Amanita muscaria mushrooms have been utilized for spiritual exploration and holistic well-being for centuries. This vibrant psychoactive species was significant in Siberian shamanic traditions and recognized in various regions for culinary and medicinal properties.
At high doses, Amanita can induce dream-like effects, leading to profound and mystical experiences. At lower doses, Amanita can offer pain relief, improved sleep, and reduced anxiety.
The article explores Amanita muscaria’s spiritual and healing potential.
What is Amanita Muscaria?
Amanita muscaria, or “fly agaric,” is a psychoactive mushroom with a distinct red cap covered in white spots.
Amanita muscaria effects are known in many parts of the world, where it commonly grows throughout northern hemisphere forests. The Amanita genus is a “mycorrhizal fungus,” meaning it has a symbiotic relationship with birch, pine, oak, and pine trees and cannot grow without them. The mushroom appears in Asia, North America, Europe, and Mexico.
The book “Plants of the Gods,” by Richard Evans Schultes and Albert Hofmann suggests Amanita mushrooms may have been used for over 3500 years, with the first psychoactive use occurring in 1730. Since then, many cultures have used the mushroom for spiritual and shamanic practices.
Still, modern scientists, today classify the species as toxic and potentially dangerous due to some of its active ingredients.
Amanita’s primary active ingredients are muscimol, ibotenic acid, and muscarine. Muscimol is the most potent psychoactive compound, eliciting sedative-hypnotic effects, pain relief, and euphoria. Scientists consider this compound to be relatively well-tolerated. However, ibotenic acid and muscarine can be neurotoxic and highly hazardous.
Most experts say the difference between safe and dangerous Amanita experiences lies in how the mushroom is prepared and consumed. Most consumer products filter out muscarine and ibotenic acid, producing a well-tolerated muscimol-dominant extract.
Amanita muscaria’s Spiritual Significance
Amanita muscaria is famous for its use by shamans in Siberia and Lapland. As many as 30 tribes consumed the mushroom to connect with divine spirits and receive guidance to help their communities. Amanita was also a tool to diagnose or treat disease, interpret dreams, contact the spirit world, or predict the future.
Some historians believe that ancient Indian cultures consumed this unique psychoactive mushroom as well.
Gordon Wasson, the first Westerner to popularize psychedelic mushrooms, wrote a book about Amanita muscaria called “Soma: The Divine Mushrooms of Immortality.” The book explains how Amanita could be “soma,” a sacred and hallucinogenic plant that priests consumed to connect with the divine in secret rituals throughout the Middle East and Asia.
Many attribute Amanita’s significance across spiritual traditions to its “oneirogenic” properties, which means “dream-creating” in Greek. During a high-dose Amanita experience, people often enter a trance state that contains meaningful visions. Others fall into a long, deep sleep during which lucid dreams can occur.
What is an Amanita muscaria Trip Like?
Amanita muscaria trips can be intensely mystical at high doses. They can also cause confusion, so some call the mushroom a “delirium.” People who consume raw Amanita mushrooms (rather than extracts) are more likely to experience these disorienting effects, including agitation, incoherent speech, mood swings, and restlessness.
In most cultures, only experienced shamans consumed these powerful psychoactive fungi. But renewed interest has led many in modern society to wonder about how to safely experience its ethereal effects.
At psychoactive doses, Amanita muscaria can blur the line between sleep and waking states.
One Erowid report said:
“I am prepared to say that I saw what death was and that there is no reason to be afraid because, in death, there is no being scared, or being happy, or feeling anything at all.”
Another Erowid report states:
“I became everything, the universe, the being, the entire, and I was on top of the end of time. I entered infinity. I truly saw and experienced infinity… This is major like nothing ever experienced. It showed me a different life, universe, and existence. It’s scary but definitely amazing.”
Amanita muscaria Health Benefits
Clinical research on Amanita’s potential health benefits does not exist. However, the book “Fly Agaric,” by Kevin Feeny, documents the mushroom’s long history of medicinal use.
- Pain Relief – Some cultures ate small amounts to relieve muscle pain and soreness.
- Anti-inflammatory – Others applied Amanita as a topical medicine to soothe inflammation.
- Stimulant – Many tribes consumed Amanita for strength and energy, similar to coffee.
- Sleep Aid – Amanita also provided sedative effects to help treat insomnia.
- Anxiety – Shamans suggested Amanita could provide courage and reduce anxiety.
Risks
Consuming Amanita muscaria comes with risks and should only be done with proper preparation to remove toxic components. Raw, unprocessed Amanita mushrooms can cause:
- Confusion and agitation
- Tremors and shaking
- Loss of motor control
- Seizures
Extremely high Amanita doses can cause adverse effects, regardless of preparation.
- Nausea or vomiting
- Drowsiness or loss of consciousness
- Confusion
- Vivid hallucinations
- Loss of sense of time
- Low blood pressure
Those with a history of schizophrenia, psychosis, or other mental health concerns should avoid Amanita.
The Bottom Line
Amanita muscaria has a long history of use worldwide for physical, mental, and spiritual effects. Ancient cultures understood that the proper dose in a suitable set and setting can create powerful and even transformative experiences. However, using Amanita for its psychoactive effects could be dangerous, and many side effects can occur. Today, the safest way to use Amanita is with lab-tested extracts, like capsules, edibles, and tinctures, from trustworthy sources.
