vision while on mushrooms

There are more than 1 dozen species of "magic mushrooms" in Australia and New Zealand. 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 the most popular of these species, is 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. Psychoactive

The question of dosage is often confused by the variation in the source of the hallucinogenic mushroom species which is consumed.

Dosages for Psilocybe australiana Guzmán & Watling, Psilocybe eucalypta Danger Of Magic Mushroom identifying shrooms Guzmán &

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 En De of Mazatlan in the same mountains. 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 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 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 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 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 felt as if all life energy was draining from my bo Most recreational users of Psilocybe cubensis (when grown in vitro) require a dosage of 1 to 2 gm of dried mushrooms to produce an altered state of consciousness; a clinical dosage for Psilocybe cubensis, on the other hand, had previously been reported as ranging from 3 to 5 gm of dried Psilocybecyanescensmushroomspores material. This dosage would be comparable to the amount of fungal material consumed for religious purposes in a Mazatec Indian healing and curing ceremony. In 1982, one research team "found that the level of psilocybin and psilocin varies over a factor of 4 among various in vitro cultures of Psilocybe cubensis, while specimens from outdoors varied tenfold.
" 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 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 seattle cyanescens as many as 5 to l0 medium-sized mushrooms (cap diameter c. 2.5 mm); 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 australia shrooms australia picking findingand specimens of various sizes.

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 Mushroons That Grow In Cow Compost all natives of the town of Huautla de Jimenez.
Properly vision while on mushrooms speaking they are Huautecans; but since the language they Mushroons That Grow In Cow Compost 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.

, 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 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. 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 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

It has been suggested by an Australian physician that the general public in Australia, as well Magic Mushroom Grow Kit as members of its drug using subculture,

It

Blue Capped Mushrooms In Rotten Wood With Manure

has been suggested by an Australian Magic Mushrooms Austria Law physician that the general public On Shrooms To Things While Do in Australia, as well as members of its drug using subculture,

and familiarity with psychotropic mushrooms in Europe that is most likely derived from usage of Psilocybes and related species, rather than experience 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 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 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 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 to 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 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. ecialize in the study of Psilocybes, despite the fact that Psilocybe semilanceata is the most common and conspicuous species among the Psilocybes. Also, mushroom lovers whose interests are not purely scientific (see Chapter 7.4) do not usually preserve their knowledge for posterity in the form of distribution maps. However, there is one map from 1986, which shows the distribution pattern of Psilocybe semilanceata across Germany (see Figure 20, p. 28). Almost no published information is available about locations where Psilocybe species have been found in eastern Germany. During my own field trips, I have discovered Psilocybe semilanceata specimens in various locations, such as near my hometown of Mansfeld in the Vorharz Mountains, in the marshlands of Duben as well as in other eastern German marshland areas. In addition, friends who are also mycologists have told me about finding the mushrooms in other parts of the country. A book published in 1952 is among the rare sources that includes details about specimens discovered in the southeastern state of Saxony (see Figure 16, p. 23). The Psilocybe species grow most abundantly on wet pastures surrounded by forest areas. In my experience, Psilocybe semilanceata grows in most of Germany's forestlands. The species fruits during the fall, from late September through October. It favors acidic soil and grassy terrain alongside trails or around the edges of forest lands. Specimens are generally clustered in small groups of 30 mushrooms or less. Deer droppings or other animal feces are usually present at those locations, even though the mushrooms never grow directly on top of dung. Occasionally, extremely stunted specimens may be found in the mountains by the side of the road. The soil below older cow pastures provides an excellent medium for extensive mycelial growth. In some locations, large areas yield an abundance of fruiting bodies, mirroring the extent of mycelial saturation in the soil. Given adequate moisture, maximum yields can be expected, if the pasture was grazed at least once during the weeks before fruiting season. However, the mushrooms also thrive under similar conditions on horse and sheep pastures. Such grassy areas inside forests are usually grazing areas for deer, who provide the soil with additional fertilization. However, Psilocybe semilanceata does not grow in locations where artificial fertilizer has been used. Such pastures are often flanked by creeks or swamp lands, which saturate the soil with water. During the summertime, the warm climate in these wet areas provides an excellent environment for optimal mycelial growth. In Germany, the mushroom's habitat ranges from the coastal areas to mountainous regions, where the species has been found at altitudes of up to 1,720 m (5,160 ft) above sea level (MTB-8443, 1985). In the former Czechoslovakia, samples have been collected at altitudes ranging from 330 to 1,000 m (1,000 -

magic mushroom season

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 Finding Magic Mushroom 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. 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 Psilocybe Caerulipes 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

