While some mushrooms are highly coveted, others are harmful. Luckily, only two per cent of wild mushrooms in Colorado are poisonous, and they’re easy to identify, Windsor said. Still others are steeped in legend.

Such is the case with the amanita muscaria, a psychoactive mushroom with a red cap and white dots. Windsor said shamans in Eurasia believed urine containing the mushroom’s toxins attracted reindeer. The shamans would eat the mushrooms, save their urine, and use it during the winter months to attract reindeer, he said.

Tempted to try this at home? Don’t.

“It’s not a pleasant hallucinogenic,” Windsor said of the spotted mushroom. “So I wouldn’t recommend it for recreational use.”

If you would like to read the whole story, it is available online here at the Vail Daily.

In the North America, Amanita muscaria are native throughout all of the temperate and boreal regions. In addition, they have been transplanted by accident to many countries in South America. Look for them in forests with an abundance of birch, pine, cedar fir and spruce trees. Although they appear most frequently during the autumn, the seasonal variations depend on different climate zones. Whilst in the greatest areas of North America Amanita muscaria tend to pop up in summer and fall, in regions of the Pacific coast they appear later, in the late fall and early winter.

The most reliable way to find magic mushrooms, however, is through reputable online sources such as Bouncing Bear Botanicals.

For example, “In Sikkim , weary horses consume bitter tea leaves for added energy. Tired pack donkeys in Mexico graze on wild tobacco. During the war, Cambodian water buffaloes and antelopes increased their intake of opium poppies to overcome the stress of the hostilities. In Colombia, jaguars gnaw the bark of yaje, which locals believe, transports them to other worlds. In West Africa, wild boars dig for the hallucinogenic roots of iboga.” and “Bighorn sheep in the Canadian Rockies take great risks to nibble narcotic lichen.”

I was impressed by the amount of research that had to be done in order to create Ms. Gandhi’s enthralling article. I have only cited about half of the anecdotes she reported, leaving out references to birds, bears, bats and bugs who, from time to time, get high on one thing or another.

What I especially enjoyed, however, was the conclusion she drew at the end of her report regarding the reason why such a number of animals and birds use Mother Nature’s pharmacy. “I prefer the theory,” Ms.Gandhi said, “that many birds and animals simply enjoy getting stoned.”

It gives a whole new meaning to the old song that goes something like: “Birds do it, so let’s do it.”

I’ll drink to that. Or ingest some Amanita muscaria mushrooms, perhaps.

The complete column by Maneka Gandhi can be found online at http://bihartimes.com/newsbihar/2008/July/newsbihar02July1.html

“Moses was high on drugs: Israeli researcher”

The world wide media interest in Benny Shanon’s paper about Moses and entheogens, is encouraging us to take a good and hard look at the roots of religions and the notion that they were based on fertility cults, and shamanic practices such as Entheogens (or hallucinogenic) plants as a source of spiritual communion with the universal consciousness, or the mind of God.

John Allegro, in his book “The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross: A Study of the Nature and Origins of Christianity within the Fertility Cults of the Ancient Near East”, postulated through the etymology of words and relates how the development of language indicated that the roots of the religions emanating from the Middle East were based on fertility cults, and shamanic practices such as Entheogens (or hallucinogenic) plants as a source of spiritual communion with the universal consciousness, or the mind of God..

Back in the 1960’s the reaction against these ideas was so strong that it destroyed Allegro’s career, the book was not published in the UK as it was regarded as blasphemous, and blasphemy was still a crime. It’s good to think that we have made some progress in recent years.

Allegro’s theory was visionary and ground-breaking. He was the first to propose in some detail that two major religions Christianity and by extension Judaism were entheogen-oriented and that the entheogen was Amanita Muscaria. His book was published at a time when there was little or no awareness about the use of entheogens, and was indeed a courageous act to publish this book.

Another great explorer and pathfinder in human consciousness was Terence Mckenna, in his book “Food of the Gods: The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge A Radical History of Plants, Drugs, and Human Evolution”, proposed that hallucinogenic plants, in this case Psilocybin mushrooms, were at the astounding and unexplained evolution and development of the human brain in such a short time of the evolutionary time scale (just 500,000 years from the hominids), in other words how we developed from our ape relatives . His theory also encompasses the development of linguistics , human civilisation.

