Magic mushrooms have captivated the human imagination for thousands of years. History of magic mushrooms have been around way before any of us and they are here to stay. With their psychedelic properties, spiritual significance, and healing potential, these humble fungi have played a mysterious and powerful role throughout history. As modern science re-explores their value in mental health and consciousness, it’s worth taking a trip back to where it all began. The story of magic mushrooms is as old as humanity’s quest to understand itself. These magic mushrooms weren’t just discovered, they have been around for many years dating back to ancient times. Here is the ancient history of magic mushrooms dating back 9000 years ago.
Prehistoric Encounters: A Natural Relationship Begins With Magic Mushrooms
Long before the term “psilocybin” was coined or lab studies were conducted, humans were forming connections with magic mushrooms in their most raw and instinctual form. Ancient rock art from places like the Sahara Desert in Algeria and caves in Spain—dating back as far as 7,000 to 9,000 years ago—depict figures with mushroom-like imagery. These artworks are widely interpreted as evidence of early mushroom use, possibly for shamanic rituals, healing, or spiritual experiences. As we should learn why and how is the true definition of finding out the full potential of magic mushrooms.
Our prehistoric ancestors didn’t have the scientific language to describe hallucinations or serotonin receptors, but they knew that certain mushrooms could expand the mind, shift perception, and bring them closer to unseen realms. The connection between early humans and psychoactive fungi likely began through trial, error, and a reverence for nature’s mysteries. Just like research today, we are still trying to figure out the full potential of shrooms.
The Sacred Fungi of Mesoamerica
While many cultures likely used psychoactive mushrooms, nowhere is the tradition more clearly preserved than in ancient Mesoamerica. The Aztecs and Mazatec peoples in what is now Mexico revered psilocybin mushrooms as divine. The Aztecs called them teonanácatl — translated as “flesh of the gods.” These mushrooms were used in religious ceremonies to commune with deities, seek guidance, heal the sick, and experience spiritual ecstasy.
Mushroom stones—carved sculptures shaped like mushrooms—have been found across Guatemala and southern Mexico, dating back over 2,000 years. These artifacts further confirm the sacred status of mushrooms in pre-Columbian society.
The use of psilocybin mushrooms was deeply woven into the cultural and spiritual fabric of these societies. Shamans and spiritual leaders consumed them during rituals, often combined with chanting, dancing, and fasting, to unlock visionary states that were considered divine revelations. Do they know something we don’t?
Colonization and Suppression
Unfortunately, this long-standing reverence was violently disrupted during the Spanish colonization of the Americas. When the conquistadors arrived in the 16th century, they were horrified to witness indigenous ceremonies involving mind-altering mushrooms. From their Christian worldview, such practices were labeled as heresy, devil-worship, or witchcraft.
Spanish priests systematically suppressed the use of sacred mushrooms, burning codices, killing shamans, and forcing conversion to Christianity. As a result, mushroom rituals went underground. However, they never disappeared. In some remote regions of Mexico, particularly among the Mazatec people, the tradition survived in secret for centuries. Here we are today back to retrack what history has told us about magic mushrooms and its benefits.
The 20th Century Rediscovery
For most of the Western world, magic mushrooms vanished from awareness—until the mid-20th century. In 1955, R. Gordon Wasson, an American banker and amateur ethnomycologist, traveled to Mexico in search of psychoactive mushrooms. He and his wife Valentina were invited to a mushroom ceremony by María Sabina, a Mazatec curandera (healer) in the town of Huautla de Jiménez.
Wasson’s experience was life-changing. He later published a sensational article in Life Magazine in 1957 titled “Seeking the Magic Mushroom.” The article exposed millions of Americans to the idea that psychedelic mushrooms were real—and powerful. This moment marked the re-entry of psilocybin mushrooms into mainstream curiosity.
Soon after, Albert Hofmann, the Swiss chemist who first synthesized LSD, isolated the active compounds in magic mushrooms: psilocybin and psilocin. With scientific proof of their effects, mushrooms entered the world of psychology, psychiatry, and the growing counterculture movement. The rest of the magic mushrooms have been history since.
With modern day research, magic mushrooms will be legalized before we know it. Just like cannabis, magic mushrooms are the next alternative healing “schedule I drug” that will change peoples lives for the better.
Psychedelics, Peace, and the War on Drugs
In the 1960s, magic mushrooms and psychedelics became intertwined with the hippie movement, anti-war protests, and spiritual experimentation. Influential figures like Timothy Leary encouraged young people to “turn on, tune in, drop out,” and explore altered states of consciousness.
But as quickly as interest soared, it was shut down. By the early 1970s, the U.S. government classified psilocybin as a Schedule I drug, making it illegal and marking the beginning of the War on Drugs. Scientific research ground to a halt, and once again, magic mushrooms were pushed into the shadows. Now you can still buy magic mushrooms in Canada but it is in a grey market area. Do your research before buying. Magic mushrooms have been making a comeback and soon will be revisited by the entire world.
Despite legal prohibition, underground use continued—among spiritual seekers, artists, psychonauts, and indigenous healers. Like MicrodoseMagic.ca we will provide any premium shrooms shipped with discretion straight to your door.
A Psychedelic Renaissance
Fast-forward to the 21st century, and magic mushrooms are once again stepping into the light—this time backed by science, clinical trials, and a global mental health crisis. Researchers at institutions like Johns Hopkins University, Imperial College London, and MAPS have been exploring psilocybin’s potential to treat depression, PTSD, addiction, and anxiety.
In 2019, Johns Hopkins even launched the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, with psilocybin at the forefront. The results have been stunning: patients report lasting improvements in mood, emotional processing, and even spiritual well-being after just one or two guided psilocybin sessions.
Meanwhile, cities like Denver, Oakland, and Portland have decriminalized psilocybin. In 2020, Oregon became the first U.S. state to legalize psilocybin therapy. Canada has also granted special exemptions for psilocybin use in end-of-life care and is moving toward broader access.
The Ancient Future of Mushrooms
What’s fascinating about the renewed interest in magic mushrooms is how much it echoes the past. We’re not just “discovering” these fungi—we’re remembering. Remembering their sacred role, their healing power, and their connection to consciousness. Magic mushrooms are the future and we have only just started to retouch the surface.
From cave walls in ancient Spain to ceremonial fires in Mesoamerica, from underground rituals to modern clinics, magic mushrooms have always been part of the human story. As we face a world filled with disconnection, trauma, and anxiety, these ancient allies are re-emerging to guide us back toward balance.
Final Thoughts
The history of magic mushrooms is more than a timeline — it’s a journey of remembrance. At their core, these fungi have always been about transformation. Not just hallucination, but healing. Not just tripping, but connecting. They invite us to question, explore, and see the world with new eyes. Magic mushrooms have been here for a long time and they have only shown great benefits as research goes on.
And while science catches up to what ancient cultures already knew, one thing is clear: the story of magic mushrooms is far from over.
Want to buy magic mushrooms? Look no further as we at microdosemagic.ca provide the best magic mushrooms in Canada. With extremely rare strains only a few can cultivate or find, we have all the selections possible. (Order Now)