psilocybe cyanescens mushroom spores
own
cause of death and disease, bloated stomachs and
insanity. Beliefs such as these have survived to
the present day. They persist, for example,,, as
figures of speech, s u c h as the slick Austrian
description of a societal Published misfit as someone "who
ate those madness-inducing mushrooms."
But, there is another, very different,
magic mushroom legacy as well.
Flesh of the Gods for Devil Worshippers
The Old World. Mycenaean civilization
began with a mushroom trip -Mushrooms were
an ingredient in the ambrosia of Dionysus.
Porphyrius, the fourth century Latin poet and
contemporary of Emperor Konstantin, knew
that magic mushrooms were the children of the
gods.
WHO WAS THE FIRST MAGICIAN?
A quasi-cannibalistic ritual, the act of eating the
children of the gods unlocked one's power to
experience the truly divine. But not all
mushrooms enable human beings to enter the
realm of divine consciousness. This magic power
resides in only those fungi known as "fool's
mushrooms", which were considered poisonous
and believed to be the spawn of the Devil
throughout the late Middle Ages and well into
modern times.
The New World: The Aztecs in Mexico
referred to a number of small, inconspicuous
mushrooms as teonartacatl, or "flesh of the
Gods." These sacred mushrooms were eaten
during the course of rituals intended to contact
the Gods in order to learn about the world and the
realm of the divine. These magic mushroom
rituals thoroughly spooked the Catholic
Spaniards. The mushroom eaters, commonly
thought of as Devil worshippers, were hounded
by the Inquisition. Still, all good things survive
the tests of time, so the cult of magic mushroom
eaters did not become extinct. Like mycelia
underground, the cult continued to flourish, and
at the proper time in recorded history, in 1957,
the fruit of the fully grown mushroom re-surfaced
to draw widespread public attention. Valentine
and Gordon Wasson became the heroes of the
modern neo-mycophilic movement.
Back to the Old World: The revelations
and insights gained from the use of psychoactive
mushrooms were so magically wonderful, that
our native European "fool's mushrooms" - which
were gene ; considered inedible - had to be
recognized as closely related to the magic
mushrooms of Mexico, the flesh of the Aztec
Gods. The souls of magic mushrooms in Mexico
and Germany are essentially made from the same
substance: psilocybin.
Jochen Gartz has made an extraordinary
contribution to the field of mycology by embracing
Germany's magic mushrooms and the scientific
study and testing of these fungi. The research
efforts upon which this book is based require
nothing less than a fearless, brave and courageous
consciousness, free of prejudice and mycophobia. I
am convinced that a researcher's consciousness
infused by the spirit of the magic mushroom is
capable of far deeper scientific insights than we
can ever expect from the usual ivory tower
academics, isolated from reality This document provides complete directions for cultivating psilocybin
a have been reported from
the following countries: Finland, Norway,
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland,
Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium, France,
Russia, Poland, the former Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, England, Wales,
Italy and Spain.
Unfortunately, there are no comprehensive
maps detailing the species's
distribution pattern.
Traditionally, mycologists
have often neglected relatively tiny species, such
as Psilocybe semilanceata, that tend to share their
habitats with other, more prominent species. The
sarcastic phrase "The mushrooms occur in
abundance wherever mycologists abound" is
particularly pertinent in reference to the Psilocybe
species. Prior to the discovery of psilocybin, the
Psilocybe genus languished in the literature,
shrouded in obscurity. To this day, few
189. Psilocybe semilanceata Fr. Worthless]
The cap is uniformly conic to bell-shaped, with a pointy or obtuse center forming
an almost wart-like protrusion; initially, caps are often taller than they are wide, margins
are bent and curved inward; later on, width of cap is 1.5-4 cm. Hygrophanous; coloration
is a dirtyish olive-brown when wet, with translucent striate margins; at the center,
coloration is ocher or greenish-yellow against an overall shade of smudgy pale yellow and
oftentimes some greenish stains; only the margins are banded by a darkcolored, watery
stripe around the edge. No stripes or banding evident when mushrooms are completely
dried. Lacking a veil, caps are thin-fleshed, bald, with an easily separable pellicle that
remains gelatinous-sticky for a long time, turning shiny when dry.
Gills are olive brown to blackish purple brown in color, with the edges often
remaining white, gill spacing is quite crowded; gill attachment is either roughly linear or
mostly adnexed; up to 3.5 mm wide; attached at the stem only, fully detached later on.
Spores are elongated to ellipitical in shape, smooth and large, measuring 12-16 u
by 6-8,u. Color of spore dust is blackish purple brown.
Stem is very slender, almost uniformly thin and always twisted, 6-12 cm long and
1.
25-2 mm thick, yellowish or whitish in color; areas subjected to pressure develop bluishgreen
stains. Stems are silky smooth and roughly at the center, cortinate fibrils appear like
remnants of a veil, which is brittle and lined with a white fibrous cord of wool-like
texture.
When dry, the flesh of the cap is colored pale yellow, while the stem's flesh is
ocher brown in color, especially towards the bottom.
It is odorless and its flavor is mild.
The mushroom grows from August to October, frequently in gregarious clusters, and can
be found in pastures and along roadways, growing on dung that has undergone complete
decomposition. It is not a particularly rare species.
Figure 11(above) This excellent description of Psilocybe semilanceata by Michael & Schulz
(1927) is shown here as originally published in German, with an English translation.
Mycologists spa have been reported from
the following countries: Finland, Norway,
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland,
Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium, France,
Russia, Poland, the former Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, England, Wales,
Italy and Spain.
Unfortunately, there are no comprehensive
maps detailing the species's
distribution pattern. Traditionally, mycologists
have often neglected relatively tiny species, such
as Psilocybe semilanceata, that tend to share their
habitats with other, more prominent species. The
sarcastic phrase "The mushrooms occur in
abundance wherever mycologists abound" is
particularly pertinent in reference to the Psilocybe
species. Prior to the discovery of psilocybin, the
Psilocybe genus languished in the literature,
shrouded in obscurity.
To this day, few
189. Psilocybe semilanceata Fr. Worthless]
The cap is uniformly conic to bell-shaped, with a pointy or obtuse center forming
an almost wart-like protrusion; initially, caps are often taller Psychoactive than they are wide, margins
are bent and curved inward; later on, width of cap is 1.5-4 cm. Hygrophanous; coloration
is a dirtyish olive-brown when wet, with translucent striate margins; at the center,
coloration is ocher or greenish-yellow against an overall shade of smudgy pale yellow and
oftentimes some greenish stains; only the margins are banded by a darkcolored, watery
stripe around the edge. No stripes or banding evident when mushrooms are completely
dried. Lacking a veil, caps are thin-fleshed, bald, with an easily separable pellicle that
remains gelatinous-sticky for a long time, turning shiny when dry.
Gills are olive brown to blackish purple brown in color, with the edges often
remaining white, gill spacing is quite crowded; gill attachment is either roughly linear or
mostly adnexed; up to 3.5 mm wide; attached at the stem only, fully detached later on.
Spores are elongated to ellipitical in shape, smooth and large, measuring 12-16 u
by 6-8,u.
Color of spore dust is blackish purple brown.
Stem is very slender, almost uniformly thin and always twisted, 6-12 cm long and
1.25-2 mm thick, yellowish or whitish in color; areas subjected to pressure develop bluishgreen
stains. Stems are silky smooth and roughly at the center, cortinate fibrils appear like
remnants of a veil, which is brittle and lined with a white fibrous cord of wool-like
texture.
When dry, the flesh of the cap is colored pale yellow, while the stem's flesh is
ocher brown in color, especially towards the bottom. It is odorless and its flavor is mild.
The mushroom grows from August to October, frequently in gregarious clusters, and can
be found in pastures and along roadways, growing on dung that has undergone complete
decomposition. It is not a particularly rare species.
Figure 11(above) This excellent description of Psilocybe semilanceata by Michael & Schulz
(1927) is shown here as originally published in German, with an English translation.
Mycologists spa have been reported from
the following countries: Finland, Norway,
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland,
Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium, France,
Russia, Poland, the former Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, England, Wales,
Italy and Spain.
Unfortunately, there are no comprehensive
maps detailing the species's
distribution pattern. Traditionally, mycologists
have often neglected relatively tiny species, such
as Psilocybe semilanceata, that tend to share their
habitats with other, more prominent species. The
sarcastic phrase "The mushrooms occur in
abundance wherever mycologists abound" is
particularly pertinent in reference to the Psilocybe
species. Prior to the discovery of psilocybin, the
Psilocybe genus languished in the literature,
shrouded in obscurity. To this day, few
189. Psilocybe semilanceata Fr. Worthless
The cap is uniformly conic to bell-shaped, with a pointy or obtuse center forming
an almost wart-like protrusion; initially, caps are often taller than they are wide, margins
are bent and curved inward; later on, width of cap is 1.5-4 cm. Hygrophanous; coloration
is a dirtyish olive-brown when wet, with translucent striate margins; at the center,
coloration is ocher or greenish-yellow against an overall shade of smudgy pale yellow and
oftentimes some greenish stains; only the margins are banded by a darkcolored, watery
stripe around the edge. No stripes or banding evident when mushrooms are completely
dried. Lacking a veil, caps are thin-fleshed, bald, with an easily separable pellicle that
remains gelatinous-sticky for a long time, turning shiny when dry.
Gills are olive brown to blackish purple brown in color, with the edges often
remaining white, gill spacing is quite crowded; gill attachment is either roughly linear or
mostly adnexed; up to 3.5 mm wide; attached at the stem only, fully detached later on.