JERUSALEM (AFP) - High on Mount Sinai, Moses was on psychedelic drugs when he heard God deliver the Ten Commandments, an Israeli researcher claimed in a study published this week.

Such mind-altering substances formed an integral part of the religious rites of Israelites in biblical times, Benny Shanon, a professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem wrote in the Time and Mind journal of philosophy.

“As far Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic event, which I don’t believe, or a legend, which I don’t believe either, or finally, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of Israel under the effect of narcotics,” Shanon told Israeli public radio on Tuesday.

Moses was probably also on drugs when he saw the “burning bush,” suggested Shanon, who said he himself has dabbled with such substances.

“The Bible says people see sounds, and that is a classic phenomenon,” he said citing the example of religious ceremonies in the Amazon in which drugs are used that induce people to “see music.”

Israeli researcher He mentioned his own experience when he used ayahuasca, a powerful psychotropic plant, during a religious ceremony in Brazil’s Amazon forest in 1991. “I experienced visions that had spiritual-religious connotations,” Shanon said.

He said the psychedelic effects of ayahuasca were comparable to those produced by concoctions based on bark of the acacia tree, that is frequently mentioned in the Bible.

Howard G. Charing, is an accomplished international workshop leader on shamanism. He has worked some of the most respected and extraordinary shamans & healers in the Andes, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Philippines. He organises specialist retreats to the Amazon Rainforest at the dedicated centre located in the Mishana nature reserve. He is the author of the best selling book, Plant Spirit Shamanism (Destiny Books USA), and has published numerous articles about plant medicines. He was baptised into the Shipibo tribe of the Upper Amazon, and initiated into the lineage of the shamans of the Rio Napo. Howard is also an artist who’s paintings have featured in major exhibitions in London and elsewhere. His artwork has also been featured on book covers.

His website: http://www.shamanism.co.uk  email contact: eagleswing@shamanism.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Howard_G_Charing
http://EzineArticles.com/?Moses-and-Ayahuasca—Plant-Spirit-Shamanism-from-the-Bible&id=1029833

A few years ago, I was called as an expert witness in a criminal case involving trance and possession. The circumstances of the case are not important to this article but, not to leave you hanging, had to do with a man who had flown to the UK from Nigeria and was found to be carrying cocaine when he was stopped by Customs Officers. His defence was that he had been entranced, or possibly drugged, by a group of men who had planted the cocaine on him before he boarded the plane.

What was more interesting for me was that I got to have lunch with another expert witness, a toxicologist from one of the UK’s leading teaching hospitals, who had a keen interest in mycology and planned to publish a book on the sacred use of fly-agaric (Amanita muscaria) in spiritual healing and ancient warriorship practices.

As a result of his studies, he had recently worked with a TV production company who had made a documentary with him to test one of his personal pet theories: that the Zulu War was fought by the indigenous people under intoxication from the sacred mushroom. This had given them, not only superhuman strength and imperviousness to pain, but a sense of fearlessness and their own divine purpose in battle. It was this that had helped them leave the field victorious, he claimed.

Obviously, the TV company could not stage another war to test this theory, but what they could do – and did – was to get two martial arts experts into a ring to fight it out for the cameras.

In the first part of this experiment, the combatants met equally and fought a few rounds together. Neither emerged as a clear winner in this carefully matched contest.

In the second part, however, one of the fighters was given five strips of fly-agaric to consume. He was allowed to rest while it took effect, and then both fighters met again.

Except they didn’t, exactly. According to the expert I was speaking to (interestingly, over a lunch of mushroom paella), the fighter who had taken fly-agaric simply flew across the ring as soon as the bell rang, hardly even touching the ground, and threw his opponent so hard that he ended up on the floor outside the ropes. The intoxicated fighter never even broke a sweat and was not breathing at anything above normal levels when his opponent was counted out.

Usage and effects of fly-agaric
In the modern West, we have lost most of our ancient ceremonial practices and no longer believe in a ‘spirit world’. Consequently, fly-agaric (if it is considered at all) is regarded only as a dangerous and potentially poisonous ‘drug’, rather than a route to the divine.

