*Note - This is an excerpt of James Arthur’s website...please visit JamesArthur.net to contact James Arthur.

Figure 1.   Artwork as Revelator

Amanita muscaria is a Good Luck Charm associated with the Four-Leafed-Clover in artwork and traditional Superstition. It is not restricted to Pictorial art in obvious places. Sybmolism associated with the mushroom is found throughout Religious artwork as well. Decoding these Religious art symbols has always been a pet peeve of mine. It seems when you start to look there is Mushroom Imagery everywhere. For good reason, as the story unfolds you find that the depth of understanding religious art is directly associated with the depth of your understanding of Symbols.

Figure 2.  The Little People

Often associated with Gnomes, Fairies and “Little People” The beauty of this mushroom makes it a favorite for artists. The Mystical aspect is generally reserved for those that happen to be “In The Know”.

“The Hidden Meanings of Christmas”
 
  What are the origins of the Christmas traditions? Most people never think to ask this question. Those that do find a seemingly complete dogmatic system of explanation. Then of course there is one day the discovery that Santa Claus does not really exist. But... Does he? Many things have been written in an attempt to trace Christmas’ development. You can find books on this subject and even those who consider themselves experts in this field. I suppose you could call that field Santa-ology, or perhaps Santa-ism. Yet long lost into the realm of simple traditions are very amazing symbolic connections, and origins that are long forgotten, or perhaps intentionally overlooked. To know the meanings behind the symbologies that to most people have dogmatic explanation may open the doorway to understanding the hidden symbology of many other religions. Several books have been written about the Amanita muscaria (Mushroom). This Mushroom is found growing under Pine trees (Coniferous trees), Birch, and sometimes Oak all over the World. The Pine tree is one of the main relics of Christmas.
 
  The Santa Claus, and Christmas holiday (of today) have metamorphosised out of many older Mythologies and traditions. What are present today as icons, symbols, and relics that have managed to find their way into the Winter Solstice celebrations have a commonality that deserves some reflection, study, and perhaps even some reverence. Understanding these borrowed from traditions is central to getting at the root of the true meaning of Christmas.

Santa as a Shaman

The Santa Claus (of today) is a metamorphosis of many older Mythologies. Including THOR or Donner (German) who wears red and rides in a Golden Flying Chariot pulled by two Goats (Cracker and Gnasher). These Goats were in a sense the ancestors to the now popular Reindeer. What would the red and gold clad angel be doing with that nice basket? An Easter basket at Christmas is an interesting concept.

So Where does this enter the Christmas tradition?? Many Christian beliefs and traditions were borrowed from more ancient Religions and Mythologies. The virgin birth, The incarnation of God, The Sacrament, Christmas, Easter, Etc. Christmas has been adopted by Christianity as one of its holy days.
 
  It is well documented By Fundamentalists (apologists) that the Christmas traditions are Pagan in origin.. This simply means that their origin comes from the traditions of the country folk (pagan). The Pagan origins of most of the other attributes of Christianity are usually vigorously denied. It is also very easy to obscure, overlook and discredit the Hindu, Egyptian, Mithraic, Germanic, Greek and Buddhist roots by lumping all other religions together and labeling them Pagan. These are certainly not simple country-folk religions. So to say Christmas has Pagan roots is glossing over what exactly those roots are, and discrediting their study as worthless. Many of the Christmas traditions and stories have hidden meanings. Not apparent at first look, a more thorough investigation reveals there is far more symbolic content which is decipherable than suspected. At the roots of this search is the secret of the Mushroom, its habitat, form, users, effect, and symbolism.
 
  Siberian Shamen used, and still do today (despite Governmental oppression) The Amanita muscaria as a Religious Sacrament. The value Of the inebriant is placed highly among the commodities of the natives. Fetching Reindeer pelts and meats in payment and barter. Interesting to note That if you aren’t quick enough, you will find only the mushroom stubs, the rest greedily gobbled up by the hungry Reindeer. The Shamen of Siberia and the Russian Icon St. Nicholas both play parts in the tale of Christmas. Including where Christmas came from, and why there are certain Symbols associated with the holiday.

