As an avid lucid dreamer with a deep interest in psychoactive plants, I’ve decided to put together a list of my absolute favorite dream herbs for attainment of dream lucidity and enrichment. If you are a regular dreamer you have likely heard of some of these vigilant phyto-friends.
If you are just learning about the existence of lucid dreams then maybe not, or not in this context at least. Either way, expert or beginner, these plants can help anyone strengthen their presence in the dream world.
Blue Lotus Flower (Nymphaea caerulea)
One of the most famous herbs for dream enhancement. Not to be confused with Nelumbo nucifera which is also called blue lotus. This impostor is commonly mistaken as the ancient Egyptian sacred dream flower. Although they do have many similar active alkaloids, Nymphaea caerulea is absolutely the one you want as an oneironaut
Blue lotus flower is known to bring about a dream-like state of consciousness during waking life. It also relieves anxiety and arouses a sense of peace and tranquility. When taken before bed, it feels to me like the aporphine alkaloid within wanders around my head turning on lights. What I mean is, blue lotus seems to add sharpness to my dream settings. And in my experience, vivid dreams are a great stepping stone towards full on lucidity.
Mexican Dream Herb (Calea zacatechichi)
Widely known as ‘dream herb’ for a very good reason. This plant is an indispensable vegetal companion for serious lucid dreamers. The psychoactive properties of dream herb have been known by the Chontal indians of Mexico for centuries. The Oaxacan Indians would typically make a tea with the leaves despite it’s terrible bitter taste. These days however you can get robust extracts in painless capsule form.
Mexican dream herb is a powerful tool for lucid dream immersion. It is also said to initiate clarity of the dream experience and bring light to a dreams purpose in waking life. If I were to recommend a single plant for lucid dreaming it would probably be Mexican dream herb. That being said, I really prefer lucid dream herbal blends to single plants. More on this later.
Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa)
While this herb can make one drowsy which is often not conducive to expanding awareness, many people swear by it as a powerful assistant for lucid dreamers. Also called ‘opium lettuce’, this plant is mostly known for it’s pain analgesic properties. And for getting you a little high. Wild lettuce is typically smoked despite the harshness of the smoke, although like most herbs, it is also effective in tea form.
The Hopi Indians were said to use the plant for it’s invigorating effects on consciousness during sleep. The idea was that knowledge could be accessed via the altered state of mind if one is able to wake up in the dream realm. And just as the Hopi believed, Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla, Paul Mccartney, and James Cameron have all claimed to have discovered or built some of their famous works in the lucid dream state.
Huperzine A
(An extract of Chinese club moss): Huperzine A is a sesquiterpene alkaloid extracted from club moss, an ancient SE Asian medicinal plant. Recently huperzine has been used to treat memory disorders and as a tool to increase cognitive function in healthy brains as well as increase energy and stamina. This extract really gets your brain moving.
In large amounts it would be difficult to get to sleep on. However in smaller proportions huperzine gets the right neurotransmitters working to help increase cognition while in the dream space. This is one that does really well to help amplify the effects of other herbs that activate dream realization in other ways.
Mugwort (Artemisa vulgaris)
This is a fairly well know herb for enhancing dream creativity. Mugwort can also help with dream recall. Typically the leaves are brewed in a tea or smoked. It also has a long history of being made into a smudge which is smoldered in order to clear away negative energies. Aside from stimulating dream lucidity, mugwort is also said to increase psychic awareness.
Mugwort seems to improve ones capacity for sleep. The is a great plant for anyone who has trouble getting back to sleep after waking up in the middle of the night. As a dream aid it effectively adds illumination and texture to dreams. Those who have fragmented and spotty dreams claim to benefit from not only the quality of sleep they are able to get from mugwort, but also the depth and color that is added to their dreams.
African Dream Herb (Silene capensis)
Also known as African dream root, this plant has been utilized in South African spiritual ceremonies for centuries. The plant tends to take some time to work. However, after several evenings of chewing the roots or drinking a tea version, the effects begin to set in.
Regarded as a sacred plant teacher, African dream herb is rumored to induce out of body experiences. The ancient people used this plant to open the door to the world of their ancestors where they would receive prophetic information and answers to problems.
While not everyone who tries these roots becomes lucid or meets their dead great grandma, most people do at least report very vivid, memorable dreams.
Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum)
For millennia African natives would ferment this psychoactive herb and then use it like modern chewing tobacco to awaken their spirit animals. These days most people use the plant to induce euphoria, relieve anxiety, induce lucid dreams, or all of the above.
Kanna is described as a natural mood enhancer and anti-depressant. Kanna opens the floodgates for serotonin which is an important neurotransmitter for dreaming. More invigorating in small doses and sedating in large, I find that a medium sized dose works best for use as a lucid dream aid. For you fellow lucid dreamers, this plant can help bring your engagement in the dream world to the next level.
Lucid Dream Herb Blend
After reading through each of these lucid dream catalysts you may now be wondering, “Might it be a good idea to mix a few of these dream herbs for greater effects?” And my answer is decidedly yes!
For a solid piece of dream real estate you might want to try Wings of Morpheus. This is a lucid dreaming formula composed of blue lotus flower extract, Mexican dream herb extract, Kanna extract, Huperzine A, and vitamin b6.
This little oneirogen I’ve created combines some the best symbiotic herbs for lucid dreaming plus a dose of b6 for that extra edge. Pre-measured, perfected proportions of extra strength extracts encased in a convenient 500mg veggie capsule. What more could you ask for? This little concoction is for anyone who wishes to explore the limitless dreamscapes of the human reality and beyond.
So what else? Did I miss any killer dreaming herbs? Let me and everyone know your favorite herbs for lucid dreaming in the comments below.