In his book, Ploughing The Clouds, however, Peter Lamborn Wilson argues convincingly that fly-agaric is not only the sacred Soma referred to in the Rg Veda, but that it was used in many European countries and was also central to the Irish Keltic tradition of shamanism, which still continues in its basic form, today.

The mushrooms themselves, bright red with white spots, are gathered for ritual use in these traditions during the hottest months of the year - July and August - when they are most infused with the element of fire and the breath of the sun/Sky Father. The most powerful mushrooms, in fact, are said to dry themselves, ready to be picked for their communion with man. These are considered far ‘stronger’ than those picked early and dried artificially. Smaller mushrooms are also said to have much greater power than larger ones, and it seems likely, from modern experimentation, that their narcotic effects are certainly more intense during the early growing phase.

For non-ritual usage, the mushrooms are used in much the same way as coca leaves in the Peruvian Andes, to create a gentle shift in consciousness, accompanied by mild euphoria and increased energy. In such usage, the mushrooms are simply rolled into a ball and swallowed whole, without chewing. One larger mushroom (3-4cm) or 2-3 small ones is enough.

For prescribed ritual usage, however, several mushrooms are normally consumed, usually in a set, or sets, of three. “The Rg Veda always speaks of Soma in sets of three cups and, in Siberia today, three Amanitas are still considered the proper ritual dose”, says Wilson.

An elaborate ceremony will often accompany the ritual consumption of ‘magic mushrooms’. This may take the form of a ‘hunt’ for the mushroom, followed by the ‘killing’ of its spirit by symbolically attacking it with spears, clubs, or arrows, so it is ‘made safe’ for human ingestion. It is then prepared in a time-honoured way which is designed at all stages to honour its power, avoid its wrath and, at the same time, gain control of its spiritual force. Only then is the mushroom eaten, under highly contained, sacred conditions, and in a Holy space defended by the shaman, who will lead the ritual throughout.

Once ingested, what we would call the ‘narcotic’ effects of fly-agaric begin after about 30 minutes.

Outwardly, the intoxication may appear as involuntary muscle spasms, followed by a sense of the fluidity of reality and sensory disorientation. Occasionally, there is vomiting, during which whole mushrooms may be regurgitated. Paradoxically, however, this often serves to intensify the otherworldly sensations of flight and entry to a ‘non-ordinary’ space.

Inwardly, the shaman, and those who partake of this sacrament, are now in communion with the gods.

According to one description at Erowid.org, which, perhaps, bridges the gap between outward effect and inward sensation, the impact of fly-agaric is that “the nerves are highly stimulated and the slightest effort of will produces very powerful effects. If one wishes to step over a small stick, he steps and jumps as if the obstacles were tree trunks. If a man is ordinarily talkative, his speech is now constant, and he involuntarily blurts out secrets, fully conscious of his actions and aware of his secret, but unable to hold himself in check. A man who is fond of dancing dances, and a music-lover sings incessantly. Others run or walk quite involuntarily, without any intention of moving”.

Two of the most interesting aspects of fly-agaric are that it retains its effectiveness almost permanently, and that its effects are easily transmitted to others, notably through ingestion of urine from the first person to eat the mushrooms. The same effect can be transmitted to a third, fourth or fifth person in exactly the same way.

In fact, the ability of the mushroom to act in this way may be partly at the root of the ‘Father Christmas’ myths that are observed in the Winter rituals of the West.

In the shamanic traditions of Siberia, the shaman would ingest fly-agaric in order to journey to the Sky Father and bring back gifts of knowledge and power for his community. Dressed in a warm, fur-lined, ritual costume, with a thick belt hung with bells, the shaman would make his journey at nightfall to consult with these otherworldly spirits. In the hours that followed, the shaman would need to urinate and might walk into the woods to do so. Reindeers would then eat the urine-covered snow as part of their normal grazing and also become intoxicated.

‘Flying’ (intoxicated) reindeers with one sky-borne human (the shaman) who controls them… the similarities in costume… the bells and the belt… the red and white of the mushroom… the journey through the sky to deliver gifts… all the elements of the modern day Father Christmas are there, creating a rather idyllic view of fly-agaric.

