“One side will make you grow taller, and the other side will make you grow shorter."
The Caterpillar, from Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"
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What does Amanita Muscaria Do?
Sacred Spiritual Tonic or Deadly Toxin?
Have you seen the Amanita Muscaria mushroom popping up everywhere and wondered,
"What does Amanita Muscaria do, anyway?"
You know the one—a brilliant red cap sprinkled with charming white spots.
The one that dates back at least 5000 years in the Hindu and Vedic texts and touts benefits like:
- enhanced energy, cognition, and immunity
- help with addictions
- potent nerve tonic, analgesic, and relaxant
- enhanced creativity and perception
- euphoria and mood enhancement
- spiritual and mystical experiences
- sedation and a waking dream state
Also known as the Fly Agaric.
The most famous mushroom in the world.
Also the mushroom in countless paintings with Jesus housed in the bowels of the Vatican according to the acclaimed book, The Immortality Key, earning the most famous human in the world the name, "The Mushroom Man".
The Immortality Key was the answer the critics of the psychedelic Christian theory begged for.
You're here reading this so you're probably driven by the same curiosity that has captivated humans for centuries.
First things first
Let's talk about identification, because with mushrooms, this is everything!
The Amanita muscaria is a real showstopper.
It typically has a vibrant red to orange-red cap, though it can sometimes be yellowish.
Those famous white spots are actually remnants of a universal veil, a thin membrane that covers the mushroom when it's young.
They can wash off in the rain, so don't rely on them alone!
Look underneath for its free, white gills. The stem should be white with a distinct skirt-like ring (called an annulus) and a bulbous, shaggy base.
Please, I cannot stress this enough: never, ever consume a mushroom you are not 100% certain about.
Especially this species!
Although rare, believe it or not, this mushroom is fatal at high doses.
While death is rare, it has been reported as an outcome, including a case reported in the last year of a 44-year-old man who died after ingesting 4 dried Amanita muscaria mushroom caps.
The first documented case of hospitalization due to Amanita muscaria consumption in the United Kingdom was reported in July 2023.
This case involved a 46-year-old woman who had ingested dried mushrooms (0.5 grams) daily for 2 weeks as part of what is referred to as a “microdosing” regimen that was being followed in an attempt to reduce anxiety without inciting psychotropic properties.
She reportedly purchased 20 grams of Amanita muscaria mushrooms from a website advertised on social media.
-Science Direct
Speaking of safety...
If you have little ones or furry friends running around, this is a mushroom you need to be especially careful with.
In its raw state, *Amanita muscaria* is considered toxic.
The compounds that cause its unique effects can also cause:
- severe gastrointestinal distress,
- confusion, and
- muscle spasms
A curious dog or a wandering toddler might be drawn to its bright, toy-like appearance, which could lead to a very scary trip to the emergency room.
So, if you're foraging or even just have them in your yard, treat them with the same respect and caution you would any potent substance: keep them well out of reach of children and pets.
Shamans drinking reindeer's urine...say what?!
This mushroom isn't just a pretty face; it has a history that's wilder than you can imagine!
For centuries, it has been a cornerstone of folklore and shamanic rituals, particularly in Siberia.
Shamans would consume the mushroom to journey into other worlds.
Some scholars even theorize it was the "Soma," a divine drink mentioned in ancient Hindu texts.
Have you ever wondered about the origins of Santa Claus?
Here’s a fun one for you:
Some historians believe the legend is linked to these Siberian shamans who, after consuming the mushrooms, would enter homes through the chimney (since snow blocked the door) to deliver their "gifts."
Flying reindeer, red and white suits... the connections are pretty mind-blowing, right?
Although it makes so much more sense in my brain than how Santa Claus is connected to Jesus and Christmas.
My favorite book, Santa Sold Shrooms, tells this story, and is the exact book that set the hook for me in 2018 and started me in this mushroom rabbit hole I can't seem to get out of.
The winter solstice ceremonies of indigenous Siberian peoples, like the Koryaks, share eerily remarkable similarities with modern Christmas traditions.
These rituals, led by shamans, centered on the Amanita muscaria mushroom, a red-and-white fungus that grew near pine trees.
To prepare the mushrooms for consumption, they were often dried on pine branches, resembling Christmas ornaments, or placed in socks hung over the fire, much like Christmas stockings.
Reindeer were also integral, as they could safely eat the toxic mushrooms; shamans would then drink the reindeer's urine, which filtered the poison but kept the hallucinogenic effects, to induce feelings of joy and increased strength.
For the thousands of years that have passed since the Rig Veda was composed, the memory of the divine Soma has been maintained in a fossilized form, so to speak, in the fly-agaric.
R. Gordon Wasson, from "Soma: Divine Mushroom of Immortality"
So, what does Amanita Muscaria do?
So, let's get to the heart of it.
What does amanita muscaria do when it enters your system?
