In this episode, we discuss:

Show notes:

Hey, everybody, Chris Kresser here. Welcome to another episode of Revolution Health Radio. This week, Im really excited to welcome Dr. Christopher Hobbs as my guest. Dr. Hobbs is a fourth-generation, internationally renowned herbalist and mycologist, and he earned his PhD at UC Berkeley with research and publication in evolutionary biology, biogeography, phylogenetics, plant chemistry, and ethnobotany. Hes now on the faculty at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

I first encountered Dr. Hobbs many years ago when I was studying Chinese medicine in the Bay Area, and I attended a talk that he gave on the medicinal use of culinary and edible mushrooms, and on psilocybin. Hes been one of the foremost experts on the health benefits of mushrooms for several decades. Hes been foraging for mushrooms, cultivating mushrooms, and using mushrooms to make medicine since the late 1970s. He has almost 50 years of experience in this field, and, as I mentioned, he comes from a family of herbalists and traditional medicine practitioners. So this is in his blood. He is a true expert and [has] a wealth of knowledge on this really exciting topic of mushrooms and how we can use mushrooms to improve our health.

We talk about Dr. Hobbs history as a mycologist. We talk about the nutritional and health benefits of mushrooms, particularly their role as prebiotics and the impact that they can have on our gut microbiota. We talk about beta-glucan, a special type of soluble fiber that is present in mushrooms, and the research on the immunomodulatory effects of beta-glucan. We talk about the phenolic compounds and terpenes that are present in mushrooms. You may have heard of terpenes in recent discussions of the benefits of medical cannabis, and also in essential oils. These are quite powerful compounds that are being studied in a variety of different contexts, and they have some exciting potential health benefits. We talk about how to get started with foraging for mushrooms and [how to] do that in a safe way, and many other topics.

This was one of my favorite podcast conversations because Im so fascinated personally with the health benefits of mushrooms, and Dr. Hobbs is one of the best people in the world to talk [with] about this subject. So I hope you enjoy the show. Lets dive in.

Chris Kresser: Dr. Hobbs, its a pleasure to have you on the show. Ive really been looking forward to this.

Dr. Hobbs: Thank you. Glad to be here.

Chris Kresser: All right. Lets just dive right in. We both share [a] common background in Chinese medicine, and, of course, mushrooms have a long history of use in Chinese medicine, perhaps mentioned in the oldest medical textbook, and in many other traditional forms of medicine, as well. What got you interested in mushrooms in the first place?

Dr. Hobbs: My dad was a professor of botany, and his dad was a professor of botany. So Im a third-generation botany person. But they didnt dabble in fungi too much. Then, because I liked being in the woods a lot, naturally, youre going to eventually start stumbling over the mushrooms and wonder, What are these strange creatures? Then in 1977, I saw a notice for the first or second mushroom conference that Paul Stamets did on Orcas Island. This was in [1977]. And I just decided to go on a whim. A couple of friends of mine were going. They invited me, so I said, Okay, why not? I went, and Dr. Guzman was there, the worlds leading researcher on psilocybin, and Dr. Smith, who wrote all the old field guides in the [1950s], [1960s], and [1970s], [and was a well-known] university professor, and a number of other really hot mushroom identifiers and researchers and hunters. We had a great time. It was really one of the best conferences I ever [attended]. That really got me going like a rocket ship, and I wanted to know more. From then on, I took off on mushrooms, and my interest never flagged, year after year after year.

Chris Kresser: At that point, initially, were you mostly interested in them for their health uses? Or just as a third-generation botanist or an avid nature enthusiast or all of the above?

Dr. Hobbs: All of the above. Ive always had this central question in my mind since I was very young. And that is, Why do some people get sick and some people stay healthy? What causes that? Even as a young child, I was interested in that. I think probably why is that something came through my grandmother. My grandmother was a community herbalist and my great-grandmother [was a] community herbalist, on my moms side. It skipped [my mom]. She was a concert pianist and artist. But definitely, my grandmothers notes and notebooks. She was a community herbalist in Pasadena, California, and had an herb garden and went down into Chinatown in [Los Angeles] on the red line and studied Chinese medicine. And this is back in the [early] [19]20s.

I never met her because she died before I was born, but my mom told me about her and used to tell me a lot of stories about her. I have a spiritual connection with her because Ive always been really keen on music and piano, and she studied in Paris. So [my grandmother has] been my connection with my ancestors. Bringing that lifelong interest in health and disease to nature got me interested in herbalism, and then, eventually, in 1986 [or] something like that, I came up with the idea [that], Well, mushrooms must be healing, too. At that point, I hadnt studied Chinese medicine, so I started looking in the world literature. I was an avid researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz, because I lived in Santa Cruz at the time for many years. Id always go into the science library, and Id be trying to dig out stuff, and I found out mushrooms do have healing properties and they are used in other cultures.

I did some research and I came out with my first little pamphlet, Medicinal Mushrooms, in about 1988 or something like that. Then the second edition [in] 1995, and now my new edition, which is [from] 2021. So I put it together, and I have to benefit my ancestors, really.

Chris Kresser: It sounds like you have quite a lineage of ancestors in [the] plant medicine world whove inspired you and motivated you to continue this work. You mentioned the health benefits of mushrooms, and thats something Im particularly interested in, as well, although fungi are so amazing in so many different ways. I know Paul Stamets has written a lot about their potential for supporting the environment, and even cleaning up toxic waste, and so many other properties. But in this episode, Id love to dive into the health benefits a little further since a lot of our listeners are interested in that.

Ive read your book [and] I loved it. I actually saw you speak in the Bay Area many years ago, when I was studying Chinese medicine. This is more than 20 years ago now, I think, or 15 years ago. Ive been fascinated with the healing benefits of mushrooms since I was a student in Chinese medicine, and even a bit before that. From your perspective, from a 30,000-foot view, what do mushrooms have to offer from a health perspective? Why should people be eating or consuming mushrooms in other ways in the modern world?

Dr. Hobbs: After teaching workshops and writing about it for so many years, Ive simplified it down to what I consider the most crucial and helpful parts of the medicine that mushrooms are offering. Certainly, I can name them pretty easily and quickly. Number one, just getting to know our forests better. Theres a long tradition of going out in the forest and hunting mushrooms and learning about them, as a family, for instance, in many, many cultures throughout the world. Thats a big deal to go out on a weekend and spend the day hunting mushrooms, find some porcini, and the kids get all excited. I certainly took my son out. Forest therapy is a real thing. The trees are exuding so much terpenes and phenolics out there. When were in the forest, we get the serenity [and] the beauty of the sound of the wind in the trees. All of that is so healing. But theyre also pumping out all these chemicals, which are relaxing and calming us. These terpenes have a lot of calming properties on the nervous system.

So were getting that medicine from the forest. Then, its so important for us to make a connection with the natural world in the forest because so many [people] live in cities and dont understand what were losing when the forests are being cut down and burned. I think thats number one because we all know very well that the health of the planet and our environment and our community is going to directly affect our health. We have to look at a wider scale of how vital it is to maintain and support the natural processes and web of our world and not pollute so much. We have to look at how were polluting this world.

Chris Kresser: Id love to linger on that a little bit because I think its such an important point, especially now in the modern world as we get more and more connected to digital devices, and people are spending more and more time on those devices and feeling less and less connected to the natural world. Yet as you pointed out, thats really built into our DNA. We evolved in a natural environment, and we dont really know what the long-term implications are of a life that is spent completely divorced from the natural world, as many people are today. I come across studies almost every week about the impact that being in the wilderness or spending a lot of time in green space has on our health and well-being. Its profound. Its not a small effect. Im sure youve heard of Richard Louvs work. Nature deficit disorder is a term now that I think is legitimate, and theres a lot of evidence to back it up. I think a lot of people are suffering from that.

Dr. Hobbs: Very much so. I go backpacking myself to the wilderness every year, and I know what youre saying. Just getting out in the wilderness, away from everything. I was recently in West Virginia and, boy, its mile after mile after mile of gorgeous, green, leafy forest, and a few meadows here and there. I was staying at a cabin that was way, way up high, and you could see for miles and miles, and there was no sign of habitation anywhere. The sound at night was dead quiet and dark, and the stars were out. It was really quite refreshing and healing. So I know what youre saying. Nature is so important. So, just the fact that mushrooms are out there in the forest and theyre an integral part of the forest. The forest couldnt really exist without them.

When you say forest, thats a system. Its not just a bunch of trees planted in a plantation or something. A forest [has] so many parts to it. [There are] the insects and beetles, which interact with the trees, and the plants and other organisms that feed on and use the carbon that fungi break down when the tree recycles and dies, and also takes the sick and weak ones out. Fungi are an integral part of what we call the forest. So thats probably number one, I would thinkhow important the natural world is. Like you [said], we have to understand [and] protect our forests. These are our legacy. So many creatures on planet Earth depend on the forest being healthy. Thats our responsibility.

Chris Kresser: Yes, agreed.

Dr. Hobbs: There are a number of parts to fungi as medicine. Number two, you could say that they have chemicals in them, [that] they have active constituents if we ingest them. Thats one typical way of looking at what were getting out of mushroomsthe active constituents. It turns out that theres something even more fundamentally important than that, [which] is mushrooms as what I call food medicine. This is a very important concept that we have to talk about more [and] we have to teach about more, is that food is medicine. We eat so much food every day. If someone said, I want to be healthier, or if they have a lot of chronic illnesses, they might say, I want to be healthy. Im not healthy; I feel sick. Whats the one thing I can do to be healthier? Well, the one thing you can do is redefine what medicine is. Medicine is not pills. Its not chemicals. Medicine is so much more than that. In this case, the medicine is the totality of the fungi. Of course, in the forest, thats part of the medicine that we discussed first. But secondly, medicine is the food that we can eat. We eat so much food every day. We could start incorporating more mushrooms into our diet and less animal products. Because animal products, as far as creating protein and nutrition, vitamins, minerals, and so forth, [are] so inefficient. [They take] so much land. And of course, theres the emissions. Theres the methane gas that comes out of cows and other livestock. Theres the chemicals, the feeds, and so forth. Its not the most healthful way for our planet or our bodies.

Because were consuming so much food every day, we want to make that food count. I think its important to keep a journal and say, How much of the food that Im eating are low-nutrient, high-calorie foods? Study after study shows that if we can lower our calories and keep our calories in a narrow band, then were going to live longer. Thats probably the single most powerful way that we can extend our lives and have less illness.

Chris Kresser: Yeah, about 60 percent of the calories that the average American consumes come from ultra-processed and refined foods that are, like you said, devoid of nutrients and full of lots of ingredients that we dont want to put in our bodies.

When you think of mushrooms and their nutritional value and medicinal value, there [are] several things to consider. Theres the mineral content, which as you pointed out in your book; many mushrooms are really high in minerals and other essential compounds [and] nutrients. Then there are the phenolic compounds, terpenes, [which] you mentioned earlier in the context of the forest discussion, [and] which I want to come back to and discuss in more detail because, thanks to cannabis and essential oils being more common, people are starting to become aware of terpenes and their medicinal effects. Then there are things like the beta-glucan[s], [which are] the soluble fibers that are present in mushrooms [and] are being intensively studied for a whole range of beneficial effects, particularly around activation of the immune system. Id love to dive into those kinds of components of mushrooms, and if theres anything I missed in terms of general categories of the benefits of mushrooms.

Dr. Hobbs: Well, as far as number one, environment and forests. Number two, food medicine. And if you were to take the most important part of that, [it] is fiber. You mentioned terpenes and phenolics, and those are small molecular weight compounds. But mushrooms have an abundance of cell walls because both fruiting bodies and mycelium are made up of these strings of cells, which have a pretty thick and tough coating, the cell wall of the fungi. The cell wall is composed of proteins and chitin, which is a very hard polymer. Thirdly, its composed of beta-glucan. And a few other things, but those are the three main polymers. Glucan is simply a glucose polymer. Its a long string of glucose molecules, which are one of the main sugars. So, beta-glucans are important, yes. Thats one of the most important parts of the medicinal qualities of mushrooms. But the chitin in the cell wall is also very, very important. My point being that all mushroom cell walls are full of soluble and insoluble fiber, which form an incredible prebiotic. So when we eat more mushrooms, were probably getting the best prebiotics available out there. Theres more soluble and insoluble fiber in mushrooms than any vegetable. Turkey tail, for instance, is up to 60 percent beta-glucans [and] around 90 percent soluble and insoluble fiber. There is no other food out there that has that much usable, prebiotic fiber.