Spores are elongated to ellipitical in shape, smooth and large, measuring 12-16 u
by 6-8,u. Color of spore dust is blackish purple brown.
Stem is very slender, almost uniformly thin and always twisted, 6-12 cm long and
1.25-2 mm thick, yellowish or whitish in color; areas subjected to pressure develop bluishgreen
stains.
Stems are silky smooth and roughly at the center, cortinate fibrils appear like
remnants of a veil, which is brittle and lined with a white fibrous cord of wool-like
texture.
When dry, the flesh of the cap is colored pale yellow, while the stem's flesh is
ocher brown in color, especially towards the bottom. It is odorless and its flavor is mild.
The mushroom grows from August to October, frequently in gregarious clusters, and can
be found in pastures and along roadways, growing on dung that has undergone complete
decomposition. It is not a particularly rare species.
Figure 11(above) This excellent description of Psilocybe semilanceata by Michael & Schulz
(1927) is shown here as originally published in German, with an English translation.
Mycologists spa have been reported from
the following countries: Finland, Norway,
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland,
Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium, France,
Russia, Poland, the former Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, England, Wales,
Italy and Spain.
Unfortunately, there are no comprehensive
maps detailing the species's
distribution pattern. Traditionally, mycologists
have often neglected relatively tiny species, such
as Psilocybe semilanceata, that tend to share their
habitats with other, more prominent species. The
sarcastic phrase "The mushrooms occur in
abundance wherever mycologists abound" is
particularly pertinent in reference to the Psilocybe
species.
Prior to the discovery of psilocybin, the
Psilocybe genus languished in the literature,
shrouded in obscurity. To this day, few
189. Psilocybe semilanceata Fr. Worthless
The cap is uniformly conic to bell-shaped, with a pointy or obtuse center forming
an almost wart-like protrusion; initially, caps are often taller than they are wide, margins
are bent and curved inward; later on, width of cap is 1.5-4 cm. Hygrophanous; coloration
is a dirtyish olive-brown when wet, with translucent striate margins; at the center,
coloration is ocher or greenish-yellow against an overall shade of smudgy pale yellow and
oftentimes some greenish stains; only the margins are banded by a darkcolored, watery
stripe around the edge. No stripes or banding evident when mushrooms are completely
dried. Lacking a veil, caps are thin-fleshed, bald, with an easily separable pellicle that
remains gelatinous-sticky for a long time, turning shiny when dry.
Gills are olive brown to blackish purple brown in color, with the edges often
remaining white, gill spacing is quite crowded; gill attachment is either roughly linear or
mostly adnexed; up to 3.5 mm wide; attached at the stem only, fully detached later on.
Spores are elongated to ellipitical in shape, smooth and large, measuring 12-16 u
by 6-8,u. Color of spore dust is blackish purple brown.
Stem is very slender, almost uniformly thin and always twisted, 6-12 cm long and
1.25-2 mm thick, yellowish or whitish in color; areas subjected to pressure develop bluishgreen
stains. Stems are silky smooth and roughly at the center, cortinate fibrils appear like
remnants of a veil, which is brittle and lined with a white fibrous cord of wool-like
texture.
When dry, the flesh of the cap is colored pale yellow, while the stem's flesh is
ocher brown in color, especially towards the bottom. It is odorless and its flavor is mild.
The mushroom grows from August to October, frequently in gregarious clusters, and can
be found in pastures and along roadways, growing on dung that has undergone complete
decomposition. It Magic Mushrooms Grow Kit Reviews is not a particularly rare species.
Figure 11(above) This excellent description of Psilocybe semilanceata by Michael & Schulz
(1927) is shown here as originally published in German, with an English translation.
Mycologists sp
and familiarity with psychotropic mushrooms in Europe that is most likely derived from usage of Psilocybes and related species, rather than experience
buy dipropyltryptamine research chemicals
with Amanita muscaria. However, it is extremely difficult to reject or confirm this hypothesis, due to the lack of conclusive data available for analysis today. Bwyd Cow Hallucination Poop Hallucination Poop Ellylon: A Feast of Fairies in Celebration of the Spirit World Tales of ritualistic mushroom usage have found their way into the realm of myths and legends. For instance, one legend describes a peculiar poisonous mushroom in Wales (British Isles) with the strange name of Bwyd Ellylon, which was considered a delicacy by fairies feasting in celebration of the spirit world.Psilocybe semilanceata is the most important psilocybincontaining mushroom in Europe and it thrives in parts of Great Britain, where the mushroom grows abundantly all across the Welsh countryside during fall season. I would like to thank G. Samorini for pointing out that the Inquisition was unusually cruel and vicious Psychoactive in the Alpine valleys of Valcamonica, Valtrompia and Valtellina (located in the provinces of Brescia and Sandrio in Northern Italy). Many books chronicle countless witch burnings in that region, with particular emphasis on the witches' meetings at the "Monte del Tonale", located at an altitude of 2000 m (ca. 6,000 ft). Field research has shown that plants of the nightshade family ("witching herbs") do not grow at this altitude; even the fly agaric mushroom is rarely found there. By contrast, pastures in the area abound with Psilocybe semilanceata during the fall. Given this historical context, it would seem likely that buy dipropyltryptamine research chemicals Psilocybe semilanceata played an important role as a psychotropic agent in the region (see Figure 58, Chapter 7.4). In light of medieval accounts describing the practice of witchcraft, it is interesting Mushrocks Erfahrung to
kansas psilocybe
note that a subjective sensation of flying or levitation is among the commonly reported effects of psilocybin intoxication. Berserk Rage of Nordic Warriors In the course of the ideological power struggle between Christianity and the remnants of pagan religions that worshipped Nature, many sources of knowledge were lost. The aggressive repression and eradication of pre-Christian customs all but destroyed the continuity of Europe's original cultural heritage, along with much historic evidence documenting early cultural practices, including the usage of plants and mushrooms for the purpose of temporary alterations of consciousness. Some authors went so far as to blame the fly agaric mushroom for proverbial fits of "berserk rage" attributed to Nordic warriors. Many accounts detailing this phenomenon allude to a "deception of the eyes" (i.e. visual hallucinations). After the Nordic legal system banished the practice of "going berserk", it disappeared quite suddenly during the 12th century. At about the same time, Saxo Grammaticus speculated that the Berserkers may have used mag n the U.S.)
contribute to the therapeutic process; they may
even be the sole source for future progress.
Under these conditions, stereo music also
significantly deepened the intensity of the
experience. It appears that these kinds of specific
experiences may also account for the remarkable
success of treating terminal patients with LSD to
ease their fears in the face of death and to reduce
even the most severe forms of pain. In many such
cases, symptoms disappeared entirely, and relief
from pain and anxiety that continued even after the
drug's acute effects had worn off. A book by S.
Grof provides a compassionate analysis of such
successful treatments, which serves to underscore
the fact that systematic efforts to investigate these
particular therapeutic benefits have only just
begun. So far, LSD has been the most widely
studied substance in terms of easing the suffering
of terminally ill patients, as well as dipropyltryptamine
(DPT), a synthetic drug structurally
similar to psilocybin that is active only when
administered by injection.
Below, a young woman from Switzerland
gives a detailed account of her second mushroom
experience.
Her first experiment, with Psilocybe
cubensis, had already introduced her to the realm
of mystical experiences.
For her second journey,
she used 20 Much Shrooms Psilocybe semilanceata mushrooms as
part of a group ritual and achieved transcendence.
A remarkable feature of her
account is that the presence of an experienced
guide was needed to realize the full potential of
this visionary quest.
"1 sat down next to another participant,
seeking
lib to connect with others in preparation for
my journey. We proceeded to eat the fresh
mushrooms. The room grew quiet and lovely
music began to play. The mushrooms's effects
came on much faster than they did during my first
experiment. Twice I tried to establish closer
contact with my fellow participant, but he was
very australiana australiana nervous, and no source of reassurance for
me. I was seeking my spiritual companion, but did
not Magicmushroomsaustrialaw find that person among the present group. I
became a figure in a long, white robe, wandering
aimlessly among the columns (Greece?), still
searching.
My gaze lingered briefly on the wall next
to the door and I saw faces and figures appear
and vanish, but they did not hold my interest. It
was hopeless. I continued my aimless roaming,
and I was on the material plane, which I wanted
to leave - had to leave. Suddenly, I found myself
with one of the guides, who wanted to help me. I
stared off into the distance, longing to be free of
the material plane, but unable to do so. For a long
time, I failed to connect with the guide; our two
worlds were just too different. Suddenly I sensed
that he wasn't able to look at me directly. The path
by which to reach me runs through my eyes,
because only they are truly alive. I asked
him to help me on my way and invited him spores mushroom mushroom
psilocybe to look
into my eyes. I felt as if all life energy was
draining from my bo
JOCHEN GARTZ
MAGIC MUSHROOMS
Around the World
A Scientific Journey Across Cultures and
Time
The Case for Challenging Research
and Value Systems
* LIS PUBLICATIONS * LOS ANGELES, CA*
Figure 1 - Water Color Painting of Psilocybe semilanceata
(Germany, 1927)
TABLE OF CONTENT (With Active Links' Just Click On A Subject To Go To The Page)
"Who Was the First Magician?" - Foreword by Christian Ratsch 7
1. Introduction 9
2. Reflections on the History and Scientific Study of Magic Mushrooms 10
3. The Current State of Knowledge About European Species 14
3.1 Psilocybe semilanceata: The Classic Species Among European Psychotropic Mushrooms 16
3.2 Psilocybe cyanescens: Potent Mushrooms Growing on Wood Debris 29
3.3 Panaeolus subbalteatus: Mycology and Myths about the Panaeolus Species 37
3.
