Amanita muscaria Myths & Misinformation: Psychedelic Santa Claus and Beserker Vikings
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- Опубликовано: 27 сен 2024
- The Fly Agaric or Amanita muscaria is by far the most recognizable mushroom in the world. Its iconic red cap with white dots is known around the world as a classic “toadstool”. In popular culture it is associated with Christmas/Santa Claus, Vikings in a berserker rage, and as a trippy mind altering mushroom (Through the Looking Glass/Alice in Wonderland). However, not all the popular assumptions made about this mushroom are true.
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In my most recent podcast episode I debunk some of the most common Amanita muscaria myths while talking about the chemistry of this mushroom. Amanita muscaria is a common mycorrhizal mushroom that grows worldwide (thanks to the timber industry). It is toxic, trippy, and edible depending on how it is processed. Unlike deadly Amanitas (Death Cap/Destroying Angel), muscaria does not contain amatoxins. Instead, it contains ibotenic acid which is a potent neurotoxin and muscimol which can exert entheogenic (mind altering) effects. Ibotenic acid can be chemically converted (decarboxylated) into muscimol using heat and low pH (no need to drink pee). Dried muscaria can be brewed into a tea to access the entheogenic properties of muscimol.
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Sami shamans did use Amanita muscaria for rituals, but that’s where any actual evidence for this mushroom being associated with Christmas ends. Theresa red and white motifs of Santa Claus came about from Coca-Kola ads in the 30s. Given that muscaria can act as a dissociative sedative, I think it’s highly unlikely that Vikings ate this mushroom before battle, more likely that consumed henbane.
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Wishing everyone a happy holiday season, feel free to send this video to your friends and family who blindly accept the myths surrounding muscaria. My aim is to educate and inject some critical thinking into the myths surrounding this infamous mushroom.
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#flyagaric #amanitamuscaria #amanita #santaclaus #christmas #vikings #ibotenicacid #muscimol #muscimolmushroom #entheogens #psychedelicsanta #skeptic #debunking #myth #mariomushroom
I'm so happy I found your channel! I love foraging and fungi!
This is mostly correct.
The fly agaric has an effect some where between alcohol and benzodiazepines. I don’t have any personal experience but I will agree that taking the equivalent of Valium befor a battle doesn’t sound like a good idea and there is very little evidence for these mushrooms being consumed by Vikings. However the Icelandic name for these mushrooms is “berserkasveppir” or berserker mushroom and Icelandic is very similar to old Norse and we know that the Sami people used them and we also know that there where interactions between the Norse and the Sami so it’s not In possible that the practice was transferred from one to the other. I have heard that the berserkers used it to not feel pain but I can’t find any support for this theory I have also heard that the name comes from the berserkers face being the colour of the mushroom as they charged in to battle and personally I think that is the best explanation. . There are many association between read faces and battle in the Norse sagas. But we will probably never know for sure As to Santa clause there is no real connection with fly agaric. It is however also a myth that Santa was invented by Coca-Cola. There where bearded men bringing gifts to children and travelling by sleds long before. Fathers Christmas was depicted as a jolly fat man bringing gifts way before although his coat was mor likely to be green or blue. Tomten in Swedish mythology had a bearded, often had a red
Coat , traveled by sled and brought gifts at Christmas. Saint Nicolas is the patron saint of children is depicted with a beard and a read coat and he supposedly brought gifts to children. There is stories of Sinterklaas in duch and German traditions and they believe that he lives in Lapland and that’s where the rainier idea come from. Coca-Cola just popularised the concept they didn’t invent it.
arstechnica.com/science/2019/09/viking-berserkers-may-have-used-henbane-to-induce-trance-like-state/
www.jameswjesso.com/debunking-the-mushroom-santa-hypothesis-tom-hatsis-attmind-89/
In lower doses its more like benzo's, yes I can confirm. Just took it 4 hours ago but sadly not enough for a trip.
@@jorthvanschaarenburg7386
You are a braver man than me.
Yes, I agree that taking GABA drugs such as alcohol or muscimol wont make you more effective in combat, but it sure as hell makes you more willing to go into battle and disregard safety. Also the ibotenic acid has a clear 'powerful' feeling to it when consumed, although that effect is quite short lasting and in higher doses causes the negative side effects. I have experience with this mushroom, I consumed it most recently a couple of hours ago, and although drug effects can be hard to explain to any full extent, I can tell you that I would like to consume this mushroom if I needed to go into battle. In very simple terms, the ibotenic acid feels kind of like cocaine which last for ~1hr followed by the muscimol which feels like a physical benzo (more like pregabalin) with a slight dissociative effect that lasts for ~3hrs and more. Also keep in mind that these effects overlap, you will feel both of these substances in effect at the same time. Again, very important to note, amanita muscaria DOES NOT feel like coke and benzos, im just trying to paint a relatable picture. In short, this mushroom makes me feel fierce, along with other effects and feelings.
