Earth-Based Healing Toads?
Indeed, there's another of many quintessential entheogen's that Oklevueha Native American Church would like to address as being among our earth-based healing sacraments we utilize for both spiritual as well as medicinal purposes, but the one we're going to discuss today is not a plant species unlike most we tend to address at the request of our members or the curiosity of potential members, this sacred sacrament substance is actually the secretions from a toad!
We know that to many it might sound crazy to reference a toad as being sacred, or it's secretions sacramental, but to Oklevueha "All Creation is sacred" and has it's purpose! Besides, of all the organized religions spread across the land today, it shouldn't be any surprise that Oklevueha out of them all honor animal medicines. Truth be told, most religions contain some form of animal imagery or involve animals in rituals and Native American Churches are notorious for looking at as well as to the animals for sacred wisdom.
Before we begin, ONAC KM would like to emphasize that Psychedelic plants and chemicals are not for everyone. They affect different people in diverse ways, depending in large part on one’s intention and the setting in which they're used. ONAC KM Always highly encourages our members to use such sacraments in ceremony under the guidance of a qualified Roadman, at least until your properly trained to use the sacraments safely and with proper intention. If you are an ONAC member, please inquire with your spiritual leaders if you're interested in this or any other sacred ceremony, and if you're not a member but are interested, please know that you're welcomed and encouraged to reach out to us for more information as well as formal adoption if you so choose to become a member of Oklevueha.
Now, let's talk toads! Sonoran toads, also known as "Colorado River toad" which are native to the states of New Mexico, Arizona, and California and are also native to Mexico and South America. Similar toads are found elsewhere around the globe, but are known by different names depending on there country of origin. The Sonoran Seri Indians name all toads otac, the Yaqui Indians name the desert toads boboc, and the Mayans call all toads Xpek. The toad is an officially considered endangered by the government of California.
According to the article put out which can be read by clicking here: https://herb.co/2017/10/06/priest-religion-psychedelic-toad-licking/ speaks about a man who has declared it his religion. Another known spiritual gathering is held at the Bufo Alvarius Ranch where they envision the dream of the true followers of the Church of the Toad of Light, founded by Albert Most. There goal is to establish the ranch as a sanctuary in honor of his efforts to honor the toads religiously. Albert Most claims that users will experience an LSD-like mind-bending journey that’ll also make them laugh a lot and get them extremely high. For those interested in learning more about the people of Bufo Alvarius Ranch, please check out there website by clicking the link here for your convenience: http://www.toadsanctuary.com
The Sonoran desert toad generally grow to 7 1/2 inches or more long with mostly smooth feeling, typically olive-green/brown skin and the young toads are noted for having small dark, orange-tipped spots on their back. There skin toxins are strong enough to kill a dog and reportedly are killing more dogs than rattlesnakes! Symptoms to watch out for include foaming at the mouth after licking the frog, suffering symptoms of seizures, and experience high fever, dilated pupils, and a rapid heartbeat. If your dog or cat show any symptoms, flush there mouth's out with a garden hose while the animal is conscious as best as you can and get them to a vet as soon as is humanly possible as otherwise they could die fairly quickly. Usually a domestic animal will yip in pain upon licking one of these toads, and will begin digging at there mouth as if it were burning from a hot pepper, then they will begin foaming at the mouth and that's when you've gotta act fast if you want to save there life because time is then of the essence.
What makes these toads so dangerous?
These particular toads, unlike most, have hallucinogenic qualities due to Neurotoxins containing 5-MeO-DMT and bufotenin that seep from the toad’s pores and head. 5-MEO-DMT has 10 times the relative potency of dimethyl tryptamine (DMT)! Fresh venom can easily be collected without harm to the toad. Ya gotta perform what they refer to as a ‘milking’ process which involves a gentle squeezing to allow the venom to ooze out. Once extracted the white milky substance is dried and then smoke it as they do like with other DMT ingestion. When vaporized by heat and taken into the lungs in the form of smoke, this indole-based alkaloid produces an incredibly intense psychedelic experience of incredibly short duration.
Entheogens are the fundamental pillars of spirituality. Archaeological evidence points to South American Indian tribes using Colorado River toad venom in religious ceremonies dating back to 1150 B.C. which is long before Columbus by the way for those who didn't realize it. The ceremonies are still practiced to date and are shared in a loving context and with mutual respect, with attention paid to what every person requires in their process of evolution. The sole purpose of these ceremonies is to reconnect the human being to the primary or primal Source... which would be Great Creator (God) and is performed in sacred traditional way with sacred chants specifically for this ceremony not sung for any other.
Below we are including a very short video which includes some of the ceremonial chants sang during ceremony.
There's a physician by the name of Dr. Rettig that has been using this as a medicine within the Sonora Seri tribe to successfully treat methamphetamine addicts since 2006. Dr. Rettig became an apprentice of "Don Pancho" a Seri elder shaman, and learned the healing chants of the Seri. Dr. Rettig also is author of the book "The Toad of Dawn" which we highly encourage you to read if these toads are of interest to you, and again, if you are interested in learning more or partaking in this or any other sacred ceremony, please know that you're welcomed as well as highly encouraged to reach out to Any Oklevueha spiritual leader and or Roadman.
As always, we Thank you for your time, interest and continued support and we hope you stay tuned for future news, information and updates. Blessings to you all, may you go in a good way and make good medicine as you do!
