Abundance Grows on Trees

When I saw it growing out of the tree at the site where I was camping with my honey, I was full of wonder at the marvelous world we live in, a world where abundance — yes!— grows on trees. The Reishi looked like beautiful reddish brown ‘plates’ growing out of the tree trunk, and they have a natural glazed shine. Two months ago, I harvested those Reishi mushrooms from that tree here in the North Carolina woods.When I got home, I did an alcohol extraction, ie, cut up the large Reishi mushrooms into small pieces to fit in a jar, topped it with100 proof vodka, and put it away in a dark cupboard, shaking often.

Today on the full harvest moon, I’m doing part two,  the water extraction.. I begin by draining the mushrooms from the alcohol tincture, which I set aside. I then place the mushrooms in a kettle of spring water and set them to boil for three hours. This double extraction method pulls out of the mushrooms all their medicinal constituents, since some extract only in alcohol and some only in water. When the water has cooked down to half its volume, I combine the alcohol and water extractions for a single powerful tincture, and I lay the spent mushrooms reverently in the compost.

If you research the pharmacological effects of Reishi you will see a long list of benefits. Some experts believe that Reishi, or Ganoderma lucidum, promotes longevity and maintains vitality of the human body. Reishi’s major benefit appears to be its immunomodulating action, improvement of liver function, and improvement and restoration of the normal functions of the respiratory system. For me, it’s a gift from the earth I gladly receive. It reminds me that what I need is constantly available to me, and yes, abundance does indeed grow on trees.