Fungi and
Connectedness
Fungi
Scientists classify fungi in their own kingdom, distinct from plants and animals. They are included here because their presence in the garden and the green world is instrumental in creating healthy environments and soil. They are crucial to the decomposition of organic waste, which adds nutrients to the soil. In addition to creating healthy soils, some varieties have strong healing properties for humans and other mammals. Mushrooms like reishi, maitake, and shiitake have been used in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. Categorized as adaptogens, fungi help our bodies cope with stress and remain balanced.
We are usually only aware of fungi when a mushroom, the fruiting part of the organism, pops up in our garden or compost pile. Supporting that mushroom is a vast network of underground and unseen threads called mycelia. Fungi don’t produce their own food as plants do. Instead, they connect with plants to share water and nutrients in exchange for plant sugars.
However, their connection with the green world is more than a one-on-one exchange of nutrients. Mycelia can spread out in soil for miles and are able to connect plants to other plants, facilitating nutrient sharing and chemical communication. All of this happens below ground and out of sight. When we think about it, this symbiotic relationship looks more like one big organism than separate entities.
Fungi are the essence of connectedness, their energetic correspondence. We probably have connections within our family and community, and like fungi, we might share resources and information. That’s a starting point, but the correspondence of connectedness pushes beyond family and community. Connectedness is the experience of being part of a larger whole. It’s a kinship with other living organisms.
As you contemplate connectedness, consider your connections to other people, your communities, and to other organisms on the planet. Often these connections are hidden like the mycelia. Shining the light of awareness on the many ways you are connected to the natural world and to other people highlights the reality of this correspondence. Our natural state is one of connectedness.
Morning Attunement Questions
• What connections do I have with fungi and connectedness?
• Where else in the green world or in my life do I observe connectedness?
• What does this correspondence feel like?
• How can I describe this energetic attribute of connectedness in words or pictures?
• Where does this correspondence of connectedness resonate most strongly in or around my body or in my life?
Daily Integration Questions
• In what ways is the world reflecting fungi or connectedness back to me?
• What nuances and shades of meaning do I notice about fungi or connectedness?
Evening Reflection Questions
• Where and how did I experience fungi or connectedness today?
• How did I embrace connectedness today?
• What wisdom does fungi’s correspondence of connectedness bring to my life?