Ever wonder where the magical mystery of fairies, leprechauns, and elves stems from? Mushroom folklore originated in Europe when Druids incorporated magic mushrooms into their ceremonies for spiritual practices such as communicating with the universe, enlightenment, and gaining deeper knowledge. It was believed that during these rituals, many people would experience ‘hallucinations’ of various types of mysterious creatures.
So, can these ancient psychedelic experiences be the reason why Halloween exists in the modern day? Let’s dig deeper.
Two strains of mushrooms were used during these ceremonies: “The Liberty Cap” which originated from the Romans, symbolizing the freedom of slaves, and the “Fly-Agaric” (the Flesh of Gods) known for its vibrant colors and the most recognized mushroom in the world.
In altered states of consciousness, these strains and rituals led to the hallucinations of leprechauns, elves, fairies, and even one-eyed monsters. During the ceremonies, participants would sit in sweat houses — similar to the modern-day sauna — as the Druids guided them to a mystical land where, perhaps, the impossible became possible.
Incorporating psilocybin in rituals was theorized to be a huge influence on religious practices. But, as time progressed and religions became better known in Western Europe, psilocybin ceremonies soon after mysteriously decreased. This enigma surrounding these spiritual practices made it very hard to gauge whether or not these hallucinations were fragments of the imagination or summoned by the power of the rituals.
During certain seasons, the ancient Europeans believed that spirits, or perhaps creatures, could enter the human veil and be seen. Since it was known that mushrooms were in season during Halloween, it leaves us wondering if psychedelics had any type of influence on their appearances.
Author and poet Shonagh, who is a Shamanic therapist dives deep into mysticism and spirituality. In her work, she focuses on finding connections through the hidden world of spirits and believes that fungi and psychotropic plants are there for ancient teachings and connecting to the ‘unknown’. Shonagh quotes, “As the faerie faith in Ireland goes back many centuries, I speculate there were people other than the artistic/literate classes who were also familiar with psychoactive mushrooms.”
Our ancestors had extensive knowledge of the plants and fungi of their region and their inherent properties. It stands to reason that those who ingested psychoactive mushrooms, whether accidentally or purposefully, experienced the shimmering imagery and its attending inhabitants that many who have ingested the mushroom today are familiar with. This harkens to the faerie worlds of Tír na nÓg.”
So, whether it’s European mythology or psychedelic mysticism — many of our ancestors have experienced altered states that have us wondering if these ‘creatures’ were sought out and seen by the use of psychedelics. And of course, we may wonder if this sparked the idea of the commonly celebrated, Halloween.
What do you think? Is Halloween psychedelic to you? Let us know your thoughts on this spooky holiday in the comments below!
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