newcomer to amanita - shamanic / healing perspective

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Zee
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newcomer to amanita - shamanic / healing perspective

Post by Zee » Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:25 pm

I have not tried Amanita--yet. I do have the dried European ones in my cupboard, waiting till I'm ready to use it. I will use a very low dose.

Let me be clear that this is NOT something I particularly want to do. I have had bad experiences with pharmaceuticals, I'm on the Aspergers spectrum, and I'm VERY sensitive to medication. I've never liked the feeling of being drunk / etc. I do not do recreational....anything.

I do use CBD occasionally for anxiety, fairly low doses infrequently, and I use mushrooms for nutritional and health benefits (chaga, Lions Mane, Cordyceps, turkey tail, reishi, etc). I'm interested in herbal and natural remedies, as well as the nonordinary aspects of healing.

I'm also on a shamanic path, so I follow certain paths that others don't, which lead to interesting places (and more emotional healing than I've gotten elsewhere). Recently amanitas were being pointed out to me at an increasing rate. First I was seeing them on tumblr and reblogging because they're so pretty, then I became curious and started to investigate what they are, and then I started to find out that people use them internally.

Soon I was seeing them everywhere online, and found my way to Amanita Dreamer's channel. Although my experiences are very different, I understood being on the spectrum and dealing with debilitating anxiety, which has been a part of my life in various degrees since childhood.

Perhaps foolishly, I felt that shamanic plants were a mistake, something people did selfishly by traveling halfway across the world, when they could do shamanic work in different ways that didn't involve going to the jungle and using the native vines. I had decided awhile ago that if I ever used a "shamanic plant" it would have to be something that was possible to get locally--and I would have to be guided to it by Mother Earth!

Well, I didn't think there WAS anything like that, so I didn't worry about it! It was easy to say I would use something like that if I thought it would never show up for me!!

Well, recently I was guided to the amanitas (which has a history of shamanic use and does grow locally, though I haven't found any personally yet), and that really scared me! I had a knee-jerk aversion to any sort of getting high. I don't like the feeling and I don't want any part of it. When I was on medications for depression, I hated the disconnected way they made me feel. I am very distrustful of substances that make a person "out of it."

But the mushrooms were being pointed out to me very specifically in non-ordinary reality (shamanic experiences and dreams). The mushrooms have danced in front of me like cartoons and kept showing up in my experiences. They actually talked to me a bit, and I've been seeing them all over the internet ever since, and in my dreams. Still, it was not in season so I had no access--I didn't have to worry about following through on my promise. I didn't have to worry about DOING anything about this mushroom!!

Then Amanita Dreamer posted a video about a European mushroom you could buy. I now had access -- if I could bring myself to take it. Again, I was uncertain and didn't choose to follow this path.

The mushrooms kept showing up for me in my dreams / visions / internet use / etc. Then my Animal Friend/Helper (who has previously guided me to medicinal plants I've needed to investigate*), took my wrist in his teeth and dragged me physically towards the mushroom, growling and biting me in frustration. My Animal Friend has NEVER been so insistent about anything in my life! He was so frustrated and insistent, I knew I had to follow through this time.

I promised him I would buy some of the mushrooms, and did so that day. The smallest possible amount. While trembling with nervousness. But after that, the feeling of urgency completely left me, and I've been in waiting mode ever since. Days passed, and the Pandemic arrived. Then the Mushrooms arrived. I am waiting for the right time to work with them.

I will take a very small dose and ask my Animal Friends to protect and guide me when I do. I am still uneasy about it, but feel that I am really supposed to follow up on this. Nothing bad will happen to me if I don't -- but this seems to be an answer I asked for, a path I opened myself. Whether it is a physical improvement, an emotional improvement, or something to do with my shamanic path, I don't know yet.

It's going to be a big step for me. I'm scared.

I thought that I would join to post about my experience here, being led to the mushroom, and later, after I've taken it.


(*My Animal Friend led me to another healing plant, called osage orange, which people use for cancer treatment and various physical problems. It's another thing that people think is inedible, but actually has a cultural history of medicinal / healing use. I had to go down rabbit holes on the internet to find out about it, and then I had to be encouraged by my Animal Friend to actually try it. It's been very helpful. I didn't have cancer, but it's been helpful for my breathing and airways, and generally becoming stronger. I've had symptoms of chronic fatigue but no diagnosis for more than ten years. A small, daily dosage of osage orange seems to help me feel stronger and have a more functional life. You gather the large yellow/green balls in the late fall, keep them in the freezer, and eat a very small amount as needed. People sell powdered capsules online, but I'd rather get it locally so I can trust it. The fruit tastes like very mild citrus/melon. It's not particularly tasty, but it's medicinal so it's not about the taste. It's definitely NOT poison.)
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Re: newcomer to amanita - shamanic / healing perspective

Post by Zee » Thu Mar 26, 2020 11:38 pm

Had my first very small dose yesterday. The effect was pretty fast. Nothing felt spiritual about the experience at all. It didn't hurt me at all, either. I was slightly shaky at first, but not in a big way. And all day, I felt all my feelings, a LOT. It was uncomfortable, but not bad. I also had a lot of dreams last night. Anyway, I haven't noticed a huge effect of any sort. I did manage to do something today that would likely have caused me anxiety in the past, and I was mostly okay. However, I had anxiety about other, lesser things so it's a net benefit if any. It will likely take more than one dose to see significant progress in any area. I'll probably try it again in a week and see if I notice anything. To me this doesn't seem to be a shamanic "substance" at this point of trial. And as I'm not willing to take large doses, I won't find out personally what that could be like. That leaves the potential healing aspects to be experienced. We shall see! :mrgreen:
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Re: newcomer to amanita - shamanic / healing perspective

Post by Marv » Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:19 pm

Thanks zee for your story.
Please tell us more when you have new adventures with plants and medicines.
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Re: newcomer to amanita - shamanic / healing perspective

Post by Marito » Thu Apr 09, 2020 10:20 am

Hi there I have collected quite a few amanita mushrooms this past couple of days and I purchased a dehydrator and will be drying them soon... once dried I will pick a day to make the tea and drink ... how much should I drink ? What is a good dose? I am looking for a nice trip ... I have tried Psylocibin mushrooms before and love them ... only thing I haven’t found any this year yet... so I’m just trying amanita as a substitute .. are they very similar? I’m looking forwards to whatever but what should I expect?