We must remember, though, that the Amanita has not always had such a ‘peaceful’ reputation. The Vikings, for example, are said to have ritually ingested it in order to enter the ‘berserker’ state, ready for battle (indeed, the Icelandic name for fly-agaric contains the word, ‘berserk’), just as the Zulus did, according to my toxicologist lunch mate.

Properties and chemistry
One of the first studies of fly-agaric was made in 1863, by two German chemists who published a book on the properties of muscarine, a toxic alkaloid that they had isolated from the Amanita. For almost a century, their study (which turned out to be wrong) was taken as gospel and muscarine was erroneously believed to be the main active ingredient of fly-agaric mushrooms. Various confusions followed and it was not until 1964 that its true constituents were isolated – and then almost simultaneously by three different laboratories, in Japan, England and Switzerland. Finally, the correct compounds were identified as ibotenic acid and muscimol.

Muscimol is the psychoactive constituent. A tiny part of the ibotenic acid is changed to muscimol within the human system, following ingestion of the mushroom, and this produces the effects for which fly-agaric is known.

Research shows that ibotenic acid will create an hallucinogenic effect in humans, at doses as small as 50mg. The onset of these effects may be rapid or quite slow, ranging from 30 minutes to 2-3 hours, depending on body type, susceptibility, habituation, and the circumstances of ingestion.

In any case, three hours is usually enough for the full effects to be felt, which will then last for 4-8 hours, depending on dose, and will normally include muscle spasms (as if one is actually taking a ‘journey’ of sorts), visual distortions (‘visions’), altered auditory perception (‘hearing voices’), and loss of equilibrium (changed perspective on ‘normal reality’).

A considerable amount of ibotenic acid is excreted quickly after fly-agaric is consumed, and remains unaltered in the urine. This adds credibility to the Siberian experience (along with the residual Father Christmas myth) since, after eating the mushroom, the shaman would excrete ibotenic acid in his urine and reindeers could ingest this and reprocess its ibotenic acid content as muscimol, producing a similar hallucinogenic effect. The animal would then excrete ibotenic acid in its own urine, and the process would continue.

In this way, a 50-100mg dose of ibotenic acid could produce 10-15mg doses of muscimol for up to 10 users, so that one intake of mushrooms would certainly be effective across four or five generations of animal or human ingestion.

Trees and mushrooms, mushrooms and trees
It seems that there is also a symbiotic relationship between the fly-agaric mushroom and the birch tree – the mushrooms grow in the shade of the tree – which would account for the ‘sacred birch’ tradition in European shamanism.

Indeed, within shamanism, trees, per se, are held as sacred, as homes of the elementals or gateways to spirit, and connections between different life forms (such as the mushroom and the tree) are revered since the shamanic belief is that we are all – every life form – connected, one to another. This animistic principle of connection would certainly have been reinforced for the shaman experiencing the magical effects of fly-agaric, so that the birch tree would become sacred by association.

The fly-agaric mushroom is still found wherever the birch is common, including the UK and the Americas. Distinguishable by its bright red colouring and white spots, it is best prepared for ceremonial use (according to some shamanic traditions, as well as the advice of my toxicologist lunch mate) by cutting it into thin strips which are then boiled in milk for 30 minutes or so. The liquor is then drunk and the mushroom strips eaten. An alternative is to dry the mushrooms and add them to vodka, drinking the alcohol-Amanita mixture when the liquid turns orangey-red.

Naturally, in ritual usage, fly-agaric must always be taken in a sacred way with the intention of revealing true spiritual knowledge, and with full reverence for its power. To do otherwise is simply to engage in ‘drug-taking’, with all the inherent dangers of misuse and the consequences of superhuman, Zulu-like, strength which we mere mortals and Western suburbanites may then have to deal with.

Ross Heaven is a therapist, workshop leader, and the author of several books on shamanism and healing, including Darkness Visible, the best-selling Plant Spirit Shamanism, and Love’s Simple Truths. His website is http://www.thefourgates.com where you can also read how to join his sacred journeys to the shamans and healers of the Amazon.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ross_Heaven
http://EzineArticles.com/?Plant-Spirit-Shamanism:-Fly-Agaric&id=651800

Elves were originally seen to be the creation of Germanic paganism who thought them to be light creatures who lived in the heavens. Elves have been depicted as male or female, tiny or dwarf-like, youthful and immortal with magical powers. Later they were often referred to as living underground, in forests, springs and wells. Elves generally were magical beings who could control what people see as well as experience. Elves and fairies are also highly associated with the mushroom “Amanita Muscaria” also referred to as “magic mushrooms” not only in art but in Psychedelic experiences.