Chris Kresser: Not even close, no.

Dr. Hobbs: Not even close. There [have] been some new studies Ive been talking about lately, which Im so excited about. We see more and more studies investigating our microbiome and how it plays a role in our health, digestion, [and] nutrition, by tweaking and activating and regulating our immune response body-wide. Its so crucial to many parts of our bodys health and function. But recently, theyve shown that it can actually affect our mood and cognition, and thats when it starts getting really interesting. It turns out that theres a new study that shows that when people ate a lot of mushroom prebiotic fiber in their diet, they had much higher microbiome diversity. And many of the new studies show that species diversity in our microbiome is the number one factor as to how were going to get health benefits from our microbiome.

Chris Kresser: Thats such an important point. I had Dr. Justin Sonnenburg from Stanford on the show a couple of years ago. Hes a microbiologist [and] studies the microbiome, and most of the show was talking about the importance of microbial diversity and eating a broad range of different types of what he calls microbiota-accessible carbohydrates, which is a fancy way of talking about fiber that can be fermented by gut bacteria versus some fibers, which cant be fermented and still play other important roles, but are not as useful in terms of promoting bacterial diversity.

Dr. Hobbs: Exactly. Thats why fungal fiber is so good because its not digestible in our upper [gastrointestinal] tract.A lot of it ends up getting down into our lower tract where the microbes can work on it. One quick sidebar on that, if youre a big oats fan like I am, [is that] oats contain beta-glucan, too. Oats are one of the [healthiest] foods out there. Heres a couple of facts. First of all, all oats are pre-cooked. If you buy oatmeal, or you buy oat groats, or steel cut oats, and then pour some almond milk on it and let it soak and soften up and then put fruit on it and eat it, and [you think] youre getting raw oats, youre not getting raw oats. [They] are already cooked. There are raw oats available out there, oat groats. If you take those pre-cooked oats, and then cook them again by making oat porridge or a bowl of oatmeal, all those complex fibers are getting broken down, and then theyre highly absorbable in our upper [gastrointestinal] tract. Youre not getting nearly the full benefit of the oats if youre going to buy pre-cooked oats or if youre going to double cook your oats. Thats just a quick sidebar there.

Chris Kresser: I think the fiber question is one that has gotten, like you said, a lot more attention recently. Ive been talking about it for years and even telling patients [that] when youre choosing what food to eat, you need to think about how its going to nourish you, and also how its going to nourish your gut microbiota. Because there are certain foods that are much more important in terms of nourishing us that were actually able to digest and absorb. And then there are other foods that we dont actually digest and absorb those carbohydrates. But that doesnt mean theyre not tremendously valuable. The bacteria and other microbes are digesting and absorbing those complex polysaccharides, and theyre turning those into compounds like short-chain fatty acids and other molecules that, as you pointed out, can lead to changes systemically throughout the body, the gutbrain axis, and the relationship between the gut and the brain. Theres even a lot of research now that suggests that depression and anxiety could be primarily gut disorders. That inflammation that originates in the gut suppresses activity in the frontal cortex and ends up causing all the telltale symptoms of depression. So its a pretty exciting time that we get to better understand all this stuff and to have these fungi that we can use to modulate our health in a really powerful way.

Dr. Hobbs: And theres so much availability out there. Thats the other thing.

Medicinal mushrooms have become a hot topic, with claims that they can do everything from boost our defense against viruses and other pathogens, to protect us against cancer, support healthy brain function, and improve our response to stress. Hear expert Dr. Christopher Hobbs discuss all the ways we can benefit from mushrooms, in this episode of Revolution Health Radio. #chriskresser #medicinalmushrooms

Chris Kresser: Lets talk a little bit about the beta-glucans. You go into tremendous detail on this in your book, which I really appreciate because Im a geek and I like to learn about this kind of stuff. It sounds like, from my research and from reading your book, that one of the primary actions that [beta-glucans are] being studied for is as an immunomodulator. They activate innate immune cells like macrophages, dendritic cells, granulocytes, [and] natural killer cells, and they can trigger the effector cells like CD4+ and CD8+ and patrol the blood, sense potential pathogens, and prime our immune system for a more effective response. I think over the past couple of years, [it] has become really obvious why thats important for all of us.

Dr. Hobbs: Thats absolutely right. As you mentioned, the beta-glucans, and to a minor degree, the chitin, is one of the main things you think of when you think [about] the therapeutics of medicinal mushrooms, is immunomodulation, anti-cancer, antibacterial, [and] anti-infective actions of medicinal mushroom[s]. Thats probably one of the first things you think of when you really think [about] the nuts and bolts [of] biological activity. But the other really big piece of that is that this has been so widely studied throughout the world. There are literally thousands and thousands of research papers on the action of the beta-glucans in at least 50 species of fungi all over the world, especially in Japan [and] China, but [in] other places, as well. There is incredibly deep scientific literature and body of research on the medicinal effects of beta-glucans and how [they affect] our immune system. All the ins and outs of it, how deep you want to go down to the level of T cells and B cells and so forth, as you mentioned. Its pretty exciting. Dont forget that yeast also is a mushroom, and there are some studies showing that yeast supplementation can also activate that immune response.

The other big advantage of beta-glucans, or other biological activity groups, is anti-inflammatory. For instance, [in] lions mane and chaga, their beta-glucans have been studied for easing gut inflammation like gastritis, gastric ulcer, [and] things like that. Thats been well-studied. Those two species are widely used in Russia and China for easing stomach distress. Thats probably the number one thing that lions mane is used for in China is stomach distress and [gastrointestinal] distress because of its powerful, soothing, and anti-inflammatory effects.

Chris Kresser: Right. So weve got mushrooms, [and] theyre a great source of some essential nutrients. I think the highest sources [are] turkey tail and reishi.

Dr. Hobbs: Sixty percent in turkey tail and about 55 percent in reishi.

Chris Kresser: I know that there are, of course, other sources of beta-glucan in the diet, but none that are that high as a percentage of the weight of that food that Im aware of.

Dr. Hobbs: Well, not fungal beta-glucan. All fungus has fungal beta-glucan. These are highly branched and impossible for us to digest in the upper digestive tract. Grains have beta-glucans, as well, but they arent highly branched; theyre more linear. And they dont have the immunomodulating and anti-inflammatory effects that fungal beta-glucans do.

Chris Kresser: They act more [like] the typical soluble fiber acts. They have some benefit for the gut flora, but not as potent in terms of their immunomodulatory effects.

Dr. Hobbs: No, but they do have some anti-inflammatory effects.

Chris Kresser: You also mentioned another component, which are phenolic compounds and terpenes. Tell us a little bit about the action of those compounds in mushrooms. And are they found in all mushrooms in similar amounts? Are there some mushrooms that are higher in those compounds than others?

Dr. Hobbs: First of all, the beta-glucans, by the way, are in various levels in each species. Not every species is going to have the same amount of beta-glucans. We mentioned that. But all edible mushrooms like shiitake, porcini, chanterelle, all those that you might find in the woods, all have a significant amount of beta-glucan. Wild mushrooms have [beta-glucans], and ones that you would buy in the store have beta-glucans. They are irregular, but theres still a significant amount of beta-glucans in all fungi. Whereas, with terpenes, thats a completely different category of compounds. Those have a wide variety of biological effects. To a lesser degree, theyre found as monoterpenes, which are C10 compounds. Those are smaller terpene molecules, which are volatile often and have an aroma. So some mushrooms have a volatile terpene kind of smell, and those can have a sedative effect on the nervous system.

Then you get the diterpenes, and those are C20, a 20-carbon molecule, so those are bigger. Those are not typically volatile. Those are best characterized by the diterpenes hericenone and erinacine in lions mane. Those compounds are at a pretty high concentrationabout 5 percent to dry weight basis, and those compounds are pretty exclusively found in the genus Hericium, which are the lions mane. Those have been shown to have mood modulating effects. There have been a couple of clinical trials showing that it can help people [ease] anxiety or depression. Its not a drug, remember. If theyre eaten regularly, then its going to have a much stronger effect.

Chris Kresser: I had a patient with essential tremor syndrome who we [tried] a lot of different [treatments on] and got some help and benefit from various interventions. But the thing that almost completely stopped the tremor was lions mane. Its been studied for nerve [regeneration] and neuroregenerative effects, as well.

Dr. Hobbs: It has, yes. And there is some really good research. Its been shown that a number of mushrooms, including lions mane, [which] is probably the best studied, have neurogenic properties. However, thats all laboratory research, remember. There are no clinical trials to support that. However, a lot of people are picking up on that and trying it, so thats really good. Because its a food, its a very safe medicine to use. Its a food medicine. So definitely, we can experiment with that. If you do have nerve damage or nerve injury, or nerve inflammation, its very much worth a try as a supplement or a powder.

Chris Kresser: Absolutely, [theres] no real downside there. You mentioned monoterpenes, diterpenes, that are primarily found in lions mane, and then there are countless triterpenes, right, in reishi?

Dr. Hobbs: Countless triterpenes. Triterpenes are more widespread in mushrooms than ergosterol, which is the precursor for vitamin D. Its found in all mushrooms, [and] its part of the cell wall that adds fluidity. Its a lipid type substance. When you get a compound that big, it turns out that its not water-soluble anymore. Its more of a lipophilic compound. Theres a massive variety of triterpenes found in the glycoside form, which the mushroom might attach a sugar to so that it can more freely move around the water-based environment inside the fungi. Also the same in plants, those are called glycosides. Or it could be just as the aglycone, a plain triterpene. These compounds definitely have been incredibly well-studied in reishi. This is one of the main active components of reishi mushrooms.

There are a vast, vast amount of different ones in there. There are a number of different species that can be used for reishi-like mushrooms. Each species might have a different mixture of triterpenes. Thats why its interesting to try different ones and see how they work. Triterpenes are very well-known as anti-inflammatories, but also immune modulators. They do add to immune modulation of the beta-glucan. Definitely very strong, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antinociceptive, [and] pain relieving.

Chris Kresser: Right. Blood sugar, metabolic effects.

Dr. Hobbs: Blood sugar regulation, liver support, hepatoprotective. Those are only some of the many. If you read a list of all the different biological activities that have been shown with reishi triterpenes, its a long, long list.

Chris Kresser: Ill quote from one passage from your book. Its anti-cancer, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, liver protective, anti-obesity, blood sugar regulating, and antimicrobial effects, to name a few. It almost sounds too good to be true, right? Its just a remarkable spectrum of activity.

Dr. Hobbs: It is, and thats why its [been] used for such a wide variety of ailments in China for over 2,000 years.

Chris Kresser: I want to go back to something you said about the antioxidant properties because I wasnt aware of this. I learned when I read your book that the antioxidant potential of mushrooms is much higher than in the most commonly eaten fruits and vegetables that people typically think of as having a high antioxidant value. That was news to me. I knew mushrooms had a lot of beneficial properties, but I didnt think of them as really potent antioxidants until I learned that from your book.

Dr. Hobbs: Right. Thats one of the many facets of reishi. Quite a few other species have triterpenes, too. A lot of the conks, like boletus and, for instance, zhu ling. Zhu ling has a lot of triterpenes in it. Chaga has some. Probably most mushroom species have some triterpenes in them. Turkey tail definitely has triterpenes.

Chris Kresser: This has been fascinating [and] so helpful to really understand all the different medicinal effects that mushrooms can have. Its also particularly fascinating to understand how those effects can differ across different mushrooms. Eating a number of different species of mushrooms will give you different benefits. Some mushrooms are much higher in beta-glucan. Others might be higher in certain types of terpenes or specific terpenes that are going to give you a particular benefit that youre looking for.

Dr. Hobbs: And cordyceps have amines, which can affect our nervous system.

Chris Kresser: So cordyceps, lets talk a little bit about that because I find its such a fascinating organism. Tell people what cordyceps is, to begin with, because thats the fun part. And then we can talk a little bit about the unique health benefits of cordyceps.

Dr. Hobbs: Cordyceps, in its original form, is attached to an insect. There are two main species that we should quickly discuss. The first one is Cordyceps sinensis.

