RESEARCH ARTICLE Hallucinatory Telepathic Experiences Induced by Salvia divinorum

Abstract—Scientifi c investigations of extrasensory perception are scarce despite the fact that anomalous paranormal experiences are common in psychiatric and general populations. This report investigated self-reported cases of telepathy-like experiences induced by smoking Salvia divinorum or by ingestion of LSD. Trip re-ports posted on a recreational drug website have been saved and analyzed for the presence of anomalous subjective eff ects. Telepathy-like experiences were reported both by subjects smoking S. divinorum and by subjects ingesting LSD, frequently in combination with other psychoactive substances such alcohol and marijuana. Descriptions of telepathy diff ered in the content and the audibility of the experi-ence. Phenomenological diff erences suggest that telepathy-like experiences may have diff erent etiology. The fi ndings are discussed in relation to the activity of mirror neurons, empathy, hallucinations, and thought disorders. The paper also proposes a theoretical framework and a questionnaire designed to investigate the phenomenol-ogy of telepathic experiences