New details emerge about woman’s mushroom death at Clunes retreat

A woman who died at a Victorian wellness retreat may have suffered a rare reaction linked to the magic mushroom tea she consumed, a coroner has revealed.

Healer Deanne Mathews pictured with Ringwood mother Rachael Dixon before her death at a wellness treat. Picture: Deanne Mathews

A personal trainer who died after drinking a tea containing magic mushrooms at a Victorian wellness retreat may have suffered a rare condition called “wood-lover paralysis”.

Rachael Dixon, 53, from Ringwood, collapsed hours after ingesting a psychedelic drink during an event hosted by self-proclaimed healer Deanne Mathews at Soulbarn in Clunes, near Ballarat, on April 13 last year.

Fresh details have now emerged about the deadly session after Coroner Audrey Jamieson this week released her findings into Ms Dixon’s death.

While ruling that her cause of death could not be ascertained, Coroner Jamieson said Ms Dixon’s symptoms appear to be “consistent” with those of wood-lover paralysis – a poorly understood phenomenon linked to psychedelic mushrooms.

Rachael Dixon was a personal trainer from Ringwood. Picture: Supplied

Nine participants, Ms Mathews and her assistant attended the session, according to the finding, with the healer grinding magic mushrooms into a powder before brewing it into a tea.

One participant said Ms Dixon told them: “I’m meeting myself, I’m going home”.

“Rachael was on a high,” they recalled.

“She was welcoming others and giving them hugs.”

The ritual begins with the participants ingesting blue lotus flower to help “relax the body in preparation for the journey”.

They consume rice with a “small sprinkle” of mushroom and perform breath work.

Paramedics were called to Soulbarn in Clunes. Picture: Ian Wilson

At 6.15pm, Ms Dixon consumed her first serve of the tea from a small bowl with a spoon, which contained between 1-3 grams of powder, and at 7.45pm consumed a second serve.

But at 11.30pm, the psychedelic effects were wearing off for some of the participants and Ms Mathews recalled Ms Dixon calling out and “crying”.

“Ms Mathews comforted her and noticed she remained ‘under the effect of the mushroom’,” Coroner Jamieson said.

“Ms Mathews attempted to lift Ms Dixon to her feet however, she could not walk.

“Another participant tried to assist Ms Mathews, however, Ms Dixon fell.”

She rang triple-0 at 11.53pm and commenced CPR before paramedics arrived, but the mother could not be saved and was declared deceased at 12.45am.

Ms Mathews is a self-proclaimed healer. Picture: Supplied

Forensic pathologist Joanne Ho who performed the autopsy said deaths purely attributed to psilocin – a compound found in psychedelic mushrooms – are rare as the fungi have low toxicity.

She said the cause of death was unascertained.

But Dr Simon Beck from the Australian Psychedelic Society reached out to Coroner Jamieson about wood-lover paralysis, which has been linked to psychedelic mushrooms.

“The onset of weakness was reported to occur anywhere between 10 minutes to 18 hours after mushroom consumption,” Coroner Jamieson said.

“The weakness usually affected the limbs, and manifested at times, in an inability to stand or walk, difficulty swallowing or subjective breathing difficulties.”

Wood-lover paralysis has been linked to psychedelic mushrooms. Picture: Robyn Beck

Coroner Jamieson agreed that the evidence of Ms Dixon’s symptoms, particularly her being unable to walk and her loss of spontaneous breathing, appears to be “consistent” with symptoms linked to wood-lover paralysis.

“I also noted from witness statements that several other participants in the Clunes mushroom ceremony reported symptoms apparently consistent with wood-lover paralysis, including leg weakness and difficulty swallowing,” she said.

But since the exact cause of wood-lover paralysis remains unknown, Coroner Jamieson said she was unable to find it caused or contributed to her death.

“Ms Dixon’s case reflects that we do not know enough at present about the chemistry and pharmacology of magic mushrooms to confirm or exclude that mushroom consumption caused or contributed to her death,” she said.

Ms Dixon was passionate about fitness.

She added that people who use magic mushrooms should be aware of these risks and if possible, put measures in place to recognise and respond to these harms.

Ms Dixon’s family told the Coroners Court she “always struggled with mental health problems” and saw magic mushrooms as a means to resolve her childhood trauma.

In the 18 months prior to her death, she attended all of Ms Mathews’ sessions at Soulbarn and, according to the healer, consumed the mushrooms “without any problem”.

But Ms Dixon’s partner, Richard Mountain, said she told him before she died that her most recent experience at Soulbarn was “bad” and she “went to a dark place”.

Ms Mathews fronted court earlier this year. Picture: Nadir Kinani

Ms Dixon’s devastated parents and sister claim Ms Mathews “preyed” upon her friend and took advantage of her.

“More must be done so no one else has to die like my sister did,” Penny Dixon said.

“We love and miss her every single day. It’s just such a huge loss for a life that shouldn’t have been taken.”

In March this year, Ms Mathews pleaded guilty to trafficking a drug of dependence.

She was fined $3000 without conviction.

Originally published as New details emerge about woman’s mushroom death at Clunes retreat