In our newest IG LIVE with Harmony Acres, we unpack the mystique, myths and health benefits of Amanita Muscaria! You can find it here.
We met our special guest, Michael W., at Mycofest in Pennsylvania where he gave an inspiring talk about Amanita. As an expert herbalist, wild crafter, organic farmer, not to mention extensive personal experiences, Michael has a wealth of info about this powerful fungi that we all know aesthetically but hardly know about.
Amanita Muscaria is a mysterious and powerful mushroom, filling legends and lores, myths and mysteries. It has been linked back to Siberian Shamanism, and other indigenous cultures that may have been using the species for its spiritual, healing and hallucinogenic properties.
Unlike Psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms), Amanita's active ingredient is Ibotenic Acid, which is converted to Muscimol after being properly decarboxylated. It is used for anxiety, PTSD, depression, alcoholism, and pain (especially when applied topically). At low doses, there are no psychedelic effects, nor any perceptual changes. *Please note that these uses are not FDA-approved or verified, and although some people may use these mushrooms for these reasons please note that this guide is for informational purposes only.*
Harmony Acres sells the product in tincture form (which I've been using myself), as well as dehydrated, in salve form, as a smokable preroll and concentrates. It is possible to consume this mushroom raw, however that is when the Ibotenic Acid is most potent and so people have in the past drank their own urine as a way to filter it (try at your own risk ;).
Michael shares about how he's benefited from Amanita in his life, namely being able to quit his dependancy on Cannabis as well as healing from trauma in a gentler way than Psilocybin typically allows (goodbye crying at Home Depot after a microdose!)
I also share my personal anecdotes about how Amanita has brought an openness and a feeling of being more self-aware and in-tune to my daily practices of meditation, yoga and journalling when I have taken it on a microdosing schedule.
He recommends anyone curious to join the Facebook page that he amongst other experts monitor called Amanita Muscaria Science and Magic where you can also find a list of approved vendors who are selling legitimate products. There has been a lot of emerging research on products claiming to contain this mushroom, actually containing a mix of other drugs, which is both dangerous and unethical.
You can find his Amanita products for purchase in US and Internationally here, as well as his other herbal products and merch here.