Elves already a tradition associated with story telling and magic, was by the mid-1800’s revealed by the Scandinavian’s that their true purpose was to help Father Christmas. The elves could be helpful however their mischievousness was still event in story telling. Tales suggested that how you were treated by the elves depended on whether the person was thought to be naughty or nice! Particularly in America the diminutive, green with pointy ears type are depicted as Santa’s helpers making toys in his workshop at the North Pole.

According to some legends and post-Christian folklore especially in Europe, elves are mischievous pranksters who make special appearances during the lead up to Christmas. For example “Albtraum” is a German word for nightmare which also means “elf dream”. Earlier the word meant “elf pressure” as it was believed that nightmares are a result of an elf sitting on the dreamer’s head! Elves also were believed to braid people’s hair while sleeping, make milk sour and run off with sausages. People of Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway believed that a bowl of porridge left out would prevent elves from playing tricks on people especially during the festive season! Today, elves associated with Christmas are symbols to remind children to be good and not naughty!

Modern Yuletide Defenders – Secret Elves Club!
In the modern world we now have the latest Yuletide defenders called the Secret Elves. They say they are commissioned to protect the spirit of Christmas. Their dress code is red socks and they declare to be are armed with elfin intellect, tools, charm and good looks. They defend the spirit of Christmas against naysayers including grinches, heat mizers, scrooges and of late pure commercialism. They are sworn by the Elf Code and must remain unseen whilst defending the spirit of Christmas! Children all over the world can now join and be a member of the world’s most elite team dedicated to keeping the spirit alive. Once joined kids are issued with official Secret Elf Certification and receive fun training! To join the club visit google “Secret Elves Club”. This is a really fun way for children to get into the spirit of Christmas and enjoy the virtues of the elves!

Visit http://www.TheFamilyYak.com to listen to ‘Conversations with Mrs Claus’ podcast show with Mrs Claus (aka Christmas author Bernadette Dimitrov) - a family show that provides a weekly stream of inspiration, insight and connection to fascinating guests world-wide. Listeners can share in the inspirational insights from experts and coaches about life, Christmas and transformational secrets for living a happy and fulfilled life. It’s a fun show with something for both young and old with prizes to be won! Also come visit http://www.HoHoHoChristmas.com and join our free Christmas newsletter & receive free gifts!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bernadette_Dimitrov [http://ezinearticles.com/?Christmas-Elves—Their-Secret-History-and-True-Purpose-Revealed!&id=714383 ]http://EzineArticles.com/?Christmas-Elves—Their-Secret-History-and-True-Purpose-Revealed!&id=714383

When I went back the next day, they were gone. Someone had taken them. But, nearby, was a larger patch of the same kind of mushroom. This time I had my camera with me, so I took these pictures. They sure look similar, but the tops seem to be flatter and less cone-shaped than I would have expected them to be.

But now I was now in a dilemma. How could I tell for certain if they were actually Amanita muscaria mushrooms, and not a look-alike that might be dangerous? Could I take pictures of them and show them to a mycologist? Could a mushroom expert know just from the pictures if they were Amanita muscaria or not?

Eventually I decided that it would be much safer and less of a chore simply to buy Amanita muscaria mushrooms from a reliable source, like Bouncing Bear Botanicals, rather than risking the dangers that could come with not being able accurately to identify mushrooms growing in the wild.

Nevertheless, it was wonderful to see these large, colorful mushrooms growing so close to my home. I wonder who picked the other ones and what they did with them. Anyway, I am happy to share these pictures. If anyone can help me by saying for certain what kind of mushrooms they are, please let me know. It would be great to know that Amanita muscarias grow so close to where I live.

Mushrooms are a form of fungus as we are all aware. There are edible mushrooms and there are also the poisonous ones. Besides these two types of mushrooms magic properties have been given to one particular type. This mushroom goes by the name of psychedelic mushrooms.

