Yopo Experience Report: A First-Timer's Journey with Anadenanthera peregrina


Table of Contents


  • Introduction
  • Preparation
    • Seed Preparation
    • Mixing and Drying
  • The Experience
    • Initial Effects (Start – 10 minutes)
    • Visual Effects (15 minutes – 30 minutes)
    • Peak Experience (30 minutes – 2 hours)
    • Coming Down (2 hours – 3 hours)
  • Effects Analysis
    • External Hallucinations
    • Brightness Alteration
    • Color Replacement
    • Drifting and Flowing
    • Physical Effects
  • Conclusion


Introduction


In late May of 2017, at the age of 24, I decided to try Yopo for the first time. I had heard of it as a potent entheogen, used for centuries by indigenous South American cultures, but initially, I didn’t think it was real. I had thought it was a fictional substance from the animated show Metalocalypse. However, after confirming its authenticity as a psychoactive substance, I ordered 10 seeds of Anadenanthera peregrina — the tree that produces Yopo — and set out to experience its effects for myself. This report reflects my experience about six weeks after the fact, so the timeline might not be perfectly accurate.


Preparation


Seed Preparation


To begin the process, I counted out five seeds of Anadenanthera peregrina and placed them in a pan over a low flame. However, I was not careful enough, and after turning my back for just 45 seconds, the seeds became singed. This resulted in my house smelling like burnt popcorn and peanut butter. After airing out my kitchen, I tried again with a much lower heat setting and remained vigilant. This time, the seeds popped one by one, and I quickly removed them from the pan as each one opened. Once all the seeds had popped, I carefully removed the matter from the seed shells.


Mixing and Drying


Afterward, I combined all of the innards of the seeds and added a very small amount of lime (Ca(OH)2, not the fruit). The typical ratio of Yopo to lime is about 5:1, so I followed that guideline. I then added a few drops of water and mixed it all together until the paste seemed fairly homogenous. I spread the mixture out thinly and allowed it to dry. Once the paste had dried into a powder, I finely chopped it and measured out about 100 mg. I split this into two lines, preparing to insufflate the powder.


The Experience


Initial Effects (Start – 10 minutes)


I was initially hesitant about insufflating any substance due to previous negative experiences earlier in the year. However, knowing that Yopo has been traditionally used this way for millennia, I decided to proceed. After inhaling the first line, I immediately experienced a strong burning sensation, which I later suspected was a result of the lime. It was painful but not as intense as the burning sensation I had experienced with some other tryptamines. The discomfort made me lightheaded, possibly due to the adrenaline from the intense sensation.


Visual Effects (15 minutes – 30 minutes)


After about 10 minutes, the pain from the burning started to subside. Around the 15-minute mark, I began to notice subtle changes. My room became progressively darker, despite the fact that it was 4 pm in late May. The light around me started to behave strangely; it appeared to reach further without becoming brighter, and the colors in the room seemed more vivid but also duller at the same time. Blues and reds stood out the most, but everything seemed to merge into a single shade.


By 20 minutes, the experience intensified. My carpet appeared to turn into dense foliage, and my ceiling resembled a jungle canopy. I found myself laughing, thinking about the fact that while Yopo comes from the South American jungles, I felt like I had somehow been transported to Vietnam, given the type of wildlife I was observing in my mind.


Peak Experience (30 minutes – 2 hours)


From 30 minutes to an hour, the hallucinations remained consistent, with no significant increase or decrease in intensity. Unlike other psychedelic experiences I’ve had, this one was unique in that there was no symmetrical texture repetition. I wasn’t seeing repeating patterns, which for me, is typically a hallmark of a classic psychedelic trip. Instead, I found myself immersed in a lucid yet completely nonsensical dream-like state. Everything felt purely hallucinatory, and there was a constant flow to the visuals, which seemed to breathe in and out.


Coming Down (2 hours – 3 hours)


At around the two-hour mark, the jungle-like visuals began to fade, and I started to feel increasingly nauseous. I was drenched in sweat, and my body felt sore. The urge to take a shower was strong, but I felt so fatigued that getting up from where I sat seemed difficult. The room remained unnervingly dark despite the daylight coming through the window, which was disturbing. I eventually managed to get into the shower, though I lost my train of thought multiple times, and it took me a solid 30 minutes to finish. Afterward, I fell asleep almost immediately, which is unusual for me when coming down from a psychedelic experience.


Effects Analysis


External Hallucinations


The majority of my experience involved external hallucinations. I saw various animals and plant life, but I didn’t interact with them, so I wouldn’t classify them as entities. They appeared more as vivid visual distortions of the environment.


Brightness Alteration


There was a significant alteration in the way light behaved. I noticed that light seemed to stretch further, reaching more of the room without actually becoming brighter. This created a surreal, dream-like atmosphere.


Color Replacement


The colors in the environment became enhanced but simultaneously muted. Bright blues and reds stood out most strongly, but as a whole, the colors seemed to merge into a single, less saturated tone, giving everything a strange, unified appearance.


Drifting and Flowing


Throughout the experience, I experienced a sense of "drifting." The visuals felt as though they were constantly shifting, breathing in and out like some sort of liquid or organic material. It was a constant flow without any sharp, defined edges.


Physical Effects


  • Increased Perspiration: I experienced significant sweating throughout the experience, which became more intense as I neared the peak.
  • Muscle Cramps: My body felt sore, and I experienced muscle cramps that contributed to the overall discomfort.
  • Nausea: I felt mild nausea during the experience, which became more intense after the peak. This was one of the more unpleasant aspects of the trip.


Conclusion


My first experience with Yopo was certainly intriguing and mostly positive. The hallucinations were vivid and complex, and while I did experience physical discomfort, it did not overshadow the overall experience. I am now curious to explore bufotenin through other methods to compare the effects. Overall, it was a unique and memorable journey that gave me a deeper appreciation for traditional entheogenic practices.