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 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 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 felt as if all life energy was draining from my bo Most recreational users of Psilocybe cubensis (when grown in vitro) require a dosage of 1 to 2 gm of dried mushrooms to produce an altered state of consciousness; a clinical dosage for Psilocybe cubensis, on the other hand, had previously been reported as ranging from 3 to 5 gm of dried material. This dosage would be comparable to the amount of fungal material consumed for religious purposes in a Mazatec Indian healing and curing ceremony. In 1982, one research team "found that the level of psilocybin and psilocin varies over a factor of 4 among various in vitro cultures of Psilocybe cubensis, while specimens from outdoors varied tenfold." 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 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); 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.

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 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 Shrooms 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

F.P.Queensland 55

It has been suggested by an Australian physician that the general public in Australia, as well as members of Mushrocks Erfahrung its drug Psilocube semilanceata using subculture, Dosages for Psilocybe australiana Guzmán & Watling, Psilocybe eucalypta Guzmán & Existing evidence indicates that man in the Old World —Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia—has made less use of native plants and shrubs for their hallucinogenic properties than has man in the New World. There is little reason to believe that the vegetation of one half of the globe is poorer or richer in species with hallucinogenic properties than the other half. Why, then, should there be such disparity? Has man in the Old World simply not discovered many of the native hallucinogenic plants? Are some of them too toxic in other ways to be utilized? Or has man in the Old World been culturally less interested in narcotics? We have no real answer. But we do know that the Old World has fewer known species employed hallucinogenically than does the New World: compared with only 15 or 20 species used in the Eastern Hemisphere, the species used hallucinogenically in the Western Hemisphere number more than 100! Yet some of the Old World hallucinogens today hold places of primacy throughout the world. Cannabis, undoubtedly the most widespread of all the hallucinogens, is perhaps the best example. The several solanaceous ingredients of medieval witches' brews—henbane, nightshade, belladonna, and mandrake—greatly influenced European philosophy, medicine, and even history for many years. Some played an extraordinarily vital religious role in the early Aryan cultures of northern India. The role of hallucinogens in the cultural and social development of many areas of the Old World is only now being investigated. At every turn, its exte , 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 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. 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 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 was followed by a very vivid sensation of the soul in flight, coupled with feelings of euphoria.When looking out the window into the dark night of a forest landscape, visions of strange patterns and formations occurred, which were deeply impressive and seemed to impart an Psilocybe Cyanescens Mushroom Spores inkling of eternity.
At the end of four hours, the effects had dissipated without dysphoria or any type of somatic side effect. A control experiment for comparison purposes was performed using 0.8 g of dried Psilocybe semilanceata.
The onset of symptoms was much more sudden, including a heavy flow of tears, so that there was an initial phase of anxiety. Only in a later phase of the experience was it possible to perceive ornaments in the form of "underwater streamers", and Law Mushrooms Austria Magic to appreciate the aesthetically enhanced nature of these visions. The regular pattern of. involuntary intoxications is a good indicator for the large scope of expansion of Inocybe aeruginascens into new habitats during the 1980s. For example, at the time of the initial intoxications - when the species was still restricted to a few easily quantifiable collections - the mushrooms had spread from Potsdam to the location known in 1982, and from there moved on to several other locations in the vicinity, where more than 150 mushrooms were found (see Figure 34). Symbiosis With Trees Starting in late May 1984, fruiting bodies of the species could be found in abundance at countless new locations across the Brandenburg region of Germany. They tend to grow near the roots of different deciduous trees (Populus, Tilia, Quercus, Betula), on lawns in parks and gardens, at the edges of trails and in the paved margin areas of tree-lined sidewalks (where they may even grow on bare, sandy soil) as well as amongst the greenery of residential areas in the suburbs and communities in and around Berlin. Herein lies the most marked difference between Inocybe aeruginascens and other European psychotropic mushroom species: Inocybe aeruginascens grows only in areas of human development. Their prime locations are in the middle of villages and towns, where they grow locally much like other Inocybe species. They may temporarily produce mass quantities of fruiting bodies, in those locations that are typical habitats for the edible varieties of the fairy ring mushroom. So far, the most abundant crop of fruiting bodies was observed in 1987, due to very wet weather conditions, which allowed the mushrooms to thrive.
The following years were comparatively dry and the species hardly fruited at all. It wasn't until 1990 that a few mushrooms re-emerged at the classic location in Potsdam. Despite 1989 having been a bad year for mushrooms, it was the year when Inocybe aeruginascens was found for the first time at four locations in and around Rostock, a city located on the Eastern German coast, which is famous for its wet climate. Finding the mushrooms at these locations is evidence for a mu

