Meeeeeerry Christmas everyone!!!

You wanna hear a good story? Not one of those that you'd say to kids around the fire though...
Check this out:

THE PSYCHEDELIC SANTA

The psychedelic secrets of Santa Claus by Dana Larsen (18 Dec, 2003)

Modern Christmas traditions are based on ancient mushroom-using shamans.Although most people see Christmas as a Christian holiday, most of the symbols and icons we associate with Christmas celebrations are actually derived from the shamanistic traditions of the tribal peoples of pre-Christian Northern Europe.The sacred mushroom of these people was the red and white amanita muscaria mushroom, also known as "! fly agaric." T
hese mushrooms are now commonly seen in books of fairy tales, and are usually associated with magic and fairies. This is because they contain potent hallucinogenic compounds, and were used by ancient peoples for insight and transcendental experiences.Most of the major elements of the modern Christmas celebration, such as Santa Claus, Christmas trees, magical reindeer and the giving of gifts, are originally based upon the traditions surrounding the harvest and consumption of these most sacred mushrooms.
The world tree
These ancient peoples, including the Lapps of modern-day Finland, and the Koyak tribes of the central Russian steppes, believed in the idea of a World Tree. The World Tree was seen as a kind of cosmic axis, onto which the planes of the universe are fixed. The roots of the World Tree stretch down into the underworld, its trunk is the "middle earth" of everyday existence, and its branches reach upwards into the heavenly realm.The amanita muscaria mushrooms grow only under certain types of trees, mostly firs and evergreens. The mushroom caps are the fruit of the larger mycelium beneath the soil which exists in a symbiotic relationship with the roots of the tree. To ancient people, these mushrooms were literally "the fruit of the tree."The North Star was also considered sacred, since all other stars in the sky revolved around its fixed point. They associated this "Pole Star" with the World Tree and the central axis of the universe. The top of the World Tree touched the North Star, and the spirit of the shaman would climb the metaphorical tree, thereby passing into the realm of the gods. This is the true meaning of the star on top of the modern Christmas tree, and also the reason that the super-shaman Santa makes his home at the North Pole.Ancient peoples were amazed at how these magical mushrooms sprang from the earth without any visible seed. They considered this "virgin birth" to have been the result of the morning dew, which was seen as the semen of the deity. The silver tinsel we drape onto our modern Christmas tree represents this divine fluid.
Reindeer games
The active ingredients of the amanita mushrooms are not metabolized by the body, and so they remain active in the urine. In fact, it is safer to drink the urine of one who has consumed the mushrooms than to eat the mushrooms directly, as many of the toxic compounds are processed and eliminated on the first pass through the body.It was common practice among ancient people to recycle the potent effects of the mushroom by drinking each other's urine. The amanita's ingredients can remain potent even after six passes through the human body. Some scholars argue that this is the origin of the phrase "to get pissed," as this urine-drinking activity preceded alcohol by thousands of years.Reindeer were the sacred animals of these semi-nomadic people, as the reindeer provided food, shelter, clothing and other necessities. Reindeer are also fond of eating the amanita mushrooms; they will seek them out, then prance about while under their influence. Often the urine of tripped-out reindeer would be consumed for its psychedelic effects.This effect goes the other way too, as reindeer also enjoy the urine of a human, especially one who has consumed the mushrooms. In fact, reindeer will seek out human urine to drink, and some tribesmen carry sealskin containers of their own collected piss, which they use to attract stray reindeer back into the herd.The effects of the amanita mushroom usually include sensations of size distortion and flying. The feeling of flying could account for the legends of flying reindeer, and legends of shamanic journeys included ! stories of winged reindeer, transporting their riders up to the highest branches of the World Tree.
