The Sacred 7 Mushrooms - Origins, Uses, Benefits and Legalities

Introduction to the Sacred 7 Mushroom

The "sacred 7 mushroom," also sometimes referred to as the "siete little-known mushrooms" or simply "siete mushrooms," is a grouping of 7 types of psychoactive mushrooms that have a long history of spiritual and religious use by ancient Mesoamerican cultures.

Origins of the Sacred 7

The classification of the sacred 7 mushrooms originated from the Mixtec codices, ancient Mesoamerican pictorial manuscripts that recorded the belief systems, history, and culture of Nahua peoples in what is now modern-day Mexico.

These codices depicted 7 mushrooms that were used in spiritual rituals and religious ceremonies to commune with deities, understand the cosmos, and experience visions of enlightenment. Each mushroom was represented by its own specific iconography and linked to different gods, calendar dates, directions, and natural phenomena.

Mushrooms of the Sacred 7

The 7 mushrooms of the sacred 7 include:

• Teonanácatl ("divine mushroom" in Nahuatl) - Psilocybe mexicana
• Pajaritos ("little birds" in Spanish) - Psilocybe caerulescens
• Carrerita ("little one that runs" in Spanish) - Psilocybe zapotecorum
• Niños Santos ("holy children" in Spanish) - Psilocybe velutipes
• Duraznito ("little peach" in Spanish) - Psilocybe cubensis
• Hongo de San Isidro (St. Isidore's mushroom in Spanish) - Psilocybe stuntzii
• Plumerito ("little feather" in Spanish) - Psilocybe wurmbii

Traditional and Modern Uses

Historically, indigenous peoples consumed these mushrooms in controlled ceremonial contexts under the guidance of spiritual leaders. The mushrooms were eaten, drunk as a tea, or administered as enemas for their mind-altering effects as part of shamanic rituals, rites of passage, and divination practices.

In modern contexts, the sacred 7 mushrooms continue to be used by some indigenous groups to connect with ancestral spiritual traditions. However, they have also gained popularity in the West among psychonauts, naturalists, and neuromystics for consciousness expansion, creativity, personal insight, and recreation.

Legality and Safety

Legal Status

The possession, sale, transportation and cultivation of the sacred 7 mushrooms currently faces varying legal restrictions around the world:

• Most countries, as well as the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, have specifically listed psilocybin and psilocin (the main psychoactive components) as Schedule I prohibited substances.
• A few countries like Brazil, Jamaica, and Samoa have no laws against personal psilocybin mushroom usage.
• Some cities and jurisdictions, such as Oakland, California and Denver, Colorado in the USA have recently decriminalized or legalized personal use and cultivation of psilocybin mushrooms.

Health Risks and Precautions

Consuming sacred 7 mushrooms can pose psychological and physiological health risks, especially among vulnerable groups. Potential dangers include:

• Bad "trips" causing anxiety, fear, paranoia or psychosis
• Physiological changes like increased heart rate and nausea
• Resurfacing of latent mental health conditions
• Accidental injury while intoxicated
• Combining with other drugs that have contraindications with psilocybin

However, research suggests that sacred 7 mushrooms are physiologically safe and non-addictive without the risks associated with other recreational substances. Experts recommend taking precautions such as:

• Consuming in safe spaces with trusted companions
• Accessing psychological support systems if needed
• Disclosing full health history to session facilitators
• Starting with low controlled doses

Contemporary Research

Today, the psychoactive compounds in sacred 7 mushrooms - particularly psilocybin, psilocin, and baeocystin - are being actively researched for their promising therapeutic effects on mental health.

Mental Health Applications

Controlled clinical trials over the past decade have revealed that under professional supervision, psychoactive mushrooms can:

• Treat anxiety, PTSD and depression
• Alleviate end-of-life distress for terminally ill patients
• Reduce alcoholism and other addictions
• Improve well-being and life satisfaction

Proposed Mechanisms

Researchers have proposed several biological mechanisms that may explain the observed mental health benefits of sacred 7 mushrooms:

• Stimulating growth of new neural connections
• Altering brain plasticity
• Reducing activity in key parts of the brain's default mode network to enable new thought patterns
• Increasing mindfulness and self-reflection

Ongoing studies continue to yield insights into optimal clinical protocols and methodologies for leveraging mushrooms' unique psychoactive effects.

Cultivation at Home

Is it Legal?

Home cultivation of the mushrooms in the sacred 7 remains prohibited by law in most countries, although this is changing in a few jurisdictions:

• In the USA, cities like Denver, Colorado and Ann Arbor, Michigan have decriminalized home cultivation.
• Similar decriminalization measures for cultivation and personal use/sharing are being considered in various states and regions around the world.

Basic Prerequisites

For those located in areas where home mushroom cultivation has been legalized or decriminalized, basic prerequisites for growing sacred 7 mushrooms are:

• Space - An indoor room or chamber with consistent suitable temperature and humidity levels.
• Growing medium - Commonly used media include brown rice flour, grain jars, agar mixetc.
• Spores - Harvested mushroom spore syringes that include the desired mushroom strains.
• Sterile technique - Strict hygiene protocols to prevent contamination.

Cultivation Steps

A simplified cultivation process may include:

1. Sterilize all equipment and media of all contaminants.
2. Obtain, store and prepare high-quality mushroom spore syringes.
3. Inoculate media jars with spore solution.
4. Store inoculated jars for incubation period until fully colonized with mycelium.
5. Transfer to a fruiting chamber to trigger mushroom growth.
6. Maintain optimal humidity, fresh air exchange and lighting conditions.
7. Harvest mushrooms at peak maturity.

Proper contamination prevention protocols and consistency in environmental conditions are vital for successful yields.

The Future of Sacred Mushrooms

As research continues dispelling outdated stigma against psychoactive fungi, the historical and contemporary importance of sacred 7 mushrooms and other ethnobotanicals is gaining mainstream recognition. The promising medical benefits being unveiled may lead to rescheduling and regulated clinical usage.

However, indigenous and long-time communities argue that the spiritual dimension of sacred plants is equally vital for human well-being. There are ongoing efforts to preserve traditional knowledge wisdom and rituals safeguard their cultural heritage for future generations.

The future legal status and applications of sacred mushrooms thus remains an open question subject to much lively debate between scientific, medical, religious, and policymaking spheres.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.