25/10/2024
Datura, otherwise known as “thorn apple” I am sure we’ve all heard a story or two about this plant. Datura has also been called Jimson w**d, Devils Breath, Hell’s Bells (my favorite), and also Moonflower but its scientific name being Datura Stramonium, what this plant is infamously also known for is its pods and the effects it later triggers in a human who attempts to consume them arrogantly, theres a reason for this word choice that we are going to drive into at the end.
Datura is considered a sacred plant for indigenous people’s of southern California specifically the Chumash tribe where art of the spiked pods painted on walls, but there is also mentions of it being used in ceremony by the Tohono O’odham people of Arizona, there was apparently a specific song associated with the flower that was preformed in rituals, typically the leaves of this plant are smoked within ceremony and possibly combined with to***co et, datura was also heavily used by said communities for pain relief, and rheumatism.
Now for why I stated arrogance at the beginning of discussing this plant in terms of its reputation,
while yes the poisonous effects of Datura mirror closely to that of Belladonna in terms of increased heart rate, dry mouth and delirium however we can thank reddit for the countless stories of people whom have no idea what they are doing only knowing they can “trip” off the seeds within the pods of Datura, often eating either the entire thing or maybe half (as if that is so much better), Datura visuals can be so intense people can recall having full conversations with entities that feel about as real as a friend physically sitting next to you to only come back several days later and realize they were alone that entire time. Another common effect associated with Datura is almost amnesia and blanking out entirely when trying to recall any of the experience, a man once suddenly came to in his front yard and his wife screaming at him due to coming home to a fire being on the stove and all doors opened therefore their animals also escaped.
this plant is the embodiment of “respect me, or else”. However what is beautiful is within studying this plant from another angle I could see it being helpful when approached within respect in regards to helping those who struggle with nightmares, fear, want to connect more with dreams or more liminal areas of life and within ourselves aka where s**t gets nonlinear.
Datura forces you into a nightmare in order to arise from it even stronger but is a reminder that facing the darkness, the inbetween and the liminal isn’t something to be done for the sake of ego with something to prove or the faint of heart.