Figure 3.   Christmas Ornaments

The Tradition of Ornamenting a tree is likely from the tradition of “The Paradise tree” a fir tree decorated with apples (represented the fruit of The Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden). In Germany during the Middle Ages a popular play was staged on December 24^th (the religious feast day of Adam and Eve) symbolic of the Paradise story. Candles (symbolizing Christ), and cookies (originally wafers, symbolizing the Christian sacrament) were also hung on the tree, which is another symbolic connection. This Ornament is of particular interest because of the association with the Fruit of the tree of knowledge and the Amanita muscaria. This indicates that there have always been people “In the Know” from time to time. Originally the Fruit of the Tree of Life and the more recently added Fruit of the Tree Of Knowledge were one in the same. This according to Apocryphal texts.

So why do people bring Pine trees into their houses at the Winter Solstice? Placing brightly colored (Red and White) packages under the boughs to give each other as a token of their love and as a representation of the Love of God and the gift of his Sons life??
 
  This is because, in nature THAT is where you will find this “Most Sacred” Substance. The Amanita muscaria. These Mushrooms grow in a Symbiotic/Mycorhizal relationship with the Pine tree. This means they grow always underneath the tree. People symbolically place gifts under the tree at Christmas. Acting as a sort of proxy present givers. Doing the work of God/Santa. Each celebrant mimicking the act of Nature/God in placing under the tree a GIFT. Big clue here!!! Winter brings rains... Rains bring Mushrooms... Go to the mountains around Christmas time, Look under the Pine trees. What you will find under them unlocks the Key Mysteries of the Universe. Through Multi-dimensionalizing the consciousness in a way that no other substance known can. This Gnosis (joining together of your mind with the mind of the Universal Consciousness) is what the Sages, Mystics, Teachers, and Prophets were talking about. Even if only in symbolism. And show it in Symbolism they did.

Figure 4.   The Christmas Tree

All over the world people bring Coniferous trees into their houses and place brightly colored packages underneath them. In Nature, this is where you will find the Amanita muscaria (under coniferous trees). These particular Mushrooms grow in a symbiotic relationship with these particular trees. The actual living body is called Mycellium. It attaches to the roots of the tree awaiting the drop of a spore which produces the Fruiting body (fruit). The Mushroom is literally the Fruit of the Tree. As they grow in a Mycorhizal relationship with the tree, they are not parasitic. The tradition of bringing a tree into the home, and putting presents under it, is a custom that many follow. Most have absolutely no idea why. Even people that think they know, usually have no knowledge of this. The Symbolic meaning behind this transcends Etymological and Historical evidence.

1. Saint Nicholas is the patron Saint of children in Siberia (Russia)

2. The Mushrooms (Amanita muscaria) grow nearly exclusively under the Christmas (Coniferous) Trees.(Birch also; Another whole story)

3. The Reindeer eat these Mushrooms.. Hence the presumed flight.

4. Santa brings presents in his Bag. Mushrooms are gathered in Bags.

5. The Mushrooms are Red and White.

6. The Mushrooms are typically Dried by hanging them on the Hearth of the fireplace on strings. Just as stockings are hung in the same way

7. The Virgin Birth is Symbolic for the Mushroom. It grows without seed (Spores are microscopic) and it’s appearance was thought to be Miraculous because of this.

8. The very name Christmas.. Is a Holiday name composed of the words ...Christ (meaning the Anointed with the Magical Substance) ...Mass (a special religious service/ceremony of the Sacramental ingestion of the Eucharist, the Body of Christ.) In Catholic Tradition this Substance (Body/Soma) Has been replaced by the doctrine of Trans-substantiation, Whereby (in magical ceremony) The Priests claim the ability to transform A cracker into the literal Body of Christ.. IE. Substitute/Placebo.

Figure 5.   Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas (Patron Saint of Children among other things) is the most revered Saint in Russia, second only to the Apostles. He is The Russian Orthodox Church’s counterpart to the native peoples highly respected local Shamen. A Shaman is a holy man that is well acquainted with a form of spirituality that incorporates plant entheogens that facilitate the NDE or out of body experience. Saint Nicholas was not likely to have been a Shaman, however the Symbolism on, and coloring of his Robes can lend to speculation.