This Mushroomscowmanure document provides complete panaeolus subbalteatus spore print directions for cultivating psilocybin

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Psilocybe australiana

It has been suggested by an Australian physician that the general public in Australia, as well as members of its drug using subculture, first became aware of the visionary properties of these psychoactive mushrooms by a visiting surfer(s), who came from either New Zealand or the United States (Hawaii) and most likely provided ethnomycological information to local surfers (McCarthy, 1971). This physician reported that the use of psychoactive mushrooms, as well as 21 other drugs "was well demonstrated during a survey on drug abuse that was conducted in Southern Queensland during l969." This survey relied on interviews of 51 people belonging to "the `surfer' subculture local beach resorts". In this report, the doctor believed that "although the survey involved surfers and their female friends, there is no suggestion that the use of these drugs is confined to this group, which constitutes but a proportion of our (Australian) young drug taking community." It is thus likely that word-of-mouth communication made a significant contribution to the increasing use of "magic mushrooms" in Australia and NZ. Existing evidence indicates that man in the Old World —Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia—has made less use of native plants and shrubs for their hallucinogenic properties than has man in the New World. There is little reason to believe that the vegetation of one half of the globe is poorer or richer in species with hallucinogenic properties than the other half. Why, then, should there be such disparity? Has man in the Old World simply not discovered many of the native hallucinogenic plants? Are some of them too toxic in other ways to be utilized? Or has man in the Old World been culturally less interested in narcotics? We have no real answer. But we do know that the Old World has fewer known species employed hallucinogenically than does the New World: compared with only 15 or 20 species used in the Eastern Hemisphere, the species used hallucinogenically in the Western Hemisphere number more than 100! Yet some of the Old World hallucinogens today hold places of primacy throughout the world. Cannabis, undoubtedly the most widespread of all the hallucinogens, is perhaps the best example. The several solanaceous ingredients of medieval witches' brews—henbane, nightshade, belladonna, and mandrake—greatly influenced European philosophy, medicine, and even history for many years. Some played an extraordinarily vital religious role in the early Aryan cultures of northern India. The role of hallucinogens in the cultural and social development of many areas of the Old World is only now being investigated. At every turn, its exte

, 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 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, Psilocube Semilanceata 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. 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 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 Psilocube Semilanceata 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

MUSHROOMS MUSHROOMS IN WOOD MUSHROOMS MANURE CAPPED WOOD

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 panaeolus subbalteatus spore print Me

As they say, ʼTis the Magicmushroomsaustrialaw season to be pickingʼ, but make

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 and familiarity with psychotropic mushrooms in Europe that is most likely derived from usage of Psilocybes and related species, rather than experience 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 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 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 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 to 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

Psilocybecyanescensmushroomspores align="justify"> drawing drawing drawing drawing shrooms Dosages for Psilocybe identifying shrooms australiana Guzmán & Watling, Psilocybe eucalypta Guzmán Danger Of Magic Mushroom &

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 Mushroom Michigan Michigan 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 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).
"

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 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 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).