Cordyceps sinensis is composed of a moth caterpillar that lives in the Tibetan Highland underground for three years. When the larva hatches, it feeds on roots underground, and then after three years, some of them become infected with cordyceps, [and] some dont. Cordyceps [are] in the soil, and many other organisms are in the soil, too. So some of them are infected by Cordyceps sinensis, which seems to be like the caribou and the wolf, [in] that the Cordyceps sinensis job is to take out and basically digest the ones that it somehow senses are not very fit for the population. It infects them in the soil, invades them, and then before it kills the larvae, it changes its neurochemistry so that the caterpillar moves up toward the surface and orients itself just below the surface. Then the fruiting body projects out of the top of the head of the moth caterpillar. So if thats not freaky enough for you.

Chris Kresser: Yeah. I would sometimes explain this to patients, and theyre like, Theres no way Im going to take that. But then once [I explained] the benefits, I got some to come around. Its always fascinating to talk about that. Cordyceps, of course, in Chinese medicine and other systems of traditional medicine, has a long history of use as a tonic for sexual health and vitality, well-being, energy levels, and its used in some traditional cultures for athletic performance and recovery. I think there [is] even [a] limited amount of modern research that supports that use, as well. It seems to me [that out] of a lot of the mushroom species that we talked about, cordyceps has some unique benefits in that regard. It seems to be particularly targeted in that direction.

Dr. Hobbs: Perhaps because of the amines that are found in there, perhaps because of terpenes in there that contribute, and, of course, the beta-glucans. Then the other species is Cordyceps militaris. This is the one that you should buy. You should not buy Cordyceps sinensis because there really are no authentic Cordyceps sinensis outside of going to Chinatown [and] buying the caterpillars with the fruiting bodies coming out of their heads for hundreds of dollars. So just go ahead and focus on Cordyceps militaris. They have many of the same benefits as Cordyceps sinensis. Ive tested them myself in the laboratory for authenticity with DNA, and the products that Ive tested have been pretty authentic. They are Cordyceps militaris. Thats the way to go.

Chris Kresser: And if someones taking a mushroom supplement or something like that, its going to be Cordyceps militaris and not Cordyceps sinensis.

Dr. Hobbs: Right. It took us a while to get that all straightened out in the industry, but now, I think its pretty settled.

Chris Kresser: Id love to finish by asking you for some tips for someone who wants to get started with mushroom foraging and doing it in a safe way. How can they learn more about that? Id love to talk a little bit about your book as a resource. For those who are interested, like you said, [its] a great way to get out into the forest and collect your own food and get a little bit more intimate with that whole process. How can folks get started with this?

Dr. Hobbs: Well, get my book, for one thing.

Chris Kresser: Well put a link to it in the show notes. Its Christopher Hobbs, Medicinal Mushrooms: The Essential Guide, for those of you who are listening.

Dr. Hobbs: Also, check into my website because I have a lot of stuff on there, medicinal mushroom-wise. [Its] http://www.ChristopherHobbs.com. Easy to remember.

Chris Kresser: Your book has fantastic information about the benefits of mushrooms, [their] history, and also information about how to prepare mushrooms. How to eat them, how to make tinctures [and] extracts, which mushrooms are better to cook and eat because they have a better flavor, [and] which mushrooms tend to be very bitter or chewy, [where] you might want to make them into an extract or something else.

Dr. Hobbs: How to grow them, of course.

Chris Kresser: How to grow them. Yeah.

Dr. Hobbs: How to identify toxic ones, though you should get a good field guide, as well. Mine isnt an absolute, end of the line [identification] book.

Chris Kresser: Thats what I was going to ask. I know a lot of people are nervous about that, and rightfully so. I think a substantial percentage of calls that go into poison hotlines are from mushrooms. There is some risk.

Dr. Hobbs: The book I recommend first and foremost is a field guide, David Aroras All That the Rain Promises and More. That is a fantastic book. Theres nothing better. [Its] easy to put in your pocket. Hes got decades and decades of experience. He shows you the toxic lookalikes, [and] he really [goes] into depth on the edibles. He doesnt touch on medicinals too much, but he will give you some really good basic information. And then other than that, Id say, look for a local field guide. It makes it easier to identify. Dont try to get the Mushrooms of the United States. Youre better off getting Mushrooms of the Northwest United States or Northeast, or wherever you are. Try to find your regional mushroom guide, which has pictures. And also, join a mushroom society or club. We have so many [here] in California, and there are more popping up all the time. Join a local mushroom club or society if you can. Go on some forays. There are usually some really seasoned mushroom hunters out there, and [they] can identify your collections. There should also be mushroom fairs. We have a number of mushroom gatherings and fairs where you can bring your mushrooms in and have them identified. Or look for local walks, even with one individual thats well-seasoned. Get some direct, hands-on stuff going on with someone who really knows what theyre doing. Thats important.

Chris Kresser: Thats really, really helpful. For the last question Im going to ask you, if you had to pick only three mushrooms, what would be your top three for medicinal value?

Dr. Hobbs: Well, thats easy. One, two, three. Reishi, turkey tail, and psilocybin.

Chris Kresser: Yeah, well have to do another show on psilocybin because Im also very interested in that and the psychospiritual, emotional, and even physical benefits of psilocybin. How about for eating? Top three culinary mushrooms.

Dr. Hobbs: Porcini is definitely number one. Beyond that, I love chanterelles. I love candy caps. There are so many good edibles out there. Im in love with shiitake. So those are my handfulporcini, shiitake, and chanterelles. I love oysters, too. There are probably 10 really well-known edibles. And thats another class, just talking about the 10 top edibles and how to prepare them and how to find them and so forth.

Chris Kresser: Well, I definitely would love to have you come back and talk about psilocybin on another show. And I think the audience would love that, too.

Dr. Hobbs: Can I mention my upcoming class series?

Chris Kresser: Please do. We have a lot of listeners in California and the Bay Area.

Dr. Hobbs: Im really, really delighted to be doing a seven-week medicinal mushroom course. A to Z, everything you would like to know, in depth, [with] PowerPoints, and a big Q&A period at the end. Thats one of the biggest benefits of doing it live. And its not in person; its live on Zoom. We did it last year, [and] it was totally incredible, so I hope you can join us. Its through the BotanicWise Network. Its going to be in late June and July. And then I wanted to mention that Im doing a seven-part psilocybin course that is going to be everything you ever wanted to know about psilocybin, including how it works in the body, the clinical trials, how to become a guide, how to work with a guide, how to find them, how to grow them, and [how to] dry them. Everything you would want to know. How to microdose, all that is going to be covered in my seven-week course with the Shift Network. So look for that in August and September.

Chris Kresser: Fantastic. And are these on your website, as well?

Dr. Hobbs: They will be on my social media, so follow me, especially on Facebook and Instagram. Im posting on Instagram quite a bit. Dr. Christopher Hobbs.

Chris Kresser: And again, I highly recommend Christophers book. Christopher Hobbs, Medicinal Mushrooms: The Essential Guide. Ive read it twice, and its a phenomenal resource for all things mushrooms, from understanding their medicinal value to understanding how to cook and prepare them and make medicine out of them.

Christopher, its been a fascinating conversation. Im so grateful for your time. Youre a wealth of knowledge on this topic, and [I] look forward to having you back to talk about psilocybin in the future.

Dr. Hobbs: Thanks, Chris. Much appreciate the invitation and your good questions and interaction. That was a lot of fun. I appreciate it and hope to be back another time.

Chris Kresser: Look forward to it. Okay, everybody. Thanks for listening. Keep sending your questions to ChrisKresser.com/podcastquestion.

This episode of Revolution Health Radio is sponsored by Kettle & Fire and Paleovalley.

As a member of our community, Kettle & Fire has a very special offer for you. Go to KettleandFire.com/Kresser and use the code KRESSER at checkout to save 20% on your entire order.

Paleovalley is also offering our listeners an exclusive offer. Head over to Paleovalley.com/Chris and use the code KRESSER15 to get 15% off your order.

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RHR: Medicinal Mushrooms and Their Unique Health Benefits, with Dr. Christopher Hobbs - Chris Kresser

The term yoga has acquired a very reductive meaning in popular culture. It is often referred to as a form of exercise that renders flexibility, and Instagram influencers who know how to twist their bodies in impossible knots have somehow become the supreme authority of what yoga can do. Sometimes, apart from its physical aspect, they throw in a discussion about mental health and meditation and participate in the wokism that seems to have overtaken our lives.

However, in truth, yoga the ultimate union of mind and body has a far more complex, and erudite explanation. In its evolution of 5,000 years, we have come to know several forms of yoga. While Hatha Yoga (which mostly comprises asanas) is the most popular one, it is also the most rudimentary type of yoga. Other types of yoga, that move beyond physical practice include Iyenger yoga, Kundalini yoga, Bikram yoga etc. Another form of yoga that is easy to practice, and can be incorporated in our daily lives is called Ashtanga Yoga or Raj Yoga.If you are hearing about this form of yoga for the first time, worry not, you arent alone.

ET Panache Digital spoke to Himalayan Siddha, Akshar Founder, Akshar Yoga Research and Development Centre to understand the basis tenets of Raj Yoga and how we can make it a part of our lives. Here are a few excerpts from the interview.

Himalayan Siddha, Akshar, Founder, Akshar Yoga Research and Development Centre

Through this yoga, you learn to manage your emotions better which means you can make yourself happy at any given point of time, feed yourself whenever you feel hungry and live your life according to your own desire. Raj Yoga focuses on the development of all three important aspects of your life which is physical, mental, and spiritual growth. You will begin to notice an immediate change in the physical aspect when you start this practice because Raj Yoga demands discipline out of you. You will have to rise along with the sun in the morning and do your practice. Raj Yoga is a science based holistic solution.In Raj Yoga, even the utensils that you use have to be planned with much thought as any and all metals are not allowed and only silver, gold, clay and even certain leaves are used as containers for food. There are specific reasons as to why each material is beneficial for you for example using banana leaves is considered to be a very good habit as it energizes your food and enriches it. Walking is an integral part of Raj Yoga as the practice encourages you to walk regularly as a form of exercise for the mind, body and soul. Raj Yoga will also train you on the correct tone of voice to use and how this can have an impact on your communication with others.

Tratak is beneficial for the eyes and this helps your vision become better and how standing positions in Raj Yoga will strengthen your body and help to eliminate problems like sciatica. It also helps to shape the mind and make you able to prioritise better. When the mind is better organised you will be able to discern for yourself the activities and people that will support you in your growth and where you should put your attention.

How is Raj Yoga different from Hatha Yoga?Hatha Yoga is an ancient system that focuses on the science of Kriyas known as shatkarma. As this form of Yoga involves the body to be forced to achieve its asanas, pranayamas or the cleansing rituals, the practitioners referred to it as the form of yoga that requires force.

Hatha Yoga Pradipika is a book that most Hatha Yoga practitioner of the modern world have read through. This book was first written by Swatmaram, disciple of Guru Gorakshnath. The 'Hatha Yoga Pradipika' is a compilation of Hatha Yoga as taught by Guru Gorakshanth and his guru, Maharishi Matsyendranath. This book describes the means and ways in the form of Asanas, Pranayams , Mudras , Bandhas , Shatkarmas to become a Hatha Yogi. Hatha yoga is a spiritual practice which means that it is about detachment from the material world and attachment to the higher planes. While practicing Hatha Yoga, we will disconnect from society and remove ourselves to more secluded locations like the mountains etc.

Raj Yoga as the name suggests is the king of yogas. In this form of yoga Lord Krishna is a central figure and plays a very important role. This is because lord Krishna demonstrated the power of yoga showing how when one practices yoga he can live his life king size and evolve himself for the greater good. In Raj Yoga we can learn about the way in which to overcome lifes challenges and still be able to emerge triumphant. Raj Yoga focuses on development of the brain and attention is given to behaviour, life skills and how you lead this life. There is no room for error in Raj Yoga because it teachers you perfection. You must learn from the mistakes of others and from society in order to bring perfection into everything that you do.

The eight limbs discussed in Ashtanga yoga are Yama, Niyama, Asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and Samadhi. All of these 8 limbs need to be worked on simultaneously and not sequentially.

The eight limbs discussed in Ashtanga yoga are Yama, Niyama, Asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and Samadhi. All of these 8 limbs need to be worked on simultaneously and not sequentially.

