Hello, and welcome to the Sea Goddess Healing Arts monthly Soul Broadcast!
Our collective intention is to share with you topics and information relevant to current energies, the Healing Arts, tools and modalities, and whatever our Souls are wishing to share with you every month. This month's theme is Mushrooms!
We hope you love and find this monthly offering helpful, and a great resource in your own healing journey. Thank you for tuning into your hearts and our collective Soul space.
Chaga Mushroom
by Mandee Elam
(Medicine Woman of the Soul/Co-Founder and GIC at Sea Goddess Healing Arts)
I was first introduced to Chaga Mushroom when reading about it in an online article by Anthony William, The Medical Medical Medium. In 2017 I did his suggested 28 day Healing Cleanse to help me heal from Gout, High Blood Pressure, Fatty Liver Disease, HPV Strain 16, Fibromyalgia, Nasal Polyps, Vocal Cord Dysfunction, 2 Broken Ankles, and a Broken Lower Back. It was an extreme change for me, but I was near death and desperate. My intention was to get through the 28 days and much to my surprise I went 8 months fully vegan and mostly raw. My body just needed it and my higher self took over. During that time I had read about Chaga Mushrooms but got into Nettle and Dandelion Teas. However, the seed/spore was planted.
A few years later, I took a winter trip to Northern Vermont to visit my Soul Sister Raven and her Husband Kyle who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer. One day Raven invited our friend Vickie and I to go out Chaga foraging. I was stoked, as I wanted to learn more and was eager to revisit the seed planted long ago. Raven had been Chaga hunting with her family most of her life and had lots to teach me. First order of business, we forage for Chaga in the winter. It grows on mostly Birch Bark in Northern United States, Northern Europe, Canada, Russian, Korea, and sometimes North Carolina. Chaga comes from the Russian word “Czaga” which means fungus in Russian. It takes up to 20 years for spores to mature and should not be harvested if it's smaller than a grapefruit. Raven scouts out Chaga on her hunting routes and watches it grow year after year.
Once harvested, Chaga can be ground down into a coffee like powder and drunk as a tea. According to my nutritional guru Anthony William, “Chaga is an incredibly powerful medicinal mushroom that is highly sought after due to its phenomenal levels of antioxidants and healing properties. Chaga is rich in Vitamins A, C, B, D, and E and minerals such as manganese, iron, calcium, zinc, and selenium. It also contains potent anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-candida, and anti-parasite properties. Chaga is one of the best sources of betulinic acid which is known to kill cancer cells on contact. Chaga is therefore often listed as one of the top anti-cancer and anti-tumor foods and is highly valued in a variety of natural cancer treatments and preventative protocols. Research has shown Chaga to be particularly beneficial for colon, stomach, endometrial, lung, breast, and prostate cancer.
Chaga is also rich in beta-glucans which can dramatically strengthen and reinforce the immune system making it an ideal choice for those suffering with autoimmune disorders such as chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, lymphoma, bursitis, shingles, and PCOS. It is also very beneficial for those with HIV and has been shown to reduce the various symptoms and secondary diseases caused by HIV. Chaga contains the highest level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the world, which is an enzyme that promotes the breakdown of free radicals and has been shown to be highly effective in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, Lou Gehrig’s disease, gout, scleroderma, osteoarthritis, and cataracts. Its anti-inflammatory properties makes it ideal for those with IBS, arthritis, colitis, cystitis, tendonitis, edema, asthma, celiac disease, and acne.``
Above are pictures of Chaga on Bark of Birch, Chaga Harvested, and photos of Mandee, Raven (climbing tree), and Vickie. Though Chaga was very supportive of Kyle's journey, Kyle lost his battle to cancer in October 2020.
