Ahhhhhhhhhhh finally a person of my own heart!
Salvia, I have used, I wont elaborate here, but was an awful experience. One I would like to forget... However, Ayahuasca (the proper and traditional brew), is an amazing one.
The first time I tried it was when I was in, funnily enough, South America. I was with three of my very good friends, and we were staying at a retreat called The Ayahuasca Foundation and actually stayed in Don Luchos camp... I had never experienced anything like this before. I wont go on about the accommodation etc... it's pointless here.
The evening I drank the brew went like this. I was sitting around with a group of people, my mates and me. It was pitch black. The Shaman (Curandeo), began singing, kind of chanting these words and songs, while blowing tobacco over our heads. We were all given a cup of the most disgusting drink in the world. It was actually passed around, we didn't have individual cups. It was like a hollowed out nut from a tree. I drank it.
Within minutes I was feeling nausea's, and couldn't stay still. Anxiety swept over me as I couldn't see anything, but then I had to purge (vomit). I lent over the rail and kept going for I think around 2 hours, I couldn't tell. Finally, I began to see things. Beautiful things. I saw a beautiful female emerge from this snake that turned into a vine, and she sat with me, looking at me and speaking to me through her thoughts. This felt like it was forever, but I am sure it was only a few minutes, I felt like she was giving me answers to my problems, (which by the way I fixed on return to Australia). This lady I was told by the shaman was in fact "Ayahuasca". When she had finished her subconscious discussion with me, she wove back into the vine, and the vine seemed to turn into a purple and pink spark like thing and vanish into the air. I couldn't move, I just sat their breathing. I saw amazing fractals, animals, birds, water, things I never imagined I could see in my life. It went on like this till the sun started coming up, when this happened, i crawled over to my mat (I was sitting there for 5 hours, not moving, just smiling according to the video camera my mate had lol), and went to sleep. When I awoke, I felt enlightened and changed. I did this every night for 3 weeks (along with San Pedro ceremonies)...
I plan on going back this year with some new friends, to share the experience with them.
I have to say, make sure you are on NO SSRIs or SNRIs prior to drinking. If you are, go see a doctor and get off them. Also, don't drink any alcohol, or eat any meat for a month prior to the experience, trust me, these things are a must for a full blown, authentic experience.