
Ayurveda and Mushrooms: From Side Dishes to Psilocybin
What does Ayurveda say about Mushrooms: From Side Dishes to Psilocybin
As autumn leaves and spring blossoms herald the arrival of ‘mushroom season’, the culinary world buzzes with a myriad of recipes showcasing mushrooms—from hearty main courses and nutritious superfood sides to the intriguing realm of psychedelic micro-dosing. This variety sparks a fascinating inquiry: What is Ayurveda’s perspective on both edible mushrooms and psilocybin? Let’s dive in to the Ayurvedic take on mushroom meals and magical adventures.
People ask us all the time, “Are mushrooms good in Ayurveda?”
You may know we’re sticklers for tradition. For the preservation of practice and in honor of a system that has been around way longer than us, when it comes to education we stick to the ayurvedic texts. Mushrooms are classified as a fungus and described as “tamasic” in nature. If we examine the qualities of a mushroom it is heavy, slimy, soft, cool and somewhat hard to digest. In excess this can weaken agni, the digestive fire, and impart those qualities to our body and mind.
In the era when the principal Ayurvedic texts were composed, mushrooms weren’t as commonly utilized as food or medicine compared to other ingredients. Partly due to their association with bacteria and fungi, raising questions about their efficacy in healing and nutrition. This contrasts with the practices in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where mushrooms have a different standing. While the use of mushrooms in TCM is recognized and respected, it’s crucial to understand that from an Ayurvedic standpoint, their recommendation differs significantly.
My experience eating lots of mushrooms
As scholars and practitioners, we’ve often intellectually pondered the effects of consuming mushrooms. Their taste, especially when sautéed with garlic, is undeniably appealing. However, it wasn’t until our extensive time in Chongqing, China, that we truly experienced the ‘tamasic’ effect of mushrooms. During our repeated visits—five times in just a few years—we were deeply immersed in the local culture and cuisine, often requesting vegetarian dishes. This led to an unexpected culinary journey dominated by various forms of fungi. Our meals typically started with fungus tea and progressed through a range of dishes. Fried and dried fungus, fungus appetizers, and even fungus-infused main courses and desserts, culminated in after-dinner teas. And yes those were fungi teas! This seven-course fungus feast offered a firsthand experience of their impact on our digestive system.
While these creative and tasteful dishes could potentially offer health benefits in moderation. The overwhelming presence of fungi, especially when paired with white rice, resulted in a noticeable heaviness in both body and mind. Our digestion slowed and energy levels dipped. We found ourselves craving simpler foods like spiced vegetables and clear soups to counteract the dense quality of our meals. This experience underscored the Ayurvedic viewpoint on mushrooms, reinforcing the idea that while mushrooms can be a delightful part of one’s diet, their effects need to be carefully considered and balanced within the broader context of Ayurvedic principles.
In the realm of Ayurveda, moderation is often key, particularly when it comes to incorporating certain foods into our diet. This principle holds true for mushrooms as well. While we acknowledge the health benefits of nutrient-rich fungi such as reishi, lion’s mane, shiitake, etc. Ayurveda advises consuming them in a well-cooked form and treating them as a seasonal or supplemental addition to our diets.
Ayurveda also champions the concept of consuming fresh, local produce. Therefore if mushrooms are naturally available in your area, and you can identify them clearly, incorporating them into your diet could align with Ayurvedic principles. They can be considered ‘Ayurvedic’ if they contribute to the balance and harmony of the meal’s qualities. Although this isn’t a traditional approach within Ayurvedic health and healing practices. It’s about finding a harmonious integration of local foods and understanding how they interact with our individual constitutions and the environment.
Ayurveda’s Quick Guide to Eating Mushrooms
- Look for freshly harvested mushrooms from your local environment
- Use mushrooms in moderation
- Consume with foods that support digestion like agni spice mix or chutneys
- Cook well to release excess water and lighten the quality of the mushroom or try them dehydrated
Our favorite Mushroom Recipes
Curried Sweet Potato Soup with Medicinal Mushrooms
Curried root vegetable soup with in season medicinal or wild mushrooms are a favorite in our home (Be sure to cross-checked reliable foraging guides for safety) This recipe packs a punch of digestive and immune support along herbs and spices to make everyone feel warm, light and happy.
