š The Amazing Fungi š
Fungi, sounds gross does it not? No not to me, now I find The Kingdom of Fungi to be magnificent! To me not only are they delicious, they are nutritious, medicinal, and are a part of my spiritual diet as well. Mushrooms are the fruit of mycelium ( the vegetative part of a fungus ), and today I am going to share with you some photo's I have taken of some mushrooms during my walk in a small coniferous forest in Bonney Lake, Washington. I have also identified some through a Facebook group I belong to and will include the information I have researched. š
The Search for The Magic Fungi
My interest for " Magic " Mushrooms goes back to my teenage years, little did I know then that I would be forever be on the hunt of mind expansion. Also through my countless years of research & self experiments I have grown to have a huge respect for these entheogenic teachers, I owe them a lot for directing me through some very hard and depressing times and for helping me understand myself and how we and everything else is connected.
Unfortunately I didn't find any spiritual teachers on this hike, nor have I ever on any of my hikes, but I will continue my search and hopefully even meet someone who knows where and what to look for. God knows I don't want to kill myself eating something I shouldn't have. A majority of people would say I seek drugs out, I do not see things so black & white. I see things in a more colorful perspective and I like to think outside the box. I am a firm believer of owning my own body.
āIf the words ālife, liberty, and the pursuit of happinessā donāt include the right to experiment with your own consciousness, then the Declaration of Independence isnāt worth the hemp it was written on" - Terence Mckenna
Did you know that fungi are more closely related to animals than they are to plants? Perhaps that is why they make such good substitute for meat in veggie burgers.
Fungi are also intriguing because their cells are surprisingly similar to human cells, McLaughlin said. In 1998 scientists discovered that fungi split from animals about 1.538 billion years ago, whereas plants split from animals about 1.547 billion years ago. Oct 23, 2006 - science daily
šShrooms I Have Foundš
Suillus luteus
The two photo's below are an edible mushroom by the name of Suillus luteus also known as The Slippery Jack.I found it down the street from the house where the bus stops to pick kids up for school. It definately looked strange to me. I first thought it to be poisionous but thanks to mushroom identification fourm I was able to find someone who knew what it was.
They say it tastes of buttery chicken fat, and is considered a delicacy in Slavic cultures. Who'd have known? I should try it sometime.
Fomitopsis pinicola A.K.A. The Red Belted Conk
Not too far from my sisters home is a small wooded area that over the years I have come to like walking through. As I constantly search for magical mushrooms I come into contact with all sorts of fungi. This last time I encountered what looked to me like a Reishi mushroom ( a medicinal polypore mushroom from Japan ), turned out to be a medicinal mushroom called Fomitoopsis pinicola.
Pinicola means āinhabiting pineā, pine tree's are its most common home.
Medicinal Properties
I did some searching on Google and I discovered many uses for this particular fungi, here is a shortend list of its medicinal properties:
- Anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, immuno-modulating, anti-pathogenic, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, adaptogenic.
- 30 mg/day shows a prevention rate of 51.2% against sarcoma & cancer cells.
- Has been shown to regulate blood sugar.
- The Native American Cree Tribe used it to stop bleeding and as a powerful emetic.
- Used traditionally as a tonic to reduce inflammation of the digestive tract.
Resources:
- https://www.ashandthorn.ca/single-post/2017/06/12/Red-Belted-Mushroom-A-Powerful-Ally
- https://reishiandrosesbotanicals.com/2015/04/05/fomitopsis-pinicola/
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061021115712.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suillus_luteus#Edibility
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/MushroomID/