4 Inocybe aeruginascens: Fast-Spreading New Arrivals 44
3.5 Gymnopilus purpuratus: Magnificent Mushrooms from South America 51
3.6 Conocybe cyanopus: Tiny Mushrooms of Remarkable Potency 55
3.7 Pluteus salicinus: A Little-known Wood-Inhabiting Species 58
4. Mushroom Identification: Taxonomic Confusion and the Potential for Deadly Mistakes 61
5. The Bluing Phenomenon and Metol Testing: Reality vs. Wishful Thinking 63
6. Mushroom Cultivation: Classic Findings and New Techniques 66
7.
Psychotropic Mushroom Species Around the World 77
7.1 Spotlight on North America and Hawaii 79
7.2 Mycophilia in Central and South America 82
7.3 Australia's Mycoflora Attracts Attention 84
7.4 European Customs and
lib
Conventions 87 7.5 Japanese Experimentation 93 7.6 Intoxications and the Oldest Known Mushroom Cult in Africa 95 7.7 Usage in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific Islands 98 8.Some Comments on Effects of Mushrooms from the Category Phantastika 102 9. Psychotherapy 108 10. Outlook 114 11. Bibliography 120 Index 129 Figure 2 - Psilocybe cubensis from Australia Figure 3 - Water color painting of Panaeolus subbalteatus (Germany, 1927).
Figure 4 - Fresh Panaeolus subbalteatus mushrooms. FOREWORD Nobody knows precisely Statistics On Shrooms when the first magic mushroom emerged from the shadows of prehistory to enter the light of consciousness. Nobody knows when the first magic mushroom was eaten by a human being. Nobody knows just who the first magic mushroom eater was. In seeking answers to these questions, we can only speculate. Mycophobes, however, are quick to voice their conviction that only a fool would be reckless enough to want to attain a higher state of consciousness beyond the boundaries of everyday reality. And only a fool would attempt to do this by ingesting those odd little things that mysteriously thrive on decaying, humid soil, rotten wood and malodorous mounds of cow manure. Historically, magic, mushrooms have been feared and hated` since antiquity: magic mushrooms were thought to be made from poisons that had dripped from serpents' fangs; they were considered to be unclean emissions of evil spirits; moreover, mushrooms were a kn The Mazatec Indians, who have a long tradition of using the mushrooms, inhabit a range of mountains called the Sierra Mazateca in the northeastern corner of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. The shamans in this essay are all natives of the town of Huautla de Jimenez. Properly speaking they are Huautecans; but since the language they speak has been called Mazatec and they have been referred to in the previous anthropological literature as Mazatecs, I have retained that name, though strictly speaking, Mazatecs are the inhabitants of the village of Mazatlan in the same mountains.
An enduring personal interest in psychotropic mushroom species can serve to amplify or diminish mycophobic as well as mycophilic dispositions, depending on the influence of other factors. After all, judgments about the benefit or folly of deliberately altering one's state of consciousness are also colored by individual preferences, biases and opinions.
The following chapters are meant to illustrate this diversity of attitudes towards psychotropic mushrooms. Descriptions of planned and involuntary experiments with specific mushroom species offer convincing evidence that the effects of psychoactive mushrooms are open to many possible interpretations. CHAPTER 3 THE CURRENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT EUROPEAN SPECIES Figure 7 - Distribution pattern of Psilocybe cyanescens across Europe and North Africa (according to Krieglsteiner). Black dots indicate approximate locatio
Four of these species are dung (manure) inhabiting mushrooms. They include Psilocybe cubensis and/or Psilocybe subcubensis (known locally as "gold caps" and/or "gold tops"), Psilocybe subaeruginosa, and Copelandia cyanescens (the latter is known locally as "blue meanies"). These four species contain the mind altering alkaloids psilocybine and psilocine and are the most common hallucinogenic mushrooms in Australia. In New Zealand, the most commonly used species are Copelandia cyanescens and Psilocybe semilanceata, the latter species is recognized throughout the world as the "liberty cap"). This species only occurs in manured soil and does not grow directly from the dung of cattle, sheep or other four legged farm animals. Psilocybe cubensis Psilocybe Cyanescens Buy Online the most popular of these species, is Hunting For Shrooms well known throughout much of the world; however, this species is not known to occur in New Zealand. Other species described in this guide are known to occur in manured soil, in pastures, meadows, grazing lands, some lawns and in the bark mulch and woodchips of deciduous woods.
went in waves. Increasingly, all colors in her immediate surroundings coalesced into shades of green. The hallucinations were fearsome; the heads of monsters became visible and a wall opened up into an abyss. There was a succession of human figure with animal heads. The next day, everything was back to normal. The oldest child (age 14) also saw her parents' hair color turn green, had dilated pupils and watched geometric shapes appear on the wall. The youngest child (age 11) experienced cramps and lost consciousness. In 1960, Singer and Guzman suggested that Panaeolus cyanescens might contain psilocybin, because of the intense blue staining they had observed. It wasn't until after the intoxications in Menton had been publicized, that a research team working with A. Hofmann detected 0.2% of psilocybin in the mushrooms. Considering the powerful effects, however, this concentration appears to be too low to cause such impressive reactions. Later on, Sandoz Laboratories reported the level of psilocybin in dried samples as 0.8%, along with 1.2% psilocin. The level of psilocin, however, may have been falsely elevated by the presence of serotonin and its derivates in the mushroom sample that was being tested. According to Stijve, a mushroom sample collected by J.W. Allen in Thailand contained 0.4% - 1.05% of psilocin, with only trace amounts of psilocybin; serotonin was present in large amounts, comparable to concentrations found in all Panaeolus species. Apparently, Panaeolus cyanescens produces more psilocin than psilocybin. Still, I was able to detect 0.4% of psilocybin in mycelia cultivated on malt agar, with no other indole compounds present. Discussion of the Panaeolus species would remain incomplete without pointing out that those subjectively terrifying psychoses reported in 1965 cannot be attributed to a specific mushroom ingredient, but were likely precipitated by the circumstances (set and setting) surrounding the incident. The effects described by J. Allen in Hawaii after eating 20 specimens paint a different picture altogether: With radio music playing softly in the dark, euphoria began to come on in waves. After 20 minutes, visions became so intense that I tried to close my eyes. Whenever 1 did close my eyes, my eyelids felt as if they were being sprayed from the outside. Colors were sharp and clear, but I always quickly opened my eyes again. Colors were dancing like laser beams to the rhythm of the music. The stars in the sky assembled in clusters that reached all the way into my soul. I was a little scared at the idea that the ocean water might rush up all the way into our hut. Other than that, feelings of euphoria were overwhelming. At times, I was overcome by fits of laughter. That night, I slept like "a prince ". The following morning I gathered up my belongings and had to walk back across the pasture where I had collected the mushrooms the day before. I noticed a lot o It has been suggested by an Australian physician that the general public in Australia, as well as members of its drug using subculture, JOCHEN GARTZ MAGIC MUSHROOMS Around the World A Scientific Journey Across Cultures and Time The Case for Challenging Research and Value Systems * LIS PUBLICATIONS * LOS ANGELES, CA* Figure 1 - Water Color Painting of Psilocybe semilanceata (Germany, 1927) TABLE OF CONTENT (With Active Links' Just Click On A Subject To Go To The Page) "Who Was the First Magician?" - Foreword by Christian Ratsch 7 1. Introduction 9 2. Reflections on the History and Scientific Study of Magic Mushrooms 10 3. The Current State of Knowledge About European Species 14 3.1 Psilocybe semilanceata: The Classic Species Among European Psychotropic Mushrooms 16 3.2 Psilocybe cyanescens: Potent Mushrooms Growing on Wood Debris 29 3.3 Panaeolus subbalteatus: Mycology and Myths about the Panaeolus Species 37 3.4 Inocybe aeruginascens: Fast-Spreading New Arrivals 44 3.5 Gymnopilus purpuratus: Magnificent Mushrooms from South America 51 3.6 Conocybe cyanopus: Tiny Mushrooms of Remarkable Potency 55 3.7 Pluteus salicinus: A Little-known Wood-Inhabiting Species 58 4. Mushroom Identification: Taxonomic Confusion and the Potential for Deadly Mistakes 61 5. The Bluing Phenomenon and Metol Testing: Reality vs. Wishful Thinking 63 6. Mushroom Cultivation: Classic Findings and New Techniques 66 7. Psychotropic Mushroom Species Around the World 77 7.1 Spotlight on North America and Hawaii 79 7.2 Mycophilia in Central and South America 82 7.3 Australia's Mycoflora Attracts Attention 84 7.4 European Customs and Conventions 87 7.5 Japanese Experimentation 93 7.6 Intoxications and the Oldest Known Mushroom Cult in Africa 95 7.7 Usage in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific Islands 98 8. Some Comments on Effects of Mushrooms from the Category Phantastika 102 9. Psychotherapy 108 10. Outlook 114 11. Bibliography 120 Index 129 Figure 2 - Psilocybe cubensis from Australia Figure 3 - Water color painting of Panaeolus subbalteatus (Germany, 1927). Figure 4 - Fresh Panaeolus subbalteatus mushrooms. FOREWORD Nobody knows precisely when the first magic mushroom emerged from the shadows of prehistory to enter the light of consciousness. Nobody knows when the first magic mushroom was eaten by a human being. Nobody knows just who the first magic mushroom eater was. In seeking answers to these questions, we can only speculate. Mycophobes, however, are quick to voice their conviction that only a fool would be reckless enough to want to attain a higher state of consciousness beyond the boundaries of everyday reality. And only a fool would attempt to do this by ingesting those odd little things that mysteriously thrive on decaying, humid soil, rotten wood and malodorous mounds of cow manure. Historically, magic, mushrooms have been feared and hated` since antiquity: magic mushrooms were thought to be made from poisons that had dripped from serpents' fangs; they were considered to be unclean emissions of evil spirits; moreover, mushrooms were a kn
" A fresh dosage of Psilocybe cubensis in Australia would be approximately from 1 to 2 large mushrooms weighing up to as much as one fresh ounce, or as many as from 25 to 50 small mushrooms equaling the same weight amount. Ethnopharmacologist Jonathan Ott (1976, 1993) noted that he has observed "the ingestion of from 0.5 gm to 5.9 gm prevent mushrooms on cattle dung dried weight (10 gm to 40 gm fresh)", of various species of Psilocybe. Dosage for Psilocybe subcubensis would be the same as for Psilocybe cubensis.
