Yopo seeds | Anadenanthera peregrina

Effects of Yopo

The seeds of the yopo tree contain the alkaloids N,N-DMT ('regular' DMT), 5-MeO-DMT and especially large amounts of bufotenin. These hallucinogens cause a short but very intense trip. People who have tried yopo report multidimensional visions of death and rebirth, animal transformations and the dissolution of the ego.

The effects of yopo are sometimes compared to DMT, LSD and of course its little brother Cebil (Anadenanthera Colubrina). Compared to DMT and LSD, Yopo is slightly less intense and the trip doesn't last as long.

Use of Yopo

The most common and popular way to use Yopo seeds is to sniff them. You can make your own snuff from Yopo seeds and lime (calcium hydroxide). Sometimes baking soda is also used.

To make the snuff, you first need to roast the seeds over a low fire until the shells pop open. You can then pry open the shell with a small knife or your fingernails and remove the seeds. Grind the seeds with a pestle and mortar and add lime. The recommended ratio of yopo to lime is usually somewhere between 2:1 (yopo to lime) or 3:1 (yopo to lime). Mix the two carefully. Then add a few drops of water and knead into a thick, doughy, pasty substance. Leave this paste to dry in the open air (you don't need to heat it) for a few hours to a few days until you can no longer smell the slight smell of ammonia. Once it's completely dried, use a pestle and mortar to grind it into a fine powder. What you're left with is your very own handcrafted Yopo snuff!

Many people report that sniffing Yopo is quite painful. Traditionally, people use sniffing tubes to blow the powder into each other's noses. This allows you to inhale more powder than by sniffing a line of snuff yourself. It's better to spit out any liquid that reaches your throat from your nose. This will prevent the snuff from reaching your stomach, which can cause nausea and vomiting.

The intensity of the trip depends on the preparation of the snuff and the ratio of yopo to chalk. For a strong trip you will need to use 3 to 5 seeds. First you will feel physical effects: a heavy feeling, tingling all over your body and possibly a headache. Then the hallucinations begin. The trip usually lasts between 15 and 30 minutes. The aftereffects can last up to an hour.

Cultivation of Yopo

The yopo tree is native to the tropical regions of South America, such as parts of Brazil, Colombia and Peru. The yopo tree does not grow in rainforests but prefers drier areas such as savannahs and open plains. Yopo trees can grow up to 18 metres tall and are characterised by their grey-black thorny bark and green pinnate leaves.

It's not easy to grow a yopo tree outside the tropics, but you can try if you keep it as a houseplant in a very bright spot. To germinate the seeds, soak them in sterile water for 24 hours. Then sow the seeds in a mixture of perlite and sand about 1 cm deep in the soil. Make sure the soil is moist but not wet. Place the pot(s) in a bright spot (out of direct sunlight) at a temperature of at least 22ºC. Water regularly and keep the room well ventilated to prevent mould. To grow the seedlings into small trees you will need to transfer them to a larger, deeper pot with good drainage.

A little history

The Yopo tree (Anadenanthera Peregrina), like its little brother Cebil (Anadenanthera Colubrina), is a member of the legume family. Indigenous people in South America use snuffs made from the seeds of the yopo tree during shamanistic rituals, similar to those used for ayahuasca and cebil. In such rituals, people use sniffing pipes to blow the powder into each other's noses. Hunters sniff yopo to locate prey. The hallucinations induced by yopo are also used as a means of divination.

Cautions

Yopo is a rather experimental psychedelic and difficult to dose. People with little or no experience of shamanistic psychoactive substances are advised to start with a lower d

Many users report nausea, dizziness, stomach aches, headaches and vomiting during a yopo trip.

Sniffing yopo is considered by most to be a rather painful experience!

Contents

Contains 5 grams of Yopo seeds. Hermetically sealed.