After eating some Psilocybe mushrooms, I felt that my eyes were opened. Not necessarily to any great truth - but to how uniquely suited to human use these fungi are, and how many parallels to religion and mysticism there were in my experience. Indeed, there are even studies - at least two - showing that a psilocybin experience can change a life for the better, and at the very least is a spiritual and significant event in most subjects.

Amanitas are another story, and I have not yet experienced them, but because they are just as prevalent as Psilocybe species, this post will be about them as well.

1.) Judaism: There is ample evidence that the so-called "manna from heaven" was, in fact, the Psilocybe mushroom. Manna was only found once the Jews began to wander as a nomadic people, with herds of sheep and cattle, and entered a wetter area - certainly good conditions for growing these mushrooms (which are often found in the leavings of cattle).

Manna is described as being small, round, and found on the ground "like hoarfrost". It appears at night, comes with the rain or dew, and must be collected quickly, or worms will appear. These are just the conditions required for mushroom growth, and the Psilocybe mushroom in particular fruits quickly, seemingly overnight. Mushrooms are also susceptible to infestation by fly and other larvae - the so-called worms. Psilocybe mushrooms also sprout in clusters of small pins, looking somewhat like hoarfrost.

Manna was "sent from heaven"; the Psilocybe mushroom bruises heavenly blue, and ancient peoples often believed mushrooms came from the sky (some also believing it was lightning that deposited 'shrooms) owing to their lack of roots and general mysteriousness. In Numbers, we learn that the Israelites are now drying and powdering manna to take with them; it is now described as having a light tan color and the texture of a wafer - quite similar to dried magic mushrooms! When the King of Babylon consumed manna, he had visions within the hour. Finally, when the Israelites finally reached the arid land of Canaan, manna disappeared.

It is also written in Exodus that manna will "test" whether someone "walks in [God's] law or not." An entheogenic experience will certainly test an unprepared and unsuspecting person! Manna was painstakingly described (and even saved, by order of Moses) for future generations, and even kept in the holiest place of all: the Ark of the Covenant. Finally, the covenant with God was symbolized by the circumcision of all Jewish males... and some strains of Psilocybes look remarkably like the circumcised penis. (Of course, the Egyptians were also known to practice circumcision, so this one may be a stretch.)

There's even a little evidence that Jesus may have been a mushroom devotee, although this is even more of a stretch in my opinion; link at the end of this post.

2.) Hinduism: Everyone is familiar with "soma", the mysterious plant and/or drink that is praised almost excessively in the Rig Veda and quite a few other writings. It, too, is described as mushroom-like, a small leafless, rootless, seedless plant with a fleshy stalk. The psychoactive mushrooms can sometimes cause gastrointestinal difficulty, and the Rig Veda notes that consumption of soma can sometimes do this. These effects are alleviated by preparing a mushroom tea, and the descriptions of soma preparation indicate something very similar. The cow is sacred in India; possibly because certain Psilocybe species grow in cow dung.

Users of soma became inspired, poetic, and saw holy visions. Even the gods enjoyed it, and provided it. It had a slight taste of honey, as some dried psychedelic mushrooms do. Here's the problem, though: it is also described as being red or golden, growing in the mountains, and associated with certain trees. The Amanita mushroom grows on the trees mentioned - only in the mountains - has a red cap, and tastes of honey when dried and cured. So soma may yet possibly be the Amanita muscaria mushroom instead of the Psilocybe, though the Psilocybe mushrooms are often gold. There is also possible mention of psychoactive urine... which fits nicely with Amanita muscaria, which has this property in its users.

Zoroastrianism also had a similar sacrament called "Haoma", and I have read of Tibetan and Nepalese Buddhists using Psilocybe mushrooms in meditation, but I do not know much more.

3.) Shamanism and indigenous religions: In Mesoamerican cultures, the use of the psychedelic mushroom reached its greatest heights. In much of Central and South America, there have been mushroom-idols dated as far as back as three (or more) thousand years ago - making the mushroom cult one of the oldest religions in the world! The Nahua word for the Psilocybe mushroom, teonanacatl, means "the flesh of gods", and they were considered to be pieces of a certain god who gave them to the Nahua peoples as a great gift. Indeed, there was even a god (Xochipilli) of hallucinogenic plants, mushrooms (called "flowers" by the Aztecs) especially. Teonanacatl is not the only word for them, either - there are entire lists of loving epithets for these mushrooms (divine mushrooms, genius mushrooms, children of the water, etc), and they were used to heal, to prophesy, and in sacred rites.

In areas in and around Siberia, Amanita use is well-documented; again, both for religious reasons, by shamans (who travel to the spirit world using it) and to heal, given to those who are sick in body or spirit. This is where the practice of drinking the urine of someone who has consumed the mushrooms first became noticed. So holy is the 'shroom that none can be wasted! There's even evidence that druids and the Celts used this mushroom, since the druids venerated trees upon which Amanita species grow, and the legend of Cú Chulainn mentions effects similar to the those one experiences when eating Amanita muscaria.

A cave painting depicting obvious mushroom use dates back more than five thousand years; mushrooms with electrified auras are shown outlining a dancing shaman. One theory I came across in a book about shamanism intrigued me; it is only speculation, but it makes sense: (institutionalized) religion came about directly because of the use of hallucinogens. The awed, mystical state of mind they put one in, and the otherworldly visions they show, are strikingly similar to the earliest descriptions we have of the spirit world. When one feels the unity of all life, and sees a different version of the ordinary world, and maybe even converses with strange entities, it is easy to see how one could, if an ancient shaman, formulate theories about souls, gods, and spirits. The idea is that shamans traveled to this other world, saw reality as the "flesh of the gods" showed it, and returned to tell others of what they had learned. In the end, the ideas took on a life of their own and the original method of obtaining information about other planes of existence was forgotten; all that remained was philosophy and teachings handed down over the generations.

This was mostly written from memory, so I apologize for any mistakes. As for my personal beliefs: I'm neutral. I think this is an interesting idea, and as an amateur mycologist I've known that mushrooms in general have influenced man's development, but I'm not so sure about these claims about soma and so forth.

I thought that others here may find this an intriguing look into a little-studied aspect of spirituality and religion, anyway. Maybe I will write another post explaining what I feel the spiritual benefits of these entheogens are, if anyone is interested. Disclaimer: mushrooms are easy to mis-identify, those in genus Amanita especially. Stick with Psilocybe mushrooms unless you are an expert!

To learn more:

Psilocybe: http://www.erowid.org/plants/mushrooms/
Amanita: http://www.erowid.org/plants/amanitas/amanitas.shtml
Some people who REALLY like Amanitas: http://www.ambrosiasociety.org/research_center.html (check out the bit about the Eucharist and New Testament - Jesus bemushroomed?)

This post has been edited by Vilhjalmr: Aug 14 2010, 12:44 AM