Yama includes Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya (non-covetousness), Aparigraha, Brahmacharya (celibacy).

Niyama involves Saucha, Santosha, Ishwarapranidhana, Tapasya and Swadhyaya.

Raj Yoga focuses on meditation and how you can master this for your growth and development. It brings attention to perfection in every task that you undertake. Raj Yoga highlights on learning all aspects of human development.

Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha are the four main tenets that Raj Yoga focuses on. In order to become a master of these four areas, learning begins from a very early age where a child is trained in communication, body language, behaviour and in every possible way to prosper and achieve success in this life. All the training is done in the most organic and natural way without any sort of artificial enhancements. The approach is a purely holistic one. Yoga teaches you to be your most authentic self because this is what brings holistic growth and victory.

Can Raj Yoga be followed by those who have corporate jobs? In Raj Yoga the primary requirement for anybody is to keep yourself as clean as possible. It is absolutely possible for corporate professionals to adapt to the practice of Raj Yoga as this was made for us to live life better. But most of us have become very material oriented which means that we do not put heart and soul into what we are doing and mostly do things without any purpose. For example a person who is focused on earning his livelihood is satisfied when he is well fed and clothed and does not care beyond his own needs. This is called being materialistic and Raj Yoga goes to higher levels of existence.

In the corporate world Raj Yoga principles can be applied 100% because it is not a question of you versus anybody else but it is a competition only between you and your own self. Rather than filling yourself with negative emotions like envy, jealousy, anger, greed and unhealthy competition when looking at other peoples achievement Raj Yoga tells you to focus on your own skill building. How can you develop your own skills in order to reach a greater level of success without bringing down anybody else or envying another persons success? -- Raj Yogas focus is on you reaching your highest and truest potential through your own hard work and merit.

When the mind is better organised you will be able to discern for yourself the activities and people that will support you in your growth and where you should put your attention.

To practice this you must form a thought and then put your entire focus on this thought while you do your tratak meditation. Along with this another visualisation meditation technique known as Brahmand Dhyan is used which is the visualizing of the entire universe or cosmos. This will help you envision the vastness of the universe and in turn believe in your own limitless potential.

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Be the master of your mind! From voice control to behavioural patterns, Raj Yoga makes you the king of you - Economic Times

We tend to get out and about more during the summer than during the colder months. There is so much going on and I don't blame anyone for wanting to spend that outdoor time with their pets. If you have pets that go with you everywhere, make sure you keep these things in mind this summer.

Dog left alone in locked car. Abandoned animal concept.

This is something that happens every single year. People will bring their dog with them to the grocery store, leave the dog inside their vehicle on a 90-degree day without the air conditioner on and cause major damage, or even death, to their pet. If you want to bring your pet, make sure you have the air conditioner on, the car on, and the doors locked, and keep them cool. Or, you could leave them home in the air-conditioned house.

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That plastic dog houses that kind of look like crates are actually more like ovens. You definitely can't use that alone as their shade. That plastic holds in the heat and if your dog or cat is sitting in it as its only reprieve, it can be super dangerous

PC Ryker Wager

Don't walk them on asphalt or concrete because it can definitely burn their feet. If it is too hot for your hand or barefoot, it is too hot for theirs. You can always get them little booties or shoes. They make those.

Julia Toner / poodle mix

Make sure they have plenty of water, especially if they are outside dogs. You want to make sure that they always have access. Change it often, check it often. I feel like these are all no-brainers, but they still need to be said.

Close Up Of An Adult Female An Adult Male Nymph And Larva Tick Is Shown June 15 2001

Make sure you double and triple-check your pets for ticks and bug bites. This is especially true after a camping trip or lake trip. Bug bites can mostly be harmless, but ticks can cause Lyme disease and fleas can be problematic.

Does your loyal pup's breed make the list? Read on to see if you'll be bragging to the neighbors about your dog's intellectual prowess the next time you take your fur baby out for a walk. Don't worry: Even if your dog's breed doesn't land on the list, that doesn't mean he's not a good boy--some traits simply can't be measured.

LOOK: 30 fascinating facts about sleep in the animal kingdom

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5 Ways To Keep Your Pets Safe During This Hot Twin Falls Summer - kezj.com

There is no denying the long-lasting legacy of the King of Rock & Roll. Elvis Aaron Presley might have died 45 years ago at the tender age of 42, but the legendary musician lives on, from his music, movies and iconic dance moves that have made the entertainer one of the most impersonated musicians in the world, from the stage, in churches in Las Vegas, in movies and on TV, Halloween and everything in between. With his unique voice, strong magnetic personality, larger-than-life stage persona and genre-defining music, making a biopic of Elvis the Pelvis would have been relatively easy, but the cast and crew knew they didnt want to simply recap the long list of achievements made by the celebrated performer, and be done with it.

So rather than focusing heavily on the singers childhood before he cut his first single, the film chooses to also feature the strong African-American rhythm and blues music that was present but routinely ignored or downplayed during that time, and how the rich genre slowly shaped the younger singer as he was growing up in Memphis, Tennessee. Elvis attempts to bring light to that in his grand, glamorous biopic that not only charts the singers career and his relationship with manager Colonel Tom Parker, but also the Black pioneers who inspired him.

The fact that we do not have Elvis without Black music, and giving credit where credit is due, said actor Austin Butler, who plays Elvis in the film, at a press conference that Geek Culture attended. The narrative has been told in so many different ways, and Im just so proud of the fact that we get to be a part of this film. Sister Rosetta [Tharpe] was inventing rock and roll in the 40s.

To which, musician Yola, who plays Tharpe in the film, added, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was the safe place. She was very outwardly queer in the 40s thats kind of dangerous so she had to be a safe place. She discovered Little Richard, she invented rock and roll, and she also discovered people.

She was being the elder. Growing up with her was more about this sense of home that [Tharpe] had to create for people so when they come to Club Handy, they reconnect with the spirit of rock and roll, finished Yola.

While the media then was focused more on the performer rather than the inspiration, Elvis himself never avoided the association, and was open about his debt to Black music from the very beginning of his career, to a point where his reputation suffered due to the perceived influence his music had on the moral well-being of his white listeners. In a 1957 interview, Elvis said, [Black musicians] been singing it and playing it just like Im doin now, man, for more years than I knowThey played it like that in their shanties and in their juke joints and nobody paid it no mind til I goosed it up.

And there was no way that director Baz Luhrmann was simply going to gloss over the subject matter or pay it a cursory regard in his biopic. Elvis not only meaningfully explores the singers upbringing in a largely Black neighbourhood in segregated America, but it also showed how this experience defined him as an artist. Viewers will see young Elvis mesmerised by gospel music as a child and as an adult, audiences will see him sneaking off to Beale Street in Memphis to hang out with noted musicians BB King, Little Richard and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. These relationships that Elvis had are an integral part of who he is, and Luhrmann wanted it front and centre in his film on the King.

Well, there are just things you cant tell the story without. You cant do America in the 50s, 60s and 70s, and you cant do someone who is about music, without dealing with Black artists and music. Thats the journey that Elvis went on, his relationship to all these characters, said Luhrmann.

If theres a big debate out there about that, have we grown? Have we? Has it been an evolution? Along the way, you experience this very personal intimate journey of this guy called Elvis and this guy called Colonel Tom Parker. I have people come and go like, Yeah, okay, that was in, but where are we now? Are we going backwards?.

Whilst BB King, Little Richard and Sister Rosetta Tharpe were all important, the friendship and mentorship between King and Elvis were the most heavily fleshed out in Elvis. The film saw Elvis frequently attend Kings shows and even depicted a scene of the iconic image that saw Elvis and King arm in arm.

To prepare himself for the role of the famed BB King, Kelvin Harrison Jr. worked closely with Butler to develop the on-screen friendship between the two music greats. Harrison Jr. also conducted a lot of research and self-reflected on what it meant to be a Black musician at the time, when the music being played was not just country, but was rhythm and blues and pop music too. It was for everybody but heard by nobody due to the segregation up until Elvis came along. Harrison Jr. frequently wondered how BB made music, sold his music, and what type of advice he could give to young Elvis.

I feel like my job was to come in and kind of just be the brother, you know? Austin and I met before the movie, we went to dinner and figured out how do we talk about art? How do we talk about craft? What are we insecure about? What are we scared of? What does it feel like for you to step into this role? What does it feel like for me to come in and step into this role? And I think thats the relationship that BB and all of us are sharing at that moment, shared Harrison Jr.

What does this mean to us in this time? What does it mean for me as a black actor? BB to be a Black musician that only has been able to feel the real audience in Memphis at that time to get a tour bus for the first time. Understanding just the time, and just like looking at the research and figuring out what was BBs politics and value systems around developing who he was as an artist and his business? How does he develop his business? And how can [he] share that advice with him (Elvis) while also encouraging him to be the artist that he wants to be?

Butler had a similar method of preparation too but took additional training to really capture Elvis essence and characteristics. The actor had a movement coach, a dialect coach, a singing coach and a karate instructor. After all, portraying an iconic person is never easy. Butler also felt immense pressure and feared failing Elvis, his legacy, the singers surviving family, as well as the legion of Elvis fans around the world.

So how long does one prepare to be the King? Well, the 30-year-old actor, who had small roles in Disney shows before, felt such a huge sense of responsibility and fear that the preparation process took two years.

I had those two years where I really didnt do anything else but just obsess. I just tried to be as meticulous as possible, but at the end of the day, its all about finding his humanity, because what I was most fascinated by was stripping away the icon, stripping away the caricatures or the Halloween costume of Elvis and getting down to who was he in an empty room by himself at the end of the day? How did he wake up in the morning? You know, what was his inner life? questioned Butler.

And hes an incredibly sensitive, spiritual man so it was just finding how he evolved over the years. That was sort of my process.

Butler listened to numerous recordings of the star and took notice of how his voice changed over the years. He would then mimic Elvis evolution in everything he did so that his performance wont come off as simply a caricature that plenty have seen before.

I was struck by how his voice changes over the years. You listen to an interview in 54 or 55, 56 and then another one in 62, he sounds totally different. And then you hear him in 72 and he sounds different from that. And then 77, he sounds different. You got all these different voices so I would spend a day sort of living in one of them. I think because there have been so many caricatures of him that for me, I really doubled down on making it feel like this was my life, that that Im seeing from inside of him, and not falling into any of these traps because its really hard not to because we all have this idea of what he sounds like, explained Butler.

Perhaps, out of his entire experience of preparing and then moving on to play Elvis himself, Butlers most life-changing moment was recording gospel music that was later used in the films scene where little Elvis snuck into a gospel tent.

In fact, it was that particular moment where Butler felt like Elvis himself, that he had channelled the same little Elvis who heard gospel music for the first time and became completely engulfed by the melody of voices and movement around him.

I think there were about 30 of the most incredible gospel singers Ive ever heard in my life. And I remember the first person starting to sing, and I got chills. And then as the voices came together, tears came out of my eyes, said Butler.

And then everybodys stomping their feet, and suddenly I start feeling. Im standing they let me stand in the centre and Im stomping my feet, and I felt that moment that little Elvis had.

I was just, raptured.

Elvis takes the screen on 23 June 2022.

Dont judge a book by its cover, for behind all this makeup, is a geek just like you. To simply put it, superheroes, Star Wars, Harry Potter and all things gore and creepy makes this girly girl swoon.

The rest is here:
'Elvis' Is Not Just A Celebration Of The King's Career, But Black Music As Well Says Director Baz Luhrmann - Geek Culture

Download copy from here Erwin Schrödinger - The Mystic Vision

Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyBnCtzj0Zo

The Cape Ann Museum will be hosting three outdoor walking tours throughout the month of February.

"During a time of continued concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the one-and-half hour tours offer participants a safe and engaging way to learn about the rich history of Cape Ann" Ashley Elias, for the Museum, said.

The tours will explore the life and careers of artists Edward Hopper and Fitz Henry Lane in Gloucester and the evolution of religious and spiritual life on Cape Ann.

Saturday, Feb. 13 at 1 p.m.: A guided tour through the Lane Gallery to the Lane House

Saturday, Feb. 20 at 1 p.m.:The evolution of spiritual communities walking tour

Saturday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m.:"Hopper's Houses" Walking Tour

Each tour is led by a knowledgeable Museum docent who will guide participants along a route through the city focusing on the chosen topic.

