| Magic mushroom consumption, flying reindeer | | | | and known as the 'middle earth', the roots of |
| and an evergreen tree that touches the | | | | the tree stretched deep into the earth to the |
| largest star in the sky have associations in | | | | 'under-world' and that branches stretched |
| the pre-Christian ancient world which bare | | | | upwards into a heavenly or cosmic realm. The |
| resemblances to some of our modern-day | | | | World Tree has been described as a kind of |
| Christmas symbols. Read on and enjoy some | | | | 'cosmic axis' where the planes of the |
| fascinating insights into ancient history. | | | | universe are fixed. |
| Discover the ancient | | | | |
| world relationship to Christmas through magic | | | | The North Star also known as the 'Pole Star' |
| mushrooms, the Pole Star and the World Tree! | | | | was considered sacred by ancient people |
| There is research that suggests that many of | | | | because all the other stars revolved around |
| our modern-day Christmas symbols and icons | | | | its fixed point. They believed the top of the |
| are actually derived from the Shamanistic | | | | World Tree touched or connected to the Pole |
| traditions of the tribal people of | | | | Star. The Shamans belief they pass into the |
| pre-Christian Northern Europe. They consumed | | | | realm of the Gods as they climbed the |
| sacred mushrooms and based many of their | | | | metaphorical tree. This is believed by some |
| traditions and celebrations around these | | | | to be the real history of the star on the |
| sacred mushrooms which bare resemblance to | | | | modern Christmas tree. |
| many of our modern Christmas traditions. | | | | |
| | | | Researchers tell us that the active |
| There is an interesting history attached to | | | | ingredients of amanita mushrooms are not |
| these magic mushrooms we see illustrated in | | | | metabolized by the body and so remain active |
| children's fairy tale books and especially | | | | in the urine. It is considered safer and |
| with images of elves and Christmas. They come | | | | preferable not to eat the mushrooms directly |
| from the 'fly agaric' or amanita muscaria | | | | but to drink the urine of one who has |
| mushroom (red and white in color). These | | | | consumed the mushrooms. This process enables |
| mushrooms are usually associated with magic | | | | many of the toxic compounds to be processed |
| and fairies. Ancient people used these | | | | and eliminated on the first pass through the |
| mushrooms for transcendental experiences and | | | | body. Ancient people drank each others urine |
| insight. These mushrooms contain | | | | as a common practice of recycling the potent |
| hallucinogenic compounds. The Shamanistic | | | | effects of the mushrooms. It has been found |
| traditions included celebrations around the | | | | that even on six passes through the body |
| consumption and harvest of these sacred | | | | ingredients of the amanita mushrooms remain |
| mushrooms. Celebrations similar to our | | | | potent. It has been argued amongst some |
| Christmas traditions. | | | | scholars that the origin of the phrase "to |
| | | | get pissed," comes from this ancient urine |
| Interestingly these specific mushrooms grow | | | | drinking practice associated with the amanita |
| only under certain types of trees being | | | | mushrooms. This urine-drinking activity |
| mostly firs and evergreens which are | | | | preceded alcohol by thousands of years. |
| synonymous with Christmas. Ancient people | | | | |
| considered the mushrooms the fruit of these | | | | The sacred animals of these ancient people |
| evergreen trees. As these mushrooms sprang | | | | were reindeer that were also fond of eating |
| from the earth, ancient people were amazed | | | | the amanita mushrooms. In fact they would |
| because there was no visible seed. Thus it | | | | seek them out, and then prance about while |
| was considered a 'virgin birth 'resulting | | | | under their influence. Reindeer also enjoy |
| from the morning dew (seen as the semen of | | | | the urine of a human who had consumed the |
| the deity). It has been written that the | | | | mushrooms. Often tribesmen would carry |
| silver tinsel prominent today to drape over | | | | sealskin containers of their urine which they |
| our modern Christmas trees is derived from | | | | used effectively to attract stray reindeer |
| and representative of this divine fluid. Many | | | | back into the herd. The effects of these |
| ancient people including the Shamans and the | | | | mushrooms usually include sensations of |
| Lapps (Finland) and the Kyoak tribes of the | | | | flying and size distortion. This may account |
| central Russian steepes believe in the idea | | | | for the many legends of flying reindeer or |
| of a 'World Tree'. They believed the trunk of | | | | winged reindeer transporting their riders up |
| the tree was representative of every day life | | | | the World Tree! |