Dear Friends,
Salvia Divinorum, a psychedelic substance, is a sage which grows in the shade and can easily thrive as a houseplant. It is legal in California.
Our guest, Christopher Solomon, has worked with Salvia for more than a decade.
I invited Christopher to Mind Body Health & Politics to learn about growing, harvesting, preparing, administering and experiencing this legal, non-addicting psychedelic substance.
I invite you to listen to our most educational conversation.
His tools and a free 20-minute consultation are available at salviahealings.com.
Below, a practice to learn the important skill of witnessing. Our guest says Salvia enhances witnessing.
Today’s Practice: Witnessing
A simple thing to take with you from this week’s conversation.
Watch your self thinking. Watch your thoughts. Your thoughts are having a conversation, and witnessing is listening to that conversation.
If you hear yourself criticizing yourself, take notice. If you hear yourself being friendly, saying something positive, notice that too.
Then, after witnessing, when you catch the criticism, change the channel and instead, say something nice to yourself.
Do it once today, in the middle of an ordinary task, and once tomorrow.
That is the whole exercise. You have an inner witness and it works .
Practice it for a week, and write back telling me what you caught yourself saying.
Golden light,
Dr. Richard Louis Miller
Forthcoming New Book
Resources mentioned
Christopher Solomon — salviahealings.com | Store (pipe, practice sets) | Free 20-minute consultation | Somatic Salvia Network
Doss, M. K. et al., “The Acute Effects of the Atypical Dissociative Hallucinogen Salvinorin A on Functional Connectivity in the Human Brain,” Scientific Reports, 2 Oct 2020 — nature.com | Johns Hopkins press release
Johnson, M. W., MacLean, K. A., Reissig, C. J., Prisinzano, T. E., Griffiths, R. R., “Human psychopharmacology and dose-effects of salvinorin A,” Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2011 — PubMed
A note on working together
I offer a small number of one-on-one sessions for those who want to work with me directly.
This is not traditional therapy. You bring whatever is troubling you, and we practice the simple tools I have used with patients for six decades — ways of quieting the mind and easing anxiety that you can carry into daily life.
We go at your pace, and we work on what helps.
My Latest Book
The Adverse Effects and Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Medicines was recently reviewed by Samuel Bendeck Sotillos in the Journal of Psychedelic Studies. I was honored by it. Read the review here.
A few words from the front of the book:
Dr. Richard Louis Miller is a true elder and wisdom keeper of the psychedelic community, and his credentials come honestly, through hard-won experience. In this book, he continues his role as an educator by sharing his knowledge of both the perils and the promise of psychedelic substances. The reader will find valuable advice on how to avoid pitfalls while realizing the maximum benefits from the thoughtful and safe use of these remarkable medicines.
— Dr. Dennis McKenna, ethnopharmacologist and author of The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss
Putting forth the adverse effects of these substances in readable form contributes to their understanding and separates psychedelic scientists from those who would cover over, or even hide, negative effects of pharmaceuticals.
— Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco
It’s the fifth book in my series on psychedelic medicine. You can find it on Amazon.
My Other Books
Freeing Sexuality: Psychologists, Consent Teachers, Polyamory Experts, and Sex Workers Speak Out
Integral Psychedelic Therapy (co-edited with Jason A. Butler & Genesee Herzberg)
Psychedelic Wisdom: The Astonishing Rewards of Mind-Altering Substances
Psychedelic Medicine: The Healing Powers of LSD, MDMA, Psilocybin, and Ayahuasca
Master Your Mind: Practical Tools to Calm Anxiety, Silence Your Inner Critic and Stop Overthinking
