I boil mine fresh for two hours then reduce the liquid to the amount necessary to make a broth for soup. After I strain out the fruits I add all my soup stuff and just keep cookin. THe flavor is completely masked this way and fresh vs dry reishi will make the taste less bitter. IT feels good to breathe while everyone I know is congested and sick So to understand the feeling of reishi I would have to use other diciplines of knowledge wich is somthing that violatyes sciences irrational bogootry about non science based diciplines of knowledge . Anyway Reishi awakes the body mind and spirit and makes them function more in harmony . most people are totally in their minds and aort od astranged from body and uoften totally seperated form spirit, SO they may not [feel it but if they are rlready healthy they may notice a difference in their dreams, maybe they feel more relaxed over time and less nervous more aware, maybe they notice they get sick less often. If they are sick they may notice relief of symptoms or imporving of health . And if tehy already are used to working with their bodies and their sprits intentionally they become sensitve and aware of certain things they could not be aware of if they only livd in their rational minds and paid no attention to body or spirit .