The ancient Shamanic use

  of Amanita muscaria in Siberia is well documented. Despite Governmental Oppression (of its use) there are still many who refuse to accept the Authorized State Religion, and continue the Shamanic traditions in secret. The Siberian Shaman (commonly dressing in red and white) would enter through the opening in the roof of a home where a ritual was to be done. Santa Claus (on the Holy Day) brings presents in his BAG. The Shamen gather the mushrooms in bags which they would bring with them when performing a ceremony. The Santa Claus we see today evolved from traditions developed in Germany. The Sinter Klaus was a conglomeration of older Germanic/Norse gods such as Thor, Donner, and Odin or Wotan. This knowledge is fairly common. What is missing here is that Odin rode through the sky in his charriot which is depicted in the stars by “The Big Dipper”. The Big Dipper is the charroiot of Odin and Wotan, And Thor, and King Arthur, and even Osiris (Egypt). The charriott that circles the North Star in a 24 hour period is thus also known as the sleigh of Santa Claus, which circles the mythological home of Santa (the North Pole). Thor throws his hammer (which is shaped as a mushroom) to the ground and with a mighty Thunderous ligtning crack it appears. Odin rides the sky in his charriott pulled by horses which are exerting such an effort that their spit mingled with blood falls to the ground and the places where it hits mushrooms (Amanitas particularly) grew. The Osiris mythology has even more to add to this. First off to the Egyptian’s South was up (north). Osiris was the lord of the underworld (south) which is why he circles the sky in the furthest possible under (south) area. Not only did Osiris ride the sky in a charriott, but after his death Isis found that an evergreen (Cedar) had grown full sized from a dead stump overnight (this also relates to the Djed pillar) this was understood as a sign of Osiris’ rebirth and immortality. The birth of Osiris is interestingly the 25^th of December (traditional). The 25^th of December was also celebrated annually by putting presents around the Cedar tree. This tradition is at lease five thousand years old. The birth of Horus to the goddess virgin mother Isis is perhaps the eldest representation of the goddess/son mythology, yet it is impossible to know the true date of this or how old the Astro-theological Virgo giving birth to the child/god/star mythology is. However it is the oldest source I have found. And very old it is. The Mushrooms are typically dried (a necessary procedure) by stringing them up (like popcorn) and hanging them above the hearth of the fireplace. Shamen, and Lay people alike, would gather and dry them. They are a valuable commodity. Reindeer (native to Siberia) eat these mushrooms. The Mythology of Reindeer taking flight reflects the supposed effects they get after such a meal.

It is important to point out that this Christmas/Winter Solstice celebration, with all its various counterparts, transcends the worlds religions. It may be that the reason that this celebration is held all over the planet in various forms has something to do with this other commonality which we are looking at. It certainly is intwined in the symbolism.

Here are some of the countries around the world and the names of their respective Santa Claus’.

Australia - - - - - - - Santa Claus

British Isles - - - - Father Christmas

China - - - - - - - - Dun Che Lao Ren (dwyn-chuh-lau-oh-run)

Czechoslovakia - - - -Svaty Mikalas

Denmark - - - - - - -Julemanden

France - - - - - - - -Pere Noel or le petit Jsus

Germany - - - - - - - Saint Nicholas or Weihnachtsmann

Greece - - - - - - - -Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus

Iceland - - - - - - - Jolasveinar. (13 of them) Stekkjarstaur, Giljagaur, Stufur, Thvorusleikir, Pottaskefill, Askasleikir, Hurdarskellir, Skyrgamur, Bjugnakraekir, Gluggagaegir, Gattathefur, Ketkrokur and Kertasnikir.

Italy - - - - - - - - La Befana

Japan - - - - - - - - Hoteiosho

Netherlands - - - - - Sinterklaas

Norway - - - - - - - -Julebukk

Russia - - - - - - - -Saint Nicholas

Scandinavia - - - - - Julenisse

Spain - - - - - - - - Balthazar

Sweden - - - - - - - -Tomte

Wales - - - - - - - - Mari Ilwyd

United States - - - - Santa Claus

This list is by no means inclusive: it was partially obtained from:
--The World Book Encyclopdia.