Most recreational users of Psilocybe cubensis (when grown in vitro) require a dosage of 1 to 2 gm of dried mushrooms to produce an altered state of consciousness; a clinical dosage for Psilocybe cubensis, on the other hand, had previously been reported as ranging from 3 to 5 gm of dried material. This dosage would be comparable to the amount of fungal material consumed for religious purposes in a Mazatec Indian healing and curing ceremony. In 1982, one research team "found that the level of psilocybin and psilocin varies over a factor of 4 among various in vitro cultures of Psilocybe cubensis, while specimens from outdoors varied tenfold." 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 dried weight (10 gm to 40 gm fresh)", Magic Mushroom Grow Kit 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

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c. 2.5 mm); 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.

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 Mushrocks Testbericht appears that these kinds of specific experiences may also account for the remarkable success of treating Mushrocks Testbericht terminal patients with LSD to ease their fears in the face of death and to reduce even the most severe Mushrocks Erfahrung 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 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, Magic Mushroom Northern Victoria 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 panaeolus panaeolus panaeolus subbalteatus through Danger Of Magic Mushroom 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 felt as if all life energy was draining from my bo

It has been suggested by an Australian physician that the general public in Australia, as Magicmushroomsforsale well as members of its drug using subculture, first became aware of the visionary properties of these psychoactive mushrooms by a visiting surfer(s), who came from either New Zealand or the United States (Hawaii) and most likely provided ethnomycological information to local surfers (McCarthy, 1971). This physician reported that the use of psychoactive mushrooms, as well as 21 other drugs "was well demonstrated during a survey on drug abuse that was conducted in Southern Queensland during l969." This survey relied on interviews of 51 people belonging to "the `surfer' subculture local beach resorts". In this report, the doctor believed that "although the survey involved surfers and their female friends, mushroons that grow in cow compost there is no suggestion that the use of these drugs is confined to this group, which constitutes but a proportion of our (Australian) young drug taking community." It is thus likely that word-of-mouth communication made a significant magic mushroom season contribution En De to the increasing use of "magic mushrooms" in Australia and NZ. . 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, 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 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 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 ed and large numbers of studies were conducted, primarily with LSD. These investigators sought to discover the receptor binding sites for hallucinogenic compounds in the brain and to understand the mechanisms underlying the genesis of psychedelic visions. Today, we still lack a sound theoretical framework able to explain the relationship between chemical compounds and the manifestation of their psychoactivity. Even though basic research is certainly important, its methods, unfortunately, are often a function of a rather one-sided pharmacological approach to investigating the effects of psilocybin, LSD and mescaline - an approach that is, in fact, too narrow to address the remarkably unusual nature of these substances and their effects. Misunderstandings between pharmacologists and toxicologists on the one hand and psychiatrists and psychologists on the other can often be traced all the way back to the 1950's, creating a legacy of disputes and arguments that have yet to be resolved. S. Grof undertook the tedious task of analyzing 5,000 experimental LSD protocols in an effort to isolate "absolute" symptoms that are reported or occur all of the time. His results were negative. According to Grof, hallucinogenic substances are non-specific triggers causing a sequence of altered states of consciousness, which do not fit the syndrome labeled "toxic psychosis". Rather, it is the individual's personality, along with the experimental setting that significantly shape the nature of the psychedelic experience. This view is shared by a majority of experts with considerable experience in conducting psychedelics-assisted psychotherapy. Even "real" somatic symptoms, such as nausea or vomiting, can often be controlled through psychological intervention techniques administered by trained professionals. A Plethora of Names The broad range of possible experiences inspired the use of labels other than "hallucinogens", with widely differing semantic connotations: entheogens, psychedelics, illusionogens, psycholytics, psychomimetics, psychodysleptica, psychoemetics and others. "Phantastica" (Lewin) is the oldest label ever used to describe this class of substances. This term successfully evokes dream-like, fanciful aspects of the experience, as well as the potential for euphoric and dysphoric emotional overtones. More recent terminology often says more about semantic biases of those who use the labels than about any factual, objective characteristics of the alkaloids they refer to. Accordingly, official antidrug propaganda since the 1960's has disparaged "psychedelics" as excessively glamorous and too positive a label, as the term was popular among Timothy Leary's fans and supporters. When used in low doses or for the first time, these substances are most likely to bring about a kind of magical transformation of surroundings, with a heightened ability to perceive subtle differences along the color spectru 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 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 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