Santa Claus, super shamanAlthough the modern image of Santa Claus was created at least in part by the advertising department of Coca-Cola, in truth his appearance, clothing, mannerisms and companions all mark him as the reincarnation of these ancient mushroom-gathering shamans.One of the side effects of eating amanita mushrooms is that the skin and facial features take on a flushed, ruddy glow. This is why Santa is always shown with glowing red cheeks and nose. Even Santa's jolly "Ho, ho, ho!" is the euphoric laugh of one who has indulged in the magic fungus.Santa also dresses like a mushroom gatherer. When it was time to go out and harvest the magical mushrooms, the ancient shamans would dress much like Santa, wearing red and white fur-trimmed coats and long black boots.These peoples lived in dwellings made of birch and reindeer hide, called "yurts." Somewhat similar to a teepee, the yurt's central smokehole is often also used as an entrance. After gathering the mushrooms from under the sacred trees where they appeared, the shamans would fill their sacks and return home. Climbing down the chimney-entrances, they would share out the mushroom's gifts with those within.The amanita mushroom needs to be dried before being consumed; the drying process reduces the mushroom's toxicity while increasing its potency. The shaman would guide the group in stringing the mushrooms and hanging them around the hearth-fire to dry. This tradition is echoed in the modern stringing of popcorn and other items.The psychedelic journeys taken under the influence of the amanita were also symbolized by a stick reaching up through the smokehole in the top of the yurt.
The smokehole was the portal where the spirit of the shaman exited the phy! sical plane.Santa's famous magical journey, where his sleigh takes him around the whole planet in a single night, is developed from the "heavenly chariot," used by the gods from whom Santa and other shamanic figures are descended. The chariot of Odin, Thor and even the Egyptian god Osiris is now known as the Big Dipper, which circles around the North Star in a 24-hour period.In different versions of the ancient story, the chariot was pulled by reindeer or horses. As the animals grow exhausted, their mingled spit and blood falls to the ground, forming the amanita mushrooms.
St Nicholas and Old Nick
Saint Nicholas is a legendary figure who supposedly lived during the fourth Century. His cult spread quickly and Nicholas became the patron saint of many varied groups, including judges, pawnbrokers, criminals, merchants, sailors, bakers, travelers, the poor, and children.Most religious historians agree that St Nicholas did not actually exist as a real person, and was instead a Christianized version of earlier Pagan gods. Nicholas' legends were mainly created out of stories about the Teutonic god called Hold Nickar, known as Poseidon to the Greeks. This powerful sea god was known to gallop through the sky during the winter solstice, granting boons to his worshippers below.When the Catholic Church created the character of St Nicholas, they took his name from "Nickar" and gave him Poseidon's title of "the Sailor." There are thousands of churches named in St Nicholas' honor, most of which were converted from temples to Poseidon and Hold Nickar. (As the ancient pagan deities were demonized by the Christian church, Hold Nickar's name also became associated with Satan, known as "Old Nick!")Local traditions were incorporated into the new Christian holidays to make them more acceptable to the new converts. To these early Christians, Saint Nicholas became a sort of "super-shaman" who was overlaid upon their own shamanic cultural practices. Many images of Saint Nicholas from these early times show him wearing red and white, or standing in front of a red background with white spots, the design of the amanita mushroom.St Nicholas also adopted some of the qualities of the legendary "Grandmother Befana" from Italy, who filled children's stockings with gifts. Her shrine at Bari, Italy, became a shrine to St Nicholas.
Modern world, ancient traditions
Some psychologists have discussed the "cognitive dissonance" which occurs when children are encouraged to believe in the literal existence of Santa Claus, only to have their parents' lie revealed when they are older. By so deceiving our children we rob them of a richer heritage, for the actual origin of these ancient rituals is rooted deep in our history and our collective unconscious. By better understanding the truths within these popular celebrations, we can better understand the modern world, and our place in it.Many people in the modern world have rejected Christmas as being too commercial, claiming that this ritual of giving is actually a celebration of materialism and greed. Yet the true spirit of this winter festival lies not in the exchange of plastic toys, but in celebrating a gift from the earth: the fruiting top of a magical mushroom, and the revelatory experiences it can provide.Instead of perpetuating outdated and confusing holiday myths, it might be more fulfilling to return to the original source of these seasonal celebrations.
How about getting back to basics and enjoying some magical mushrooms with your loved ones this solstice?
What better gift can a family share than a little piece of love and enlightenment?
Art by Jimmy Bursenos: solsticestudios.net

