To remind themselves of the sacred, of mystery. To alter their perception of the objective and understand how they fit in. To restore faith that existence will exist. Salvia is highly uncomfortable for me. I look at it as changing a balance and I can withstand the literal vice-like body load to learn what I can from that experience. I understand psychedelics are trivialized as toys for hippies but I think true illumination exists not only from the catalyst itself but from absorbing the experience into your understanding. What you feel is all you truly know. The saying, "Walk a mile in a mans shoes…" you all know how it goes. Nothing is more powerful than the forced physical sensations to allow you to know something new and learn objectivity and rationality.
There seems to be this feeling that rationality is without emotion, without any outlet for the animal instincts that already, though often denied, inherently force many of our unwitting rational minds into action. I've learned to allow rationality feed the best of the necessary emotions.
That is in short what I've learned from experiences like Salvia, Salvia itself and most drugs really. Even something as un-"psychedelic" as Opium lends itself to illuminating different, possibly previously unperceived degrees of Truth. I don't recommend drugs to anyone and Salvia can be physically unpleasant but I really don't even passably regret any experience I've had with Salvia.
A short story… I drank Salvia tea and laid on the floor. My left side contracted mildy. I reached up to feel the perspiration on my forehead once I was able to coerce my arm into motion. I started to strongly experience the crushing wave and I distinctly remember speaking with a women with dark brown hair, dark brown eyes who seemed happy. I've met her before on Salvia and she did not seem happy.
I know some people who would take this as a feminine plant spirit communicating. I know others who think it's an implanted cultural image, subconcious projection of phenotypic images. I tend to think that I'll never really know, but some make more sense because there is direct causality in their explanation of the event.
I guess this is why I do Salvia even though it's spooky.
Peace,
PL