ed and large numbers of studies were conducted, primarily with Drug taking shrooms Drug LSD. These investigators sought to discover the receptor binding sites for hallucinogenic compounds in the brain and to understand the mechanisms underlying the genesis of psychedelic visions. Today, we still lack a sound theoretical framework able to explain the relationship between chemical compounds and the manifestation of their psychoactivity. Even Statistics On Shrooms though basic research is certainly important, its methods, unfortunately, are often a function of a rather one-sided pharmacological approach to investigating the effects of psilocybin, LSD and mescaline - an approach that is, in fact, too narrow to address the remarkably unusual nature of these substances and their effects. Misunderstandings between pharmacologists and toxicologists on the one hand and psychiatrists and psychologists on the other can often be traced all the way back to the 1950's, creating a legacy of disputes and arguments that have yet to be resolved. S. Grof undertook the tedious task of analyzing 5,000 experimental LSD protocols in an effort to isolate "absolute" symptoms that are reported or occur all of the time. His results were negative. According to Grof, hallucinogenic substances are non-specific triggers causing a sequence of altered Psilocube semilanceata states of consciousness, which do not fit the syndrome labeled "toxic psychosis". Rather, it is the individual's personality, along with the experimental setting that significantly shape the nature of the psychedelic experience.
This view is shared by a majority of experts

Psilocube semilanceata

with considerable experience in conducting psychedelics-assisted psychotherapy.
Even "real" somatic symptoms, such as nausea or vomiting, can often be controlled through psychological intervention techniques administered by trained professionals. A Plethora of Names The broad range of possible experiences inspired the use of labels other than "hallucinogens", with widely differing semantic connotations: entheogens, psychedelics, illusionogens, psycholytics, psychomimetics, psychodysleptica, psychoemetics and others. "Phantastica" (Lewin) is the oldest label ever used to describe this class of substances.
This term successfully evokes dream-like, fanciful aspects of the experience, as well as the potential for euphoric and dysphoric emotional overtones. More recent terminology often says more about semantic biases of those who use the labels than about any factual, objective characteristics of the alkaloids they refer to. Accordingly, official antidrug propaganda since the 1960's has disparaged "psychedelics" seattle cyanescens as excessively glamorous and too positive a label, as the term was popular among Timothy Leary's fans and supporters. When used in low doses or for the first time, these substances are most likely to bring about a kind of magical transformation of surroundings, with a heightened ability to perceive subtle differences along the color spectru

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. 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 Existing evidence indicates that man in the Old World —Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia—has made less use of native plants and shrubs for their hallucinogenic properties Mushroom Shrooms psilocybe caerulipes than has man in the New World.
There is little reason to believe that the vegetation of one half of the globe is poorer or richer in species with hallucinogenic properties than the other half. Why, then, should there be such disparity? Has man in the Old World simply not discovered many of the native hallucinogenic plants? Are some of them too toxic in other ways to be utilized? Or has man in the Old World been culturally less interested in narcotics? We have no real answer. But we do know that the Old World has fewer known species employed hallucinogenically than does the New World: compared with only 15 or 20 species used in the Eastern Hemisphere, the species used hallucinogenically in the Western Hemisphere number more than 100! Yet Mushroom Shrooms some of the Old World hallucinogens today hold places of primacy throughout the world. Cannabis, undoubtedly the most widespread of all the hallucinogens, is perhaps the best example.

Gymnopilus Purpuratus

The several solanaceous ingredients of medieval witches' brews—henbane, nightshade, belladonna, and mandrake—greatly influenced European philosophy, medicine, and even history for many years. Some played an extraordinarily vital religious role in the early Aryan cultures of northern India. The role of hallucinogens in the cultural and social development of many areas of the Old World is only now being investigated. At every turn, its exte