Episode 100

Written By Michaela Carlin
 
 
 
 

This week on The Psychedelic Mom we meet Ash Ritter, an ethnobotanist and plant medicine expert who explores the profound relationship between humans, plants, and fungi within the context of an animistic worldview. Ash shares her experiences with Amanita Muscaria and other powerful fungal and plant allies, revealing how these natural medicines can help support our health and wellbeing, unlock ancestral wisdom and guide personal transformation. The conversation covers Ash’s extensive background in various lineages of herbalism, the role of different types of altered states in self-discovery, and the power of integrating plant medicines into modern life to connect to our own inherent wisdom.

Ash Ritter is an ethnobotanist, multi-disciplinary animist, herbalist, writer and an educator with over 20 years of study in clinical, traditional, academic and directly relational terrains. She is a devotee of curiosity and especially savors the study of history through the woven threads of fungi, people and plants.

Episode Highlights

  • Co-evolution with fungi and the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature

  • Ashley’s apprenticeships in Druid herbalism and Mexican curanderismo

  • Exploring ancestry and the significance of traditional plants from Eastern Europe

  • The fluidity of lineage and how borders have shaped history

  • Ashley’s early psychedelic experiences and curiosity about life’s mysteries

  • Exploring the wide variety of psychoactive mushrooms and their unique effects

  • Amanita muscaria: Its myth, lore, and complex chemistry

  • Safe preparation methods for Amanita muscaria to avoid toxicity

  • How Amanita muscaria affects the brain by modulating GABA and reducing overstimulation

  • The unpredictable, wild nature of Amanita muscaria and its healing potential

  • The importance of foraging and living in a reciprocal relationship with the land

  • Amanita muscaria vs. psilocybin mushrooms: Key differences in chemistry and experience

  • Amanita’s potential for alleviating chronic pain and enhancing nerve health

  • Amanita’s role in dream enhancement and psychological exploration

  • The commercialization of cannabis and the spiritual essence being lost in greed

  • Plants as living intelligences and the importance of mutual respect in this relationship

  • Reverence and humility as key practices in engaging with plant medicines

  • Unlocking the full potential of fungi through multi-level extractions

  • Exploring the heart-centered chemistry of cacti and their medicinal properties

  • Gnosis through working with plants and fungi

  • The sacredness of menstruation and the practice of returning blood to the earth

  • Engaging the shadow with courage and tenderness through plant medicines

  • Exploring feminine wisdom, menstruation, and cultural reconnection to the body

  • How art and ancient motifs capture the human story across time and space

Ash Ritter’s Links 

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Ash Ritter’s Gift to You

  • 10% OFF of all digital coursework in the Black Sage Botanicals Class Cloud with code THANKYOUMAMA

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Special thanks to Jeremy Colbert (Taragápe) for the original podcast theme music.

You can find out more about Jeremey’s work here:
taragape.com and @taragape

Michaela Carlin
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