Determining the strongest connection point to the Radical Mycology conversation varies by person. The journey may begin, though, by wondering where and how the term compels engagement in one’s heart or mind. Many questions can initiate such introspection, with the following being just a few examples:
- What challenges in my life, society, or environment do I want to improve? How could fungi assist in that transformation?
- Reflecting on my passions and interests, where have fungi been excluded? Where could they be better integrated?
- How was I taught to see fungi?
- What do I want to change about my perceptions of fungi?
- If I were to live like fungi, how would I act?
- What inspires me most about the modern mycoculture? What doesn’t align?
Wherever such questions draw out an internal call to action, is where the Radical Mycologist begins their path into the web. During their initial and rapid growth, creativity and liberty are cardinal guides in the uncovering of an authentic voice. Radical Mycologists must explore the forest of thought widely, potentially wandering far from the beaten path to uncover the brightest treasures – some of which may be buried well below the duff. Much like fungi release innumerable spores in hopes that a few might sink deep, so too should we each test our world to see which visions of fungi are most beneficial. Our spores must be free to travel and to grow wherever ground is most fertile, just as our shared mycelium requires novelty to hasten its evolution.
At the same time, Radical Mycologists should apply cautious intentionality and humble honesty in their endeavors. For regardless of the form of one’s work, each effort actively lays the foundation for the mycoculture’s unforeseeable future. This is a potent opportunity that we now share: the rare gift to be able to shape the human story as we actively write the opening chapter for the next era of human-fungal relations. Such an ability should be honored with the care it deserves as we work with purpose toward the most reciprocal forms of relationship with all fungi.
Through our work, Radical Mycologists reshape their environment and form new connections where they once were absent. Radical Mycologists recompose the world inside and around themselves for the better. They take on challenges in their path with determination, resting as needed to regroup and reflect, and yielding where good neighbors need room to grow. Rather than expend precious resources and energy on attempting to change existing systems that are unlikely to survive, Radical Mycologists create novel pathways through the cultural substrates of the world. Where our spores enter and how well they land will only be seen in time – whether through slow and subtle changes in the landscape, or in the sudden appearance of unknown fruits erupting from below the surface of more familiar forms.
