Meaning of the Mushroom: Symbol of Dreams and Hallucinations

During a hike, a walk or simply on the way to work: we have all come across a mushroom.

In cities or the countryside, these fungal beings are sometimes edible and sometimes dangerously toxic. Some have bright colors and others are dull. Some grow in damp cellars, others on sidewalks, and still others on our sidewalks.

However, they all carry a deep meaning.

And have you ever wondered what the spiritual messages of the mushroom are?

If you're curious, that's great, that's precisely the theme of today's article!

Contents :

Some spiritual meanings of the mushroom

The mushroom: a religious symbol

The question of hallucinogenic mushrooms

Seeing a mushroom in a dream

Lucky charm featured in this article

Some spiritual meanings of the mushroom

In some cultures, the symbol of the mushroom is a sign of a happy omen, bountiful harvests and renewal. For other peoples, it is an evil emblem linked to death, decay and desolation.

You will discover: if we offer this strange mushroom necklace in our collection of lucky charms, it is not without reason!

In short, let's discover together some meanings of the mushroom.

A symbol of longevity

Mushrooms are part of the eukaryotic domain, a domain of life present on Earth long before us, which has survived all the great extinctions and which will survive for a long time to come.

The symbol of the mushroom is therefore linked to longevity through the years, to a long life... and hopefully a happy one!

Some species of fungus can even live for several millennia. Obviously, this further adds to their link with longevity.

A symbol of positive energies

Shamanism, witchcraft, druidism, natural magic: many esoteric traditions see the mushroom as a vector of positive energies.

First of all, eating mushrooms is good for your health. This food contains almost no sugars and fats, has a whole bunch of vitamins and minerals. Having a good plate of it therefore increases our personal energy levels.

More spiritually, it is said that the spirit of mushrooms is filled with positivity and good vibrations, which our being is nourished by its simple contact.

A phallic symbol

This is not the case for all mushrooms, but it is undeniable that some resemble male limbs. Obviously, the first peoples saw it as a source of erotic power, fertility and power.

Their of your next pickings, put it there, you will undoubtedly have an amused smile before picking up this chanterelle or sheepsfoot.

A symbol of rot

In the forest, dead trees rot naturally. Mold, moss and fungus appear where the diseased tree falls. The phenomenon of rotting allows organic matter to be recovered, returned to the natural cycles of the forest and, thus, to continue the course of life.

With their spores, no place can escape mushrooms.

Whether positive or negative (after all, there is something disgusting about mold), rot is something linked to the symbol of the fungus.

A symbol of decadence

As an extension of the previous idea, many writers have used mushrooms as an allegory of decadence, of the decay of the soul.

The most famous of all is undoubtedly the author Lewis Carroll who, in his famous “Alice in Wonderland”, populates his imaginary world with giant mushrooms, the symbol of a decadent spirit. To learn more about this storybook symbolism, here are a few words of explanation about these amazing mushrooms.

The mushroom: a religious symbol

Here we have described the meaning of the mushroom from a general point of view. Our analysis could not, however, be complete without using the religious prism.

So that's precisely what we're going to do here.

The mushroom in pre-Columbian cultures

For Olmec, Zapotec, Mayan and Aztec cultures, certain species of mushroom were extremely sacred.

Known under the name “Teonanácatl”, they were seen as the food of the Gods, a divine dish reserved for the most important sacrifices and ceremonies.

An element of European folklore

We all have in mind this image of the garden gnome in the red hat. Linked to classical Germanic and Scandinavian cultures, this image should be compared to Amanita Muscaria, this famous species of toxic mushroom with a red cap spotted with white dots. When the prankster gnome statues are also found sitting on a mushroom, the link becomes obvious.

Another emblematic character of European culture, Santa Claus and his famous white and red costume could also be a sort of homage to the fly agaric.

Shamans of the Sami and Siberian peoples

The Sami and Siberian people share many things in common, despite the thousands of kilometers that separate them. You know, the North of the world has a little-known, but undoubtedly very interesting, history…

In this story, the symbol of the mushroom occupies an important place. Many shamanic rituals used it to heal, curse or place in mystical trance states.

A symbol of the resurrection of Christ

Mushrooms are the perfect emblems of the cycle of creation: where something dies, they appear to transform it and, ultimately, give it another life.

Due to the cycle of creation, the mushroom symbol is often used to represent the resurrection of Jesus Christ, three days after his crucifixion on the Holy Cross.

Kundalini and the Hindu meaning

The mushroom is a symbol of kundalini energy, this sacred energy which rises along our spine when all our chakras are open, this energy which blesses and heals and which is at the center of Hinduism.

By its shape, made of a vertical stem and a cap opening in the air, the mushroom is naturally associated with the rise of kundalini.

The mushroom among the ancient Egyptians

In ancient Egypt, mushrooms were a rare and highly prized delicacy.

The priests of the Nile saw it as a symbol of divine immortality. Only the pharaoh and his relatives could consume it. Sometimes they were also used as offerings to powerful deities.

The question of hallucinogenic mushrooms

Many species of mushrooms contain toxic, poisonous, and even downright deadly substances. These substances, used in small quantities, are also sometimes powerful hallucinogens. Anyone who consumes these specimens risks poisoning of many forms.

Hallucinations, dizziness, trance states and other psychic experiences are the prerogative of species such as psilocybe, ergot and fly agaric.

In fact, the use of hallucinogenic mushrooms occurred throughout the world. Wherever a form of shamanism existed, the use of substances to achieve shamanic and/or collective trances was common.

Nowadays, however, the ingestion of such mushrooms is more linked to Latin America and, more specifically, to Mexico, Peru and certain regions of the Amazon.

The origins of what ethnologists call “ mushroom culture ” is linked to forces of nature, to now-forgotten deities and to an age-old religious practice.

If these ancestral rites are so poorly documented, it is undoubtedly because, considering the use of hallucinogenic mushrooms to be a pagan rite, the Spanish conquistadors wanted to eradicate the phenomenon. They were not entirely successful, but many traditions nevertheless experienced discontinuities.

This is a shame for modern scientists who are increasingly looking to mushrooms to find new molecules, create new drugs and save lives.

To dig deeper into the subject, here is an interesting document from cairn.info , as well as another from the HAL .

Let us also point out: we can only advise you against consuming these toxic mushrooms. The mortal risk is obvious. If you want to taste them, edible mushrooms like bolete, milkweed or morel will be much more suitable.

Seeing a mushroom in a dream

But in fact, what does it mean if I dreamed of a mushroom ?

The answer to this question is complex and will really depend on your personal situation. As we have seen, the meaning of the mushroom is a complex question with many avenues for reflection. That of its meaning in a dream is just as difficult.

However, here are some avenues that you can explore:

• If you see a mushroom in a forest, it can show a need to reconnect with nature, to find your origins.
• A mushroom picker is a clear message: your wealth will soon increase. Porcini mushrooms, boletus and oyster mushrooms are all allegories of money.
• If, on the contrary, you see them on your plate, they mean a need to change your diet, moving towards something healthier.
• Mushrooms that grow visibly and reach gigantic sizes are confirmation that extraordinary things are going to happen in your life.
• If the mushrooms are slender and with a big hat, it could also be a phallic symbol with sexual, erotic meaning.
• The dream world is complex. If a phalloid mushroom can express masculine potency, it can also (in some cases) show a form of dissatisfaction.
• Mushrooms can be deadly, poisonous and highly toxic. Referring to a mushroom guide can be a way to thwart a very dark omen.

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