@FascinatedByFungi When we are talking about undocumented historical events and mythological beeings I really don't see the point of posting links as a way to prove/disprove a point. It's all speculation and hypothesis, I would rather hear your thoughts and opinions, rather than redirecting us to someone elses. Also, there is probably not any singular/black or white answer to these questions, maybe the vikings used henbane or amanita muscaria in different regions or different times. Maybe they combined both, and some probably used neither. When it comes to Santa Claus, it's clear that it has had multiple sources of inspiration. The name from Saint Nicholas, the gifts from the three wise men, and maybe the red and white color from Coca-Cola in some parts of the world, who knows? Seeing as there has been multiple sources of inspiration, many of which are hard to prove, and many probably unknown, I see it as very likely that the amanita muscaria might have had some impact on Santa Claus or christmas as we know it today. It grows under spruce/pine, where we put our christmas gifts. People in Siberia hung the amanita muscaria in trees to dry them, just as christmas tree decorations today, and they were dried and ready for consumption around christmas. I'm not presenting this as proof that the mushroom has had an impact on Santa Claus or christmas, I'm rather saying that it might have been relevant in some way, or maybe not. We don't know the full story, and thus I find it stupid to exclude any relevant explanation.
Are all Muscaria variants similar? In Eastern Washington we have a white, yellow, brownish variety that I'm not totally sure which variety.
There are different varieties of muscaria
@@FascinatedByFungi Do we have Chrysoblema in Washington? I'm in Eastern Washington.
No Amanita chrysoblema (formerly variety guessowii) is an east coast species/variety
@@FascinatedByFungi Id love to post photos for you to look at. Some folks said Chrysoblema.
Love yr channel
I did see crazy stuff But as cause we had no idea how to consume it. So we got a baggy of him. And in the bottom corner there was spores good portion of them. We put those in a pipe and smoked. It instantly made your senses Magnified And I did see crazy stuff
I’ve always been told to not smoke shrooms coming from a weed and psilocybin background, but amanita has supposedly been used like that forever so I’m interested in trying it. I have some stuff coming this week and I’m hoping it works well for me
@@bodi.mp3how did it go??
@@bodi.mp3how’d it go?
@@annab13 @kanye986 I didn’t really notice too much? I have sensitive lungs anyway so I didn’t use much, I was just kinda testing the waters. At one point I had kind of a numbing headhigh in my forehead area I think, but not too much overall. I ended up smoking some salvia later in the night cuz I was dissatisfied with the amount of Amanita I was smoking considering the lack of effects, but Ive considered attempting it again.
Some people swear by it, and while I can’t see myself doing it often, I def think there’s some more I can learn. I’m still waiting to feel Amanita at all, there’s a few times where I may have felt it, but it could have been placebo as it was so negligible and for such a short period of time. Idk lol
Does it make you thirsty like cannabis?
Hey love your videos! I have a question about edibles with this mushroom that I've been seeing around the smoke shops in SD. Are these safe and legit or should I steer clear? I'm interested in trying it sometime to see a mild version of the psychedelic properties. They have gummies usually. One I saw was called CAPS. Could you do a video on some of the products available besides the calm tincture?
Without knowing anything about where or how those products are produced, I would steer clear of them unless they contain very clear information about the concentration/content of active components. The only product I trust is the CALM tincture, that’s why I made a video about that.
@FascinatedByFungi sounds good man thanks! Do they recommend one Dropper full if you haven't tried it before? I don't have any mushroom allergies that I know of.
I felt relaxed with one dropped, sleepy with two. It’s essentially a Muscimol microdose product
@@mrpipestache2423I’ve heard some contain legit stuff, and others contain psilocin derivatives apparently instead for some reason (I’ve purchased these by themselves, no need to lie about what it is), and others are probably other weird RCs and who knows what else. I can’t say as I’ve only done the 3 gummy Koi sample pack which wasn’t enough to do anything but tasted great. I’m getting an order of some full mushrooms, gummies, and some pantherina chocolates from a website I recently found and I’d be down to let you know how that goes if I remember and you are interested. This guy makes his gummies himself and assuming he’s 100% honest you can see exactly what’s in them. Even koi as a reputable brand had their CoA wording messed up, calling muscimol a tryptamine lol.
Fly Amanita?
There are various animals that like to eat fly agarics. But no one can say to what extent they will benefit from it.
Yay we don’t have to drink pee😂😂😂😂
It’s not a psychedelic but it high doses. It can be pretty trippy to the point you better not be taking it alone. In their heads, they go to another world. Another reality. And it is often not a good one, from what I hear. Anyway. Who knows the truth of anything? You just read and listen to whatever you want to hear.
Did you watch the video before writing this?
That jacket tho!!
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😂😂😂
Rrrrr
I would love a review from your perspective of Ben Wheatley’s “In the Earth”
I am not familiar with that. Is it a book?