Echinopsis pachanoi, aka San Pedro, is one of many cacti that contains psychoactive alkaloids, most prominently of which is mescaline, similar to that of the other well-known cactus, Payote. Native to South America, this cactus has been used in rituals for thousands of years. The indigeneous name is Huachuma or Wachuma, it’s said that it mimics the sound “Shuuuum” when this plump and juicy cactus being cut, symbolizing one’s egoic head being cut off. This is what one feels like when consuming the tea made from San Pedro cactus. The thinking mind will fade left only the message from the heart. When one enters the state of heart centered living, worries, stress, anger, discontent become unnecessary because these are results of the mind, and the state of being satisfied, fulfilled, contentment, compassion and connectedness become natural. That’s why when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Peru and tried the cactus tea for the first time, they named it “San Pedro” or Saint Peter who guards the gate of heaven.

The effects are not always pleasant, however. Like all psychedelics, (mind)set and setting are the pivotal parts of the experience. The cactus enhances the body and mind sensory, making them like a sponge that is able to absorb the surrounding energy. For example, using the cactus in a busy, noisy and disturbing environment will only make one feel even more agitated and anxious. Also, without a purposeful mindset, one may not get the full benefit from the cactus’s teaching that is necessary for the person at the time. Therefore, since ancient times, the cactus has been used in a ceremonial context to ensure a proper mindset, in a peaceful and positive environment under the care of those who already have a good relationship with the medicine, so that the participants can fully rest their mind in the process.

The traditional way of preparing the cactus tea is to slice the cactus into star disc shape and remove the core or the flesh since most of the alkaloids contain in the layer just beneath the green skin, and boil them for 10-12 hours until reach the thick green “soup”. During the brewing, the brewer would have to keep stirring from time to time and sing songs that reflect the feeling of love and gratitude and blow some Mapacho (ceremonial tobacco) into the pot for blessing. Another more modern way to prepare the cactus tea is to turn the cactus into powder form by drying the skin of the cactus and grinding it into powder for preservation and easy transport. When consumed, the powder is then mixed with water or juice. The potential side effects of consuming the tea from the powder for some people are stomach discomfort that might induce nausea, heartburn or diarrhea since the plant matter is also consumed, it will get swollen when mixed with water. However, this is mostly because the person’s body isn’t used to the sensations. Some may experience slight headache due to unconscious resistance. These will go away the more one is able to let go and be at ease with the body sensations.

The onset of the medicine is about an hour; during this time, one will not feel anything much, then the effects will begin to come on very gently. Those who are not familiar with the medicine may not even notice the change in the feeling at first, but the intensity will keep increasing until it reaches its peak in about 4 hours. The peak itself isn’t the highlight of the experience but rather the beginning of the experience. Before its peak, it’s like the cactus is knocking on the shell that your egoic mind creates around the heart. The cactus keeps knocking until some “cracks” on the shell begin to appear. After the peak, the cactus stops knocking and the light that has been hidden in the heart beneath the shell will begin to shine through the cracks on the shell and the heart will start to bloom by its own light. This is where the magic happens. When the blooming heart expresses itself, one will become more honest and sincere and open. Some may also experience visual hallucinations. Things become more beautiful and soothing sounds become more pleasant, while rhythmic sounds become more powerful. Some may enjoy quiet meditation, some may enjoy heart opening conversations, some may enjoy body movements or singing. The entire experience may last 10-12 hours but it won’t end there. Since the effects fade even more slowly than when they came, the lingering or “after grow” could last for a few days or even weeks, which is really the best time to continue practicing any mindfulness activities. Those who are familiar with the sensation from the cactus could even recall the feeling of the blooming heart just be centering themselves to the present moment.

Taking any plant medicine with an empty stomach is always recommended to shorten the onset and help make the medicine getting absorbed into the body easier. For San Pedro, the empty stomach can also help reducing the chance for the stomach discomfort as well. Here is the recommended preparation for the San Pedro ceremony,