Hunting for the most potent mushroom
As we see the generational shift in attitudes towards cannabis and its medicinal value, we hear the whispers of another conversation hitting mainstream media that of Magic Mushrooms.
Three years ago, I was invited to attend a documentary at the Tower Theater here in Salt Lake City. They were showcasing Fantastic Fungi, starring Paul Stamets, Michael Pollen, and Eugenia Bone, some iconic experts in this space. My friend and ally in plant medicine asked me to bring whomever I'd like; I took two of my sons and hoped it wouldn't bore them to death; it was a documentary about mushrooms, after all. I had no idea what to expect, but we found it fascinating.
From clinicians to drug policy reform advocates to the "romantic scientists" Michael Pollan references, many of us seek a better understanding of these substances.
Michal Pollan wrote a powerful book, How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence
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This article is adapted from his book and his adventure with Paul Stamets in Washington State's Olympic Peninsula to go mushroom hunting for the Psilocybe azurescens, a variety of "magic mushrooms" first identified and named by Stamets and the most potent ever found.
The Utah Bee encourages its readership to check out both the documentary and the book after reading the article.