Both of these latter two species are macroscopically alike. The usual dosage for Copelandia cyanescens required to induce psychedelic visual effects ranges from 1 to 3 large specimens (cap diameter c. 5 mm), or as many as 5 to l0 medium-sized mushrooms (cap diameter c. 2.5 mm); Finding Magic Mushroom however, personal tolerance to this species may occur with continued use, and some who consume large amounts of this mushroom have reportedly ingested as many as 50 to 200 fresh specimens of various sizes.
kansas kansas
later on. An enduring personal interest in psychotropic mushroom species can serve to amplify or diminish mycophobic as well as mycophilic dispositions, depending on the influence of other factors. After all, judgments about the benefit or folly of deliberately altering one's state of consciousness are also colored by individual preferences, biases and opinions. The following chapters are meant to illustrate this diversity of attitudes towards psychotropic mushrooms. Descriptions of planned and involuntary experiments with specific mushroom species offer convincing evidence that the effects of psychoactive mushrooms are open to many possible interpretations. CHAPTER 3 THE CURRENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT EUROPEAN SPECIES Figure 7 - Distribution pattern of Psilocybe cyanescens across Europe and North Africa (according to Krieglsteiner). Black dots indicate approximate locatio
JOCHEN GARTZ
MAGIC MUSHROOMS
Around the World
A Scientific Journey Across Cultures and
Time
The Case for Challenging Research
and Value Systems
* LIS PUBLICATIONS * LOS ANGELES, CA*
Figure 1 - Water Color Painting of Psilocybe semilanceata
(Germany, 1927)
TABLE OF CONTENT (With Active Links' Just Click On A Subject To Go To The Page)
"Who Was the First Magician?" - Foreword by Christian Ratsch 7
1. Introduction 9
2. Reflections on the History and Scientific Study of Magic Mushrooms 10
3. The Current State of Knowledge About European Species 14
3.
1 Psilocybe semilanceata: The Classic Species Among European Psychotropic Mushrooms 16
3.2 Psilocybe cyanescens: Potent Mushrooms Growing on Wood Debris 29
3.3 Panaeolus subbalteatus: Mycology and Myths about the Panaeolus Species 37
3.4 Inocybe aeruginascens: Fast-Spreading New Arrivals 44
3.5 Gymnopilus purpuratus: Magnificent Mushrooms from South America 51
3.6 Conocybe cyanopus: Tiny Mushrooms of Remarkable Potency 55
3.
7 Pluteus salicinus: A Little-known Wood-Inhabiting Species 58
4. Mushroom Identification: Taxonomic Confusion and the Potential for Deadly Mistakes 61
5. The Bluing Phenomenon and Metol Testing: Reality vs. Wishful Thinking 63
6.
Mushroom Cultivation: Classic Findings and New Techniques 66
7. Psychotropic Mushroom Species Around the World 77
7.1 Spotlight on North America and Hawaii 79
7.2 Mycophilia in Central and South America 82
7.3 Australia's Mycoflora Attracts Attention 84
7.4 European Customs and Conventions 87
7.5 Japanese Experimentation 93
7.6 Intoxications and the Oldest Known Mushroom Cult in Africa 95
7.7 Usage in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific Islands 98
8. Some Comments on Effects of Mushrooms from the Category Phantastika 102
9. Psychotherapy 108
10.
Outlook 114
11.
Bibliography 120
Index 129
Figure 2 - Psilocybe cubensis from Australia
Figure 3 - Water color painting of Panaeolus subbalteatus (Germany, 1927).
Figure 4 - Fresh Panaeolus subbalteatus mushrooms.
FOREWORD
Nobody knows precisely when the first magic
mushroom emerged from the shadows of
prehistory to enter the light of consciousness.
Nobody knows when the first magic mushroom
was eaten by a human being. Nobody knows
just who the first magic mushroom eater was. In
seeking answers to these questions, we can only
speculate. Mycophobes, however, are quick to
voice their conviction that only a fool would be
reckless enough to want to attain a higher state
of consciousness beyond the boundaries of
everyday reality. And only a fool would attempt
to do this by ingesting those odd little things that
mysteriously thrive on decaying, humid soil,
rotten wood and malodorous mounds of cow
manure.
Historically, magic, mushrooms have
been feared and hated` since antiquity: magic
mushrooms were thought to be made from
poisons that had dripped Magic Mushroom Hunting from serpents' fangs;
they were considered to be unclean emissions of
evil spirits; moreover, mushrooms were a kn
, and who gorge
themselves on our tax dollars.
I met Jochen Gartz shortly after the fall of
the Berlin Wall at the third symposium of the
European College for the Study of Consciousness
(ECSC) in Freiburg, Germany. Our encounter was
my first contact with a researcher from the former
East Germany. Jochen Gartz's enthusiastic lecture
was a truly consciousnessexpanding event, his
words breaking down traditional borders and
crossing over into new territory. The magic
mushrooms spoke through him - with no trace of
dogma or ideology - in
the tradition of true anarchy that is the hallmark of
mushroom magic.
What I heard was unbelievable.
Jochen spoke of a "new" psychedelic mushroom
and its migration. The mycelia had spread in
concentric circles outward from Leipzig, jumping
all political borders. Finally, when the mycelia
reached West German soil, the hated Berlin Wall
crumbled. Could there possibly be a connection
between the evolution of the magic mushroom and
the evolution of our consciousness? Could a
mushroom have contributed to the resolution of
our political
psilocybe
psilocybe conflicts?
In the past, politicians, even popes, had
their own jesters and magicians, who functioned as
pressure release valves in the machinations of
political power struggles. It is obvious that a
country whose chancellor is being pelted with
eggs, urgently needs a new breed of magician who
are able to readjust reality. But today, no aspiring
magician should go about this task without this
book as a guide for the wondrous journey into the
realm of magic mushrooms.
Christian Rdtsch
Figure 5 - "Anthropomorphic Beings Engaged in Mushroom Dance"
10,000-year-old rock drawing in Tassili, Sahara (Algeria)
CHAPTER 1
I BELIEVE THE TIME HAS COME FOR A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF NEW
FINDINGS FROM THE FIELDS OF MYCOLOGY, TAXONOMY AND NATURAL
PRODUCTS CHEMISTRY
When R.G. Magicmushroomsforsale Wasson, R. Heim and A.
Hofmann began their interdisciplinary research
program to study the Mexican species of
mushrooms and their usage in Mexican
mushroom cults, their efforts culminated in a
1958 landmark report that described the isolation,
molecular structure and synthesis of the
mushrooms' active ingredients: psilocybin and
psilocin. Several years later, these substances
were also identified in a species of mushroom in
Europe, Psilocybe semilanceata, which became the
first in a series of newly Magic Mushroom Forum discovered species. Since
then, psychoactive mushrooms from other genera
have been reported with increasing frequency.
As part of my analytical work dedicated
to the identification of naturally occurring
chemicals, I had the good fortune to be part of a
research team that studied alkaloids found in a
variety of mushroom species. Now I believe the
time has come for a comprehensive review of
new findings from the fields of mycology,
taxonomy and natural products chemistry.
Wasson and his successors have already provided
detailed accounts pertaining to the history and
study of the Me
own
cause of death and disease, bloated stomachs and
insanity. Beliefs such as these have survived to
the present day. They persist, for example,,, as
figures of speech, s u c h as the slick Austrian
description of a societal misfit as someone "who
ate those madness-inducing mushrooms."
But, there is another, very different,
magic mushroom legacy as well.
Flesh of the Gods for Devil Worshippers
The Old World. Mycenaean civilization
began with a mushroom trip -Mushrooms were
an ingredient in the ambrosia of Dionysus.
Porphyrius, the fourth century Latin poet and
contemporary of Emperor Konstantin, knew
that magic mushrooms were the children of the
gods.
WHO WAS THE FIRST MAGICIAN?
A quasi-cannibalistic ritual, the act of eating the
children of the gods unlocked one's power to
experience the truly divine. But not all
mushrooms enable human beings to enter the
realm of divine consciousness. This magic power
resides in only those fungi known as "fool's
mushrooms", which were considered poisonous
and believed to be the spawn of the Devil
throughout the late Middle Ages and well into
modern times.