For more information visit…
For more information about Chaga Mushroom visit https://www.medicalmedium.com/
For a recipe for Chaga Ice Tea visit https://www.medicalmedium.com/blog/chaga-iced-tea
For a recipe for Caramel Date Chaga Latte visit https://www.medicalmedium.com/blog/caramel-date-chaga-latte
Looking UP in Awe and Wonder
Intelligence in the Darkness
by Ursula Duffy
(Co-Founder and GOO at Sea Goddess Healing Arts, Professional Astrologer and Certified Aromatherapist/Founder, Ursa Alchemy)
When contemplating and marveling at the healing properties of mushrooms, my mind is usually blown! When considering the correspondences between life on Earth and its counterparts in the Cosmos (see my section of September's Soul Broadcast), I relate mushrooms to the planet Mars. I’ve been educated and schooled in the healing properties of psilocybin for many years. I only started learning about the healing properties of the rest of the mushroom world, specifically adaptogenic mushrooms and the entire organism of their structure that lives and operates underground (mycelium), since about 2018. This month’s theme is right on time, as usual, since we’re all about to do a deep dive into Mars energy during the upcoming retrograde and the unseen realms as we transition into Scorpio season on October 23rd. Why do I relate the planet Mars to mushrooms? Let’s break it down!
In one of my most favorite beginner Astrology books, The Inner Sky, Steven Forrest wrote the following about Mars:
Function: The development of will, The expression of courage, “Assertiveness training”
Dysfunction: Touchiness, rage, selfishness, insensitivity, cruelty, sadism, bombast, irritability, a “chip on the shoulder”
Key Questions: What battles must I face? Where must I be more assertive if I am not to suffer pointless conflict and strife? How can I sharpen my will? How do I express my aggressiveness?
When Retrograde: Tremendous staying power, Hesitant to assert oneself or make demands, Passive demeanor, Anger controlled but internalized
Traditionally, Mars rules the zodiac signs of Aries and Scorpio. Mars rules the blood and parts of both the Solar Plexus and Sacral Chakras in our bodies. Iron is Mars’s metal, Tuesday is its day of the week, its mythology is tied to the god of war and there are many crystals associated with Mars such as Bloodstone, Carnelian and Garnet. In us, it’s closely associated with the Divine Masculine, our own personal hero’s journey, which “battles” we choose and how we wield our swords and our shields. We all have Mars somewhere in our natal chart, which provides useful clues about how we express its energy.
Not only does Mars’s glyph resemble a mushroom, and something else we may associate with the masculine, check out the definition of an adaptogen according to Merriam Webster:
a nontoxic substance and especially a plant extract that is held to increase the body's ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promote or restore normal physiological functioning
The Etymology of the word adaptogen is traced back to the Russian word for adaptation. Six well-known adaptogenic mushrooms include Chaga, Reishi, Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, Shiitake and Turkey Tail, and they all have a vast variety of health and healing properties. I personally enjoy mushroom coffee and my preferred source is the company Four Sigmatic. I’ve been substituting one cup of regular coffee with their instant coffee for years.
Anything that can help us enhance our body’s survival, response to stimuli, vitality and efficiency, especially through our blood, I consider to be related to the planet Mars. Mars is getting closer and closer to us; you may have even seen it past midnight rising in the East, bright red and magnetic (to the left of Jupiter). This is what happens when Mars Retrograde is near. Mars’s last retrograde was in the Fall/Winter of 2020 in the sign of Aries. and the upcoming retrograde this year begins on October 30th in the sign of Gemini. These retrogrades are relatively rare, occurring roughly every two years for about two months. Mars has been in Gemini since early September. It will be in Gemini for the entirety of the retrograde, which ends on December 13th, and for a few months after, exiting in March 2023. That’s a long time in each sign during every retrograde cycle. It’s visually stunning (one of my favorite phenomena) and it’s PLENTY of time to steep in the energy and tune into what the planet is teaching us. I love pulling from the imagery for each degree of the zodiac to get a feel for what upcoming retrogrades, cycles, etc. may entail; there are several sets and they’re all channeled by different people. The retrograde begins at 25° 26’ and the information for the 26th degree of Gemini (we round up to the nearest degree when using these symbols) from the book The Circular Temple, A Study of the 360 of the Zodiac, Volume I by John Sandbach is as follows:
Degree Angel: MEBAHEL (May-ba-HEL) Farewell to Arms, Truth, Liberty, and Justice, Transforming/Experimental
Title: Patient and steady creation of magic from the materials at hand
Omega Symbol: A man cutting the limb of a persimmon tree to make a wand.
Pleiadian Symbol: Ice devas decorating a forest.
Chandra Symbol: A cave with carved walls. It is an ancient temple.
Azoth Symbol: A woman helping a maiden to don her wedding dress.
