Reishi goes by a lot of names: Mushroom of Immortality, Supernatural Mushroom, Shining Skin, Auspicious Herb, and the Herb of Longevity. So — you get it? — it’s an amazing offering to us from the largely unseen world of mycelium. This fungus is classified as an adaptogen which means it is one of a group of medicines that helps us cope with life’s stresses with more physiological balance. Although, “adaptogen” is a new term (coined by herbalist David Winston within the last decade), the herbs he refers to have been used for centuries as tonics and restoratives to the foundational aspects of one’s health. Reishi will gently raise the bar of your adaptive immune system, thus it is also classified as an immunomodulator (and safe for those with auto-immune disorders). Herbalists find it especially useful for seasonal allergies, pet allergies, and hayfever. There also is a decent amount of research happening on its use as an adjunct therapy for diabetics (blood sugar balancing). Reishi is also protective to the cells and are a safe treatment to use during chemotherapy (to protect cells from radiation, discourage further growth of the cancerous tumor, and to shrink the cancerous growth). Medicinal mushrooms, in general, share many of the attributes I shared above. However, each has an affinity for a particular organ system. Reishi’s affinity, I sense, is for the heart and lungs. I’ll have to say that no other plant has entered my dreams as much as this one. What I have gathered from my dreams is that this mushroom works on our DNA structure; it addresses and positively alters family lineage health and spiritual issues that have been passed down for generations. (Side note: Almost 6 months after adding this paragraph to this blog, I stumbled upon Guido Mase’s book, mentioned below. If you need scientific backing for what I experienced in my dreams, read the section of his book entitled “Tonics”).