Hey friend,

With Christmas approaching, let me introduce you to the mushroom that may have inspired Santa Claus: Amanita muscaria.

Amanita muscaria, the iconic "Fly Agaric," is one of the most recognizable magic mushrooms, celebrated in folklore—from Viking berserkers to Siberian shamanism—and immortalized in pop culture through Alice in Wonderland and Mario's adventures.

However, Amanita muscaria goes beyond mythology—it's an atypical psychedelic with unique psychoactive and medicinal benefits.

Sadly, its reputation as "poisonous" deters many from exploring its therapeutic and psychedelic potential.

I’m here to dispel the misinformation and reveal the magic and medicine of Amanita.

But first, in the spirit of Christmas, let’s dive into the fascinating connection between Amanita mushrooms, Santa Claus, and flying reindeer!

Amanitas and Saint Nicholas 🎅🏻

Ethnobotanists and cultural historians alike have discovered curious ties to Santa Claus and this magic mushroom, including:

1) Santa's Red and White Garb

Amanita's striking red cap and white dots closely resemble the attire of jolly Saint Nick, a figure associated with magic and miracles.

Ho, ho, ho!

2) Kris Kringle and the North Pole

Interestingly, Amanitas thrive in the Northern Hemisphere's coniferous forests, often growing beneath them—like red and white “presents” under a pine tree.

A little suspicious, don't you think?

Not to mention, the hanging of ornaments—again, typically red and white—parallels the practice of Siberian shamans hanging Amanita mushrooms on tree boughs to dry for consumption.

3) Flying Reindeer

Lastly, we have the flying reindeer. Where did that come from?

Well, a common experience when consuming Amanitas for their psychedelic effects is the sensation of flying.

Even stranger, the psychoactive compounds in Amanitas, ibotenic acid and muscimol, become more potent after being metabolized and urinated out.

Legend has it that reindeer would follow Siberian shamans in the winter, eating the "yellow snow" to reach an altered state of consciousness.

Hence, flying reindeer.

Amanita's psychedelic effects

Unlike psilocybin mushrooms, which mainly target serotonin, Amanita muscaria affects GABA and glutamate pathways, with possible secondary effects on dopamine and other neurotransmitters. [1]

This leads to a drastically different experience compared to psilocybin and other serotonergic psychedelics like LSD and DMT.

After oral ingestion, effects take 2-3 hours to fully set in, lasting 6-8 hours depending on the dose.

Effects of Amanita [2]

• Visual distortions
• Euphoria: feelings of peace and well-being
• Loss of equilibrium
• Mild muscle twitching (not convulsions)
• Altered auditory perception
• Altered visual perception (objects appearing bigger or smaller than they are)
• Physical relaxation
• Dream-like states or lucid dreaming (oneirogen)

Medicinal benefits of Amanita muscaria

Beyond its psychedelic effects, when prepared properly, Amanita muscaria offers powerful therapeutic benefits including:

1. Anti-anxiety and anti-insomnia

Amanita's active compounds, ibotenic acid and muscimol, activate GABA receptors in the brain, similar to anxiety medications. [2]

This calms the nervous system, reduces anxiety, and induces sleep.

2. Powerful pain reliever

Amanita’s GABAergic effects may reduce nerve excitability, calm pain signaling, and relax muscle spasms—showing promise for neuropathic and musculoskeletal pain relief. [3]

3. Anti-inflammatory

Studies show Amanita can reduce chronic inflammation—especially neuroinflammation—by lowering proinflammatory cytokines, potentially benefiting autoimmunity and other inflammatory conditions. [4]

Where to source

Preparing Amanitas can be tricky, whether for psychedelic, culinary, or medicinal use. That's why I prefer sourcing from reputable companies like:

1. ​Psyched Wellness offers a tincture called Calm, made from isolated muscimol, designed to alleviate anxiety and promote sleep.
2. ​Wild Forest Herbs offers whole and dried, wildcrafted Amanitas for your preparation needs.
3. ​Area52 offers high-dose Amanita gummies, ideal for a macrodose experience.

Note: If you're struggling to find reliable psychedelics or you're fed up with scammers, check out my personally vetted vendors and products—from psilocybin mushrooms, Amanitas, Ayahuasca, San Pedro, and more—in my Psychedelic Sourcing Bundle!

Amanitas may not be the first choice for magic mushrooms, but in the U.S. they're legal and possess unique psychoactive properties that have shaped shamanism, folklore, and pop culture for millennia.

Dig deeper beyond the corporate-driven holidays, and you'll uncover a world of Amanita myths and psychedelic connections, even to iconic figures like Saint Nicholas!

And while Amanita muscaria has long been sidelined by mycophobes, growing interest is now uncovering its medicinal properties.

I'm curious, have you ever experienced the magic or medicine of Fly Agaric?

Hit reply and let me know.

Merry Christmas and I'll see you next Saturday,

Onjae

References:

[1] Obermaier, Sebastian, and Michael Müller. “Ibotenic Acid Biosynthesis in the Fly Agaric Is Initiated by Glutamate Hydroxylation.” Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) vol. 59,30 (2020): 12432-12435. doi:10.1002/anie.202001870

[2] Erowid Amanita Muscaria (Fly Agaric) Vault: Effects." Erowid, Erowid.org, www.erowid.org/plants/amanitas/amanitas_effects.shtml. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.

[3] Johnston, Graham A R. “Muscimol as an ionotropic GABA receptor agonist.” Neurochemical research vol. 39,10 (2014): 1942-7. doi:10.1007/s11064-014-1245-y

[4] Ramawad, Hamzah Adel et al. “Muscimol as a treatment for nerve injury-related neuropathic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of preclinical studies.” The Korean journal of pain vol. 36,4 (2023): 425-440. doi:10.3344/kjp.23161

[5] Wagner, Ashley et al. “Amanita muscaria extract potentiates production of proinflammatory cytokines by dsRNA-activated human microglia.” Frontiers in pharmacology vol. 14 1102465. 12 Apr. 2023, doi:10.3389/fphar.2023.1102465