FURTHER LIN! KS AND REFERENCES:
- The Hidden Meanings of Christmas, Mushroms and Mankind, by James Arthur
- Santa Claus & the Amanita Muscaria, by Jimmy Bursenos
- Who put the Fly Agaric into Christmas?, Seventh International Mycological Congress, December 1999, Fungus of the Month
- The Real Story of Santa, The Spore Print, Los Angeles Mycological Society, December 1998- Santa and those Reindeer: The Hallucinogenic Connection, The Physics of Christmas, by Roger Highfield
- Fungi, Fairy Rings and Father Christmas, North West Fungus Group, 1998 Presidential Address, by Dr Sean Edwards
- Fly Agaric, Tom Volk's Fungus of the Month for December 1999- Father Christmas Flies on Toadstools, New Scientist, December 1986
- Psycho-mycological studies of amanita: From ancient sacrament to modern phobia, by Jonathan Ott, Journal of Psychedelic Drugs; 1976
- Santa is a Wildman, LA Times, Jeffrey VallanceBOOKS WORTH READING:- Mu! shrooms and Mankind, by James Arthur
- Soma: Divine Mushroom of Immortality, by Gordon Wasson- Mushrooms, Poisons and Panaceas, by Denis R. Benjamin

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

***Your Brain's Pattern***
You have a dreamy mind, full of fancy and fantasy.You have the ability to stay forever entertained with your thoughts.People may say you're hard to read, but that's because you're so internally focused.But when you do share what you're thinking, people are impressed with your imagination.
What Pattern Is Your Brain?
http://www.blogthings.com/whatpatternisyourbrainquiz/

Psilocybe Tampanensis

same here....10 countries, only 4%

I know, I know...copycat....

stormy sunset

--somewhere between barlad and iasi...--

sweet, sweeeet home

...hold me still, hold on by, take me home, to the great, great sky...

the only constant thing is the change

This is a photo taken from my office on a winter day...

9 things to hate abt everyone

1. People who point at their wrist while asking for the time.... I know where my watch is pal, where the hell is yours? Do I point at my crotch when I ask where the toilet is?
2. People who are willing to get off their ass to search the entire room for the tv remote because they refuse to walk to the tv and change the channel manually.
3. When people say "Oh you just want to have your cake and eat it too". Damn right! What good is cake if you can't eat it?
4. When people say "it's always the last place you look". Of course it is. Why the hell would you keep looking after you've found it? Do people do this? Who and where are they?
5. When people say while watching a film "did you see that?". No Loser, I paid $12 to come to the cinema and stare at the damn floor.
6. People who ask "Can I ask you a question?".... Didn't really give me a choice there, did ya sunshine?
7. When something is 'new and improved!'. Which is it? If it's new, then there has never been anything before it. If it's an improvement, then there must have been something before it, couldn't be new.
8. When people say "life is short". What the hell?? Life is the longest damn thing anyone ever does!! What can you do that's longer?
9. When you are waiting for the bus and someone asks "Has the bus come yet?". If the bus came would I be standing here, dumbass?

awesome lyrics

Being round you is driving me crazy
Watching you run is making me lazy
You're trying to buy a place in my head
Telling me lines I've already read
Speaking my name to try to confuse me
Say it again you're starting to lose me

That's alright I'm okay
It happens every single day
It's all the same
But i'm not blind
It's all about you not me
It's all about the things
That you're expecting me to be
There's not enough time to live
And all that you're expecting me to give

It's all about you not me
It's all about you not me

You're building my prison brick by brick
Eating your words is making me sick
You get what you want
Cause nothing is sacred
You're reading my mind
And leaving me naked
You say I gotta give before i receive it
One of these days I'll believe it.

It's all about you not me
It's all about the things
That you're expecting me to be
There's not enough time to live
And all that you're expecting me to give

It's all about you not me
It's all about you not me

For a change

I'm too shy to express my sexual needs except over the phone to people I don't know.
- Gary Shandling

I tried phone sex once. I got an ear infection.
- Richard Lewis

Masturbation: Shaking hands with the unemployed.
- George Carlin

I said to my husband, "Why don't you call out my name when we are making love?" He said, "I don't want to wake you up."
- Joan Rivers

I once made love for an hour and five minutes. It was on the day you push the clocks ahead.
- Garry Shandling

I know nothing about sex because I was always married. -
Zsa Zsa Gabor

I’ve tried several varieties of sex. The conventional position makes me claustrophobic and the others give me a stiff neck or lockjaw.-
Talullah Bankhead

Sex is more exciting on the screen and between the pages than between the sheets.
- Andy Warhol

A man can sleep around, no questions asked, but if a woman makes nineteen or twenty mistakes she's a tramp.
- Joan Rivers

I can remember when the air was clean and sex was dirty.
- George Burns

She looked as though butter wouldn't melt in her mouth - or anywhere else.
- Elsa Lanchester

Sex at age 90 is like trying to shoot pool with a rope.
- George Burns

I was on stage last night talking. I said, "You know the diaphragm is a pain in the ass." Someone yelled out, "You are putting it in the wrong place."
- Carole Montgomery

It doesn't make any difference what you do in the bedroom as long as you don't do it in the street and frighten the horses.-
Mrs. Patrick Campbell

As she lay there dozing next to me, one voice inside my head kept saying, "Relax...you are not the first doctor to sleep with one of his patients," but another kept reminding me, 'Howard, you are a veterinarian.'"
- Dick Wilson

Ducking for apples; change one letter and it's the story of my life.
- Dorothy Parker

Eighty percent of married men cheat in America. The rest cheat in Europe.
- Jackie Mason

Eunuch: A man who has had his works cut out for him.
- Robert Byrne

For the first time in history, sex is more dangerous than the cigarette afterward.
- Jay LenoGirls are like pianos.