Tours are held rain or shine and participants are required to wear face masks. Cost, which includes museum admission, is $10 for CAM members and $20 for non-member.

Register at capeannmuseum.org/events.

A leafy welcome

Backyard Growers haswelcomed Jessica (Jess) Reid to take on the role of program coordinator as they seek to connect peopleand communities through access to healthy food.

"We are elated to welcome Jess to the team at Backyard Growers," said Program Director Corrine Lippie. "She is a dynamic new addition with deep food systems and farming experience. As we grow the Backyard Growers team, we will also be able to deepen our work and impact in the community."

Reid is a Massachusetts native who has worked on agricultural projects everywhere from Vermont to Madagascar. She graduated from Saint Michaels College after studying anthropology with a focus on farming and food systems. Looking to pursue work that combined these interests, she joined the Peace Corps as an Agriculture Extension Agent in Madagascar in 2018.

After two years working abroad, Reid will manage Backyard Growers' garden sites, which includes nine community and partner gardens and nine school garden sites from preschool through high school. She will develop and deliver trainings, workshops and outreach to support a diverse service population of children, seniors, and families as they grow their own food through the organizations community and backyard garden programs.

Working with Lippie, she will also build upon a strong foundation of existing programs and expand the organization's capacity to connect low- to moderate-income individuals and families through new initiatives.

Backyard Growers was founded by Executive Director Lara Lepionka in 2010. Now based at 3 Duncan St. in downtown Gloucester, the organization manages vegetable gardens in all Gloucester Public Schools and connects students from pre-K through high school to experiences that help them shape healthy behaviors. Backyard Growers has also built 400 raised garden beds across Gloucester, providing the resources and training for low- to moderate-income children, families, and seniors to grow their own food.

See the rest here:
Talk of the Times: Touring the rich history of Cape Ann - Gloucester Daily Times

There are all kinds of different Fighting-type Pokemon out there. See which one of these are you based on your zodiac sign.

Since Generation I, Fighting-type Pokmon have been some of the best offensive team members in any Trainer's arsenal. With theirpowerfulmoves and strong personalities, their energy and vigor lifts the team's spirits as well as aiding in battle.

RELATED: 10 Underrated Psychic Pokemon (That Are Actually Very Strong)

While Fighting-types may seem bold, energetic, and feisty across the board, the category actually encompasses a widerange of Pokmon personalities. Though they all tend to focus on striking down opponents with physical strength, their styles andtemperaments vary widely.To explore that variety, here'sa guide to which Fighting-type Pokmon best exemplifies each of the twelve signs on the Zodiac.

Fierce and aggressive, Mankey shares several traits with the sign of the ram. Prone to ragesfor no reason, its quick temper is reminiscent of Aries' powerfulenergy. Nobody wants to get on an Aries' bad side, just like no Pokmon wants to be on the receiving end of a Mankey's rage.

Yet for all their vigor, Aries often flames out quickly. Similarly, Mankey returns to a sweet, docile nature once their anger dies down. However, when it's time to fight, neither Aries nor Mankey will ever hold back.

Like the sign of the bull, this Generation III Pokmon is something of a gentle giant. Despite their immense fighting power, this Pokmon is kind-natured and practices etiquette and respect towards its opponents.

Similar to Tauruses, theyare patient and persistent, never giving up no matter how many times they lose in battle. Family-oriented nature is another Taurus quality that Hariyama shares. They love to help others, and often dedicate their later years to training their prior evolution, Makuhita.

Kind and helpful on construction sites, yet fearsome in battle, Machoke exemplifies the dual nature of a Gemini. Its two sides are equally valuable to its trainers, as itsphysical prowesscomes in handy in every scenario.

Like this sign, Machoke is a jack of all trades,using its strength wherever and however it is needed most. With its adaptability, endless energy, and friendly nature, Machoke's Gemini qualities display themselves at every turn. Similarly, its power can lead it to be unpredictable, like the sign of the twin.

Passimian live in troops about 20-30 members strong, whose mutual survival depends on each other. Because of this, they are loyal and protective towards their troop members, similar to the family-oriented nature of Cancers.

RELATED: The 15 Best Shiny Pokemon In Sword and Shield, Ranked

The sign of the crab thrives onunity and teamwork. Sincethey are known asthe Teamwork Pokmon, Passimian is an excellent fit. Cancers are also a creative sign, and Passimian is creative in its fighting tactics. Troops confuse and blind opponents before damaging them, working inharmony to take down foes.

As the sign of the lion, Leos are fierce and protective. Scrafty's personality is built on these traits:They have no patience for those who challenge their territory or hurtmembers of their group. They don't allow themselves to be ignored, just like any Leo.

Justas Leos thrive in groups, Scrafty live in large packs, the leader of which protects the rest from threats. Both Scrafty and those under the Leo sign can come across as rude or arrogant. However, they are protective of their loved ones.

This legendary Pokmon from the Isle of Armor expansiondisplays the same diligent nature as a Virgo. It trains tirelessly to hone its body and mind, persistent even after defeat. Similarly, Virgos set high standards for themselves and do not rest in their quest to achieve them.

Kubfu is said to act as a guide to those traveling through the mountains, displaying a Virgo's desire to help others. Additionally, Virgos love to expand their mindsjust like Kubfu, who evolvesby reading scrolls and gaining the knowledge within.

When Tyrogue's attack and defense are equal at level 20, it evolves into Hitmontop. Thus, balancea key aspect of the Libra signis central to Hitmontop's existence. This doesn't just apply to its philosophy, but on a literal level as well. Hitmontop isusuallydepicted balancing on its pointed head, spinning like a top.

Additionally, Libras value beauty and style. Hitmontop's Pokdex entries describe its twirling kicks aselegant and graceful. Its battle style is a perfect balance of offense and defense, which embodies the Libra spirit.

This sign is especially perceptive and observant; it noticesthings others do not. As the Aura Pokmon, Lucario shares this quality, able to read the energy of people and Pokmon in a way no one else can. Like Scorpios, it is deep and complex, due to its keen awareness of others' emotions.

RELATED:10 Pokmon Fan Theories That Will Creep You Out

Scorpiosoften close themselves off, opening up to a few people.Lucario is similarly reserved, and Trainers must work hard to gain its trust. However, once they do, this Pokmon will form an incredible bond with them.

Sagittarians areinquisitiveand like to expand their minds. Clobbopus' Pokdex entries describe it as curious, with a love of exploration. It also displays this sign's enthusiasm: Clobbopus' favorite way to investigate is to punch things with its tentacles.

This signcan occasionally be reckless and rebellious. Clobbopussharethis knack for getting into trouble, but like Sagittarius, they can easily wriggle their way out of it. Detaching a waving tentacle as a decoy, Clobbopus gleefully escapes predators and lives to explore another day.

The sign of the goat tends towards an air of class and traditional refinement.They are honest and loyal, often with a serious disposition. A master of swordsmanship and chivalric courtesy, Gallade embodies these characteristicsand ideals.

Gallade further displaysCapricorntraits through its intensely protective attitude towards its trainer. True to its honorable warrior image, this Pokmon is keenly aware whenever others need help, and does not hesitate to rush to their aid. This is another trait of Capricorn nature,since they value honor above all else.

Aquarians are original and inventive, and like to think outside the box. True to this idea, Mienshao is an innovative fighter, using the hair on its arms as whips. Its attacks are unique, fast, unstoppable, and disorientingnot to mention its bizarre battle cry. Taken together, Mienshao often lives up to the unpredictable nature of Aquarius.

Also like this sign, Mienshaocherishes the company of its closest friends. Just as Aquarians value teamwork, this Pokmon is happiest when training alongside its Trainer.

Intuitive, sensitive Pisces is the most spiritual sign of the Zodiac. Because of this, it has a lot in common with Medicham, whoboastsgreat spiritual power and energy. Like Lucario, it can sense auras, which calls to mind the sign of the fish's incredible intuition.

Itincreasesits physical prowess through rigorous spiritual training, demonstrating a connection to the metaphysicalthat is equally important to Pisces. Furthermore,this signis often artistic, which Medicham echoes with its graceful and dance-like movements in battle.

NEXT: Pokmon: All The Gimmick Mechanics, Ranked

Next Bloodborne: 10 Best Skill Weapons, Ranked

Demaris Oxman is a reader, writer, and gamer from Juneau, Alaska. While studying linguistics at McGill University, she wrote for student publications covering music, theater, film, and various pop culture. She now puts her love of games to good use as a list writer for Game Rant. Always a fantasy nerd, Demaris has a particular love for games in that genre, and spends her free time writing epic and grimdark fantasy.

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What Fighting-Type Pokemon Are You, Based On Your Zodiac? - GameRant

PC players have a lot to look forward to in 2021. Whether that's sequels to beloved games, or new entries into long-running franchises, there's plenty to keep you busy throughout the year. Given that many of last year's games were delayed into 2021, this year will be slightly different than usual. We're likely to see many games announced and released this year, so don't worry that the upcoming slate looks a little bare right now. Plenty of big releases like Halo Infinite and Far Cry 6 don't have specific dates yet, so we'll give you an idea as to when they're likely to come out.

As the year goes on, and as games are announced, we'll be sure to keep this page updated. Because of this, we recommend checking back in to see what PC games are coming out in 2021, so you can plan out what you're going to play this year. Look forward to open-world shooting with Halo Infinite, medieval multiplayer in Chivalry 2, as well as plenty of indie goodness in Back 4 Blood and It Takes Two.

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If you're a PC player, there's a great selection of games to enjoy in 2021. For a quick overview, we've listed the biggest upcoming PC games this year, with a little info on each one. Let's take a look:

The World of Assassination trilogy concludes with Hitman 3, taking Agent 47 to new locations like Dartmoor, Dubai and Berlin. Given that you can import their levels and progression from the last two games, Hitman 3 should have plenty to do, even after you've blasted through the main story.

The devs behind Blair Witch and Layers of Fear return with The Medium. It's a supernatural thriller which looks to raise the bar in terms of graphics and loading times. We don't know much about it, which is probably best for a horror game such as this.

Nioh 2 finally makes its way to PC on February 5, 2021. Expect tough-as-nails boss fights, gorgeous visuals and plenty of screaming into a pillow.

Mass Effect fans rejoice! We're finally getting updated versions of the original Mass Effect Trilogy. We don't have much to go on yet, but expect updated visuals for all three games. Here's hoping Andromeda gets some love eventually too.

Prince of Persia The Sands of Time is back, baby! There's a full remake on the way, great news for fans of the original game. What we've seen so far has been a little disheartening, so let's hope Ubisoft pull it out of the bag in the end.

Outriders is an upcoming co-op looter shooter. It's being developed by People Can Fly, a studio that encompasses talent from ex-Ubisoft projects. Expect big guns and plenty of shiny loot.

PC players finally get the chance to play Nier Replicant this year, with the snappily titled NieR: Replicant ver.1.22474487139. It's a sprucing up of the 2010 RPG, with re-recorded voice acting and new content. We don't know exactly what to expect yet, but given the original was locked to PS3, Steam players will no doubt be into this new version.

Deathloop is the latest action RPG from Arkane Studios. It looks to add a time loop mechanic to assassination attempts, all with a splash of 70s style over the top. It looks like a lot of fun, and we reckon it's fine to trust Arkane studios by now.

Wow, have there really been 5 mainline Far Cry games already? Far Cry 6 looks set to feature everything we've come to expect from the series including unstable political settings, plenty of fire, and a really scary dictator villain. This time, The Mandalorian's Giancarlo Esposito is the big baddie, so expect long, hard stares and maybe even a lightsaber or two, I don't know.

We haven't had a LEGO Star Wars game for a while, and even though it seems like it's arriving a little late, the upcoming Skywalker Saga looks like a lot of fun. It spans the sequel trilogy, from The Force Awakens to The Rise of Skywalker, so you'll bet to play through awesome scenes like Rey's training, porgs and that bit where Snoke is wearing a tiny golden silk robe.

Rider's Republic was announced late last year and looks to be an evolution of the freeroam alpine sports game Steep. The difference here is that the snow and skis have been replaced with rocky hills and mountain bikes.

The devs behind The Evil Within are kicking off a new IP called Ghostwire Tokyo this year. Ghosts have invaded Tokyo and it's up to you to take them down. It looks a bit like Ghostbusters, but horrifically spooky and if Bill Murray had used his hands, fists and telekinetic abilities to rid the city of ghouls and ghosts.