The New World: The Aztecs in Mexico
referred to a number of small, inconspicuous
mushrooms as teonartacatl, or "flesh of the
Gods." These sacred mushrooms were eaten
during the course of rituals intended to contact
the Gods in order to learn about the world and the
realm of the divine. These magic Magic Mushroom Grow Kit mushroom
rituals thoroughly spooked the Catholic
Spaniards. The mushroom eaters, commonly
thought of as Devil worshippers, were hounded
by the Inquisition. Still, all good things survive
the tests of time, so the cult of magic mushroom
eaters did not become extinct. Like mycelia
underground, the cult continued to flourish, and
at the proper time in recorded history, in 1957,
the fruit of the fully grown mushroom re-surfaced
to draw widespread public attention. Valentine
and Gordon Wasson became the heroes of the
modern neo-mycophilic movement.
Back to the Old World: The revelations
and insights gained from the use of psychoactive
mushrooms were so magically wonderful, that
our native European "fool's mushrooms" - which
were gene ; considered inedible - had to be
recognized as closely related to the magic
mushrooms of Mexico, the flesh of the Aztec
Gods. The souls of magic mushrooms in Mexico
and Germany are essentially made from the same
substance: psilocybin.
Jochen Gartz has made an extraordinary
contribution to the field of mycology by embracing
Germany's magic mushrooms and the scientific
study and testing of these fungi. The research
efforts upon which this book is based require
nothing less than a fearless, brave and courageous
consciousness, free of prejudice and mycophobia. I
am convinced that a researcher's consciousness
infused by the spirit of the magic mushroom is
capable of far deeper scientific insights than we
can ever expect from the usual ivory tower
academics, isolated from reality
CATTLE AS A POSSIBLE DISPERSAL MECHANISM FOR PSYCHOACTIVE DUNG FUNGI One may ask the question, "how did these mushrooms arrive in Australia and New Zealand?" Well some species may be endemic,that is, they were already there naturally. Other species such as the above described dung-inhabiting mushrooms most likelyappeared after the introduction of cattle on the subcontinent.The first livestock to arrive in Australia were brought from the Cape of Good Hope in1788, and included 2 bulls and 5 cows, along with other domesticated farm animals. Byl803, the government owned approximately 1800 cattle, most of which were importedfrom the Cape, Calcutta, and the west coast of America. It was during this period thatsome of the visionary mushrooms mentioned in this field guide probably first appeared inAustralia (Unsigned, 1973). According to Australian mycologist John Burton Cleland(1934), "fungi growing in cow or horse-dung and confined to such habitats, must in thecase of Australia, all belong to introduced species". It is believed to have been the SouthAfrican dung beetle which may have actually spread the spores. According to Englishmycologist Roy Watling of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland, "it must beremembered that fungi can change substrate preferences and there are coprophilousfungi on kangaroo droppings etc." Some mycologists who have studied the "magicmushrooms" in Australia and NZ claim that the "use of P. cubensis as a recreational drugtends to confirm the belief that some] farmers in early
times may have] added one or two basidiomes [gilled mushrooms] to a mealto liven it up and still do] Margot & Watling, 1981)." CATTLE AS A POSSIBLE DISPERSAL MECHANISM FOR PSYCHOACTIVE DUNG FUNGI One may ask the question, "how did these mushrooms arrive in Australia and New Zealand?" Well some species may be endemic,that is, they were already there naturally. Other species such as the above described dung-inhabiting mushrooms most likelyappeared after the introduction of cattle on the subcontinent.The first livestock to arrive in Australia were brought from the Cape of Good Hope in1788, and included 2 bulls and 5 cows, along with other domesticated farm animals. Byl803, the government owned approximately 1800 cattle, most of which were importedfrom the Cape, Calcutta, and the west coast of America.It was during this period thatsome of the visionary mushrooms mentioned in this field guide probably first appeared inAustralia (Unsigned, 1973). According to Australian mycologist John Burton Cleland(1934), "fungi growing in cow or horse-dung and confined to such habitats, must in thecase of Australia, all belong to introduced species". It is believed to have been the SouthAfrican dung beetle which may have Psilocybe Caerulipes actually spread the spores. According to Englishmycologist Roy Watling of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland, "it must beremembered that fungi can change substrate preferences and there are coprophilousfungi on kangaroo droppings etc." Some mycologists who have studied the "magicmushrooms" in Australia and NZ claim that the "use of P. cubensis as a recreational drugtends to confirm the belief that some] farmers in early times may have] added one or two basidiomes gilled mushrooms] to a mealto liven it up and still do] Margot & Watling, 1981)." CATTLE AS A POSSIBLE DISPERSAL MECHANISM FOR PSYCHOACTIVE DUNG FUNGI One may ask the question, "how did these mushrooms arrive in Australia and New Zealand?" Well some species may be endemic,that is, they were already there naturally.
Other species such as the above described dung-inhabiting mushrooms most likelyappeared after the introduction of cattle on the subcontinent.The first livestock to arrive in Australia were brought from the Cape of Good Hope in1788, and included 2 bulls and 5 cows, along with other domesticated farm animals. Byl803, the government owned approximately 1800 cattle, most of which were importedfrom the Cape, Calcutta, and the west coast of America. It was during Magicmushroomsforsale this period thatsome of the visionary mushrooms mentioned in this field guide probably first appeared inAustralia (Unsigned, 1973). According to Australian mycologist John Burton Cleland(1934), "fungi growing in cow or horse-dung and confined to such habitats, must in thecase of Australia, all belong to introduced species". It is believed to have been the SouthAfrican dung beetle which may have actually spread the spores.
According to Englishmycologist Roy Watling of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland, "it must beremembered that fungi can change substrate preferences and there are coprophilousfungi on kangaroo droppings etc." Some mycologists who have studied the "magicmushrooms" in Australia and NZ claim that the "use of P. cubensis as a recreational drugtends to confirm the belief that some farmers in early times may have added one or two basidiomes [gilled mushrooms to a mealto liven it up and still do Margot & Watling, 1981).
" CATTLE AS A POSSIBLE DISPERSAL MECHANISM FOR PSYCHOACTIVE DUNG FUNGI One may ask the question, "how did these mushrooms arrive in Australia and New Zealand?" Well some species may be endemic,that is, they were already there naturally. Other species such as the above described dung-inhabiting mushrooms most likelyappeared after the introduction of cattle on the subcontinent.The first livestock to arrive in Australia were brought from the Cape of Good Hope in1788, and included 2 bulls and 5 cows, along with other domesticated farm animals. Byl803, the government owned approximately 1800 cattle, most of which were importedfrom the Cape, Calcutta, and the west coast of America. It was during this period thatsome of the visionary mushrooms mentioned in this field guide probably first appeared inAustralia (Unsigned, 1973). According to Australian mycologist John Burton Cleland(1934), "fungi growing in cow or horse-dung and confined to such habitats, must in thecase of Australia, all belong to introduced species". It is believed to have been the SouthAfrican dung beetle which may have actually spread the spores. According to Englishmycologist Roy Watling of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland, "it must beremembered that fungi can change substrate preferences and there are coprophilousfungi on kangaroo droppings etc." Some mycologists who have studied the "magicmushrooms" in Australia and NZ claim that the "use of P. cubensis as a recreational drugtends to confirm the belief that some farmers in early times may have added one or two basidiomes gilled mushrooms to a mealto liven it up and still do Margot & Watling, 1981)." Macroscopically, it is extremely difficult to distinguish from Psilocybe semilanceata. Unlike the latter species, however, Psilocybe pelliculosa will grow in forests on wood chips and sawdust. Beug and Bigwood were able to furnish analytical proof in support of the claim that Psilocybe pelliculosa is weaker in its psychotropic effects than comparable species. Psilocybe pelliculosa contains about 30-50% of the amount of psilocybin found in Psilocybe cyanescens (slang names: Blue wavy, Cyan, Grandote), a species common across the Pacific Northwest. It fruits primarily in parks, forming partial fairy rings. This species did not become popular among users until the mid-1970s. species still fruits most abundantly in the fall. A New Psychoactive Mushroom Mushroom Trips as a Popular Sport Several additional Psilocybe species have been found in the Pacific Northwest, even though the taxonomic classification of most of these species remains inadequate, despite the fact that monographs such as those by P. Stamets offer quite detailed descriptions of the psychotropic mycoflora. In the mid-1970s, Guzman and Ott reported a rather spectacular event concerning the spread of a "new" mushroom species. During the fall of 1972, large numbers of a strongly bluing gilled mushroom with a distinct ring pattern were found at the University of Washington in Seattle. The fruiting bodies were found growing on bark mulch, which came from a central distribution point and which had been spread widely across the campus by gardeners. Due to the bluing reaction, students at the university assumed that the mushroom contained psilocybin, a belief that was confirmed later on. The sudden appearance of massive numbers of fruiting bodies quickly inspired students at the university to use the mushrooms as a hallucinogen. In my opinion, it is still uncertain if the mushroom really appeared spontaneously, or whether it fruited on bark debris simply because the substance had previously been mixed with spawn derived from fruiting bodies that originated elsewhere. In any case, in 1976, the mushrooms were named Psilocybe stuntzii Guzman & Ott (slang name: "blue veil" or "stuntzees", (see Figures 54 and 71). Today, the species can be found growing on bark and on lawns in parks, on golf courses, football fields and gardens in numbers so large that it is considered the second most important species in terms of usage, after Psilocybe semilanceata. In addition, Panaeolus subbalteatus is another regionally important mushroom species (slang name: "red cap"), even though its users believe it to be slightly more poisonous than the Psilocybe species. Still, the mushroom is used quite frequently, because it begins to fruit during the spring. The Psilocybe species, on the other hand, do not appear until fall and continue to grow into early winter, when temperatures consistently drop below freezing, which inhibits further fruiting of the spe
n the U.S.)
contribute to the therapeutic process; they may
even be the sole source for future progress.
