What Is Bufo, the Medicine of the Toad?
Before we start, I’ll be using the term entheogens interchangeably with what mainstream culture refers to as psychedelics. The word entheogen comes from the Greek entheos, meaning “the god (divine) within,” and gen, meaning “creates” or “generates.” Entheogen translates to “generating the divine within” and refers to plant, animal, and psychedelic substances that can facilitate such profound experiences.
Bufo in the Psychedelic Arena
Bufo is a growing presence in the psychedelic community. While not as widely known as other entheogens like psilocybin or LSD, Bufo is steadily gaining awareness due to its powerful and transformative effects as it is now hailed as the most potent entheogen currently available. This medicine is known for inducing some of the most profound and intense experiences, often described as a direct encounter with the divine or a sense of merging with the universe.
So, what exactly is Bufo?
Bufo comes from the secretions of the Sonoran toad named Bufo Alvarius Toad, which is where it gets its name “Bufo” from. The toad lives in the Sonoran desert, which goes through the top of Mexico, and into the lower regions of Arizona and California. Bufo is an entheogen that has helped people reduce anxiety, depression, ptsd. It has helped people get more mental clarity on their life, heal on emotional and soul levels, and establish a stronger spritual knosis.
Sometimes, Bufo is used interchangeably with the names “5 meo” and “the Toad”. So you may hear people saying “smoking the toad,” or “smoking 5meo.” One thing to note is that 5meo-dmt is one of a number of compounds in Bufo, though many attribute the mind expanding, entheogenic, properties to the compound 5meodmt.
5 meo-dmt is said to be endogenous, so it’s naturally occurring within the human body. According to ‘science,’ there isn’t any proof or conclusion yet about what its purpose is in the body, but the notion in other circles is that it is produced by the pineal gland and it causes an expanded state of awareness. Interestingly enough, people diagnosed with schizophrenia have been found to have hightened levels of 5meodmt – which lends itself to the theory that perhaps some folks with a schizophrenia diagnosis are simply in an expanded state and our society doesn’t have the awareness or tools to support them in that experience.
As the name suggests, 5meodmt is similar to nndmt, the dmt found in psilocybin and ayahuasca. The difference is that 5meodmt is much more potent, one dose is equivalent to a number of doses of nndmt. It also has varying differences in experiences, which I’ll get into later.
What does receiving this medicine entail?
Typically, you receive the medicine by smoking it in a vape. There are other ways to receive it but I’m only going to be talking about smoking it here. When you smoke it, the peak experience can last 15-30 minutes. Some people experience residual effects for an hour or so afterwards. But typically, one is completely ‘sober’, back to their normal motor skills, within 45 min (as in they’re able to speak, drive, etcera). Despite its short duration, it is a very potent medicine and yields a profound experience, so nothing to take lightly – people can definitely be changed from one sitting, so the rest of the day is going to feel exceptionally different despite the fact theyre ‘back to normal’ so quickly.
Bufo doesn’t typically cause nausea and purging as consistently as other entheogens, people can experience this but it is less common than with other purgative medicines. Another difference in characteristics from other entheogens is that Bufo isn’t typically as visual as others. With Bufo, its more of a felt sense of knowing, knosis – knowledge through experience. There is a cognizant, visceral, download and experiencing of what one specifically needs to experience for that particular healing without much storytelling.
A common theme with Bufo is that many people feel a sense of oneness, of unity consciousness, and the nondual state. Some people describe it as a dying and rebirth process, which I very much resonate with. Some describe it as experiencing what Buddhist and Hindu traditions refer to as nirvana, samadhi – experiencing the complete quieting of one’s ego and mind.
How does Bufo work and heal?
Every individual experience is different and completely dependent on that person’s beliefs, along with their emotional mental, physical and spiritual state. The compounds in Bufo put to sleep the parts of our brain that form the sense of self, the sense of identity, essentially, the sense of separation. The mental constructs of self and the outer world are completely cleared and dropped, which can lead to an interesting experience if one has strong attachments to these. People can then experience the unified field, and what one may perceive as God, however way they individually experience it. This common theme in experiences led Bufo to also be named “the God molecule,” as it’s toted as a straight shot to God.
Many also refer to Bufo as the medicine of oneness. The visceral, felt experience of oneness can heal the wounds of separateness, on a consciousness and soul level. I personally feel that our society doesn’t fully recognize the impact of separateness on societys wellbeing, feeling alone, and seperate from others has led to deep wounds and traumas in the psyche.
Challenging Experiences
‘There’s no such thing as a bad journey.’
Bufo may not be all rainbows and butterflies for everyone that imbibes the substance. It’s important to note that while there are common themes in experiences, it is still a very individual journey and the experience can greatly differ between two individuals, there can even be massive differences between two sessions with the same individual. It’s best to release any expectations and know that whatever transpired for you was ideal and perfect. There is also a saying in the psychedelic community that says ‘there’s no such thing as a bad journey,’ that suggests that all experiences, even challenging or uncomfortable ones, are valuable. It reminds us that by not labeling journeys as “bad” or “good,” one can adopt the perspective that whatever transpires is meant to be and holds lessons for our own personal growth. This mentality encourages embracing and learning from every aspect of one’s experience, understanding that each journey contributes to one’s overall development.
To help bring more ease into one’s journey, one can educate themselves on proper set and setting. Set and setting can include adequate preparation, including preparation of ones mental, emotional, and spiritual state. Equally important is the physical environment—where you’re receiving the medicine, who you’re with, and the intention behind the experience. Proper preparation can make all the difference in your journey.
For those not interested in ingesting Bufo physically.
For those not interested in imbibing Bufo, there is a book called Oneness by Rasha that I and a number of other Bufo facilitators feel perfectly describes the consciousness of Bufo in words. It is absolutely profound and very healing. One can also take in content on nonduality to further understand the consciousness of Bufo.
Another thing one can do is practice meditation and/or learn about dream yoga, the practice of staying awake while falling asleep (this sounds contradictory but it is doable). Both are great practices in exemplifying that you are more than the mind and ego, and that the core of you resides in this nondual oneness state. The Tibetan Yoga of Dreaming is a good book to start off with. Embracing these practices can greatly deepen your understanding of yourself and the true nature of consciousness.
This post is simply to spread awareness — to share on highly effective, alternative options that are currently available, and to normalize having these type of conversations. There is much more to the conversation on Bufo, including medical contraindications and harm reduction. I encourage you to continue educating yourself, ask important questions, and exercise your own discernment on if and when this medicine is for you.
