunkadelic
To be honest, I think there is a tendency to try to put kava in a different category than other psychoactive plants. While I do agree the effects are typically much lighter than many of the other plants, it can still be very a very powerful experience when drinking certain kavas. This is not a critique; I think there is nothing inherently wrong with using powerful plants. I could go on for a long time about this particular topic, but for now I will simply say that to me, kava is an entheogen. It has allowed me to heal in ways that have truly made me a better person, and that is really what I'm after when using any type of psychoactive plants. It is a beautiful and incredible root that has decided to ally with me and for that I am truly grateful
 

kavakarma

Kava Enthusiast
I believe there is unlimited potential with Kava, however the two ideas mentioned in the OP are very unlike Kava. There is an article on the internet you can find relatively easy, sorry I cannot link you, a man who has tried ayahuasca in the traditional setting now goes to Hawai'i for a kava ceremony, and does a good job describing how when in the forest, or jungle, the shared activity, the setting, and the beverage come together to emanate feelings of unity, peace, purpose in present awareness, well being, and vivid dreams. Kava is also known to some for its photosensitivity on eyes, and this could attribute the halo effects I've read about on lights at night and the moon. Bula!
 

EmeraldKava3690

Kava Curious
I think Kava shares some enthneogenic, spiritual qualities for sure. Not to the same degree as cannabis, salvia, mushrooms, the like, but I have had great, life-changing insights while on Kava, been very wrapped up in deep in meaningful dance while listening to songs I like [I like fast-paced dance music loll] and often like to write my journal while on Kava to discern my life and see different trends, account for new things that may be happening. As comparison, deep insights do not happen on alcohol - at least not for me. No journal writing of any kind is happening on alcohol. Perhaps some dancing, though. Also, one time, after drinking a ton of Kava and eating a warm and fatty meal, I had a very intense uptick in the kava effects, which is common when I eat after having kava, but to the point where I was laid out on the couch having serious CEVs. No joke. No other substances. Drinking kava all day, ate a warm fatty meal, and must have had an enormous amount of kavalactones that were undigested pass through - resulting in a psychedelic like experience. Who knows, there may be some kavalactones that excert more of this effect than others.
 

Jacob Bula

Nobody
Entheogen to me is just a euphemism for hallucinagen or psychedelic. Kava is definitely not one of these. I may be off base here, I've just been reading a lot of Terrance and Dennis McKenna...
 
At higher doses, a full on euphoric, elevated kava state definitely bears resemblance to MDMA in certain ways for myself.
I had a MDMA flashback last week. Kelai + Cannabis. The kava seems to mitigate the paranoia\anxiety part of the cannabis and it definitely adds to the euphoria.
 

AlexisReal

Kava Enthusiast
I had a MDMA flashback last week. Kelai + Cannabis. The kava seems to mitigate the paranoia\anxiety part of the cannabis and it definitely adds to the euphoria.
Yes, I particular enjoy either moreso, after either! If I vaporize a little herb, after a nice but not fullon heavy kava drinking, like you say, as opposed to anxiety, there is just bliss and content.

I'm just having a little vaporizer now 1st time today, after about 53 grams Kava earlier as it goes lol!

But also, if I have had a little vapor, relax and appreciate that for a while, then drink more kava, it is especially blissful, and more transcendental.

And that is maybe part of the entheogen experience- the transcendental aspect.

Kava is able to help us transcend mentally in my view.
I always appreciated mdma for it's transcendental qualities most of all, rathervthan a cheap thrill.

It was a spiritual thing for me, and so is Kava in a different way.
 

Zaphod

Kava Lover
Entheogen to me is just a euphemism for hallucinagen or psychedelic. Kava is definitely not one of these. I may be off base here, I've just been reading a lot of Terrance and Dennis McKenna...
If you have not listened to Dennis' podcast on JRE or Paul Stamets multiple podcasts I would highly recommend them.
 

Jacob Bula

Nobody
If you have not listened to Dennis' podcast on JRE or Paul Stamets multiple podcasts I would highly recommend them.
Also recommended reading would be Food of the Gods and True Hallucinations by Terence McKenna. Very good readings, even if you aren’t into psychedelics.
 

AlexisReal

Kava Enthusiast
Also recommended reading would be Food of the Gods and True Hallucinations by Terence McKenna. Very good readings, even if you aren’t into psychedelics.
Right! Why take the course when you can just read all about it afterwards lol. Now if only I had thought of that myself... ;)

Funnily, in 2006 a friend loaned me Food of the Gods. However I've always been mildly dislexyc and never had the patience to read whole books.

Little and often, with no long distance marrathon as such, suits me better. Plus an optic nerve injury in 2016, since when reading books has been a much tougher challenge for me.

Hence my naivety and lack of education lol!
 
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