When they're not upright, they're grand.
- Benny Hill

I've had them both, and I don't think much of either.
- Beatrix Lehmann, commenting on a Hollywood wedding

In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily.
- Charles, Count Talleyrand

She has been kissed as often as a police-court Bible, and by much the same class of people.
- Robertson Davies

There goes the famous good time that was had by all.
- Bette Davis

She's the kind of woman who climbed the ladder of success - wrong by wrong.
- Mae West

If all the girls who attended the Harvard-Yale game were laid end to end, I wouldn't be surprised.
- Dorothy Parker

She's been on more laps than a napkin.
- Walter Winchell

Your idea of fidelity is not having more than one man in bed at the same time.
- Frederic Raphael

She wore too much rouge last night and not quite enough clothes. That is always a sign of despair in a woman.
- Oscar Wilde

She should get a divorce and settle down.
- Jack Parr

That woman speaks eight languages and can't say "no" in any of them.
- Dorothy Parker

You can lead a horticulture but you can't make her think.
- Dorothy Parker

Too fucking busy, and vice versa.
- Dorothy Parker

The finest woman that ever walked the streets.
- Mae West

I'd rather she'd used me for sex. Using me for my mind really bothered me.-
Carl Jacobs

I'm always looking for meaningful one-night stands.
- Dudley Moore

Believe this!

Not to be read by true believers or kids:D

If you believe in star sign and astrological predictions, then you should also know these things to ...enlighten you:
(This is a very old one, but still it's fun)

Libra - You are the artistic type and you have a difficult time with reality. If you are a male, you are probably gay. Chances for employment and monetary gain are nil. Most Libra women are sluts. All Libra's have one form of veneral disease.

Virgo - You are a logical type and hate disorder. Your nit-picking attitude is sickening to your coworkers. You are cold and unemotional and often fall asleep during intercorse. Virgo's make good bus drivers and pimps.

Leo - You consider yourself a born leader. Everyone thinks you're an idiot. Most Leos are bullies. You are vain and cannot tolerate honest criticism. Your arrogance is disgusting.

Cancer - You are sympathetic and and understanding to other's people problems, which makes you a nosey prick. You always keep putting things off. This is why you will always be on welfare and won't be worth a turd. Everybody in prison is a Cancer.

Gemini - You are a quick and intelligent thinker. People like you because you are bisexual. You are inclined to expect too much for too little. This means you are a cheap bastard. Gemini's are notorious for hitting on their sibilings.

Taurus - You are practical and persistent. You have a dogged determination and stick-to-it ivness because you never do anything right the first time. Most people think you are stubborn and bull-headed. You are nothing but an ass hole.

Aries - You are a pioneer type and think most people are dickheads. You are quick to reprimand, impatient and scornful on advice. You do nothing but to piss off everyone you come in contact with. Basically, you are a prick.

Pisces - You have a vivid imagination and often think you are being followed by the FBI or Aliens. You have a minor influence on your friends and people resent you for flaunting what you confuse as power. You lack confidence and you smell funny.

Aquarius - You have an inventive mind and tend to be progressive. You lie a great deal. You make the same mistakes repeatedly because you are stupid. Everyone thinks you are a jerk. You enjoy getting screwed by large inanimate objects.

Capricorn - You are conservative and afraid of taking risks. You are basically a chicken-shit. There has never been a Capricorn of any importance. You should kill yourself.

Scorpio - The worst of the lot!!! You are shrewd in business and cannot be trusted. You shall achieve the pinnacle of success because of your total lack of ethics. You are the perfect son-of-a-bitch. Most Scorpios are murdered.

Saggitarius - You are optimistic and enthusiastic. You have a reckless tendancy to rely on luck, since you have no talent. The majority of Saggitarius' are drunks. You are indeed a wothless piece of crap.

End of the world

If you are wondering how this world is going to end, don't! Here is the answer!!
Enjoy!

What flavour am I?

Buzz buzz, I am Coffee flavoured. I am popular in the workplace, even though I am often bitter. I am energetic to the point of being frenetic; buzz buzz, out of my way. I tend to overwork myself and need periods of recovery time. What Flavour Are You?