Under these conditions, stereo music also
significantly deepened the intensity of the
experience. It appears that these kinds of specific
experiences may also account for the remarkable
success of treating terminal patients with LSD to
ease their fears in the face of death and to reduce
even the most severe forms of pain. In many such
cases, symptoms disappeared entirely, and relief
from pain and anxiety that continued even after the
drug's acute effects had worn off. A book by S.
Grof provides a compassionate analysis of such
successful treatments, which serves to underscore
the fact that systematic efforts to investigate these
particular therapeutic benefits have only just
begun.
So far, LSD has been the most widely
studied substance in terms of easing the suffering
of terminally ill patients, as well as dipropyltryptamine
(DPT), a synthetic drug structurally
similar to psilocybin that is active only when
administered by injection.
Below, a young woman from Switzerland
gives a detailed account of her second mushroom
experience. Her first experiment, with Psilocybe
cubensis, had already introduced her to the realm
of mystical experiences. For her second journey,
she used 20 Psilocybe semilanceata mushrooms as
part of a group ritual and achieved transcendence.
A remarkable feature of her
account is that the presence of an experienced
guide was needed to realize the full potential of
this visionary quest.
"1 sat down next to another participant,
seeking to connect with others in preparation for
my journey. We proceeded to eat the fresh
mushrooms. The room grew quiet and lovely
music began to play. The mushrooms's effects
came on much faster than they did during my first
experiment. Twice I tried to establish closer
contact with my fellow participant, but he
www.magicgrowingmushrooms.com was
very nervous, and no source of reassurance for
me.
I was seeking my spiritual companion, but did
not find that person among the present group. I
became a figure in a long, white robe, wandering
aimlessly among the columns (Greece?), still
searching.
My gaze lingered briefly on the wall next
to the door and I saw faces and figures appear
and vanish, but they did not hold my interest. It
was hopeless. I continued my aimless roaming,
and I was on the material plane, which I wanted
to leave - had to leave. Suddenly, I found myself
with one of the guides, who wanted to help me. I
stared off into the distance, longing to be free of
the material plane, but unable to do so. For a Cyanescens Psilocybe Psilocybe Psilocybe long
time, I failed to connect with the guide; our two
worlds were just too different.
Suddenly I sensed
that he wasn't able to look at me directly. The path
by which to reach me runs through my eyes,
because only they are truly alive. I asked
him to help me on my way and invited him to look
into my eyes. I
nutrient requirements Psilocybe felt as if all life energy was
draining from my bo
chemicals buy buy dipropyltryptamine @ 9/4/2010 7:45:19 PM
poop poop cow mushrooms poop
e creek on wood chips of
Carpinus, Alnus and Salix, on raw compost
mixtures of Picea, Pinus and Larix needles,
as
Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan.
Figure 21 - Fruiting curve of Psilocybe
cyanescens based on observations at several
locations in the former Czechoslovakia.
The mycelia make use of different kinds
of plant debris and even grow on wet cardboard,
where they develop into rhizomorphs just like
they would in nature. Rhizomorphs are thick
strands of mycelia that serve to transport
nutrients and water. They also develop intense
blue stains (see Figure 22).
Figure 23
Distribution pattern of Psilocybe
cyanescens in Germany and adjacent areas
(according to Krieglsteiner). Locations are
indicated by black dots.
Figure 22
Psilocybe bohemica
rhizomorphs growing on
wet cardboard.
Figure 24 - Psilocybe cyanescens at a natural location (USA).
Figure Published 25 - Psilocybe bohemica on twigs and leaves.
Impressive Experiences
Psilocybe bohemica is a very psychoactive
species. Its effects are vividly documented in the
following account of one natural scientist's
experience as part of controlled clinical trials in
Prague:
About 30 mg of psilocybin in mushroom
tissue was prepared in hot water, with effects
already noticeable ten minutes after ingestion. I
grew increasingly quiet. At first, my legs began to
tingle, then my underarms as well. Aside from a
deeper breathing rhythm, few other somatic effects
were noted. Initially there were fits of laughter
caused by unusual cognitive associations; this
laughter also affected the two "sober" guides. A
growing hyperacuity interfered with the ability to
listen to music, so that Vivaldi's "Springtime"
caused painful stabs inside the brain. I compared
the pain to that caused by a "sawing knife". The
experimenters appeared bloated and yellow...
Existing bodily characteristics, such as thinning
hair stimulated a person's illusionary
transformation into a monk Published with tonsure. Their
voices also appeared reverent and, from a
somewhat paranoid point of view, these gentlemen
at times seemed to be working a switching station
that, for some reasons, was my enemy. At the same
time, I found both of them to be quite likeable.
During this time period, the other female subject
perceived fantastic images of moving colors and
saw visions of her whole life unfolding behind
closed eyes. During this period, I had the distinct
impression that an electrical current was flowing
through my body, which was not an uncomfortable
sensation. About three hours later, the gentlemen
retired to the kitchen and the nature of the
experience changed quite drastically.
At first I felt as if my legs were increasingly
merging into the wall, a very comfortable
experience. In a state of utter clarity of
consciousness, I finally felt as if I had no body at all.
I said. "The most descriptive expression is the
experience of a pure soul". Using words as triggers,
we were able to induce shared experiences o More than half of Australia's beef cattle can be found in the coastal areas of Queensland and New South Wales; and the 20 to 30 inch (500-750mm) rainfall belt of Queensland, New South Wales and Northern Victoria, generally provide adequate climatic environments for the growth of psilocybian mushrooms, especially after heavy rains. It has been suggested that "Psilocybe cubensis was introduced into Australia accidentally by early settlers along with their livestock." This same spore dispersal mechanism also probably applies to Copelandia cyanescens, Panaeolus subbalteatus and several additional species known to occur in or around the dung of other ruminants. This includes Psilocybe semilanceata and the non-hallucinogenic "haymaker's" mushroom Panaeolina foenisecii. While cattle are raised in all Australian states, as well as in the central lowlands, recreational users have been known to export these psychoptic species to various areas in Australia from areas where they were collected. In the case of New Zealand, hereafter referred to as NZ, cattle are the primary source for Copelandia cyanescens, but the "liberty cap" mushroom Psilocybe semilanceata only grows in the manured soil of four-legged ruminants and not directly from manure (Jansen, Pers. Comm., 1988). The identification section of this guide documents reported locations for more than 1 dozen species of psilocybian mushrooms in Australia and NZ which most likely have been used at one time or another for recreational purposes. More than half of Australia's beef cattle can be found in the coastal areas of Queensland and New South Wales; and the 20 to 30 inch (500-750mm) rainfall belt of Queensland, New South Wales and Northern Victoria, generally provide adequate climatic environments for Magic Mushroom Hunting the growth of psilocybian mushrooms, especially after heavy rains. It has been suggested that "Psilocybe cubensis was introduced into Australia accidentally by early settlers along with their livestock." This same spore dispersal mechanism also probably applies to Copelandia cyanescens, Panaeolus subbalteatus and several additional species known to occur in or around the dung of other ruminants. This includes Psilocybe semilanceata and the non-hallucinogenic "haymaker's" mushroom Panaeolina foenisecii.
While cattle are raised in all Australian states, as well as in the central lowlands, recreational users have been known to export these psychoptic species to various areas in Australia from areas where they were collected. In the case of New Zealand, hereafter referred to as NZ, cattle are the primary source for Copelandia cyanescens, but Hunting For Shrooms the "liberty cap" mushroom Psilocybe semilanceata only grows in the manured soil of four-legged ruminants and not directly from manure (Jansen, Pers. Comm., 1988). The identification section of this guide documents reported locations for more than 1 dozen species of psilocybian mushrooms in Australia and NZ which most likely have been used at one time or another for recreational purposes. as well. Below are
some excerpts from his research protocols:
J.H. (a 24-year-old male) ingested four
cooked mushrooms at night, after a meal (!), and
then ate another three fresh mushrooms 30 minutes
later. This was followed by regurgitation, and 45
minutes later, he started to sweat profusely all over
his head and body. His pulse rate and breathing
were accelerated, but slowed down later on. He
laid down and experienced visual
hallucinations, which caused him to panic and to
run a distance of about 1,200 ft. to consult the
nearest doctor. The physician noted widely dilated
pupils, and proceeded to have the patient's
stomach pumped and then prescribed laxatives.
Three hours later, the abnormal state had largely
subsided; by the next morning, there was no
evidence of any other side effects.
M.K. (a 22-year-old male) ate just one
fresh mushroom, which had no effects at all.
K .Y. (a 31-year-old male) ate five
mushrooms. Regurgitation occurred 30 minutes
after ingestion, followed by sweating around the
head and body; his extremities appeared to be
slightly paralyzed. This paralysis persisted for
another three hours. During this time, the subject
had great difficulties handling a pen for writing,
his mood was depressed and he experienced
hallucinations, such as colorful lights flooding
down from the sky. By the following morning, all
of these effects had dissipated. The fresh fruiting
bodies were bitter, a taste that disappeared after
the mushrooms had been cooked in water.
