How mushrooms shape the world and our place in it
A podcast episode, and on the assumptions that shape our relationships with non-human beings.
I am super excited to continue live Substack conversations that you can listen to as podcast episodes (links below). In this context, there are two parts to today’s letter, and going forward, that I’ve settled for now: a weekly reflection from me and an intro to the podcast episode. Both on the topic of the conversation. About magnificent beings: mushrooms.
Part 1: Human relationships with non-human beings
This book on plants I’ve been listening to (Brilliant Green) starts with a plot of a movie, “Fantastic Planet“:
In it, giant aliens called the Draag live at an incredibly accelerated perception compared to tiny humans (Oms). To the Draag, Oms appear like unmoving objects—or “static beings”—and can be treated as mere toys. Wikipedia
This is, in a nutshell, the story of our relationship with plants. Just imagine for a moment that you are an alien. And you are looking at the Earth and its history.
Biomass
You are seeing vast green expanses. A wild range of plant forms and sizes. If you look at the biomass:
Plants make up 83% of the total
Mushrooms make up 2% of the total
Animals 0.04% of the total
Humans are a mere 0.01%!
Hmm, who is ruling here? Who dominates the Earth? You, as an alien, are probably asking yourself.
Age
Now, you are opening an Earth history book. Who has been here how long? Here is a cool analogy that ChatGPT helped me develop. In that history book, where do we, humans, show up, compared to plants?
And here is why age matters. Looking at the book analogy, you, as an alien may be asking yourself now if humans are still at a prototype stage…?
Plants, on the other hand, have been through stuff. Cold, heat, water, desert, bare rocks. Cut them down, dig them out, and they often find a way to be back. They’ve proven the concept and found the market fit. In the startup world speak.
I won’t go into the full list of what plants can do—Western science is only just catching up. But it’s a lot! Versions of the five senses and a form of decision-making that might outdo our brains are just part of the deal. (A full account is in Brilliant Green: The Surprising History and Science of Plant Intelligence)
Relationship with Plants
Getting back to our relationship with plants, do you see now that movie analogy? It’s hard to relate to plants because we live at a higher speed.
It’s also hard to relate and connect to plants because we have come to judge reality by the progress of Western science.
“If they can see it in the lab, it’s real, and if not, it’s woo-woo,” we are taught in school. “Let’s toss thousands of years of knowledge without double blind studies into a nonsense bin.“
But, I didn’t actually mean to rant. Just to say that there can be so much more richness to our individual lives and life on this planet if we start seeing plants for the highly intelligent beings that they are.
And it’s so easy to start. The next time you get out of the house, imagine you are that alien!
If anything above resonated, I’d be super delighted to hear from you!
And now, check out the episode (below)! Mushrooms are a whole different story, but we usually lump them into one basket with plants as far as relating to them. So, this is a good context for exploring the relationship with mushrooms as well.
Part 2: Podcast Episode:
About Olivia:
is a holistic practitioner who offers guided quantum healing hypnosis sessions that support connection to the Higher Self — your inner source of wisdom, healing, and soul guidance. These sessions awaken imagination, intuition, and self-healing in an expanded state of awareness. She also uses these tools to assist groups at monthly meetups in Berlin in connecting to the other realms of our Earth, whether with plants, fungi, or other Earth beings.
Short clips
Check out two clips from our conversation that give you an idea of what it’s about.
What mushrooms do:
Connecting to mushrooms:
The full episode
You can listen to it on the major podcast platforms. A couple of links are below.
On Substack:
Apple Podcasts:
Spotify:
I’d be super delighted to hear from you!
Leave a comment, ask me or Olivia a question. And check out your local mushroom scene. What reveals itself?!
Ways to further explore together:
Listen to my podcast!
Alternating guided somatic experiences with lightly edited conversations with people whose passion for making this world a better place you are guaranteed to sense! Check it out here.
Come on a breath walk with me!
Join my old-fashioned private email list for exclusive experiment invites and ongoing events.
Outdoor sessions for systemic thinkers
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