Magic Mushrooms and their Place in Ancient Folklore

Our little grey friends are so much more than a tasty ingredient in our dinner, they've been used by witches, shamans and faeries for centuries!



Mushrooms are quite literally magic and have been used in rituals and religions the world over. The iconic  red and white Fly Agaric has been used by shamans used for astral travel and deep magic rituals for thousands of years. Many ancient cultures ranging from Russia to Latin America magical mushroom rituals believing that mushrooms granted immense power allowing them to travel to the land of gods.

Ancient Egyptians believed that mushrooms offered immortality and only royalty were permitted to eat them


Mushrooms have long been associated with arcane magic as they are thought to produce faerie rings.
In the British Isles when mushrooms appear in a perfect circle they form a faerie ring. This is a portal where faeries come in from their land, the Otherworld. But human are strongly advised not to enter this strange rings lest they be carried away from the fey folk to be their slaves.

Many centuries ago in Germany these faerie rings were known as witches rings who would gather in secret to celebrate the pagan sabbats. It was said the magic residue from their magical rites would create a mushroom ring that was to be avoided at all costs.

In Lithuania, mushrooms were believed to be the fingers Velnias, the god of death reaching out from the realm of the dead to feed the poor.


About the Author

S.J.Budd is a writer of all things weird and creepy. Previously her tales have been featured on Deandman's Tome,  Sanitarium Magazine, Dark Gothic Resurrected, Liquid Imagination, Aphotic Realm, Aurora Wolf, Aphelion, Blood Moon Rising Magazine, The Wild Hunt, Danse Macabre, Shadows at the Door, Inner Sins, Bewildering Stories, Siren's Call and many more.
She lives at www.sjbudd.co.uk  and  @sjbuddj 
Spells and Persuasions, her debut collection of short stories of horror and dark fantasy is available now in paperback and kindle from Amazon






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