Halo Infinite was supposed to come out late last year, alongside the new consoles. Unfortunately, the brief demo that was shown off seriously underwhelmed, to the point where microsoft ended up kicking the game back into 2021. We have no idea when it'll launch, only that there's some serious retooling being done. Let's hope the game ends up being all the better for it.

Bloodlines 2 has surely got to be the most anticipated PC game this year, so hopefully it finally releases. What we've seen so far has been promising, looking to expand the rich world and RPG systems of the original, while keeping some of that rough and ready jank that fans of the series love.

After a long time without a Batman game, we're finally getting a new one in the form of co-op brawler Gotham Knights. Basically, Batman is dead and the city is falling to the array of crime families hiding in Gotham. It's up to Nightwing, Robin, Red Hood and Bat Girl to keep things from getting out of control.

I for one don't really care if the name is different, Back 4 Blood is a new Left4Dead game and I'm all here for it. You'll team up with friends and beat zombies to death, all while hoping there's not some kind of super zombie waiting around the corner for you. You know the drill.

I'd imagine you've seen footage of Resident Evil Village by now, or at the very least seen everyone swooning over the tall vampire lady antagonist, Lady Dimitrescu. Resident Evil 8 has some serious Resi 4 vibes, and serves as a sequel to 7. There's werewolves and strange troll creatures, as well as a new and somehow even more beefy version of Chris Redfield. What's not to love!

Now that we've taken a look at the biggest releases for 2021, it's time to list the full release schedule for the year ahead. We'll break things down month by month, and keep this page updated as new info is released. Be sure to bookmark this page!

The final piece in IO Interactives Hitman trilogy arrived this year. Hitman 3 ended up being pretty darn great. You can read our review here.

A brand new season of Apex Legends launches in Feb, adding a new character and map. Then there's Little Nightmares 2, and the Persona spinoff Persona 5: Strikers.

March has plenty to keep you busy. There's the upcoming remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, a new Puyo Puyo Tetris, and Evil Genius 2, which looks excellent.

April is another stacked month, with Outriders and a brand new Guilty Gear. There's also the remake of Nier: Replicant, as well as a lot of awesome indies.

Biomutant and Resident Evil Village arrive in May. There's also the matter of the Mass Effect Remaster, which is sure to please a ton of gamers, including Imogen and Alice B on our team.

June brings a major update to The Elder Scrolls Online, as well as a spiritual successor to Left4Dead. Plenty to sink your teeth into then.

As we move further into the year and towards July, things start to get a little more sparse. There's still plenty of great looking indies to check out however. You can find them listed below:

There are plenty of games coming in 2021 that have yet to have their release dates nailed down. These include Halo Infinite, Ghostwire Tokyo, and many more.

So there you have it, the games to look forward to playing in 2021. With video games being what they are, some of these games are likely to move in release schedules, so we'll be sure to keep this page updated with the latest info.

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Upcoming PC games for 2021: the biggest PC games coming this year - Rock Paper Shotgun

Jalandhar: Innocent Hearts College of Education initiated the new BEd session with Saraswati Vandana and online orientation session imparting the message that spirituality and excellence go hand in hand. Saraswati Vandana was organised to seek blessings of the Almighty and to welcome newcomers with serene positive vibrations. Puja was performed devotedly by the executive director (colleges) Bowry Memorial Educational and Medical Trust Aradhana Bowry, Principal Dr Arjinder Singh and other faculty members with religious zeal and devoutness. This was followed by an online orientation programme in which the new entrants were acquainted with the rules, regulations and curriculum of the programme. Principal Dr Arjinder Singh hosted the virtual meet and addressed the newcomers. Assistant professor Tarunjyoti Kaur discussed the scheme of study, co-curricular and NSS activities organised in the college during the whole BEd session.

Fashion show winners

Lyallpur Khalsa College students won the first position in the fashion show event in the Colours 2021 organised at CT Institute Maqsudan. This information was shared by the college Principal Dr Gurpinder Singh Samra on Monday who informed that the winning team had students Ashmeen Bains, Mandeep Maan, Japjee and Pallavi Bhardwaj. Dr Samra congratulated the winning team and its in-charges Dr Ajitpal Singh and Prof Shefali Taneja and deputy dean Dr Palwinder Singh on this achievement.

Disaster management session held

To help the students respond to the disaster situations, a demonstration on firefighting techniques was held by Department of Fire Brigade at Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya. Principal Dr Ajay Sareen accorded a warm welcome and presented a planter to Rajender, the facilitator for the demo. In her address Principal Dr Ajay Sareen focussed on the need to be prepared for the worst situations. She told that such sessions help to put theory into practice and make the students aware of the techniques to protect themselves as well as others around, thus ensuring safety for all. Rajender informed the students and faculty members about different types of fires and fire extinguishers. He showed the students how to use the extinguishing cylinders and demonstrated the use of water pipes of fire brigade vehicles. The students learnt went through a practical discourse. Rajender also talked about the responsibility of citizens to help the department and inform them at 101 in case of any fire. The students learnt the use of extinguishing fire and were equipped to use this knowledge whenever required. Dr Anjana Bhatia hosted the event and thanked the department for the demonstration.

Webinar on tree talk

Kanya Maha Vidyalaya organised a two-day webinar series. The series was organised by the PG Department of Botany. More than 250 students participated with full zeal and enthusiasm. The speaker for the first day was Dr Rajiv Angrish from Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. He delivered his lecture on the topic Tree talk in the Wood Wide Web. He explained about the various plant communications involving metabolites, molecules, volatile organic compounds and electrical impulses between plants and a host of other organisms. On the second day, he delivered a lecture on the topic Plants, Agriculture and Humans: Past, Present and Future. He divided his talk into five major parts to discuss the evolution of humans along with the domestication of crops and animals. He narrated the story behind the development and evolution of modern day grains by citing examples of wheat and maize. He also made students aware about the future prospects in the fields of biology, botany, biotechnology and use of modern day technologies in the agriculture like drones, sensors etc. The queries of students were also entertained in the queries session.

FDP on apparel design

Professor Lalit Kumar Awasthi, director NIT, Jalandhar, inaugurated the online Faculty Development Programme on apparel design sponsored by ATAL (AICTE Training and Learning Academy) from February 1 to 9 organised by the Department of Textile Technology. Dr Vinay Midha and Dr AK Choudhary, the coordinators for the course said that there will be 14 sessions on different aspects of apparel design, including design softwares, sewing machines and sewing threads, fabric defects, pattern making, marking spreading, laying and cutting and the latest in the industry ie RFID technology. The eminent experts from different institutions of the country like IIT Delhi, NIFT Kangra, FDDCI Mohali and NIT Jalandhar will be deliberating on the different technological developments in the field. The FDP has received an overwhelming response from the participants across different institutions of the country working in different areas of textile technology, fashion and apparel industry and 140 participants, including faculty and research scholars of different institutions of textile technology, fashion, apparel and home science, have registered for the programme on Monday. Professor LK Awasthi appreciated the efforts of the department and AICTE ATAL Scheme in supporting the role of NITs to provide training to faculty and students of the other institutions of the country. TNS

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New B Ed Session starts - The Tribune India

Prelude The Legend of Zelda Majoras Mask Nintendo

In replaying Majoras Mask for its 20th anniversary, I wanted to make this retrospective into something more than just Hey, Zelda fans, remember this game that we talk about all the time? Its 20 years old now! In doing so, I was trying to find new subtexts, and reasons to continue picking it apart, quickly realizing that this particular Zelda title has reflected so much of what the players want to see in it over the years, but not very often considered the people behind the games code. Weve spent years dissecting its themes, but we often forget how it may reflect its two lead directors: Eiji Aonuma and Yoshiaki Koizumi. For the countless articles on Majoras Mask out there that dig into its motifs, story beats, characters, color pallets, and remake changes, there is a deep, human connection to the player coming from this game more than any other first-party Nintendo title. When we consider this games directors, we see their ambitions to try something new and having the courage to make it weird. As a result, this piece has taken the form of observing their influences on the final product and seeing how their drive for staying creative made one of the most ambitious and experimental action RPGs of its era, and where it got them today.

Firstly, I think its important to address the work of the late Satoru Iwata, the iconic president of Nintendo with a heart of gold who tragically passed in 2015. He was a man far ahead of his time, but in my research for this piece, I have developed a new layer of love for his timeless Iwata Asks interviews. For a company as elusive and secretive as Nintendo, Iwata was always trying to pull the curtain back to let fans in on their conversations. If you didnt follow them as they were being published in the early 2010s, I hope you seek them out to read about your favorite games, because I believe they create a beautiful capsule of the legacy in these last 20 years of Nintendo. I think itd be nice to know the people who make the games we love a little better, and see how pieces of their souls find their way into this software that we connect with, especially in something as inherently spiritual as Zelda. So thats what this article is about, and it wouldnt exist the way it does if not for the incredible depth of resources at DidYouKnowGaming. Their work of archiving articles and interviews across the internet on beloved games in an accessible way for people to start making their own findings is an immeasurable resource in an era where retaining media literacy is an important thing to retain in gaming culture.

The flow of time is always cruel Its speed seems different for each person, but no one can change it A thing that doesnt change with time is a memory of younger days

Humans are infinitely obsessed with time. Obsessed with optimizing it, remembering it, and tracking how much of it weve lost. Looking back and forward, our minds become lost in a spiral of what has become or what could be, whilst our bodies stay grafted to the present. Some spend most of their lives in this hypnotic state. Time is the only thing truly out of a persons control. Even if our emotional states, proficiencies, and relationships cause our experience of it to ebb and flow, time marches on despite us.

This is the curse of having a childhood with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time at your side. The Nintendo 64 gave players one of the most revolutionary experiences in a 3D video game, and echoes of its final product can still be seen in almost every 3D action RPG today. Ocarina of Time is still lauded by many as the greatest game of all time. The semantics of this could be argued for its blueprinting the direction of the industry, its ubiquitous fantasy adventure, or our rose-tinted glasses, but its shadow is undoubtedly large. When Eiji Aonuma was asked to make a follow up to one of the most successful games of the 1990s, maybe ever, he gambled away his time to get it done in order to stoke the fires of creativity. At the time, a direct sequel to a Zelda game was unheard of, but he and the Zelda team were brave enough to give it a try, albeit with pressure to turn some quick extra profit with the success of Ocarina.

From a fans perspective, its easy to lose sight of the fact that the greatest enjoyment of Majoras Mask comes from experiencing Ocarinas legendary adventure first. Its jarring nature is made only more complex when gameplay, visuals, songs, and details are stripped from Ocarinas legend and distorted into something completely new. Majoras Mask, compared to its predecessor, was born of a need for simplicity, efficiency, and strong time management. When discussing the original game upon the release of 2015s The Legend of Zelda Majoras Mask 3D, a remake for the Nintendo 3DS, Aonuma considered Majoras original version a literal challenge to returning and devoted players, especially in regards to the lack of tutorials for the basics of platforming, puzzles, and combat, thrusting players into the new scenario.

Iwata: We never worked on a remake for Majoras Mask until now, so we did go in thinking that the reactions would be somewhat positive. But to be honest, the reactions we received were much stronger than we had anticipated. Why do you think that was the case?

Aonuma: I think thats because Majoras Mask is the kind of game that presents players with a challenge.

Iwata: What? Its a challenge to our customers? (laughs)

Aonuma: When we talked about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in a previous Iwata Asks, we talked about hospitality but Majoras Mask isnt like that. Its all a challenge to our players. Its like were saying to them can you clear this?

Iwata: It shifted from hospitality to a challenge.

Aonuma: It was something like until then you were welcomed with open arms being invited to come in, and now youre being told at the door to go home if you dont have what it takes! (laughs)

Iwata: That might be true. When I played the game when it came out, it was like the game itself was screaming out to me, questioning me whether I had the dedication to play forward.

Aonuma: Thats because we didnt put in any kind of elements where we show people how to play this game. The game was made for those who have played Ocarina of Time, so I felt like there wasnt a need for step-by-step instructions.

Iwata: It was like clear it if you can.

