For more than two thousand years, Reishi has been the preeminent precursor of herbs for use in spirituality.
Reishi Mushroom Spiritual Benefits
Spirituality can mean many different things to many different people, but perhaps one common thread through them all is the sense of connectedness, of being a part of the greater whole. Reishi has the famous ability to tap into that energy source and create an elevated experience in our spiritual practices, whatever that looks like to you.
It is important to note that reishi can be a supporting herb to spiritual practices, as long as it is a part of your regular practice. Simply taking reishi does not cause any sort of meditative coma or unexpected burst into the 4th dimension, well, maybe the 4th dimension part ;).
In traditional Chinese medicine, reishi is a sublime spirit-boosting herb known to have been nurturing “the shen” for thousands of years. The shen is a conduit for spirituality, running throughout our entire existence. It is known as the Heartmind, the “awareness” that motivates our being. The shen gives us insights, allowing us to become the real self, because that is necessary to achieve enlightenment.
To paint shen in further perspective for you, it is the “opposite” to the jing that gives life. You were born with life’s essence, ye. Jing is at its highest level when we are born and at our early stages in life, while jing is at its lowest level when we die. Shen is on the opposite end of the spectrum in life.
She is a consciousness of living, of the heart, of mind, of cultivating spirit, growing with us. Fertility and creation may also take on those various forms. If we raise our shin, we raise our spiritual fertility, our greater creativity. The capacity for manifestation and balancing inwards with outwards comes from shen-fertility, and when we are fertility like that, we are as creative and productive as our highest selves.
If you are entering the later stages of your life, this is incredibly important to remember. Fertility is sustained, but it is shifting, and cultivating shin helps with that transition, as well as feeding your destination. Reishi supports the Shen, which is both exceptional and rare in the Chinese herbal realm, making it an unparalleled top-level herb. Since its discovery more than 2000 years ago, Reishi has been known for “making your body lighter”.
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Reishi Mushroom Magical Properties
Another name for reishi, lingzhi translates as the “spirit herb,” and is considered a key to eternal life. In Chinese culture, reishi was even said to be capable of giving the dead a second lease on life. It was portrayed as the bridge between Heaven and Earth in ancient scrolls. The mushroom fruiting body is used as a symbol for long life and spiritual brightness, similar to how lotus flowers are used by Buddhist cultures.
Ancient Taoists used reishi for becoming “capable of spiritual transcendence”. There are a number of different uses, which are noted in absence of modern sciences that we possess today. Even Mayan cultures mentioned using Reishi mushrooms to prevent and treat diseases. It is used as an overall tonic in China for suppressing fatigue, weakness, illness, and disease, and also for a restorative effect on sexual performance.
As it became a increasingly sought-after commodity, there is even been talk of Japans discovery coming from the navy being sent out to find more Reishi on faraway shores. The story involves a fleet of 50 young men and 50 young women who are said to have never returned. Whether this is true or not, Reishi clearly has a reputation enough that this is a significant possibility.
All these threads of historical imprints on reishi lend credence to the connection between body, heart, and mind that is so remarkable about the plant. Over 2000 years ago, Shen Nong, emperor of the Qing dynasty, recognized reishi as being in the upper echelon of herbs, capable of “lightening up the body”.
Today, we have the technology, and thousands of years of use, for reishi, to really bring out those incredible qualities of this spiritual herb. We can use reishi in myriad ways to help us to not only improve our general health, but our spiritual practices as well.
If there is a single fungus modality to meditating, this is it. Reishi has significant capacity for helping to decrease stress as it is a strong adaptogen. Additionally, its incredible calming and grounded effects help to clear your mind, ease the body, and open your mind to an endless supply of inspiration and creativity.
With such increased concentration and serenity, meditation and other spiritual practices come to feel much more natural and embody, something that in recent times may have been difficult for many. Reishi has been seen as clearly transformative in an open-minded path to mindfulness.
Some people even think that the Reishi mushrooms are non-terrestrial. Many mycologists consider our Solar System to be where various types of mushrooms originated. Their goal is believed to be the activation of consciousness here on Earth, with the introduction of reishi in ones life being a way station for awakening.
Reishi, in traditional Chinese medicine, has been seen to promote all three of the precious elements, jing, chi, and shen, and is the full-being wellness elixir capable of feeding the mind, the body, and the heart (or soul). Reishi is an excellent tonic for your liver, helping prevent free radicals, as well as protecting and supporting liver function. Less work for your liver means that it is functioning at higher levels.
This mushroom is a strong adaptogen, as well as being strongly grounded in the roles of anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant. With its immune-modulating abilities, reishi helps to protect the body while supporting the immune system. When your body is in optimal functioning, and your health is optimized, your mind and heart may begin to rise to higher levels, making reishi the perfect partner for your spiritual growth journey.
Additional Resources:
Reishi mushroom liver toxicity
Reishi mushroom during pregnancy and breastfeeding
Updated 10/24/2022
