SAN PEDRO

SAN PEDRO

San Pedro is a fast-growing cactus native to South America. Its indigenous name is Huachuma or Wachuma, which has been mainly used in healing, spiritual awakenings and religious divination in sacred rituals for thousands of years.

Following consumption, the San Pedro medicine can take approximately one to two hours to take effect, which leads to the mistaken belief that the dosage is insufficient. The effects will come gradually and very gently. Those who are unfamiliar with the medicine may not initially notice the change in the feeling. But the level of intensity increases as it continues to reach its peak after a few hours.

The highlight is mostly at the beginning of the experience as the sensation is likened to a cactus knocking on a thick layer of shell, which your egoic mind has created around the heart. It will keep on knocking until cracks begin to appear on the surface. Once the heart’s light beneath the shell bursts through the cracks, that is when the magic happens.
Once one enters the state of heart centeredness, all stresses, anxieties, concerns and disappointments become unnecessary as these are purely the construct of the mind. It is overridden by a state of contentment, compassion and connectedness, which feels natural. It is for this reason that when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Peru and tried the cactus tea for the first time, they called it “San Pedro” (Saint Peter), one who guards the gate of heaven.

During the actual trip, users report having heightened mind and body sensory experiences that allows them to absorb the surrounding energy. This also means that if it is taken in a busy and disturbing environment, the effects might only make one feel more anxious or agitated. It is, therefore, recommended that the San Pedro is only taken in a ceremonial context to ensure a proper mindset and positive environment under the care of those experienced with the medicine.

The initial effects can cause an unpleasant bout of nausea, however, like many psychedelics, a person’s mindset is pivotal to the experience. For some people, the potential side effects of consuming the tea in powder form are a slight headache due to unconscious resistance, some stomach discomfort, which may induce nausea, heartburn or diarrhea because plant matter can swell up when mixed with liquid. However, these are mostly due to the person’s body not being used to the sensations. As one is able to surrender and be at ease with the bodily sensations, these side effects will go away.


While in the state of heart centeredness, some may decide to do a quiet meditation, engage in a heart opening conversation, dancing or singing. The entire experience may last 10-12 hours. However, as it slowly fades, an “after grow” will remain for a few days or weeks.


We look forward to introducing you to this heart-opening plant medicine that will help you reconnect to your heart and spirit.

There are several variations in regards to the preparation of the cactus tea. The traditional way is to slice the cactus into star disc shape, remove the core or the flesh as most of the alkaloids are found in the layer just beneath the green skin, and boil them for several hours until it turns into a thick green soup. A more modern way to prepare the tea is to dry the skin of the cactus and grind it into powder form for preservation and easy transport. When consumed, the powder is then mixed with water or juice. The dosage of the cactus tea brewed is sometimes difficult to measure as it very much dependent on the time of day and the temperature of the day when the brewing process is being undertaken. Hence, the potency of the brew will often vary. It is for this reason that we prefer to use the cactus powder at the Soul Medicine Retreat as the level of potency produced is more consistent and reliable, providing that it is obtained from the same source. We source our cactus powder from an organic farm in Cusco, Peru, which subscribes to the following dosages:

  • *Micro dose: 1-2 g
  • Low dose: 7-10 g
  • Medium dose: 13-17 g
  • High dose: 20-25 g
  • **Heroic dose: 30-35g
    *Micro-dosing with San Pedro can be taken in the morning, once every 3 days to help stabilize the emotion, elevate the mood and calm the mind. If, for instance, a dose is taken on Sunday, then the next dose is to be taken on Wednesday to prevent tolerance build up.
    **We do not recommend taking a dosage of more than 40 grams at a time as the effects may become too overwhelming to be useful.
A vital part of any plant medicine ceremony is for the user to properly integrate the experience into their being so it can have a more long-lasting positive effect in their life.

Precautions:

When taking San Pedro, it is always recommended that you consume it with an empty stomach. This is to help shorten the onset and allow the medicine to be absorbed easier into your body. This will also help reduce the chances of a stomach discomfort.

Prior to the San Pedro Ceremony, we recommend that you undertake the following preparations:

1 Week Before The Ceremony

  • No anti-depression drugs, pain-killers, alcoholic drinks
    • Reduce red meat, fat, sugar intake
    • Eat more vegetarian food and/or fruit

1 Day Before The Ceremony

  • No spicy or strong-tasting food that can upset the stomach
  • Only light & simple vegetarian food or fruit

6 Hours Before The Ceremony

  • No food
  • Drink plenty of water

OVERVIEW

DURATION

4 Hours to 24 hours

SIDE EFFECTS

Nausea and vomiting may occur at the onset of the experience

ADDICTIVE

Not at all.

PSYCHEDELIC

Mild to None. It is more a heartfelt experience.

EFFECTS

Helps to connect to the Heart

Scroll to Top