Michael Weese
Michael Weese, founder and chief mycologist of MushroomLife, is an autodidact, forager, and all around fungal enthusiast in the Mid-Atlantic region. His life’s work involves wild foraging, ID studies, teaching, alchemy, herbalism, cultivation, (from agro-forestry to indoor tents or growhouses) product and formula development, consulting, photography, permaculture, and being a friend to nearly all he meets. The twenty nine years Michael has spent working with the hyphae has lent quite the diversified knowledge and experience base in this subject and many others scientifically adjacent.
Having traveled much of North America in pursuit of mushroom and mycology based adventures and discovery himself, Michael’s influence has spanned the globe, as he inspires people to forage in the wild, and cultivate their own mushrooms as well as to tune into the many useful and fascinating applications mycology and related science has to offer. Through sharing his knowledge and experience online, in the classroom, and in the field, Michael invites others to explore their world with child-like wonder, unending curiosity, and a slower pace that facilitates a tuning in to many scales of reality often ignored. As creator of some of the most popular fungal cultures to be developed or cloned and circulated, (including the first 2 Cordyceps cultures that powered North America's first commercial farms) he has a special talent for capturing and maintaining clean champion genetics from cultivated or wild-harvested mushroom specimens. The extensive knowledge of breeding and mushroom production he's gathered spans several divisions of the 5th kingdom, and he is happy to assist on a small or large scale with your cultivation goals.
Michael is administrator to several very large online forums reaching and helping hundreds of thousands of people currently, and potentially millions over the years with the intentions of spreading fungal awareness and enthusiasm, citizen science and education, and decreasing apathy toward nature through the constant demonstration of fungal beauty, diversity, and utility. After the North American Mycological Association's request to start a Maryland chapter a decade ago, he decided to create Maryland Mushrooms and Mycology, an active home state group that has over 11k members today. Michael’s artistically keen eye for the most intriguing mycological photos has captivated his audience and landed his work in “The Journal of Wild Mushrooming" as well as used for educational content across the globe by many of his peers and mentors.
His three decade long admiration of the alchemical model and philosophy has compelled Michael to seek out the truly distilled gems of meaning that seem universal for us all. His passion for the transmutation of base ingredients, from herbs to mental constructs, is obvious in his dedication to his craft, community, and self. He is truly committed to the fabrication of some of the most opulent and effective herbal confections possible. Celestially/energetically aligned, full of revitalizing force and steeped with intent from inception to conception, Michael’s wares are produced with the utmost awareness of detail and quality. Stopping at no cost to ensure every step humanly possible was taken to deliver the most potent extract one could in a safe liquid form. The intersection of alchemy and mushroom enthusiasm was his main inspiration behind the current, one of a kind line of products offered through Mushroomlife, as well as the art that fills in almost all space that mycology doesn't in this operator's life experience.
Michael's previous work in the wellness and bodywork profession, crossed with extensive multi decade deep dives into mental training/meditation, movement systems, body sculpting, nutrition, plant/fungal/animal medicines, martial arts and transformational programs, have also led to a movement toward life and wellness coaching. With thirty years meditation practice, and twelve years spent in a temple under the tutelage of two ordained monks, he is quite adept at supporting a return to inner truth, peace and power. What exactly is it that is keeping you from being immersed in your highest excitement? Michael loves to dissolve these obstacles with you. His non-traditional path through life has bestowed a rich well of wisdom to pull from, and he loves to help guide his peers to bliss if possible by aiding in perspective shifts as well as introduction and encouragement of mindfulness and life practices that radically change one's reality, slowly but surely. By popular demand of our fast paced community Michael is offering one on one life and mindfulness coaching sessions to help you get the most enjoyment possible from your life experience.
Sometimes these shifts require a more comprehensive approach, and Michael is just as excited to take you on a more fully immersive experience with his Natural Abundance Immersion Retreat series that he and associates help facilitate. Witnessing his comfort in the forest and intimate knowledge of the flora, fauna, and funga all around us will surely tantalize your inner child, scientist, and naturophile.
Michael’s interest in elevating base ingredients to the utmost possible brought him to the study of water as well as the discovery of structured water. After witnessing the healing power of ultra pure, structured, and ionized water first hand through overcoming Lyme and chronic digestive flair, he is now a distributor of the best known certified medical device, gold standard grade water filters and ionizers on the planet. Through the implementation of structured pure, yet mineralized water, Michael is convinced that the addition of this to every family's home could save and extend millions of lives and create a world with a lot less plastic bottle waste. He is always willing to offer a free scheduled water consultation upon request.
Michael's next compass point on the map is funding and constructing a full lab for all current as well as expanded manufacturing projects. As well as PCR, barcoding and DNA sequencing using high throughput technology and a full analytics capabilities for bioprospecting. He is hopeful to not only add to the well of fungal phylogenetic and taxonomic knowledge, but also to spread awareness of the importance of biodiversity and potentially lend a sharper edge to the swords of natural conservation. Michael knows that new and or rare species as well as designated conserved lands lend a far greater potential for more in depth biochemical and long term ecological studies so crucial for our sustainability as humans. His interests in building the fertility of as many sq ft of earth as possible has also led to in depth study of soil biomes, nutrient cycling, increasing water tables, and food forestry/permaculture techniques. Through Michael's patient and steady application of the many skills learned he has help facilitate and witness the transformation of many properties in more productive sustainable ways.
Always striving to take the arts, interests, and passions of his chosen field to the next level, Michael is confident a healthy relationship with the hyphae, science and natural world is the way forward for humankind and is almost certain anyone would be happier with more mushrooms and wildlife in their experience. Should you ever extend him an invitation, your life will most certainly be enriched through fungal, natural, and or community based affairs.