Sabian Symbol (from a different source): Winter frost in the woods.
Gemini is the sign of the twins, mutable air, ruled by Mercury and relates very much to how we contemplate new information, imagine and respond to new ideas, and to the cooperation and integration of the Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine energies within us. Mutability refers to one of the modalities of energy in Astrology, and relates to adaptability. The messages in the symbols remind me of our creativity, resourcefulness, cooperation, humanity and the beauty in instinct, inherent knowledge, intuition and the temporarily frozen. Retrogrades are the perfect time to slow down, or be temporarily frozen, take power in the pause and respond rather than react. Think about the mushroom and how the overall organism exists beneath the surface, in the unseen realms, in the darkness. This time of the year always gives us the beautiful opportunity to contemplate the underworld, the unseen and to trust that every seed has been spread exactly where it needs to be, to be nurtured by the regenerative cycles of life occurring at, and beneath the surface, and to remember that energetically, we’re very similar to the mushroom, operating and surviving due to our own adaptability and unseen connections. Decomposition is an integral part of the cycle of life.
October’s Important Astrological Moments (EDT)
Mercury Direct - Sunday, October 2nd
Aries Full Moon - Sunday, October 9th
Scorpio Season Begins - Sunday, October 23rd
Scorpio New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse - Tuesday, October 25th
Mars Retrograde Begins - Sunday, October 30th
Mars energy can feel gritty, and a retrograde in the sign that relates to communication can feel extra gritty, especially in our intimate/interpersonal relationships and in the collective. These last few months of 2022 have some rough Cosmic energy, especially with the Mars retrograde occurring concurrently with eclipse season. Remember to stay grounded, keep your cool and maybe try adding some adaptogenic mushrooms to your life during this time. They may help you wield your sword and shield wisely and to embody your functional, high vibration version of Mars.
Kendra Hammell/Higher Self Healing will be back with us next month!
She's added many new products to her online store and bookings!
Check out Kendra's offerings at the links below.
I Mush Ask You, Do You Like Mushies As Much As I Do?
by Lexi Duquette, Mermaid in the Mountains
It’s Mushy month here because the beautiful magical divine fungi kingdom deserves a whole month to be recognized and honored. To think as a child I once avoided mushrooms in any meal, but when out in nature I truly believed they were where fairies found shelter from the rain and families of gnomes gathered. It wasn’t until recently that mushrooms made a grand life changing re-entrance into my own personal healing journey. A trail of divinely planted seeds blossomed one after another as I learned about all the different benefits and uses of the different types…
Lions mane for the Mind,
Reishi for Immortality,
Cordyceps for energy boost,
Chaga for digestion,
Turkey tail for the immune system,
Shiitake for Cardio Vascular Health,
Maitake for healthy Blood Pressure,
Psilocybin for increase in cognitive and neural pathways
…just to name a few.
Being one of the largest life forms on earth, along with the fact that fungi are genetically closer to humans than plants, makes it one of the best kingdoms for the mind, body and soul! It’s billions of years of wisdom from adapting and surviving through the ages while helping the soil, other plants and talking to trees that only helps make them that more potent and divine. When intentionally invited in they can share their power of resiliency and adaptability through their bio compounds they absorbed from other plants with their beautiful ability to transform dead things into new growth. I recently pulled multiple times the Mushroom Card from my Herb Crafters Tarot Deck (pictured above), which beautifully connects mushrooms to the The Tower Major Arcana Card and felt called to share. This card is a beautiful way to connect with Spirits of the Fungi Kingdom and encourages being “liberated by your acceptance of profound change”. So, brew a cup of chaga tea, add in some medicinal mushroom tinctures from your favorite local herbalist, and sit with the Spirit of Fungi while answering the questions within this card. Allow yourself to surrender to the messy darkness and take a lesson from fungi and use it to create a fruitful change within!
Lexi's services are now available on the Sea Goddess Healing Arts website!
My Golden Teacher Journey
by Jennifer Alvarado, The Jane Doe Project
This month's topic is something near and dear to my heart, for many reasons.
Mushrooms!!! The magic little fungi that can change and heal the world. There are species for just about everything you could think of. Specific species help different ailments. Similar to herbs.