These particular mushrooms magic properties are mainly hallucinogenic. For this reason many countries around the world have very strict controls placed on the use of these mushrooms. People who have eaten these mushrooms state they feel as if they were having a really good and warm feeling. The world about them is seen in a different manner.

This is not an unusual state for uses of mushrooms magic users have experienced this feeling too. To make sure that the narcotic reactions from the mushrooms are not that potent or harmful these magic users will only use the psychedelic mushrooms for necessary reasons. Also the dosage that is used will be sufficient for the ritualistic purpose. This however is not the case with the users of Western cultures.

There have been reports of people experiencing feelings of coldness, disorientation, numbness in the mouth and other facial features can be felt. Besides these effects there are other such as pupil dilation, swollen features, and stiffness in the limbs.

Since these are reactions that can be felt by any one who consumes these mushrooms magic users need to see what their countries legal laws have to say about the possession, growth and use of these psychedelic mushrooms.

Strange as it may seem there is a loophole in the laws that govern the sale and use of these mushrooms. At the moment some countries will allow these mushrooms to be grown for personal use but the mushrooms that are used must be of the fresh variety. For various groups of people who use these mushrooms magic rituals will need to be prepared well in advance as the mushrooms can only be harvested and eaten when they are still fresh.

Now before we proceed any further a word of cautions should be made. In the first case as most of us have little to no experience of mushroom varieties that are edible, you should take lots of care about eating one of these mushrooms magic in property or not.

Next while some of your rituals may state the need for using these psychedelic mushrooms you will need to understand what the legal laws have to say about these mushrooms. The final item of caution about the use of these mushrooms is that while they are safe in small fresh doses, they can be very fatally deadly at higher and dried, crushed, brewed as a tea or even in a powdered form.

For these many different reasons if you can avoid taking these mushrooms you will have a safer life. While these mushrooms magic are closely connected it is best to leave them in the hands of shamans, the healers of tribes that still use the ancient arts.

About the author: Muna wa Wanjiru is a Web Administrator and Has Been Researching and Reporting on Magic for Years. For More Information on Mushrooms Magic, Visit His Site at Mushrooms Magic

Amanita Muscaria

The Amanita muscaria mushroom, also known as fly-agaric has been variously described as a poison, a gateway to mental clarity and a religious sacriment.

In the book “Plants of the Gods” authors Richard Evans Schultes and Albert Hoffman wrote, “The use of hallucinogenic plants has been a part of human experience for many millennia, yet modern Western societies have only recently become aware of the significance that these plants have had in shaping the history of primitive and even of enhanced cultures. In fact, the past twenty years have witnessed a vertiginous growth in interest in the use and possible value of hallucinogens in our own modern, industrialized, and urbanized society.”

Contemporary users describe the effects of Amanita Muscaria as including a dreamy intoxicated sensation, great mental clarity, uniquely different from the effects of such hallucinagens as LSD, mescaline and psilocybin. Alterations of the senses include visual, hearing and tasting sensations. Side effects are often listed as including nausea, vomiting, loss of balance, profuse salivation and sweating, chills and convulsions. Unlike the effects of alcohol, it is said not to leave a hangover effect afterwards. It should not be surprising that, because mushrooms are a natural, rather than a manufactured psychoactive, its described effects span quite a wide range. These effects take from thirty to sixty minutes to commence, and the experience lasts from three or four to ten or more hours.

Use of amanita muscaria has also been attributed to the Lappish shamans of northern Finland, where the mushrooms grow in profusion and have sacred uses.

Different colored varieties are said to have different potencies, with red said to be stronger than yellow. Complicated recipes spell out the preferred ratio of cap to stem that should be observed, how to dry them, grind them into a powder, how much water and at what temperature should be mixed with the powder. Regarding how much should be consumed, the dosage often is referred to in terms of the number of mushroom caps, but this is dangerously vague, as a cap could be as small as half an inch or as wide as a dinner plate.

Reports about the flavor of the amanita muscaria mushroom vary widely. Opinions range from tasting fine to tasting terrible. Of course, there are several different colors of the mushroom. Mycologists (mushroom experts) categories them into six variations named from the color of the cap: white, red, red-orange, red-brown, yellow-orange and melon.