Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Could I beg of those of you out there who have been bitten/envenomated by various species to post your experineces, especially perceptual/psychological ones? The thread on hallucinagenic snakes from several days ago is getting to far down the page to draw many more responses but I'd really like a few more anecdotal pieces to present at my talk on the sacred serpent in myth. For those of you wondering, I'm not looking for a new "high" to talk about/experience (and my talk is being presented to a small group so media attention will be non-existant), but I am curious if perhaps some bite survivors ended up in shamanic or priestly positions in various cultures historically. All thoughts/info welcome.
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Amor et Lux,
Ron

"The gods tolerate the human race for no other reason than our talent for bullsh1t. It's the only thing about us that doesn't bore them to tears" Tom Robbins "Villa Incognito"

Not sure if it's what you're looking for, but if you can get hold of "Cobras in His Garden", the biography of Bill Haast by Harry Kursh, Bill goes into considerable detail of the hallucinations experienced when he was bitten by a blue krait. Might be of help.
Sincerely,
Bill Huseth

Thanks for the reference, it's actually the one that started me thinking about the possible connection between envenomation and visonary experiences. There is also a brief account in "Snakes: the keepers and the Kept" by Kauffeld??? about a Naja bite and the semi-euphoric state that the author experienced. I've also gotten a reply on an earlier post about a Northern Pacific Rattler bite associated with a visionary experience (which I didn't expect from any of the primarily hemotoxic vipers)and another account of taking codiene for a headache associated with a bite from a Boiga Dendrophilia and ending up with a chemical reaction between the two that was apparently "not unpleasant". I realize all of this is anecdotal, but for now it's enough to pique my interest to hear of either more "experiences" or someone to refute the idea of a possible connection between envenomation and some early shamanic/priestly visionary experiences in societies that revered the serpent.
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Amor et Lux,
Ron

"The gods tolerate the human race for no other reason than our talent for bullsh1t. It's the only thing about us that doesn't bore them to tears" Tom Robbins "Villa Incognito"

I believe Brian Fry was the one who commented on the B. dendrophila bite where he developed "a massive headache", which he took codeine for...if i remember though, he advised that this was a mistake and that the resulting reaction was not very pleasant...maybe i read wrong...

Actually here is the pasted quote to my question about the experience:
"Basically it felt like I was on pure NO2 gas. Not entirely unpleasent "
Albeit, it was an experience tainted by an opiate it still seems to have affected him in a way not accounted for by opiate alone and at least somewhat euphoric.
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Amor et Lux,
Ron

"The gods tolerate the human race for no other reason than our talent for bullsh1t. It's the only thing about us that doesn't bore them to tears" Tom Robbins "Villa Incognito"