well i have been lucky in the fact i have not needed a catalyst to active higher consciousness. though yoga and meditation i can do so. i would look into getting a few meditation cds, if nothing else these do give you wounderous peace of mind. then again the hippy in me tells you that salvia works as well but often leaves me sleepy.

Oh trust me, I meditate every single night before bed, usually an open eye meditation through the use of some candles. I don't believe that any substance is needed to gain any sort of higher consciousness or even one at all. Certainly nothing is more peaceful and calming than your own energy frequencies propelling themselves through you. But for the sake of an interesting topic, Experimentation with other methods can have interesting results.
Salvia is certainly a fun one at times. Kinda grabs you quick if you aren't in the right mind-set for it. ^-^

i do mostly stone meditation. i have an impressive crystal and stone collection just for meditation.
but i do mix yoga in now and i find that really helps out.
but i am a bit of a scardycat and haven't really experimented with much. my mom is the one who told me about salvia i have yet to try.

Oh awesome! I'm slowly building up my stone collection. I haven't meditated with much but I usually keep some Yellow Calcite on me to help my anxiety.
I've done salvia a bunch and it can be a little intense. You probably already understand this but it's no party drug. Definitely something to try but in a comfortable environment with a close friend or "sitter" nearby just to watch over you for your first go. If you do decide to try it, start at a low dose/strength and build up from there so you get a feel for how you take to it. I've had experiences that are mildly visual where things wiggle and move around a bit and I've also had full on trips through astral planes. Only lasts maybe 5-10 minutes. Meditating before hand is always a good choice to calm your center if nervous about trying anything.

i have a green bloodstone i usually have on. as well as a hematite bracelet to help my wrist. but yea i find stone mediating very nice but then again i am a taurus so earth is my element.
i have had shrooms at bonkaboonie. i have a very small dose just one. and i was looking at my blue jeans at the interspersed blue and whites and i saw a design that later became writing.

I've tried stone meditating the past couple nights, I'm totally going to Incorporate more of that into my meditation sessions. I was using black tourmaline and some jet. good combo, the tourmaline helps channel negativity out and the jet is a great grounding stone for me.
I find colours are so much more amazing on with shroomies, definitely a visual experience no doubt.

Interesting subject Mr. Stiggy. In a way, I guess my mind can take to the breeze without the aid of a single gust of wind. Besides chocolate or a glass of wine once a month (for heart reasons) I do not take any form of drugs. And yet... I suppose one can say that I can warp my mind into a state very similar to a meditative state... The world is very interesting, and so is the mind. *chuckles* I guess so is the rambling narrative mind of a political, cynical, lad such as I.

but in all seriousness, why would one seek to enlighten themselves with a drug anyhow, when not doing so is much more rewarding?

It's not about really trying to find some sort of enlightenment, everything is an experience in life and certain things produce different experiences. This is but one category. Of course you don't need anything to find your peace but your mind. It's not even using a substance as an "aid" in anything, It's just really having experiences in life and looking at how they have influenced your throughout. I Like to see the world and myself through every angle and perspective. Some things lend to very different perspectives and ideas and I like to see how various methods have helped or influence the ideas and lives of others.

*Chuckles* Lad, if there was a gain of peace in my mind, I would be worried. I am not the type of person to consider my thoughts, nor actions normal. I live a life of chaos, because I find a calming it the eye of the storm. This sort of thing I do not show to the world, but the world knows of its existence. It is my aura. The world knows me just as the woods knows the wolf for who he is. It is truly interesting having such a complex human mind... and yet it is driven by such animal instincts. Not Human... but wolf... but not wolf... (*rolls eyes* Ignore him. He is just over thinking it at this point. )