Ways to prepare it:
While San Pedro can be eaten fresh or dried, it takes a long time to become fully potent in this state. To get the most benefits from San Pedro right away, it’s best to prepare it as a tea, tincture, powder, or by cooking with it.
To use San Pedro, you must take the spines off and carefully peel the skin. Then it is dried at low temperatures and crushed into a powder. You can mix it with water or food. You can also encapsulate it.
Another way is to boil it. You can boil only the skin or also the inner part (except the marrow) for which we will cut it into slices, chop it or crush it before boiling it.
Step by Step Plan to prepare the San Pedro
You can purchase the San Pedro as a potted cactus or a San Pedro cutting. In the step-by-step plan below, we assume a cutting that is at least as long as your forearm (from a clenched fist to the elbow). In principle, this dosage is good for one person, but always let an experienced user or a shaman advise you on the proper amount to ingest, due to the intense effects of the San Pedro cactus. Performing the steps below takes time. Set aside at least one day for this and think of it as mental preparation for the spiritual journey you are about to take.
Requirements:
- small knife.
- large saucepan.
- sieve/strainer.
- Cutting board.
Work hygienically, put on sterile gloves, and carefully follow the following step-by-step plan:
Step 1: Remove the spines
Remove the spines of the cactus using the help of a small knife. It is important to have a bit of patience during this process as there are many thorns, and you do not want to miss one of them. Be sure to do your work in a controlled manner.
Step 2: Peel off the outer layer of skin
The skin’s outer layer is a translucent, thin layer that is easily removed. Cut a small hole with an instrument and then carefully remove the skin layer from the top to the bottom.
Step 3: Separate the green tissue from the white tissue
Once the skin’s outer layer is gone leaving the bright, moist green portion. This is the most significant component of the cactus because it is the one that contains most of the psychoactive substances! The cactus’s green part is just several millimeters in depth. Cut the tiny layer of green which will separate it from the white portion. The white layer contains minimal psychoactive substances and often induces nausea.
Step 4: Cook
Use a large pan and put 3 liters of water in it. Let the water boil on moderate heat for three to four hours. Add the green material that was collected from the San Pedro cactus. Keep it simmering until the majority of the liquid is evaporated, and you’ll have a much thicker substance.
Step 5: Strain the Substance
Remove all the heat sources and then pass the liquid through a strainer. The cactus fragments are now separate from the liquid. Take the liquid, and place the cactus pieces in the pan.
Step 6: Boil Again
Boil the cactus pieces for a second time. Add another 2 liters of water. After an hour of cook time at medium heat, a dense substance will begin to form. Run this liquid through the strainer a second time and then collect the liquid.
Step 7: Mix
Finally, mix the liquid from the first and second cooking. You should now have a total of between 300 and 400 ml of liquid.
“A San Pedro can be up to 23 times more powerful than another that is exactly the same. This is because the concentration of mescaline changes from plant to plant, just as it does with peyote .”
Where Can I Find a San Pedro Cactus?
People can grow San Pedro cactus at home. If you want to buy one from the company, you can do that. It helps rural villagers in Peru and Bolivia.
A San Pedro is the kind of cactus you can grow. You can also travel to South America to find a San Pedro cactus.
Some sources where you can buy san Pedro cactus are ebay.com, Etsy.com, and SAN PEDRO SOURCE.
You can buy a cactus or you can grow one from seed. I like to grow San Pedro from seed because it is cheaper.
Some sources of san Pedro cactus seeds are: smart seeds emporium, amazon.com, and Kosmickitchen
New Recipes from the Jungles of Peru
Hey, I’m going to share a secret with you. (Because we’re friends!) In Peru, there is a cactus called the San Pedro cactus. It grows in the South American country and has been used for hundreds of years in the shamanic tradition, which involves using various substances to move into another reality and communicate with spirits and more direct communication with oneself.
1. San Pedro has two skins which are the outer one, which is hard as well as transparent. The other is the inner light and soft green. The outer skin has to be removed and then disposed of.
2. The outer green skin should be removed with care and put into an electric mixer, add some water and then grind it into a liquid-like puree. This cooking method requires only the outer green skin of the Cactus is used.
3. Throw away the white pulp of the cactus (core).
4. Do not eat anything for at least 24 hours before drinking San Pedro. You can drink tea.
5. Drink immediately after preparation and in one gulp.
6. The taste of San Pedro is disgusting, so it’s better to eat it with caramel.
7. The alkaloid begins to act from 20 to 50 minutes from the moment of taking. The action can last from 6 to 12 hours.
8. At the beginning of the action of the alkaloid, it can make you feel sick. This is fine. It is recommended to have a basin nearby.
9. The day after drinking San Pedro, it’s best not to overexert yourself.
Attention!
When you use the San Pedro cactus, make sure you have someone close to you to help if needed.
The San Pedro will affect your mind more than usual, and you’ll want to be in an environment where you won’t be distracted or interrupted by others. Next, set up some music and put on some comfortable clothes. Cacti tend to make people sweat, so try to wear something loose-fitting and not too warm. Having some music playing while you take the plant can be very calming and help you prepare mentally for what is about to happen (it might also help block out any external distractions).
FAQ
What Are the Health Benefits of Pedro Cactus?
The San Pedro cactus is used to treat nervous conditions, joint problems, drug addiction, heart disease, and hypertension, it is also used for its antimicrobial properties. In addition, its used as an inducer for the psycho-exploration of being and for religious rituals.
Is San Pedro Cactus Poisonous?
The San Pedro Cacti are poisonous because they contain mescaline, which can cause hallucinations or delusions if ingested by humans; it also causes nausea when consumed orally with alcohol so be careful!
Is the San Pedro Cactus Fruit Edible?
It is safe to eat the fruit of all true cactus. Some varieties such as prickly pear, cholla, and dragon fruit cactus are edible as vegetables after removing the spines. However, some other types of cactus including peyote, Bolivian, and San Pedro cactus are toxic and should not be eaten.
How Often Does a San Pedro Cactus Flower?
Like most succulent cacti, San Pedro doesn’t flower very often but produces large, showy flowers with a spectacular aromatic bouquet when it does. Unfortunately, the flowers are ephemeral and seldom last more than a day. I’ve had this specimen for about five years and this is the first flowering I’ve seen from it.