Mimosa Hostilis Root Bark Brew

Mexican MHRB curanderos will tell you that they can make their brew taste better by mixing it with lemon and honey. They also will remind you that the medicine is a purgative. Therefore, vomiting and purging are a key part of their healing ritual which should never be avoided. Lemon and honey are only mixed with the foul tasting brew to avoid nausea for 20-30 minutes after consumption to permit the dose to become fully active in the bloodstream. The maximum effects of the brew (including extreme purging, vomiting and diarrhea later in the ritual) could not be experienced if the MHRB did not have appropriate time to be completely absorbed in the stomach.

Mimosa Hostilis is the only source of DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) orally active by itself. For shamanic journeying this makes MHRB preparation extremely simple as compared to the Amazonian jungle brews Ayahuasca and Yage which must be mixed with an MAOI (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor) taking up to 12 hours to prepare for human consumption. By contrast, placing 10-20 grams of whole MHRB in 100-200 ml cold water and allowing this to soak for an hour or two results in a dose suitable for drinking.

Ingesting 100-200 ml of the Mimosa Hostilis liquid brew can be pretty tough to drink. It is even harder to keep down. Many shamans will boil the full dose down to 30 ml. This is accomplished by boiling the 100-200 ml over a medium flame reducing it slowly to 30 ml. After it cools, it will be ready to drink. MHRB brew prepared by cold water infusion is known for a very astringent flavor. Most curanderos add both lemon and honey to the brew only in order to make it more palatable for drinking. Lemon will cut down the astringent taste and honey will assist in doing the same thing. They both coat the lining of the throat and stomach as well preventing nausea and vomiting while the dose becomes fully active.

Usually within 45-60 minutes of drinking the brew and keeping it down, one will begin to feel the effects of the medicine which will continue increasing in intensity for at least the next 45-90 minutes depending one織s sensitivity and metabolism.

Experienced shamans insist everyone drinking MHRB for the first time to do so only under the guidance of trusted healer (curandero, shaman...or at the very least a sitter) familiar with shamanic healing to assist them in successfully navigating the realms consciousness throughout the journey.