Unlike psilocybin mushrooms that work on your serotonin receptors, this one plays a completely different game.
The mushroom contains two key compounds: ibotenic acid and muscimol.
When you dry or cook the mushroom (a process called decarboxylation), the ibotenic acid, which is a bit of a harsh neurotoxin, converts into the much gentler muscimol.
Muscimol is the star of the show! It works on your brain's GABA-A receptors.
Think of GABA as your brain's primary "off" switch—it's the neurotransmitter that tells your brain to calm down, relax, and quiet the noise.
I've often heard A. Muscaria referred to as "mushroom Xanax".
Hmmm...sounds like the touted benefits, huh?
People often report a profound sense of peace, as if they're wrapped in a warm, heavy blanket.
Is Amanita Muscaria a psychedelic?
Based on the science, the answer is technically no, not in the classic sense, anyways.
Psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD are defined by their action on serotonin 2A receptors, which is what creates that classic "trippy" experience with the swirling fractals.
Because muscimol works on GABA receptors, it's more accurately classified as a dissociative or a deliriant.
It doesn't dissolve your ego in the same way; instead, it can feel like it's detaching you from reality in a dream-like, sedative way.
It’s a different door to a different room of perception.
Amanita Muscaria vs. Psilocybin cubensis
Let's put it side-by-side with its more famous cousin, Psilocybe cubensis (the common "magic mushroom").
It's like comparing a deep, meditative chant to an electric guitar solo.
Psilocybin often blasts your consciousness wide open with vibrant colors, deep emotional insights, and a feeling of universal connection.
It's an active, often intense, internal journey.
Amanita muscaria, on the other hand, is more like being lulled into a lucid dream.
It’s characterized by muscle relaxation, a sense of floating, time distortion, and that cyclical, dream-like thinking.
Both are powerful tools for exploring consciousness, but they take you down very different paths.
Amanita Muscaria benefits for the brain
With its unique effect on the brain's "calm down" system, there's a growing conversation around amanita muscaria benefits for the brain.
Many people in online communities and forums are exploring its potential for:
- managing anxiety
- easing insomnia, and even
- helping with pain relief
The theory is that by activating the GABA system, muscimol can help put the brakes on an overactive, anxious mind, allowing for deep rest and recovery.
While we are still waiting for modern science to catch up with extensive clinical trials, the anecdotal evidence from thousands of users who have found relief is compelling and points to a promising future for this ancient healer.
The earliest written reference to the consumption of fungi as a medicine, rather than a food, is within the Sanskrit hymns contained in Rig veda, which forms a part of the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, the Vedas. In one of the hymns (Book 8, hymn 4, stanza 3) 'Soma' is described as an inebriating ritual drink, which was thought to infer divine powers on those who drank it (RSCEducation):
We have drunk Soma and become immortal;
We have attained the light, the Gods discovered.
Now what harm may foeman's malice do to harm us?
What, O immortal, mortal man's deception?
Vedas
Among some Siberian peoples, the fly-agaric was used by shamans to achieve a trance state, believing it allowed them to travel to the spirit world.
Is Amanita Muscaria even legal??
You'll be happy to know that in most places, it is!
But remember! This mushroom can kill you!
Amanita muscaria is federally legal in the United States and is not scheduled under the Controlled Substances Act.
The one major exception is the state of Louisiana, where it is illegal to cultivate or possess with the intent to consume for its psychoactive properties.
It's also legal in most other countries around the world. Of course, laws can always change, so it’s a good habit to double-check the specific regulations in your city, state, or country before you decide to forage or purchase.
Mycologist Tom Volks says he has seen squirrels in Wisconsin hording their stash safely out of biped reach in a tree canopy.
Indeed, while slug and insect damage are common on most mushroom species, the fly agaric is one of the only fungi I see that frequently has several large chomps taken out of the cap, clearly mammalian in origin. I have long wondered if the culprits are deer, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, or a combination of furry denizens of the forest.
Mushroom Forager
I have actually witnessed this myself in nature...a beautifully enticing Amanita Muscaria with a rodent-sized microdose bite taken right out of it.
So, where do you go from here?
This beautiful, mysterious mushroom is a powerful teacher, but it demands respect, knowledge, and responsibility.
I personally have not dabbled with this species of mushroom, other than identifying when foraging...it kind of scares the shit out of me.
I wish I could get Jesus' recipe!
The answer to "What does amanita muscaria do?" is that it opens a door to a unique state of consciousness—a dream-like calm that is unlike anything else.
It's not a party drug, (but then again, I don't believe magic mushrooms are, either) but a tool that has been used for centuries for healing and spiritual exploration.
If your path leads you to work with this fungus, I encourage you to continue learning from trusted sources, always prioritize safety through proper identification and preparation, and approach the experience with a clear and respectful intention.
Your journey toward healing is your own, and ancient allies like this one are waiting to be rediscovered.
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