Figure 6.   A sacred meal setting and service

This place setting and service which was contributed by a very good friend who has been always an inspiration to me is certainly a real fine example of what a truely enlightened Christmas meal is all about. You don’t have to read very far into this symbolism to realise what the table is saying about dinner. The idea of a Sacred meal is incorporated into many ancient traditions that also celebrated the birth of the God on December 25^th. The Sun as it reaches the winter Solstice ends its course across the heavens and appears to stop for 3 days, then it begins anew its trek across the heavens towards the Northern hemisphere. This 3 day apparent stoppage is mythologized as the death of the Sun of God on the cross of the celestial 4 points, and after the 3 day waiting period it was thought to return to life, as it begins its precession across the sky. Later mythologies transfer the death on the cross to a hanging on wood, and the 3 day death to The Son being locked inside a tomb. The fact that the mushrooms must be dried (before consumption) is another euphemism that the god must die (sacrificing himself) to save mankind through enlightenment by giving his own life.

  This is only the beginning. A few of the associations this mushroom has with the Christmas traditions. Here are some Synonymous names and/or terminologies given to this Mushroom throughout history, many of which we will be exploring further.In fact, there are so many that expounding upon them could take a lifetime, therefore, obviously, this list is not all-inclusive. The Egyptian term; “the God of a thousand names” begins to make sense as this research begins to encompass so many other traditions, mythologies and religions.
 
1. SOMA (Hindu plant-god). Soma is also Greek for “body”.

2. Amrita (Buddhist Magical Sacrament).

3. Ambrosia (Greek, “Food of the Gods”).

4. The Holy Grail (note the Grail-like shape of the upturned muscaria mushroom; “Vessel containing the blood of the God”).

5. Fruit of the Tree of life: Fruit of the Tree = the mushroom; the main body (mycellium) growing underground in a Symbiotic relationship with the Pine tree.

6. The Golden Fleece

7. The Fountain of Youth: Ponce De’ Leon is likely to have unknowingly kicked over the very thing for which he was searching; the red muscaria grows under Longleaf Pine in northern Florida in December.

8. Haoma: Islamic Sacrament.

9. Manna: There are two kinds in the Bible; see John ch. 6 to 14. Manna means “mushroom”.

10. Bread of Life: Yes, it’s the “Loaf of Bliss”.

11. Fountain of Living Waters: Its alive, 90% water, and shaped like a fountain.

12. Hidden Manna: See Rev. 2:17

13. The Cosmic Egg, The Easter Egg (What are we really mimicking at Easter? The mushroom hunt, OF COURSE).

14. The Prima Materia/Philosophers stone: The secret substance of the Alchemists (Get Clark Heinrich’s book “Strange Fruit” for this one; fascinating!).

15. Soma: The Hindu plant God and elixir of immortality.

16. The Flesh of the God: The mushroom is very flesh-like and is depicted so.

17. The Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge/Life.

18. The Flesh of Jesus, and other Gods (Take and eat. This is my “body” [Greek, “SOMA”]).

19. The Hammer of Thor: The shape is obvious. Thor throws his mushroom-shaped hammer to the ground in a bolt of lightning and a mighty thunderous CRACK. Lightning is the mythical creator of the mushroom.

20. The Small White Stone: The infant state of the mushroom resembles a small white stone.

21. The Elixir of Immortality: The churning-of-the-milky-ocean myth describes this in a phenomenal way.

22. The Feathered Serpent: From its first egg-state to its snake-looking second state, then shedding its universal veil (shedding its skin) and finally upturning its cap (gills resembling feathers). The feathered serpent is cosmopolitan in its symbology.

23. The Phoenix: From the ashes (spores) the egg appears. Then comes the upturned cap resembling a gold and red colored bird (the gills as feathers). Then the heat (sun) burns the mushroom and it dissolves, once again leaving only ashes (spores), and finally repeating the whole cycle.

23. Ankh: Waters and life, or the waters of life in Egypt.

24. Rudra: The Hindu red god of the forest.

25. Djed: The phallus or pillar of Osiris.

26. The One Eyed Howler: The round eye shape which represents the vision of the universe.

27. The Eye of Horus: (Djed-Eye) Sound familiar?

28. The World Tree: The mushroom is thought to be the creator of the world, in many cultures.

29. Celestial Food: The food of the Gods in the Egyptian “Book of the dead”.

30. Aten: The Egyptian winged-disc.

31. Fly Agaric: Although “Fly” is commonly thought of in association with the “House-fly”, there is also evidence that it refers to the act of “flying”, as in taking spiritual flight.

