Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Santa and Magick Mushrooms

We all know about Santa Claus and his flying reindeer. But where did the story really start?
One theory has their origins in the hallucinogenic or "magic" mushrooms which grow in the Siberian and Arctic regions of the World.
Santa is likened to the traveling Shamans of the Northern Regions, who brought bags of 'magic' mushrooms as presents around to the villages at the time of the Winter Solstice. 
This Mushroom is Amanita Muscaria. It is commonly found in the Northern or Boreal regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This toadstool can be poisonous and is most definitely psychoactive. It can be found in forests growing under trees, most commonly pine trees. The Shamans of the Tribes found in the Northern Regions used the Amanita Muscaria as a way to commune with the Spirits and it was considered a sacred substance.
The theory goes on to say that reindeer commonly grazed on the fungi. So did the Native Siberian Tribesman who probably had hallucinations of the reindeer flying.
Bringing a pine tree indoors at the time of the Winter Solstice and decorating it in red and white along with placing presents under the tree are all symbols of the Amanita Muscaria.

image source
While images of Santa and red topped mushrooms have been around through the ages, many historians doubt this theory. Perhaps they need a bit of "Holiday Cheer"!

2 comments:

the dogs' mother said...

One of my favorite nurseries has two reindeer outside their building right now... I don't suppose grocery store mushrooms would work?

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Wow, like, crazy, man! Santa and his reindeer are stoners?