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Re: newcomer to amanita - shamanic / healing perspective

Post by Zee » Mon Jun 08, 2020 1:07 am

I have taken very small doses of amanita preparation since my last post in this thread. I've taken it up to three times a week, but more often once or twice a week. Just whenever it feels appropriate, preferably close to bedtime. It seems to give me very intense dreams, although I don't usually remember them afterwards.

Last Sunday I had a dose and some very weird intense dreams. I don't remember a thing about them, except that at one point I was listening to a Terence McKenna lecture which I had never heard before. It was very clearly his slightly droning voice, but about a different topic than I'm aware he ever actually lectured about. It was very technical and I understood about every other word, but I heard it extremely clearly! That's an Amanita dream for me -- almost hyper realistic (even if you're aware it's a dream, it feels real), but extremely weird, and not my normal sort of dream.

I feel that this mushroom has been very good for me. Like it's healing me in some ways, big and small, not always noticeable right away. I'm struggling to find the exact words for what it's doing. Like for instance, simply feeling more emotionally stable most of the time, even when things are challenging. I'm not saying I never have any bad days, but considering how challenging times have been recently, I'm doing extremely well.

I used to have to pee extremely frequently. I would also get dehydrated quickly (both probably related to a severe case of heat exhaustion over a decade ago). Lately both of these realities seem better. Last month, I had a trip that would usually require two bathroom stops and didn't need any. I can't think of anything else that has been different lately and could have affected me this way.

I feel a certain rewiring is taking place related to triggers and anxiety / panic. I'm not where I want to be (and this is far from the only way I'm tackling these issues), but it's just better lately. Not perfect...but definite improvement.

When I take the amanita, even though it's very small doses and I sleep through a lot of it, I sometimes feel vulnerable / tearful, or very stressed, for about a day afterwards (or at the very least, during the night/morning). But since it's helpful, since I'm noticing real, helpful changes, I'm going to continue taking small doses at my own correct pace. Three times a week seems a bit too much for me, even with very small doses. Right now I'm doing once a week, and will consider whether I need to take it more or less frequently.

I still don't feel any particularly shamanic aspect to this plant medicine right now, but I'm grateful to have it, and I do request help from the mushroom when I take it, and say thank you to the mushroom. This just feels like the correct, respectful practice to me, as someone on the shamanic path who sees the world and its aspects as embodied and alive.
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Re: newcomer to amanita - shamanic / healing perspective

Post by Zee » Mon Jun 08, 2020 1:49 am

I think what I want to say, the way I see this mushroom and how it's working for me, is not that it's a miracle cure, that it fixes everything immediately, but that it's some sort of catalyst. That when taking this, actual change is possible.

I've spent years agonizing through anxiety. It felt like I was dragging myself through broken glass on my elbows for a little bit of progress--and sometimes losing that progress right away.

Lately, I feel more like myself than I have in I don't know how long. It's not always easy. But I no longer feel like I'm just managing anxiety andn panic, or trying to find something to help me limp through life. I feel like I'm getting better. Like I'm healing.
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Re: newcomer to amanita - shamanic / healing perspective

Post by Imme » Sat Jun 27, 2020 4:01 pm

So happy for you. I truly believe this mushrom(which I have not taken yet!) is a DNA reset. We who will use it will become who we were meant to be beyond the trauma and abuse we have suffered. Hugs and thank you😍
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Re: newcomer to amanita - shamanic / healing perspective

Post by Krisss » Fri Jun 17, 2022 4:23 am

I just wanted to say thanks to the people who have talked about small doses doing great work over a relatively short period of time. (3 weeks?) I don't have the same kind of persistent depression/anxiety anymore. I am more delighted and satisfied. It doesn't seem to be going away, even though it's been 2 weeks since my last dose.

I had already been working on shifting my perspective and I still recognize unhealthy ways of thinking but I haven't felt this consistently stable before...ever. I used to self medicate with wine or weed and I have cut back on all that as well and it was already a path I had diverged from before finishing amanita and I am happy to say that I don't want any of these things because I feel so mentally relaxed and stable.

I am thinking about doing another few days of microdosing to see if it takes me further along my healing journey and see if it will motivate me in the direction of creative focus now that I have new found peace. I don't think it's a coincidence that I found this creature amanita. I decided to test it and now I have more trust in myself.
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Re: newcomer to amanita - shamanic / healing perspective

Post by Arktos » Fri Jun 17, 2022 1:41 pm

I don’t know if you really know shamanic experience. No one can teach you, and the real knowledge comes from near death. I don’t think no one today is shaman. It takes years and almost kills you. It is the only way to gain the knowledge.

Amanita needs respect and commitment. It does not give you anything. Only if you are commited and prepared, Amanita will meet you.
Arktos in my case refers to the bear, nothing else.

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