Many times these representations are used severally in one depiction.

“THE HOLY GRAIL” Mushroom symbology in popular Myth

Figure 7.   The Holy Grail

Amanita muscaria the Holy Grail. Long associated with the Flesh of the God in Religious Sacraments. The Grail cup holding the blood of the God (juices) is an obvious analogy. Note the look of the fully grown specimen. The Imagery of a cup or fountain are some of the more pronounced Symbols used to keep the “Secret” understanding of the true nature of the sacrament for the “Elite”. In its infant (button) State the Mushroom resembles a small white stone. The pulling of the Sword (symbol of wielding the power) from the stone is another Arthurian Legend connecting the Mushroom to the myth.

The quest for the Grail itself is the quest for the knowledge of the mushroom. The Parcival myth depicts paths (traditions), which are to be explored (but not adhered to), in order to complete the quest. This quest is described in the myths as a journey into the forest (the world) and finding paths (systems) which one may follow, for a time, but ultimately one must blaze his/her own trail in order to truly reach the final goal, the Holy Grail (the discovery and usage of the mushroom).

The Holy Grail is a Mythology that comes from the story of the Crucifixion. It is a story that talks of a cup that caught some of the blood of Jesus as he died on the cross and as many relics was thought to posess magical powers. King arthur as a child gained his rightful place as King by pulling the sword from the stone. This is symbolic for wielding the power of the mushroom. The stone is a metaphor for the Mushroom and pulling the sword from it is the concept of being able to crack the code and posess the power of the magical plant. After Arthur took ill (in his later years) he was told that he must seek and find the Holy Grail to renew his strength and re-acquire his power. The Mushroom has historically/mythologically been the container of the juice of the elixir of immortality or the blood of the God. The shape of the Mushroom (in the form of a grail) is the reason that the cup/fountain/grail symbology is used in the stories. The Grail itself is the Mushroom and finding it is the underlying theme in the legends of King Arthur.

“Christianity” The western popular religion
 
Christianity is a religion with a dubious history, yet many of the doctrines and stories are worth study. Christianity is a Religion that was created for Political reasons. The Emperor of Rome Constantine knew one of the most basic tenets of the Government (control) of people. It is much easier to be the BOSS of someone when you can get them to believe that you not only have the authority of a Governmental organisation but the Authority from God to tell them what to do. Although Rome holds no exclusive right to this idea they certainly have etched their mark on history Enforcing their particular Political machine. Christianity is the product of examining as many of the Religious doctrines they could acquire from Egyptology, Mithraism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and others, also including the Torah of the Jews, and then picking and choosing the parts they wanted to include in the new Catholic (one from all) Bible. Since this was a conglomeration of older works, sort of a plagerism (then alteration) there are many symbolic tenets that have managed to retain their original meanings.
 
The primary purpose of this investigation is to explain these hidden meanings in as simple a form as possible. The linguistic evidence has been thoroughly covered by John Allegro which should make clear that Mushrooms play a huge role in the written word. I will try to shed light on the basic philosophical nature of the Religion by examining and explaining the hidden symbolism in the doctrines themselves, opening up a new and (though simplified) deeper meaning to the texts. Once you understand where to look, the ideas presented here will unlock the secret meanings of the book we know as the Bible. Then I will point out the same Ideas as they were originally written down in the Pre-Christian world that gave birth to the myths, in an attempt to trace them to their eldest source.

Political and even Fascist elements, in the book, will be explored later. These elements are the result of corruption of the original source-documents, as well as the re-incorporation of older Patriarchal systems.

Figure 8.   The Christian MANNAS revealed

John Marco Allegro as one of the worlds leading Philologist put his neck on the line when he wrote this book “The Sacred Mushroom And The Cross”. Making numerous connections with the Amanita muscaria and many of the sacred doctrinal enigmas and sacraments.

John Allegro Linguistically linked the SOMA (Greek=Body), the Manna (Sumerian=Mushroom), (of which there are two kinds), the names Jesus, James, and John, the Fruit of the tree of Knowledge, and the Symbol of the cross to the Amanita muscaria. Stating that all of these names were synonyms and wordplay for the hidden Identity of the Mushroom itself. Needless to say he had the Religious scholars doing FLIPS. The Biblical Apologists jumped right on the instant bandwagon to disprove anything he said. Although he did stretch the boundaries (at least twice) of some established Scholarship, the proof is in the pudding (so to speak) and many of his associations are beyond repute.
 
