Virola calophylla

Many South American tribes have used and still use a wide variety of identified and yet to be identified Virola species, commonly known as epena or parika. The Boro and Huitoto of the Orinoco region use V. calophylla both as a snuff as well as an oral hallucinogen. In the Colombian Vaupés, the Desana use the inner bark of this species, as well as of V. calophylloidea and V. theiodora, for shamanic snuffs. Sometimes powdered tobacco leaves, powdered coca leaves, the ashes of cecropia leaves, powdered pieces of Banisteriopsis spp., or the lime scratched off stalactites are added.

Effects

Although dermatologists all over the world show increased interest for the properties of the Virola genus, when it comes to the psychoactive properties of epena, psychonauts are left in the grey area of experimental shamanism. Hardly any user reports can be found in the literature and on the communities on the internet.
Of what has been reported, the effects of the Virola species are very intense and unpleasant for most people. In general nausea, headache and related discomfort is reported, together with the states of dreaming, lucid dreaming and hallucinations.

Usage

Dosing Virola bark is highly experimental, as there is hardly any information available from the established resources. Do not purchase this bark if you are unexperienced with preparing and administering shamanic snuffs and brews.

To obtain the resin from the dried bark, the cambium (inner bark) is warmed. The resin will melt and pour out of the wood into a container you place underneath it. However, in many cases you will see that this method doesn't work very well. A more reliable way of obtaining the resin is making several 2 - 4 hour hot water infusions, combining those and boiling it down until you have the dark resin. If the resin is too sticky to handle, you can add ashes or lime. For shamanic purposes a slightly heaping teaspoon of this mix is snuffed three times in a row with 15 to 20 minute intervals.

There are also reports of Virola juice being boiled down into a syrup, of which 3 to 6 bean-sized ash-covered balls are swallowed or dissolved in water and drunk.

Ingredients

We sell the bark, in which MMT, N,N-DMT and 5-MeO-DMT have been detected. These alkaloids have also been found in the rest of the plant, as well as 5-MeO-MMT, and β-carbolines. No psychoactive indoles or tryptamines have been found in the latex of the species or individuals that produce a great deal of red resin (C. Raetsch 2005).

Warning

This is one of the more experimental herbs available. People who are interested in a DMT experience rather than developing their shamanic skills, are better off with any of the established sources, such as Psychotria viridis or Mimosa hostilis.

Azarius Encyclopedia: Using Psychedelics Safely