The above experiments are rather
amateurish, and the descriptions of results are
heavily influenced by a simplistic perspective
which assumes that the mushrooms's
pharmacological effects proceed along a single,
narrow track. Still, these accounts demonstrate
that comparable dosages of Japanese mushroom
species have psychotropic effects similar to those
caused by Psilocybe species found on other
continents.
Much work still remains to be done in the
areas of phytochemistry and taxonomy before the
body of knowledge about psychotropic mushroom
species in Japan can grow to become adequate.
The geographic distribution and ingredients of the
Japanese Panaeolus species must also be studied
further. For instance, Panaeolus subbalteatus is
one of the species that are growing on several
Japanese islands today.
CHAPTER 7.6
INTOXICATIONS AND THE OLDEST KNOWN
MUSHROOM CULT IN AFRICA
So far, the mycoflora of the African
continent has been studied only peripherally and
remains largely unknown. During the late 1980s,
Italian mycologist G. Samorini and Terence
McKenna, working independently, found evidence
for the oldest known mushroom cult in Africa.
Their discoveries were not just sensational, but
most surprising as well. On the other hand, it
really shouldn't come as a surprise that the oldest
traces of human contact with mushrooms were
found on the very continent known as the cradle of
humanity.
10,000 Years Old
From 9,000 to More than half of Australia's beef cattle can be found in the coastal areas of Queensland
. For
that reason, freeze-dried samples for biochemical
analysis are stored at -10°C prior to alkaloid
extractions or chromatography testing. In addition
to the reports from Finland, investigators in North
America have noted that psilocybin's decay rate is
slowest in Psilocybe semilanceata, compared to
other species.
(1) R = H2P03
(2) R = H
Figure 19 - Structural formulas for
psilocybin (1) and psilocin (2).
CH3
CH3
Psilocybe semilanceata
Figure 20 - Distribution pattern of Psilocybe semilanceata in Germany and adjacent areas.
Locations are indicated by black dots.
CHAPTER 3.2
PSILOCYBE CYANESCENS - POTENT MUSHROOMS
GROWING ON WOOD DEBRIS
At least one other Psilocybe species in
addition to Psilocybe semilanceata is known to
exist in Europe. At this point, I must emphasize
that the differentiation of single species within
the Psilocybe genus is subject to considerable
controversy among eminent taxonomists. For
example, Magic Mushrooms Austria Law there are different methods of
distinguishing the Hypholoma genus from the
Stropharia genus.
The Widespread Distribution
of Psilocybe cyanescens
While Psilocybe semilanceata is a species
that has long been clearly defined and is well
known by this name, there are, according to
Krieglsteiner, other strongly bluing mushrooms
that can be described as belonging to the
"Psilocybe cyanescens complex". These are all
mushrooms that grow on raw compost and plant
debris.
In accordance with current states of
knowledge, the following names in the literature
are merely synonyms for Psilocybe cyanescens
Wakefield emend. Krieglsteiner:
different herbariums. However, the microscopic
data pertaining to Danger Of Magic Mushroom the Psilocybe species are poorly
delineated and oftentimes overlap. It is therefore
imperative that additional mycological studies of
Psilocybe cyanescens be performed. To this end,
fresh mushroom samples from various European
locations should be used, and biochemical methods
must be included in the investigation.
Guzman's
division of Psilocybe cyanescens by geographic
area, however, definitely turned out to be
inaccurate.
According to his system, -North Africa
was home to Psilocybe mairei, while Psilocybe
cyanescens were found in England and Holland and
Psilocybe serbica supposedly grew in Serbia and
Bohemia. The geographic distribution of the entire
species seems to cover a vast area, with variations
along climate and terrain at locations where samples
were collected. Such disparate morphologies are to
be expected when dealing
mushrooms cow manure with "young" species,
that is, species that have not yet firmly established
themselves and are still expanding into new
locations.
Figure 7 (p. 14) displays locations in
Europe and North Africa where samples of
Psilocybe cyanescens have been found.
- Hypholoma cyanescens R. Maire
- Hypholoma coprinifacies (Rolland ss.
Herink) Pouzar
- Geophila cyanescens (R. Maire) Kuhner &
Romagnesi
- Psilocybe serbica Moser & Horak
- Psilocybe mairei Singer
- Psilocyb
ure of Psilocybe semilanceata
(with sclerotia formation).
Figure 48 - Inocybe aeruginascens on grassy soil
Figure 49 - Psilocybe cubensis on horse manure and rice.
portions of mycelia whose texture is somewhat
like wool. The kind of viruses known to appear in
champignon cultures - where they have already
caused a lot of damage - have so far not been
found in cultures of the Psilocybe and Panaeolus
species.
It is safe to say that we currently know a
great deal about the nutritional requirements of
Psilocybe cubensis. To a lesser extent, such
information is available about other species as
well. Armed with this knowledge, future
researchers may well discover new insights into
physiology of these species, as well as the
biochemical changes that occur during fruiting.
In my experiments, it has already been
established that the process of differentiation
whereby mycelia are transformed into sclerotia or
fruiting bodies is linked to increased production
of psilocybin as well as psilocin, especially in
Psilocybe cubensis.
Due to the relatively complex
methodology and the type of equipment needed to
isolate and maintain sterile cultures, it appears
unlikely that cultivation of Psilocybe cubensis
mushrooms by laypersons will significantly
heighten the mushroom's popularity or widen its
area of distribution anytime soon.
However, since the early 1980s, growing
numbers of mycophiles in North America and
Europe have successfully used "natural outdoor
cultivation" to fruit Psilocybe cyanescens and
similar species. This process involves selection of
natural wood substrates striated with mycelia
(rhizomorphs) that usually turn blue in response
to handling. The mycelia are then transferred onto
fresh wood chips or commercial mulch (not from
cedar trees). After several months of growth, the
mycelia fruit during the fall season.
Figure 50 - Surface culture of Inocybe aeruginascens on a liquid nutrient medium.
Figure 51 - Panaeolus subbalteatus on cow dung and rice.
Figure 52 - Psilocybe cubensis on wet newspaper.
CHAPTER 7
PSYCHOTROPIC MUSHROOM Magicmushroomsgrowkitreviews SPECIES
AROUND THE WORLD
Figure 53 - Psilocybe cubensis on compost.
Figure 54 - Psilocybe stuntzii (grasslands variety) from British Columbia.
Figure 55 - Giant mushroom sculpture from Kerala, India. There is considerable debate among
experts about the significance and purpose of the sculpture.
Figure 56 - Magic mushrooms & water buffalo t-shirt from Thailand,
designed for the Western tourist market.
CHAPTER 7.1
SPOTLIGHT ON NORTH AMERICA AND HAWAII
In 1961, V.E. Tyler became the first
investigator to report the detection of psilocybin in
Psilocybe pelliculosa (Smith) Singer & Smith,
a North American mushroom species. One year
later, two research groups, working independently,
discovered psilocybin, as well as psilocin, in
samples of Psilocybe baeocystis Singer & Smith
from the Pacific Northwest region of North
America. Additional chemical and taxonomic
findin
Macroscopically, it is extremely difficult to
distinguish from Psilocybe semilanceata.
Unlike
the latter species, however, Psilocybe pelliculosa
will grow in forests on wood chips and sawdust.
Beug and Bigwood were able to furnish
analytical proof in support of the claim that
Psilocybe pelliculosa is weaker in its psychotropic
effects than comparable species. Psilocybe
pelliculosa contains about 30-50% of the amount
of psilocybin found in Psilocybe cyanescens (slang
names: Blue wavy, Cyan, Grandote), a species
common across the Pacific Northwest. It fruits
primarily in parks, forming partial fairy rings.
This
species did not become popular
among users until the mid-1970s. species still fruits most abundantly in the fall.
A New Psychoactive Mushroom Mushroom Trips as a Popular Sport
Several additional Psilocybe species have
been found in the Pacific Northwest, even though
the taxonomic classification of most of these
species remains inadequate, Magicmushroomsforsale despite the fact that
monographs such as those by P.
prevent mushrooms on cattle dung Stamets offer quite
detailed descriptions of the psychotropic
mycoflora.
In the mid-1970s, Guzman and Ott
reported a rather spectacular event concerning the
spread of a "new" mushroom species. During the
fall of 1972, large numbers of a strongly bluing
gilled mushroom with a distinct ring pattern were
found at the University of Washington in Seattle.
The fruiting bodies were found growing on bark
mulch, which came from a central distribution
point and which had been spread widely across the
campus by gardeners. Due to the bluing reaction,
students at the university assumed that the
mushroom contained psilocybin, a belief that was
confirmed later on. The sudden appearance of
massive numbers of fruiting bodies quickly
inspired students at the university to use the
mushrooms as a hallucinogen.
In my opinion, it is still uncertain if the
mushroom really appeared spontaneously, or
whether it fruited on bark debris simply because the
substance had previously been mixed with spawn
derived from fruiting bodies that originated
elsewhere.
In any case, in 1976, the mushrooms were
named Psilocybe stuntzii Guzman & Ott (slang
name: "blue veil" or "stuntzees", (see Figures 54
and 71). Today, the species can be found growing
on bark and on lawns in parks, on golf courses,
football fields and gardens in numbers so large that
it is considered the second most important species
in terms of usage, after Psilocybe semilanceata. In
addition, Panaeolus subbalteatus is
lib another
regionally important mushroom species (slang
name: "red cap"), even though its users believe it to
be slightly more poisonous than the Psilocybe
species. Still, the mushroom is used quite
frequently, because it begins to fruit during the
spring. The Psilocybe species, on the other hand, do
not appear until fall and continue to grow into early
winter, when temperatures consistently drop below
freezing, which inhibits further fruiting of the
spe
Most users of the psychoactive visionary mushrooms have very little knowledge of their scientific names. Instead, they have given their favorite species local epithets which are commonly used by those who collect and ingest
Hallucination Mushrooms On Cow Poop them. Some of these popular names are also known and applied by users outside of Australia and NZ. "Magic Mushrooms" is the most common term applied to any mushroom which contains psilocybine and/or psilocine.
