*Disclaimer: don't try these herbs without consulting your doctor and doing your research. Seriously, don't be an idiot.
Dream herbs are most often sought after and used by aspiring oneironauts, to help induce lucid dreams. Over the years, I've tried a few of these herbs to see if they actually work and to do a bit of harm reduction, by acting as a guinea pig for the benefit of others. Here, I'll be describing a few of these dream herbs and my experiences with them. As well, I'll drop some of the video reviews I've done for these herbs in each section. You might find my reactions pretty amusing; but it's all to be expected when trying substances that aren't very well documented. So, if you're looking to try out one of these herbs on your own, maybe I can help you make the best choice. Hope you Enjoy!
Silene Capensis/Silene Undulata ("African Dream Root")
African Dream Root, as it's often called, is probably one of the most interesting herbs I have tried. Its use originates in South Africa, of course, where it is traditionally used by the Xhosa tribe. It is said to cause dreams that feature a brilliant white light, the appearance of one's ancestors, and supposedly induces lucid dreams that are rumored to be prophetic. All of this is not even close to being as interesting as the method one is supposed to use to ingest this herb.
African Dream Root is meant to be taken first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach. This is because the chemicals in the root take several hours for your body to process into the chemicals that make it useful for dreams. As well, it is recommended to take the root every morning for at least 10 days to get an effect. Rumor has it that if you use the herb enough, you will no longer have the need to use it. I'm sure there's a reason it's only a rumor.
How the herb is taken might be the main thing that turns you off from trying it. Personally, I found it to be a bit of a hassle, kind of gross, and not nearly effective enough to warrant taking it. What you do to take this herb is to crush up the root into a fine powder (I suggest a coffee grinder) and pour the powder into a jar of water. Shake it up and let it sit in the fridge for a few days. This is basically a cold water extraction. But, the fun doesn't end there, when you're ready to try the mixture, you have to make the mixture froth (you know, like soap water). Traditionally, this is done with a wooden fork to stir the froth up, but I found that ineffective-- with a wooden spoon at least, who has a wooden fork? I found it best to simply close the jar and give it a few hearty shakes. When the top is foamed over, remove the lid and suck up the froth only. Again, this is first thing in the morning and you actually have to suck up the froth as many times as it takes to fill your stomach. You are supposed to feel physically full before you stop.
A litte turned off? I was too. As far as the effects, I certainly never experienced any prophetic dreams (likely because that's hogwash), nor did I have dreams of my ancestors. I did have one dream that I felt was due to the herb, but it was not lucid. In this dream, I did experience some white light, briefly, but overall African Dream Root is not much to write home about. Most dream herbs offer an increase in dream recall (how well you remember your dreams) while you are on them, but I found that African Dream Root really didn't help recall all that much.
Calea Zacatechichi/Calea Ternifolia
Calea Zacatechichi, often called "Calea Z"because people are lazy, was one herb that I was fairly excited to try. I had seen it hyped up on various sites and there were more ways to use the herb than to drink an odd frothy mixture; that alone was enough for me to give it a try. While I did notice some positive effects from this herb, there are a few things to know about using it. First and foremost, it needs to be taken at night, just before bed (or after 4-5 hours of sleep, before returning to bed) for the full effects.
Second, it is incredibly bitter. Seriously, even if you think you're Billy Badass and that you can chug a cup of its insanely bitter tea, I would be willing to take any bet that you're wrong. In the video above, you can see my reaction to drinking the tea and, boy, did I regret it. Honestly, you don't know bitter until you drink a cup of Calea Z tea. If anyone remembers the whole spoonful of cinnamon gag and how awful that is; I would rather take two spoonfuls of cinnamon in one day than ever drink this tea again.
Luckily, there is another way to take it. It can also be smoked, which was no problem for me, but generally most people these days feel a bit put off by actually smoking anything. The bitterness still comes through, so DO NOT lick your lips after smoking it. You'll probably want to brush your teeth afterwards too. I found that smoking it out of a pipe was less risky for lip-licking, as opposed to rolling it in a joint.
So, what are the effects? I don't recall ever having a lucid dream from Calea Z, but I have noticed a pretty good increase in dream recall. Not only did I remember more of my dreams, I also remembered more dreams than I ordinarily do each night. It is also said to give a stoning effect when smoked, but I can't confirm this. Apparently, one needs to smoke about a quarter or more of it to actually get high. I'll stick to my weed for that. All in all, Calea Z isn't the worst herb, but its dream recall effects are matched by another (and it's way less bitter).
Mugwort
Since I have been testing these herbs, I've probably regretted taking them more than I've enjoyed it. So, I was pleasantly surprised by the time I got to Mugwort. This is another tea situation, but much more pleasant. The odd thing is that the tea smells exactly like tea made from Calea Zacatechichi (an odd sort of gravy smell-- don't buy into the 'Earthy bouquet' bullshit). Luckily, though, it tastes way different. It is a rather mild taste that is tolerable on its own, but actually made pleasant with some added honey or sugar.
This is also to be taken at night before bed or after a few hours of sleep (again, returning to bed after). On effects, I noticed dream recall on par with Calea Z, but no other notable effects. Still, I find Mugwort to be the most worth trying, of the herbs listed here.
Conclusion
When it comes to herbs for lucid dreaming, the most you can generally expect is a bit of dream recall (The worst to expect is some combination of diarrhea and gagging). All in all, I think most people are disappointed to find that dream herbs don't themselves induce lucid dreams. Still, dream recall is very important for lucid dreaming. If you've been practicing lucid dreaming for a while, it's actually possible you could be forgetting some of your lucid dreams, so an herb might help you boost recall enough to see if you might need to adjust your awareness practices during the day. Or, perhaps you've entered a dry spell, where despite your efforts you fail to lucid dream. In these situations, even experienced oneironauts need a push from time to time; and in this case an herb might also be used.
If you want to try something to more substantially increase your odds of lucid dreaming, supplements are actually the best way to go. I'll likely be posting another article on supplements later on (with some discount codes, because I'm connected like that). So, if you're interested in some supplement information, lucid dreaming in general, or feel pity on me for that Calea review; feel free to upvote and give a follow. Thanks for reading and happy travels.