Aonuma: So those who have played it still strongly remember how the game felt like it was a challenge

Iwata Asks Majoras Mask 3D 2. From Hospitality to a Challenge 2015

For the folks who never played Ocarina of Time, Link was a child in the land of Hyrule, blessed with great purpose and guided by a fairy to help Princess Zelda save the kingdom from the lord of evil by collecting spiritual relics and taking a weapon that would transport him seven years into the future to conquer Ganon. When his long coming of age tale was completed, Zelda played one last song on the Ocarina of Time to send Link back to his past so he could regain his lost childhood. However, he would live this life cursed with the consciousness of an adult war hero. His companion fairy Navi, a symbol of that youth he carried with him, leaves in the final shots of the game.

Majoras Mask dares to ask what happens after this. What happens when a child suddenly thrown into being a time-traveling hero of the goddesses and is thrust back into his old life? Links path in this game sees him resisting that flow, as he searches for Navi across unknown worlds to recapture the friend who was alongside him as he literally and emotionally grew up. Its deep in the woods where he is attacked by Skull Kid wearing the evil Majoras Mask, after which his horse, his strength, and his weapons are stolen, and he is cursed into a childish Deku Scrub. When Link explores the world of Termina on the other side of the woods, he encounters a town preparing for a Carnival of Time, and a foreboding apocalyptic moon hanging overhead that will collide with the earth in three days. There is a distinct contrast to his heroics in Ocarina when addressed by inhabitants of Clock Town, as though he is a kid with no understanding of how dire the state of the world is. When Link regains his human form, the very song Zelda used to send him back to his past becomes the games primary mechanic to save and reset the clock to 72 hours before the moon crashes down. These townspeople, most of whom are familiar faces from his past journey in Hyrule, begin their routine once again, none the wiser. Their set paths are reset and, save for the masks that Link collects as mementos of new friendships, there is no evidence that Link had ever helped them.

Just like much of the games music, townsfolk, collectibles, and items, even the masks originated from Ocarina of Time, but much like all the other things carried over, their purpose and power are distorted into something strange. With them followed the Happy Mask Salesman: a foolish yet foreboding harbinger who begs Link to complete his quest in recovering the haunted Majoras Mask. Aonuma has addressed the masks being carried over from Ocarina to Majora and evolving as a natural necessity with their limitations.

Aonuma: As a basis of Zelda games, youre able to use items to do all sorts of different things, and we felt it would be a lot of fun if Link would acquire all these abilities by putting on these different masks. We felt that would expand the gameplay. So we made the game so Link could transform into Deku Link to fly in the air, Goron Link to roll across the land, and Zora Link so that he could swim underwater. We also gave each of them a storyline.

Iwata Asks Majoras Mask 3D 2. From Hospitality to a Challenge 2015

Whenever there is a meeting, a parting is sure to follow. However, that parting need not last forever Whether a parting be forever or merely for a short time That is up to you.

Three of the games masks are essential transformation totems. Through them, Link embodies the forms of characters who have gone beyond the land of the living. He takes on the form of the Deku Butlers Son, the Gorons war hero Darmani and the Zora bands lead guitarist Mikau. All three stories filled with themes of regret for what they havent been able to do for the people they care about, and on their graves are instructions, leaving behind simple tutorials for players to control their forms through gameplay. Reminiscing the development of Ocarina of Time after spending even more time as a producer on the two games remakes than their original Nintendo 64 versions, Aonuma notes regrets of his own as a designer:

Aonuma: there was a sense of unfulfillment among the staff, where a lot of us wanted to do things differently with certain elements from Ocarina of Time, and also wanting to do things they werent able to before. If we gathered all new staff to work on it, it would have been impossible to make it in only one year.

Iwata: You were fueled by your regrets of what you made but werent able to fully use to fruition. Because you were fueled by it, you were able to put on a bunch of new ideas on top of the Three-Days System and they all fit together nicely. Thats why you were able to make something with so much content in only a year.

Aonuma: I suppose so. AlsoI was younger back then.

Iwata Asks Majoras Mask 3D 2. From Hospitality to a Challenge 2015

People have spent years deconstructing the themes of Majoras story content, but its purpose was to make a new Zelda adventure using all the years of hard work from creating the journey before. While Zelda is known for its many dungeons, Majora only has four. However, the side quests and mini-dungeons before and after them are so complex and rich with character and atmosphere, and all with a distinct style of level design of their own that made exceptional use of 3D space, that their relationship with the temples in Ocarina feels like an evolutionary one. Additionally, the scenarios in Clown Town and its surrounding regions feel like dungeon gauntlets of their own, despite mostly being fetch quests. Combined with four temples that make a step beyond A Link to the Past with a Z-axis, and creative use of the space to build a weaving complexity to their labyrinthian layouts, this title would give Zelda its greatest content density yet. While it didnt sell like its predecessor, it made the most of what the Nintendo 64 was capable of, and has become a cult classic ever since; the black sheep of the Zelda franchise.

When asked about it while consulting the 3DS remake of Majoras Mask, Zeldas director and producer Eiji Aonuma treated the game from 2000 as a frightful memory from much younger days. When giving the remaster team, Grezzo, notes on the work to be done, he would remark on his past choices.

At the time, I think there was something wrong with me I knew I didnt want to open the lid from the get-go, and it turned out that my instincts were correct.

Iwata Asks Majoras Mask 3D 3. The What In The World List

This is typical of a creative mind looking back at work over a decade old, and yet, its easy to forget the circumstances under which The Legend of Zelda: Majoras Mask was created, and its a miracle that the game exists as it does. Naturally, a player can see the rough edges from such a limited production time in some of the games choices, such as backtracking, repeated tasks for different scenarios, and egregiously using the same Wizrobe mini-boss four times throughout the game. If anything, these faults should make it clear how incredible it is that the best things in the game were made under such limiting circumstances.

It was the terrifying first step Aonuma and his peers would make to use Shigeru Miyamotos baby to transform it into something of their own with it. Twenty years later, that risk of sticking to their instincts still holds for fans and has seen wild success in both their careers in the years following the moody little Zelda sequel.

In 2020, we take for granted that video games evoke themes beyond the routine of players reflexively tapping buttons. Once upon a time, it was a marvel to simply see 3-D games like Super Mario 64. So many things that weve come to take for granted in modern video games had been established rapidly over a small amount of time in the late 1990s. When games took their first steps into 3-D, they were at first mere expansions on the design fundamentals of 2-D games with an added axis. It was games like Carmack and Romeros Doom and Miyamotos experimenting with the Super FX chip and StarFox on SNES that would lay the groundwork for 3-D perspectives as a fundamental component of traversing labyrinthian level design and combat navigation well before the Nintendo 64 and the PlayStation ever hit the market. This is essential to clarify because its often easy to forget how revolutionary it felt to play The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Eiji Aonumas first project under a directorial position.

When compared to modern action-adventure RPGs, Ocarina hasnt aged the greatest. However, the first 3-D Zelda adventure brought with it a substantial upgrade to the world and dungeon layouts blueprinted by A Link to The Past in 1991. Ocarina of Time provided just as many rich and densely populated open spaces to explore as it did tight corridors with obstacles. Although the dungeons often reflected ALttPs map layout, awareness puzzles, switch and block puzzles, and similarly moving enemy varieties, exploring all these components on a Z-axis brought new life to their usefulness. Combined with this depth was a mechanic just for navigating combat in these new spaces, Z Targeting, what we now fundamentally understand as a lock-on system. It was used for battle engagement, turning the slashing your sword into a rhythmic bout with enemies, an idea brought on board by Super Mario 64s Assistant Director, Yoshiaki Koizumi. He revealed in a 2011 Iwata Asks interview that the concept came one summer from seeing a circular battle choreography in a ninja and samurai showdown at Toei Kyoto Studio Park. This ended up setting the standard for the majority of action-based gameplay to this day and demonstrated the innovative skills of Koizumi and Nintendos staff as they began reworking their franchises and wild new ideas into 3-D.

I was a designer, so I didnt want to use such a simple marker. I wanted to make something else, so I came up with a fairy. After all, it was The Legend of Zelda.

Yoshiaki Koizumi, 2011 Iwata Asks 4 Where The Name Navi Comes From

The sometimes overlooked Master Quest expansion disc for the Nintendo 64DD was released as a GameCube port for Wind Waker pre-orders in the west and was an important stepping stone following the explosive success of Ocarina of Time. With that release came a completely redesigned dungeon layout to provide more of a puzzling and combative challenge; an immense paradigm shift for players who knew the games dungeon layout. Master Quest often asks players to rethink how to solve puzzles entirely, using all the same room layouts and item acquisitions but with a higher density of foes, alternate paths, and unique physics not often asked of people in the base game. Eiji Aonuma, who had his first directorial experience alongside Miyamoto on Ocarina of Time, wanted to force the series staple to evolve.

The Master Quest expansion paved the way for Zelda Teams next task. Fans often recall the story of Ocarina of Time Second Quest, or Zelda Gaiden, and how that turned into an entirely new game in Majora based on an argument between series pioneer Shigeru Miyamoto and Aonuma, who would be tasked with directing alone this time around. For years, even Iwata didnt know of this origin story, but this infamous gamble of a deadline to make an entirely new Zelda title would work its way into the games core mechanic and shaped how iterative game design would be seen forever: The game would be a standalone release, using the assets, engine and audiovisual leftover from Ocarina, and they had one year to do it.

The Nintendo 64 marked the beginning of the company no longer having complete domination over the industry as Sega was still in the race, Sony was about to launch its hotly anticipated PlayStation 2, and Microsoft was entering the ring to release the Xbox. This second Zelda for the Nintendo 64 had a lot riding on it now that Ocarina had placed Zelda firmly as a top priority for Nintendo, and as Satoru Iwata was moving up the ranks to the role of president, Miyamoto would also be taking a step back directly designing games for the first time in his beloved fantasy franchise. Aonuma and Koizumi had a lot of pressure on them but shared enough experience between themselves and the rest of the Zelda Team to get Majora completed on time. The task would force Aonuma to work closely with the team he already had on the previous title to get the work done efficiently, but that still carried great weight, even in his dreams.

Aonuma: I had a dream about it.

Iwata: What kind of a dream was it?

Aonuma: It was a dream about being chased by a Deku.

Iwata: Oh, a dream where you were being chased around? (laughs)

Aonuma: I was thinking about an event for the Deku, and have been trying to figure out what to do with it. I thought of it at home, and Dekus appeared in my dream. I woke up screaming! I went to work the next day and thats when (Takumi) Kawagoe-san [Cinematics Designer] told me that he finished making a movie for the Dekus, so I had him show it to me.and that movie was exactly like my dream!

Iwata: (laughs)

Aonuma: I even told him how do you know my dream? (laughs) Thats how put up against the edge I was back then.

Iwata: Perhaps you were possessed by something.

Aonuma: Possibly.

Iwata Asks Majoras Mask 3D 2. From Hospitality to a Challenge

Aonuma, who was new to video games when hired by Nintendo in the late 1980s had researched different genres and found himself engaging with text-based adventures and puzzle games early in his career. So it came as no surprise that his work on Ocarina under Myamotos direction would result in some of the most story-driven games to date, and the most iconic RPG dungeons in gaming history, particularly and perhaps most notoriously, the Water Temple. Therefore, while Master Quest is a fascinating experiment, it made sense that he would want to stretch the boundaries of what they could do with Zelda. Thankfully, after a plea for help, Aonuma found a co-director in Yoshiaki Koizumi, the story architect of A Link to the Past, Assistant Director on Super Mario 64, and one of those innovators of Z-Targeting in Ocarina. This pairing was pivotal because these two creators were operating in a wildly uncertain era of Nintendos history, and the sands of time were shifting around them when the industry and the company were changing.

Aonuma: Even when I was making The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, I was still designing different kinds of demo movies and was working on the fieldwork at the end. In the next work, The Legend of Zelda: Majoras Mask, I was going to be in charge of designing the dungeons, but somehow, I became the director. I felt anxious about being the only director, so I called in Yoshiaki Koizumi, who was the 3D director for Ocarina When I asked him to join us, he said, Id go only if you let me do whatever I want to do. And the result was the Three-Day System.