  Even though it was the linguistic links that first brought this to light, it was the understanding of the symbolism that drives it home. Once you know where to look, and that was well revealed in writings of Allegro, the understanding of the Mythologies unfold in a new level of comprehension.
 
  The Manna the Israelites ate in the desert is presently defined as a question. It is not ordinary for a word describing Bread to be thought of in this context. Manna is defined in this way: (Manna=”What is it?”) a Biblical description of this Mystical Substance will toss the reader some clues.
 
  1) Manna was a small round thing that appeared on the ground after the dew had fallen.
 
  2) If left in the Sun it would breed worms and stink.
 
  3) Manna was thought of as being produced miraculously (IE: birth without seed). This is a perfect botanical description of a Mushroom. Birth without Seed (Miraculous) is due to spores being microscopic and not visible to the naked eye.
 
  The Mannas are described in detail by Jesus in the book of John. In this story Jesus attempts to make clear that of manna, there are two different ones/kinds. He describes the manna that he is giving the deciples (last supper) as the Manna that bestows Immortality. His statement that Unless you have eaten his flesh/body (Soma/Manna), and have drank of his blood (Soma Juice) then you have no life in you, takes on a whole new meaning in light of this discovery.
 
  The Manna is directly associated with the Fruit of the Tree of Life in the 2^nd chapter of the book of Revelation. It is the reward for those who overcome (lies). The Fruit of the Tree, the Hidden Manna and the small white stone are spoken of separately but in the same context. All of these are symbols for the Amanita muscaria.

Figure 9.   The Fruit Of The Tree

This 13^th Century Fresco from France shows the Amanita muscaria as the Fruit (of the Tree) of the “knowledge of Good and Evil”. Adam and Eve had their eyes opened. The Gods looked down and said “Behold, they have become as one of us”.

The knowledge of good and evil seems a strange thing to condemn someone for. Unless the Gods wanted to tell them what was right and wrong, rather than have them know the difference. Imposing their will upon mankind is not so easy when people can think for themselves. Especially if it becomes obvious that what you are being told is wrong (The BIG Knowledge).
 
  What we have here may be future as we never knew it to be. The Fruit of Knowledge is the same thing as the fruit of the Tree of Life. The fruit of the tree that is to come down out of heaven and line the streets of the city in the new “Golden Age”. The same of which when you partake, you have direct communion with God.
 
  The Cuneiform clay tablets of Mesopotamia (at least 4,000 BC/CE) tell the oldest Known tales of The Adam and Eve (Garden of Eden) eating the fruit stories. But they tell a different tale than what we have in the Bible of today. Zechariah Sitchen has been very foremost in the dispersion of what these tablets say. The Gods came to our planet in Space/Time/Dimension ships. Finding Neanderthal Man a bit primitive they manipulated the DNA to produce the Homo-Sapien. The Father God “Anu” remained on Sirius. Two Brothers Ea and Enlil were the Stewards of the new colonization, Enlil wishing to Control the population and Ea wanting to expand our consciousness. The High Council and Anu leaning towards the Enlilian point of view. Whereas Ea wanted to Miultidimensionalize the minds of his creations. This will be dealt with more fully in the section on Mesopotamia. But, for now, suffice it to say that the earlier stories portray the eating of the fruit in a completely different light, in fact the whole concept is flipped one hundred and eighty degrees. What was originally a glorious and incredible story about the hope and potential of humanity has become a primary story of a horrible fall-from-grace and even condemnation of the entire race.

Figure 10.   The Last Supper (The Sacramental ingestion of the Body of God)

The concept of the literal ingestion of the body of God is highly downplayed by Religious scholars of today.

Figure 11.   Manna in the Ark of the Covenant

Moses built this elaborate device to carry the Manna through the wilderness. To look inside the ark was punishable by death. The box itself is of little import, or value. What IS important, is what was INSIDE. The Long and tedious search for this artifact, shows either a complete “missing of the point” or a “deliberate mis-direction of attention”.