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Psychoactive Lichens

Druidus

Druidus

Bluelighter
Joined
Mar 28, 2006
Messages
598
I've come in contact with THREE lichens and a variety of other psychoactive plants. These are in the high NA arctic. I lived for 13 years there, and had a fascination with interviewing Elders. I don't know what these psychoactives are, but they bear remarkable similarity to tryptamines.

Even in the arctic, humans found a way. I wonder what these compounds actually are? Are they legal? Could they be mass produced?

I would liken it to a heavy mushroom trip, though longer and smoother. The lichen anyway. They wouldn't let me use the other plants, you have to be "accepted" first.

(EDIT: I describe what it feels like for the best of the lichens on the first post of page two better than I do here)
 
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That is interesting. Years back, when I was getting really into naturally occurring psychoactives/psychotropics/hallucinogens, I was very into reading and referencing "The Fruits of the Gods" and of course TIHKAL & PIHKAL. I tried everything from Phalaris Grass and Acacia to Passion Flower to Brugmansia and Belladonna, to Trichocerus (and other more obscure cacti), Coleus and Salvia, Cyanescens and loads of various psilocybe, etc. The list goes on too. I was a real psychonaut for a while there. It was the Brugmansia that finished me off for good. Absolutely terrifying. Nowadays I stick with the old reliables: LSD, DMT, AMT, MDA and MDMA, and of course the lovely 2C-x's.

In all my reading and research, however, and taking into account that it has been years since my devoted delving into the greater unknown- I don't recall ever seeing or hearing about a psychoactive Lichen. Tons of different Fungi in the form of mushrooms though. I don't at all doubt the existence of such Lichen though, and that's really cool to think of such a tough and hardy species fit for existence at the top of the world, and that the people, or rather the Shamans of that region have discovered their value.

I would guess the active constituents would be either comprised of some Tryptamine(s) or Phenethylamine(s), but I really offer more than pure speculation.

I'd like to know more if you're able to track down any links or info regarding any of the specific Lichens themselves, though I do understand that there is probably little or no information simply floating around our there on such things. Very interesting post either way.
 
If you guys are thinking tryptamine or phenethylamine this is better suited for PD. I hope you can find some illumination.



--->PD
 
Druidus said:
I've come in contact with THREE lichens and a variety of other psychoactive plants. These are in the high NA arctic. I lived for 13 years there, and had a fascination with interviewing Elders. I don't know what these psychoactives are, but they bear remarkable similarity to tryptamines.

Even in the arctic, humans found a way. I wonder what these compounds actually are? Are they legal? Could they be mass produced?

I would liken it to a heavy mushroom trip, though longer and smoother. The lichen anyway. They wouldn't let me use the other plants, you have to be "accepted" first.
Click to expand...

How about some pictures or something so we can try to identify what plants you're talking about? And can you tell us more about the Elders? Sounds like a fascinating tale.

Didn't Shulgin mention some psychoactive lichen somewhere too?
 
IIRC, there's a species of lichen that produces some cannabinoids very similar in structure to THC. New zealand in origin, IIRC.
 
It's highly unlikely I'll ever find myself hunting for lichen in the Arctic but interesting stuff even from a casual observer's viewpoint.
 
"According to Ronald K. Siegel, a pharmacologist who has studied intoxication in animals, it is common for animals deliberately to experiment with plant toxins; bighorn sheep will grind their teeth to useless nubs scraping a hallucinogenic lichen off ledge rock.
Click to expand...

Vaguely akin to the Jaguars in the Amazon.
 
Here is an interesting excerpt from an online forum post (2007) :

"Stoned on Stones"
"It was the most intense hallucinogenic experience that I've ever had, and I've done every trip there is," says Icelandic writer Smari Einarsson. "DMT, peyote...you name it. We have these magic mushrooms here that grow wild. I've eaten those more times thank I can count. They cannot even come close to the effect of these rocks." Volcanic rocks, which cover the Icelandic landscape, have been getting local kids high for five years now, ever since a local artist did a performance piece called Rock Soup. Jon Sigmundson's art piece was meant to make a commentary on Icelanders' high standard of living, which he believes relies on taking for granted third-world suffering. He made rock soup, he said in a written statement, to "try and live on nothing." The serendiptous discovery he made is that these rocks get you fuggin' wasted. It is actually the lichen that lives on the rocks that gets you off. You take a few stones, boil them in a pot of water, strain it all through a colander, and drink it down like tea. Some people add ginger and honey, but it has a nice taste undiluted. It's very earthy. People who have "taken stones," as it's called, share strikingly similar stories. "Trolls," says a young Icelandic girl who was interviewed at local Reykjavik bar Sirkus.She'll only give her first name, which is Essa. "Every time we do stones, we see the same group of trolls. They are no unkind, but they aren't overly friendly either," she says. "Mostly what they do is advise you. You always come away from a stones trip with a question that you had on your mind answered. You also the most vivd colors ever. It's like living in Fantasia!"

Source

I've also heard somewhere about horned sheep getting high off lichen from rocks but cannot remember where I heard this from.

There are currently over 25,000 known lichen species, so we need more specifics!!

Definitely VERY interesting thread.
 
Hmmmm... I wish I could just randomly make a trip up to Iceland and hit up some kids with some cash for some lichen-y goodness. LOL!
 
That girls trip blurb definitely makes it sound like dmt-ish or a high dose of mushrooms. Tryptamine for sure
 
IIRC lichens are two organisms - an algae and a fungi - living in a symbiotic relationship.

So it might not be so surprising for the fungal component of lichens to contain psychoactive compounds similar to those found in your everyday common-or-garden mushies.
 
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