Talk: Latest Zelda’s making process & “Ocarina of Time” proposal disclosed[Nintendo Eiji Aonuma x SQEX Jin Fujisawa]

The unique design and directing styles of these two creators would come to fruition during Majoras production; Aonumas efforts and passions would result in four of the franchises most puzzling and thematically unique dungeons to date for the series. Koizumi, on the other hand, focused on the design of the layout, characters, and quests inside of Clock Town: the hub at the center of the games map. These innovations came after coming up with the mechanic to build a restrictive time loop as a core function of the game; an idea that came to him after seeing the film Run Lola Run from 1998, and spun from his attempt at building a Cops and Robbers concept with interweaving schedule mechanics. This became the Three-Day Cycle, along with tracking the people of Termina in the Bombers Notebook, would take the puzzle fundamentals of Zeldas dungeons, and inject them into conversational text quests which weaved simultaneously with the games larger narrative.

Do you want to play with me? OK, lets play good guys against bad guys Ill be the good guy, and you be the bad guy, and when youre the bad guy, you just run.

Time loops worked to Aonuma and Koizumis advantage when making Majora in such a small amount of time. Game designers program spaces with selectively few characters, music, weather conditions, paths, and dialogue, in a way that is limiting what the player can experience while keeping those limits invisible to the player. Majoras Mask manages to use those limitations to its advantage. While Terminas map was significantly smaller than Ocarinas Hyrule, its regions would have a variety of states depending on when the player arrives or if its in a poisoned or restored state. Additionally, the characters behaviors change based on their schedule. The result is a lived-in quality for a lean, richly populated environment, incentivizing players to do every side quest they can manage to reap the rewards in the form of masks, tools, and pieces of heart.

The game functions uniquely by having characters with a finite routine, and are expected to do so as the players experience the same three days over and over again in their task to stop Skull Kid from crashing the moon down upon them. On the first day, people mind their own business about town. On the second day, they begin to grow dreadful, angry, and divided as the moon lurches closer to the earth. On the third day, people flee, hide, become fearful, regretful, or mourning events that had no savior. Unless Link interferes in time, they meet their demise and the clock resets.

Thanks to his Ocarina, Link has the power to turn back time in the game, but it comes at a cost. Majoras Mask, whether intentionally or accidentally, deconstructs the heroism of Link. He begins the game clinging to his past after hes been through hell and back to defeat Ganon, searching for his childhood companion, Navi. He instead meets a fairy who is the opposite of her in Tattle, who is brash, stubborn, and a little nihilistic. However, their goals are similar as she is separated from her dear brother Tale. Stripped of his humanity and locked in a strange nexus of the universe, Link is surrounded by familiar circumstances, faces, and goals, but all with a nightmarish quality cycling itself in a veil of dream logic.

With only three days to save everyone from a brutal end and a garish moon constantly threatening to obliterate the world, Link is forced to run around doing errands and getting to know characters in Clock Town and Termina. Sometimes the tasks are big, like restoring a poisoned swamp or saving a mountain from an eternal winter, but others are as simple as reuniting a married couple, listening to a long story, or passing on a dancers dream to a new generation. Link is a conduit for the people who are suffering a loss or are close to death and regretting things in their lives. Even if he needs to reset the clock and restore everyone to their miserable state on the first day, he carries totems signifying their memory in the form of collectible masks.

By reusing characters, items, music, and sounds, with a purposefully restrictive mechanic, Majoras Mask shows a dense complexity with a meaningful, thematic purpose to every side quest, and many of them come with interlinked consequences over the three days. As a result, the themes of selfless heroism and grief routinely find a way of growing beyond what the characters say, and change is made out of what the player does to catalyze the characters routine. As a result, the people you see on screen become more than NPCs and are suddenly characters playing their role in the story, and the items you collect suddenly have more meaning.

A key example of this is best demonstrated in a secondary character, a young red-haired woman named Anju. When you meet her in Ocarina of Time, she stands beside a chicken pen in a small village and asks you to gather her Cuccos for her. When you return the chickens, she gifts you a bottle, and then thats it, her role is fulfilled.

When you meet her doppelganger in Majoras Mask, however, she is the clerk of a hotel. She is worried about her fiance who has gone missing three days before their wedding and Link can follow her, discovering her relationship with her mother and other patrons and is sometimes rewarded for doing so. Alternatively, Link can knowingly manipulate events he knows will happen to learn more about her, and when he does, the routines of many people will be disrupted as a result. This weaving complexity combines both the charming writing and puzzle-solving of Aonumas designs and Koizumis unconventional event design into a marriage of sorts. The Anji and Kafei quest in particular ends as they reunite at the eleventh hour while the moon falls and gift a mask to Link as their witness in matrimony. Aonuma once recalled them having particular anxiety over a Taepodong missile crisis coming from North Korea:

Aonuma: We were attending a wedding of a staff member and were talking with Koizumi and the others: Come to think of it, its somewhat strange to come to a wedding in a situation when missiles may fall down today. The discussion progressed into noting how it would also fit the setting of a falling moon and whether to do a wedding in the game. Now that I think of it, no matter where we go, we always talk about work (laughs). However, I didnt mind it at the time!

via NintendoEverything

Aonuma would reminisce much later in an interview on Majoras Mask as his favorite game in the franchise, in large part due to his love for the Couples Mask quest alone.

The scene was based on my generations perception of marriage but was meant to be solved at the end to make the players feel dramatic. So the waiting process was put in intentionally. We dragged [it out] till the very end.

Denfaminicogamer

Game designers often strive for players empathizing with main characters and NPCs are the afterthought, and yet Majoras Masks secondary characters drive the heart of the story tangential to Links quest. The rewards resulting from these specially crafted diversions come in the form of 25 collectible masks. These quests can be introspective personal problems or monstrous external threats, and yet they all have emotional weight. Link can make a very distinct impact on most of the townsfolks lives, at least to the best of his ability. A player feels the same pressure of the clock as Link, and make the conscious choice of hitting reset themselves. Many over the years have attempted to save every character before the moon crashes by strategizing tasks and optimizing time. Of course, its not possible by design. No one is perfect, we cant predict the future, and the flow of time is unrelenting. Even though many of the masks have only a couple of use cases in gameplay, they are often pivotal to changing the fate of another character, with Link as the conduit. It is a tone that resonates with the humanity in the players, but often overlooked is its clashing and emulsifying of tones and ideas, as demonstrated in this interview between Aonuma, Koizumi, and Miyamoto in 2012:

Aonuma: To put it simply, I was responsible for the fairy-tale sections, and Koizumi was responsible for creating realistic depictions of the lives of the townspeople. I tried to emulate the fantasy atmosphere we had in Ocarina of Time

Koizumi: And I created realistic lives for the characters.

Aonuma: You could say that Koizumi slapped his worldview on the whole thing. [Laughs]

Koizumi: I put in everything Ive seen in my 30-something years on this earth.

Miyamoto: Its a very serious game. [Laughs]

Koizumi: Aonuma was in charge of the outdoors, and when he saw how serious my town was, he made his areas of the game more light-hearted.

Glitterberri 2012 Zelda is Always Bringing Something New To the Table

Of course, Aonuma and Koizumi were simply keeping their heads down and grinding their way to the finish line, unable to know that their efforts would see them as the lead directors of Nintendos two biggest franchises in the years to come, and as Majoras Mask was the platform they first stepped upon to prove themselves, seeds of this game could be seen throughout Nintendos library of first-party titles even to this day.

The two would work together on the controversial The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker on the GameCube, achieving a timeless cel-shaded look that puts aging, sensitive fans on the defense as the franchise leaned a little more appealing to children. Koizumi would take his wild ideas and give us a water jetpack in Super Mario Sunshine, repurpose the DK Bongos into an action platformer with Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, and has constantly reinvented Super Mario with installments like Galaxy, 3-D Land, and Odyssey, all with the wild level design density and unique mechanical upending that hes demonstrated throughout his career at Nintendo, few more iconic than the Three Day Cycle in Majoras Mask.

Aonuma, following the release of Majoras Mask, would continue being the producer at the head of the Zelda ship, and while he would leave his love for puzzles and text-based adventures scattered throughout, what he loves in the series often clashed with the status of other popular video games like oil and water. On the eve of the Switch and Breath of the Wild launching, an interview with Gameinformer asked him to name his favorite three games in the series. Ocarina, for the chance to build in 3-D, Twilight Princess to supersede Ocarina, and controversially names Phantom Hourglass and Tri Force Heroes for new styles of gameplay, and his wifes enjoyment of them.

His design fundamentals come from a place of building, and it comes as no surprise that his love for making games comes from a desire to upend convention, always looking to reinvent what a Zelda game is at every chance he gets. When he first started playing games, he didnt even care for the original Zelda all that much because he found he was bad at fast, twitchy combat. Naturally, under his supervision, combat became more of a puzzle-solving scenario.

But it is in Breath of the Wild that his desire to reinvent Zelda met with the needs of its audience, as the most successful game in the series to date, and also the one he had the most fun producing:

Ive been making Zelda titles for almost my entire career, and the memories start to pile up. I start to forget things, but I think one thing Ive always been proud of is the fact that Zelda games have always been about new surprises and thinking about different things to try, yet still maintain that Zeldaness, or whatever it is.

Breath of the Wild, it was really fun to develop maybe the most fun Ive ever had making a game. It was because of the staff. They took so much initiative and were always looking at everything in the game with this eye to improve I could see it every day. As a producer, it gave me a lot of courage

via NintendoEverything

For Aonuma, his continued work and the way he speaks demonstrates that no matter how big The Legend of Zelda gets, hes always looking to change it, and always keeps it very personally close to his heart.

It is because Aonuma and Koizumi stayed true to their passion for directing that Majoras Mask is the way it is, and seeing the game that way makes it feel even more alive than it did before. The success and life long fans created of this game speak to people because it was a product, as many sequels are, to appease a corporate need for sales after a resounding success. Majoras Mask exists despite that. The spark that created Majoras Mask the way it existed at that moment is hard to pinpoint, even to the degree that Aonuma and his staff agree that the game was incomparable to others at the time, and in the 20 years since.

Aonuma: I heard that hardcore players love The Legend of Zelda: Majoras Mask more, so its kind of ironic for me. To be honest with you, I could only get approval for development because I made a game of that size [of Ocarina] back then. If you ask me [to make] that kind of game again, I cant do it.

https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/english/170609b/4 June 2017

Part of that spark may have been the uncertain energy in the company at the time or cultivating talent in the young staff, but Majoras Mask is the only instance a full adventure was allowed to be made out of the assets already built for a Zelda game. For a couple of years, a sequel to Wind Waker was being planned for GameCube, and because of the low enthusiasm from the fanbase on the game at the time, the plans shifted to creating the more realistic Twilight Princess. Similarly. Aonuma and Zelda team desperately wanted to create a proper direct sequel adventure in Twilight Princess engine as well and were unable due to strict instruction from Shigeru Miyamoto to make it a Wii Zapper tie in with no story and barely any boss fights. Of course, that game became Links Crossbow Training. The opportunity for a direct sequel to a Zelda game of Majoras ilk has yet to turn up. It hasnt been until now, after the success of Breath of the Wild, that the Zelda team has been able to use their hard work rebuilding a Legend of Zelda engine from scratch for one extra game to tell a complex, moody adventure with the current unnamed sequel, whose single teaser trailer has fans reminiscing their love of Majora 20 years later. Whether that game will get to be anything like it is yet to be discovered.

Majoras Masks legacy has left a great impact over the years because of its tone, its themes, and its unique nature apart from its sister software in the Zelda franchise. However, its spirit is carried in small details throughout Aonuma and Koizumis careers. It is a game that is more personal to the fundamentals of these two mens passion for designing games, but also, in a stressful and uncertain time, they managed to turn it into a work of art by injecting it with their personalities, and their fears. While so many players over the years connect with Majora for its atmosphere, performing countless autopsies to pull deeper meaning, Nintendos productions always have a mystique about them, and the game spoke for itself. Now, when coming away with an understanding of their artistic flourishes, it feels human in the way it presents its world to players: Despair, grief, pain, sorrow, salvation, legacy, and hope. Link entered Termina looking for one friend and, provided it exists in some semblance of reality, departed with many. Link sees a bit of himself in every individual who gifts him a mask throughout this journey, and in turn, that allows the games architects to convey their experiences and musings to the player. The humanity of Majoras strange world just might be something that causes it to overshadow even Ocarina of Times revolutionary status the further we get from its release, but only time will tell.

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Majora's Mask 20th Anniversary: Changing The Future - The Young Folks