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Fungi have captivated us for centuries with their ability to transform, reproduce and live seemingly everywhere on Earth. This strange and resilient form of life has become increasingly important in our understanding of herbalism and the magical healing arts, notably through the Doctrine of Signatures; a centuries-old belief that certain plants bear special markings or signs that lay clues as to their medicinal use. As such, fungi have been believed, both intuitively and scientifically, to possess abilities which exceed expectations— lending to a broader understanding of ways with which we may heal ourselves.
Mushrooms have been used for centuries in various cultures around the world as a source of nutrition, medicine and even magic. In recent years, interest has grown in understanding how mushrooms can be used to improve physical health and psychological wellbeing- through their medicinal properties or spiritual connections.
This blog post will explore this concept more closely by looking at ancient practices such as the Doctrine of Signatures (DoS), correspondences between fungi species and astrology/mythology, modern uses of mushroom medicines & magical applications involving fungi. We’ll also take an overview look at different types of mushrooms with potential therapeutic benefits so that readers can begin exploring which ones might work best for them!
But first, why should you care about mushrooms? As Paul Stamets has shown me recently, fungi are essential to life on Earth. Not only do they provide food, but their mycelium threads act as a global nervous system for our planet – helping us understand the connection between all living things and how we can better care for ourselves and nature.
By understanding more about mushrooms & fungi through this blog post, readers will gain insight into why these organisms have been used in cultures around the world since ancient times-and continue to be important today!
Fungi And Magic
Mushrooms are truly amazing organisms. Not only can they give us many health benefits when taken in supplement or food form, but they also possess unique spiritual properties that can help us unlock esoteric knowledge and achieve certain goals if used correctly.
In traditional magical practices, fungi have been seen as possessing a range of magical properties. In many cases, they were thought to provide protection against evil spirits or malevolent forces and could be used in rituals designed to bring about specific outcomes or goals. In some cultures, fungi was also associated with the concept of “the sacred mushroom” – believed by some practitioners to enable communication with gods and other supernatural beings.
Whether the mushrooms were psychedelic or merely gourmet, their magical properties were often attributed to their appearance, as well as the effects they had on humans. For example, some mushrooms were thought to be symbols of fertility due to their resemblance of human genitalia or reproductive organs; others might have been seen as having healing properties because of a belief that ingesting them could provide relief from physical ailments; and still other varieties may have been associated with death since consuming certain species can lead to poisoning (e.g., Amanita phalloides).
In addition, fungi’s role in nature – breaking down dead matter – was sometimes used by traditional practitioners when attempting spells or rituals related specifically to transformation and renewal. In this way, it was believed that working with these organisms would allow one access not only into unseen realms but also help facilitate changes within oneself such as banishing negative energy or aiding in the healing process.
This role as decomposer makes fungi related to Pluto, Saturn, and the moon. Pluto is associated with transformation and renewal, Saturn often represents boundaries or limitations, while the moon reflects our inner worlds. Working with fungi can help us to understand these archetypes better by providing insight into how their energies interact in life. By understanding these three celestial bodies as they relate to fungus we gain a deeper comprehension of both nature and ourselves.
The Doctrine Of Signatures
In the essence of its very nature, The Doctrine Of Signatures is a belief that all physical manifestations in nature contain spiritual and cosmic information. This means plants, minerals, animals—including mushrooms—each have something to tell us about our place within this universe; they are living signatures or symbols representing universal truths beyond what we can physically see with our eyes.
The most well-known form of DoS comes from Paracelsus (1493–1541), who believed that each plant had “signs” which indicated their purpose for healing certain ailments or conditions – such as walnuts resembling brains being good for brain health. In herbalism today there is still an understanding among practitioners regarding how herbs look like particular organs when harvested properly.
Mushrooms also adhere to this framework as well, though their application is perhaps less known. This can be attributed in part due to the fact that mushrooms are often overlooked when it comes to herbalism or healing practices—which may have something do with how they’re seen by some cultures (i.e., fungi being considered “unclean”). That said, there’s a wealth of wisdom available from working with these mysterious organisms; not only for physical health but spiritual growth as well!
When incorporating DoS into your practice of mycology you must first learn about each mushroom variety before engaging them – understanding where they grow best and what time periods during which seasons produce better harvests will help ensure greater success when harvesting/identifying them.
Once the mushroom has been identified by its physical characteristics, you can then move to understanding it’s metaphysical/spiritual aspects; this is where DoS comes into play and allows us to gain insight into potential healing qualities beyond what we know of a particular fungi from scientific research alone. For example – Cordyceps militaris, a parasitic mushroom found in the Himalayas is believed to strengthen one’s connection with spiritual forces. The way it parasitizes insects is again indicative of transformational and liminal properties, making it a great ally for those looking to make shifts in their life and tap into the spiritual realms.
In conclusion, we can see that mushrooms are living examples of DoS just as any other part of nature is; each having its own unique story which reveals itself through physical characteristics or by simply observing how they interact with the environment around them (i.e., what type soil/conditions do mycological species prefer).
Divine Archetypes And Fungi
Fungi and mushrooms are said to relate to the moon, Pluto, and Saturn depending on how they are used. These divine archetypes are powerful and mysterious, but they can also provide insight into the properties of fungi.
