A Renewed Story About the Living World & The Light Eaters
Join us in discussing the recent inspiring ideas coming from Bioneers, plus our reading group returns!
Dear Fellow Myconauts,
This week, I will take over the North American Mycological Association’s Instagram account. Check out some of the fun content that I’ve been saving to share for it. 📸🤳🧑💻
📣 We have some exciting programming in the works, such as a Bioneers screening and discussion on Memorial Day (5/26), a discussion of the masterpiece of science writing that is The Light Eaters (6/2), and a one-of-a-kind embroidery workshop led by fellow Myconaut Shagane (6/26). More info below!
🍄🟫 Say hi to the lawn mushrooms just starting to emerge! 👋
A Renewed Story About the Living World – Bioneers Screening and Discussion
Monday, May 26th, 7pm @ Arlington Garden, Pasadena, CA – Free by donation
The universe beneath our feet and the movement for More-Than-Human Rights are renewing how we understand the living world around us and showing us how to be in better relationship with it. It's a story of life being alive all around us. Where we continue explore a question in the Mycoverse we frequently ask – how to be a good neighbor to each other and the natural world? Where do we find that balance between human civilization and other living systems?
We will be screening some highlights from the recent Bioneers conference and discussing them afterwards such as César Rodríguez-Garavito – More-Than-Human Rights.
Before our event we recommend listening to Bioneer's recent podcast episode: The Universe Beneath Our Feet: Mapping the Mycelial Web of Life with Merlin Sheldrake and Toby Kiers
🌱 The Light Eaters - Plant Neurobiology 🧠
Monday, June 2nd, 7pm @ Arlington Garden, Pasadena, CA – Free by donation
We heard you, fellow Mycoverse myconauts! By popular demand and countless recommendations from folks in the Mycoverse, we will be discussing the science writing masterpiece, The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger
As a fungal curious community, a lot can be learned by Zoe' Schlanger's approach to writing about plants and the incredible emerging field of plant intelligence. Many parts inspire thoughts about plant and fungal relationships. 🍄🟫🌱
📣 Before our event, we invite you to read the book, The Light Eaters. Don't worry if you don't finish the whole book before then, if interest is expressed amongst the myconauts, we will continue discussing this book in July. 📣
More about the book: 📖
“Burning with open-minded curiosity, this exploration of the emerging revolution in plant science will challenge what you think you know and ignite a new way of seeing. Part detective story, field trip, and philosophy, this brilliant book stretches the mind toward a profound new understanding of the sophistication of under-appreciated plants. I feel it as an antidote to arrogance, as it engenders humility, respect, and awe for the light eaters who make the world.” –Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass
“I’ll never look at plants—or the natural world—in the same way again, after reading this stunning book. Instead of trying to ram the square peg of botanical life into the round holes of human biology and metaphors, Schlanger instead considers plants on their own terms, as they actually are. The result is mesmerizing, world-expanding, and achingly beautiful.” –Ed Yong, author of An Immense World
“A brilliant must-read. This book shook and changed me.” –David George Haskell, author of Sounds Wild and Broken, The Songs of Trees, and The Forest Unseen
📣 Save the date for June 16th! Fungal Embroidery workshop led by fellow myconaut Shagane. More TBA soon! 🔜
Previously in the Mycoverse…
I learned a lot from the Santa Cruz Mountain Mushroom Festival, from being in good company on the Fire and Fungi panel (first photo) and the Fungal Conservation panel (second photo). I have too much to say here, but it left me with much to think about and inspired! Ask me about it next time you see me 👋
Thanks to Pedro and Vanessa for these photos.
Last month, Maya Elson shared their insights on how interconnected fungi-inspired psychology and meditation can help us find connection through the hard times. Due to popular demand, Maya also shared their experience with mycoremediation the Southern California Post Fire BioRemediation Coalition. Here are their resources: resources on soil contamination after the fires (thank you, Lauren, for sharing!).
Our apologies for not staying on the mycopsychology topic as we had advertised and hoped to dive deeper into. There was a misleading, bogus AI-generated news story through Pasadena Now about how Maya was leading a mycoremediation workshop, so attendees showed up expecting such a workshop. Maya was graciously flexible and shared their expertise accordingly. Pasadena Now has since removed its misleading story.
Special thanks to Lola for capturing more of the spirit of the Mycoverse through their art of photography.
Spores That Caught Our Attention
Robert Macfarlane’s new book is out, Is a River Alive? and he’s visiting San Diego to give a book talk. Road trip!!! See.
Chris Ritson on Instagram cultivated Clitocybe aka blewits in their yard – “Last year I plugged the lawn with stems and slurry of wild Clitocybe and just like that they growing happily!” – perhaps it’s worth experimenting to grow the local species in your backyard, especially if you have a shaded yard and oak trees!
Thank you for reading the Sporinator! Please share our work with your friends, family, and community.
Looking sporeward,
Aaron