The fungal kingdom is probably one of the most overlooked in our natural world, given the critical role it plays in building and sustaining a healthy ecosystem. Apart from creating delicious dishes using edible species, some very special mushrooms have undoubtedly shaped the world we live in today: psychedelic mushrooms. These mushrooms were known since ancient times to provide with spiritual experiences, communication with other realms, and perhaps even speaking with the higher self.
Ancient drawings, sculptures and statues related to them have been found all over the world and some date back to 9,000 BC. Mushrooms were of great significance to early human tribes and appear to have been spiritual conduits for the gods.
Magic mushrooms have been controversial for a long time, being banned by the church in 1500 by the conquistadors and by the Spanish Inquisition.
The Flower Power period brought them back into popular culture, but only to be banned again.
Magic mushrooms are still illegal, but a movement has begun to decriminalize them, especially due to scientific discoveries that identified their potential to be used in certain medical treatments. The studies are not complete, being made more difficult by the fact that these mushrooms are illegal. Researchers often use popular strains of psilocybe cubensis spores for research in the laboratory.