The moon is associated with emotionality, intuition, creativity, nourishment and fertility; all qualities that are present in mushrooms. Fungi often support life by breaking down organic matter to create soil or providing food for animals. They have a deep connection to nature which reflects their feminine energy-like quality of being sensitive yet strong at once.
Pluto represents transformation as well as death and rebirth – something many mushroom species experience throughout growth cycles where some parts die off so others may be born anew from spores produced during this process (think about truffles). Additionally Pluto relates deeply to investigations beneath surface levels – much like mycelium’s search for nutrients below ground level before producing sprouts above it; an interesting analogy for how we often search within ourselves to uncover hidden truths about our lives.
Finally Saturn relates strongly with mushrooms due to their perceived ‘medicinal’ qualities and its connection with restrictions, boundaries and discipline – something the mushroom kingdom has plenty of! The firmness in structure that many fungi possess is also part of this energy as it reflects a strong sense of self-control or focus on what needs attending; an important reminder when using them medicinally too since they can be powerful allies if treated correctly – otherwise consequences may occur such as poisoning (the bad side effects which Saturn typically brings).
Overall the archetypal energy of fungi is incredibly diverse as it encompasses many different aspects, qualities and energies which can be both positive or negative depending on how they are used. How do fungi relate to the gods and goddesses? Are there any deities associated with fungi?
In terms of gods and goddesses, mushrooms have been associated with Hecate in Greek mythology who is the Goddess of crossroads (among other things). This relates to how certain species are found growing on dead trees or logs which may be seen as a metaphorical ‘crossroad’ between life and death. Hecate is liminal, and like some fungi is associated with death and rebirth, and the dark mysteries of life.
In conclusion understanding archetypes can be a powerful way to gain insight into the properties and energetics of fungi; what they represent or symbolize in our lives as well as how we use them for healing purposes or spiritual work. Through this exploration many ancient connections between humans, mushrooms and divine energies may come alive!
Note: NEVER eat or even touch a mushroom unless you are 100% certain of its identification and safety.
| Fungi | Magical Correspondences | Planetary Correspondences | Associated Deities | Folklore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amanita muscaria | Visionary experiences, spiritual transformation | Mars, Venus | Dionysus, Soma, Shiva | Used in traditional shamanic practices in some cultures |
| Psilocybe species | Visionary experiences, spiritual transformation | Jupiter, Neptune | Gaia, Quetzalcoatl, Xipe Tote | Used in traditional spiritual practices in some cultures |
| Trametes versicolor | Healing, purification | Jupiter, Venus | Hekate, Apollo | Used in traditional medicinal practices in some cultures |
| Ganoderma lucidum | Longevity, immune system support | Saturn | Fuxi, Nuwa, Osiris | Used in traditional medicinal practices in some cultures |
| Agaricus species | Communication, divination | Mercury | Hermes, Thoth | Used in traditional divination practices in some cultures |
| Lentinula edodes | Nourishment, longevity | Venus | Demeter, Kuan Yin | Used in traditional medicinal and culinary practices in some cultures |
| Cordyceps sinensis | Energy, stamina, immune system support | Mars, Saturn | Qilin, Tamlin | Used in traditional medicinal practices in some cultures |
Mycelial Magic And Memory
Fungi have been used in magical and spiritual practices for centuries. This is due to the mysterious nature of mushrooms—they can grow almost anywhere, they are incredibly diverse with a wide array of shapes and colors, and many species possess psychoactive properties that induce strange states of mind or visual hallucinations when consumed.
These features combined with their tendency to appear suddenly out from seemingly barren wasteland has led humans throughout history to view these organisms as having some kind of supernatural power or influence over them–even if only at an unconscious level.
In most cultures around the world there exist myths about fungi being connected somehow spiritually (or otherwise) between different realms: such as connecting us mortals on earth with divine beings/powers above; bridging together worlds within our own plane like those inhabited by fairies and elves; providing pathways to other realms like the spiritual underworld; and even being a source of wisdom or knowledge from our ancestors.
In my own beliefs, I have come to see the mycelium as the brain of Gaia, Mother Earth herself. When we ground by placing bare skin on the earth, we connect with Gaia through the neuron-like system of mycelium beneath us.
Mycelium actually forms a kind of ‘web’ that is capable of transmitting information between different species over long distances. So, when we ground to the earth and become one with her through mycelial networks, it could be argued that this web acts like an internet connection—providing us access to Gaia’s wisdom and knowledge which she has accumulated throughout countless years or even centuries!
This system may even allow us to contact our ancestors and the divine dead well past they die. Their memories are stored and remembered, dispersed around the earth through the neuron networks of the mycelium. In this way, fungi can be seen as a bridge between the physical and spiritual realms, connecting us to the divine and our ancestors.
This could explain why so many cultures revere mushrooms for their healing and spiritual properties, as well as the fact that they seem to appear almost miraculously overnight from seemingly nothing!
Ultimately I believe this is a connection we can all tap into if we take the time to get in touch with nature around us—to connect not only physically but spiritually with our environment through these incredible organisms which transmit information between realms like humans do on an internet network.
This may very well be the Akashic records we sometimes talk about in some traditions—the source of wisdom and knowledge from our ancestors that can be accessed through the mycelial networks surrounding us.