It was invented by a Life Magazine editor in l957 ( see Wasson, l957). Psilocybe cubensis is known in Australia as "golden tops", "gold tops" or sometimes "gold caps." The Australian epithets may have been given to this species by members of a local, drugusing group of surfers which frequented the Gold Coast region of Eastern Australia; however, some of these names have apparently been used to describe several different species Mushroons That Grow In Cow Compost
Hallucination Mushrooms On Cow Poop
of Psilocybe by users in Australia (see Allen, 1997). As mentioned above, Psilocybe cubensis is not known to occur in New Zealand. Those who ingest Copelandia cyanescens, known in Australia and New Zealand as "blue meanies", also refer to this species as "Blue Legs", "golden tops" or "gold caps".The latter two nicknames, as well as "dimple tops" and "cone heads", are common terms applied to Copelandia cyanescens in the Hawaiian Islands; and some of these same popular names have also been used by visiting surfers from both New Zealand and Australia, to describe the macroscopic characteristics of Copelandia cyanescens.
These same surfers visiting Hawaii's North Shore have reportedly ingested mushrooms prior to surfing, as do many of the locally based surfers in Australia and NZ. Much Shrooms The first livestock to arrive in Australia were brought Psilocybe Cyanescens Buy Online from the Cape of Good buy dipropyltryptamine research chemicals Hope in a have been reported from the following countries: Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Russia, Poland, the former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Scotland, England, Wales, Italy and Spain. Unfortunately, there are no comprehensive maps detailing the species's distribution pattern. Traditionally, mycologists have often neglected relatively tiny species, such as Psilocybe semilanceata, that tend to share their habitats with other, more prominent species. The sarcastic phrase "The mushrooms occur in abundance wherever mycologists abound" is particularly pertinent in reference to the Psilocybe species. Prior to the discovery of psilocybin, the Psilocybe genus languished in the literature, shrouded in obscurity. To this day, few 189. Psilocybe semilanceata Fr. Worthless] The cap is uniformly conic to bell-shaped, with a pointy or obtuse center forming an almost wart-like protrusion; initially, caps are often taller than they are wide, margins are bent and curved inward; later on, width of cap is 1.5-4 cm. Hygrophanous; coloration is a dirtyish olive-brown when wet, with translucent striate margins; at the center, coloration is ocher or greenish-yellow against an overall shade of smudgy pale yellow and oftentimes some greenish stains; only the margins are banded by a darkcolored, watery stripe around the edge. No stripes or banding evident when mushrooms are completely dried. Lacking a veil, caps are thin-fleshed, bald, with an easily separable pellicle that remains gelatinous-sticky for a long time, turning shiny when dry. Gills are olive brown to blackish purple brown in color, with the edges often remaining white, gill spacing is quite crowded; gill attachment is either roughly linear or mostly adnexed; up to 3.5 mm wide; attached at the stem only, fully detached later on. Spores are elongated to ellipitical in shape, smooth and large, measuring 12-16 u by 6-8,u. Color of spore dust is blackish purple brown. Stem is very slender, almost uniformly thin and always twisted, 6-12 cm long and 1.25-2 mm thick, yellowish or whitish in color; areas subjected to pressure develop bluishgreen stains. Stems are silky smooth and roughly at the center, cortinate fibrils appear like remnants of a veil, which is brittle and lined with a white fibrous cord of wool-like texture. When dry, the flesh of the cap is colored pale yellow, while the stem's flesh is ocher brown in color, especially towards the bottom. It is odorless and its flavor is mild. The mushroom grows from August to October, frequently in gregarious clusters, and can be found in pastures and along roadways, growing on dung that has undergone complete decomposition. It is not a particularly rare species. Figure 11(above) This excellent description of Psilocybe semilanceata by Michael & Schulz (1927) is shown here as originally published in German, with an English translation. Mycologists sp
As they say, ʼTis the season to be pickingʼ, but make The majority of adverse physical effects or negative psychological reactions produced by "magic mushrooms" generally result from inappropriate set and expectation, or because of improper dosage, which may vary considerably among consumers, different mushroom species, or even within an individual species. The question of dosage is often confused by the variation in the source of the hallucinogenic mushroom species which is consumed. For example, Psilocybe cubensis, when picked and eaten from its natural dung (manure) habitat, produces a relatively mild mindaltering experience, which is evident from the large amounts of fresh specimens needed to achieve a threshold experience. However when grown in vitro (indoor laboratory cultivation and/or illicit cultivation), Psilocybe cubensis apparently can produce a more potent strain capable of inducing a very intense visual, sometimes quite disturbing, experience. This dosage assumes that the consumption of 1 to 3 gm of dried material would be too low if the mushroom specimen came from a wild source. This low potency for Psilocybe cubensis has been confirmed by research scientists Margot & Watling, (1981), who were surprised by the comparatively small amounts of psilocybin and psilocin which they extracted from wild specimens collected from five different locations in Australia. This suggests that a much larger dose would be required to produce significant hallucinations. It is possible that the chemicals most likely degenerated between the time that they were harvested and the time of analysis. However, it should be noted that a strain of Psilocybe cubensis producing different flushes (harvests) will vary somewhat in potency between flushes. INTRODUCTION Mind-altering (psilocybine containing) mushrooms have been traditionally used in religious healing and curing ceremonies by native peoples in Mesoamerica for more than 3,000 years. Today, the recreational use of hallucinogenic fungi by Westerners is widespread, especially in various regions of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Great Britain, Europe (especially in the Netherlands), Scandinavia, South America, Southeast Asia, India, Bali, Samoa; Australia and New Zealand. The modern, non-traditional use of hallucinogenic mushrooms has been stimulated, by media reports in newspapers, magazines, word-of-mouth communication, the World Wide Web and Internet, and also by the scholarly and popular journal publications of the renown ethnomycologist R. Gordon Wasson, (Harvard psychologist Timothy Leary, traveler Jeremy Sanford, health guru Andrew Weil, and others (see Allen , Merlin &Jansen, 1991).This field guide reviews the history of both the accidental and purposeful use of psychoactive mushrooms in Australia and New Zealand. Information in this guide has been gathered from personal experiences in Australia by the author and from reports in the scientific literature, news items appearing in the popular press, and personal communications with Australian and New Zealand (NZ) professionals (Unsigned 1970; O'Neill, 1986). buy dipropyltryptamine research chemicals
There are more than 1 dozen
buy dipropyltryptamine research chemicals
species of Kit Magic Mushroom Spore Kit Magic Mushroom Spore Grow Magic Mushroom Spore Magic "magic mushrooms" in Australia and buy dipropyltryptamine research chemicals New by A. Hofmann, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals
manufactured about 2 kg (ca. 4.4lbs) of
pure psilocybin for scientific research purposes.
The results of pharmacological testing
soon revealed psilocybin as an alkaloid that was
perfectly safe for human subjects under controlled
experimental conditions. Despite this evidence, the
anti-drug legislative framework of the mid1960s
firmly established an "official mycophobia", a
misguided, yet entrenched policy that still prevails
today and effectively prevents the scientific
investigation of promising potential applications
for psilocybin and other alkaloids. At the same
time, mycological and biochemical
research studies have shown that psilocybincontaining
mushrooms thrive all over the world
and can be found on all continents. These
mushrooms are no different from any other
mycoflora and must not be excluded from
scientific investigation because of their alkaloid
content.
In addition to overall variations in value
systems across cultures, individuals tend to
develop their own personal attitudes towards
mushrooms in general. Oftentimes, the evolution
of specific opinions about mushrooms can be
traced back to childhood events, even though such
early experiences seldom account for the
development of prevailing biases and value
systems later in life.
I recall an incident from my own
childhood, which occurred when I was about five
years old. I was playing in a grassy meadow, when
a girl pointed to a brown mushroom and earnestly
explained that it was inedible and poisonous.
While I have never forgotten this encounter, I did
grow up to become a devoted mushroom
enthusiast. On the other hand, a different
childhood event has left me with the vivid memory
of discovering a landfill virtually covered with
vast numbers of gilled bluing mushrooms and the
sense of awe I experienced contemplating this
sight. In general, the unusual characteristics of
these mushrooms are most likely responsible for
strong impressions formed early in life, which then
may develop into various attitudes or beliefs later
on.
An enduring personal interest in
psychotropic mushroom species can serve to
amplify or diminish mycophobic as well as
mycophilic dispositions, depending on the
influence of other factors.
Drug Shrooms After all, judgments
about the benefit or folly of deliberately altering
one's state of consciousness are also colored by
individual preferences, biases and opinions.
The following chapters are meant to
illustrate this diversity of attitudes towards
psychotropic mushrooms. Descriptions of planned
and involuntary experiments with specific
mushroom species offer convincing evidence that
the effects of psychoactive mushrooms are open to
many possible interpretations.
CHAPTER 3
THE CURRENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT
EUROPEAN SPECIES
Figure 7 - Distribution pattern of Psilocybe cyanescens across Europe and North Africa
(according to Krieglsteiner). Black dots indicate approximate locatio