The mushrooms I'd like to share are the Golden teachers. (They are my absolute favorite and shortly, I'll share why I am biased.). Golden teachers are "magic mushrooms". They are one of the world's best known hallucinogenic mushrooms (there are over 100 known hallucinogenic species). Currently, studies are proving that psilocybin mushrooms have the capability to help with depression, addiction, ADHD, PTSD, and more. So, this is where my bias comes in. I have used psilocybin mushrooms to help heal deep rooted trauma.
I did research and found a program that was a perfect fit for me. It was a veteran-owned business and I felt safe and comfortable. After putting a month or so of work in, I began my 30 day Golden teacher microdosing program.
During my 4 week journey, I focused on PTSD, childhood trauma, military sexual trauma, and domestic violence trauma. These were the 4 most "reactive" traumas that I could see and was aware of. These were the traumas that affected my everyday life and the relationships around me.
(There was a time when I couldn't go to crowded places. When I had to have a view of all entrances and exits. When I couldn't be touched by my own children. When the thought of going to a medical facility gave me crippling panic attacks, to the point I felt death was near. It took years to get where I am but there was more healing to be had).
Golden teachers repaired neuropathways and rerouted brain receptors that had been damaged by physical, mental, and emotional trauma. They took me to the root of where it all happened. I met the versions of me that were putting up these walls of defense, thinking they were helping. Doing it out of love and a need to protect. Yes, in physical forms as well. (Anxiety, depression, etc.). I had to meet these "little/younger versions” of Jenny and give her the love, tenderness, compassion, and forgiveness she needed during these traumatic times.
I got to heal in ways I had only dreamed of. I not only healed the trauma I set out to, I healed generational trauma, sexual trauma, I found true acceptance in myself, and I gained a deeper perspective for my world and the one around me.
Mind you, I never tried a psychedelic mushroom in my life. Everything about them was like, nope. I've heard horror stories. I did not want to see cartoon critters running around in my world. Hahah. A little education goes a long way and reduces irrational fears hahah.
I ended up having the most intimate, beautiful, eye opening, magical experience with my true self. (No bunnies creeping around lol). I got real intimate with myself and the world around me. I found a version of unconditional love that matched my own, which gave me the ability to tend to my trauma with open eyes and heart.
I try to shine it everyday. I take deeper breaths. I continue my healing journey and teach myself to slow down in this fast paced world. I give kindness out like it's an all eat buffet of prime ribs and the finest healing crystals your eyes have seen. I've known pain. Too much of it and now, I am love. I try to give it, be it, and breathe it. I have had a magical journey of self with Golden teachers, responsible for part of this amazing outlook.
I did the work. The mushrooms were the tool. They rewired my brain as if that "damage/trauma" was reduced 10 fold. I will have to "maintain" my entire life. NOTHING is a quick fix to healing trauma. The only way past it is through it. This method is also not for everyone. It was for me. This is my experience. One I am still riding. Each day and every week bring new growth. I try to keep those repaired and rerouted neuropathways healthy and strong. I continue to educate and grow. I'm self accountable and I'm learning to ground. Learning balance is a lifetime act. Got to feel your way through it. Thanks for letting me share my story. Feel free to email me or DM me on the Jane Doe Facebook page.
I've attached a photo of Golden teachers (above), as well as a peer reviewed article (link below) on some studies they are currently doing. Thank you for your time and space.
L&L,
J
Changing How We Approach Healing with Mike and Nancy
Video Contribution!
by Crystal Jordan, Mid-Mitten Medium
Krystle J Bailey will be back with us next month!
Check out Krystle's offerings at the link below.
Disclaimer: Although we have enjoyed sharing our personal stories and journeys with you, we are not medical doctors or professionals. Please remember to always consult your medical professional when embarking on your own healing journey and situations and conditions requiring professional medical attention/assistance.
We hope you've enjoyed reading our stories and journeys with the Mushroom world! There's SO MUSH to explore!
Wishing you a beautiful October.
We are excited for our final Surf & Soul Drum Circle on Saturday, 10/8 at 5:30 pm and for our first ever online Sea Goddess Soul Circle on Thursday, 10/20 at 7 pm.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for The Last Splash Festival. It was an incredible day!
Find out more about all of our many upcoming events and where we'll be vending on our Events page!
With Love, Light & Gratitude,
The Sea Goddess Healing Arts Team
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