Coconut Garlic Fried Shiitake Mushrooms
My daughter’s culinary creativity has given rise to another delightful dish. These over-the-top crispy mushrooms are simply sliced shiitake, sautéed in a pan with crushed garlic and ghee, adding just a pinch of salt for flavor. Cook until desirably crispy. Toss in a small amount of just the cream top from a can of coconut milk (or freshly made). Stir while coconut cooks down and serve as a garnish. Honestly this would be good on just about anything that benefits from an earthy, garlicky crunch. She often serves it over Creamy Butternut Squash Ramen creating a fusion that’s not only delicious but also deeply rooted in the holistic approach of Ayurveda and mushrooms.
Let’s talk Ayurveda and Psilocybin
As local laws across the continental US evolve, leading to increased interest in both micro- and macro-dosing of psilocybin, many are curious about Ayurveda’s stance on the use of psychedelic mushrooms. From an Ayurvedic perspective, psychedelics, including psilocybin, are generally not recommended. Ayurveda cautions that these substances can potentially destabilize the mind and disrupt the balance within prana vayu, leading to irregularity, dependency, and further imbalance.
Merging the ancient philosophies of yoga and Ayurveda with modern applications of psychedelics can be a precarious path.
While the efficacy of psilocybin treatments in certain contexts should not be disregarded. Ayurveda advocates for alternative approaches that align with its holistic principles. With microdosing in mind the consistent use of mushrooms will have the same effects on the digestive system and the mind listed above as they are tamasic in nature which overtime can weaken digestive function, slow healthy tissue growth and create a mental dullness that can be hard to shake. For short periods of time these treatments could be valuable but weighing out the options is important in any health care protocol.
The main goal of Ayurveda is to keep healthy people healthy and sick people free of disease. The means of attaining this are through bringing balance to dosha (qualities within the body and mind), dhatu (tissues), agni (digestion), mala (excreta) with a healthy mind and peaceful soul. We use diet, lifestyle, seasonal regimens and five sense therapy to support the process of creating sustainable health. By utilizing opposite therapy and bringing consciousness to action we can steer clear of the main causes of disease which boil down to failure of the intellect (choosing things that may not be good for us) and misuse of the five senses (when what we draw into the body or mind creates disturbance).
When considering the use of psychedelics from an Ayurvedic perspective, it’s important to weigh the potential for creating balance against any long-term effects.
From a yogic perspective, if we navigate through various stages of consciousness, we can reprogram our samskaras (behavioral patterns) and reactions. This transformative process enables us to establish mind-body equilibrium without relying on external catalysts. These ancient practices advocate for inner tools like meditation, silence, and supportive lifestyle habits as pathways to profound, life-altering experiences. And we have witnessed many people have these life-changing experiences that they describe as legitimately “psychedelic”. However, unlike experiences induced by substances, these natural, self-cultivated states of consciousness are free from negative side effects, lingering discomfort, or risks to the clarity of one’s consciousness.
In Ayurveda, while recognizing individual choices, there is a cautionary note about combining spirituality with external stimuli like psilocybin mushrooms. If one chooses to use mushrooms for an internal experience, it’s important to be aware of the potential complexities this path entails. Ayurveda and its sister science, Yoga, teach that we possess innate power for profound transformation and lasting change. A journey often more sustainable and grounded than those prompted by external agents. In times of widespread uncertainty, it’s worth contemplating this perspective before embarking on a spiritual quest aided by substances. Ultimately, you have the power, the clarity, the inextinguishable light, within yourself. Try tapping in there more instead of tripping out.
If you’re seeking personalized guidance, don’t hesitate to contact us or sign-up for a consultation to fine-tune your approach. Even better yet, join us for an in-person program for the ultimate reset. Build sustainable practices that can transcend the physical and bring you the magic you have always dreamed of.
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