Golden Teacher

The shrooms a beginner should take.

STRAIN | Golden Teacher aka Golden Teachers aka GT’s

The Golden Teacher mushroom strain is one of the more popular psilocybin mushroom strains. Its relatively low potency, and its ease of cultivation, make it an excellent choice for the beginning psychonaut. I recommend this kind of low-potency shroom before you dive into the deep end of something like Penis Envy or Ghost. Golden Teachers are a gentle but profound entry point to the world of psychedelics. Read on for some Golden Teacher strain info.

SPECIES | Psilocybe cubensis

ORIGIN | The origins of Psilocybe cubensis Golden Teacher is somewhat mysterious. Most reports have it first appearing in the early 1980s, though where exactly the strain came from is unclear. Golden Teacher is a strain, rather than a species, and is also considered a “cultivar.”

POTENCY | Considered to be a fairly low-potency mushroom, Golden Teachers are the perfect strain for first-time psychonauts. The Golden Teacher mushroom strain will take you on a comfortable, euphoric journey through both your environment and your mind.

INTENTION | Even though it's a low-potency shroom, it's important to have good Golden Teacher strain info when embarking on what may well be your first ever trip! If it's your first time, regardless of what your intention is going into the trip, the mushroom might have other ideas. All magic mushroom experiences benefit from thinking through your reasons for consuming, as well as from paying attention to your internal mindset and external setting. If you're in a bad head space, or less than optimal physical environment, perhaps set Golden Teacher aside until you can be sure of a more comfortable setting.

EFFECTS | The low potency of the Golden Teacher mushroom strain means that it errs more on the side of “typical” psychedelic effects – visual hallucination, increased sensory awareness, and a feeling of connectedness to the world and universe. Unless you're taking a very large dose of Psilocybe cubensis Golden Teacher, you're unlikely to experience ego-dissolution.

APPEARANCE | Unsurprisingly, Golden Teacher is named for the “yellow or golden center” on a mature cap. Caps tend to be medium-sized in the first crop of mushrooms, but can reach larger sizes in subsequent flushes of growth. As with most psilocybin-containing mushrooms, the stems bruise blue when picked or damaged.

DURATION | Psilocybe cubensis Golden Teacher mushrooms share many characteristics with other members of the species. Effects of the shroom should come up within the usual 30 – 60 minutes after consumption. The lower potency of Golden Teachers means that the trip can be a little shorter than more-potent strains. You should expect to be feeling the effects of the mushroom for between 4 and 6 hours.

DOSE | With more potent strains, we might suggest low dosages, 0.5g – 1g when starting off. Most Golden Teacher strain info suggests a larger dose, up to 2g, even for beginning psychonauts. This is due to the lower levels of psilocybin in the mushrooms. A 2 gram dose will provide all of the “introductory” effects of a psychedelic trip. That said, if it's your first time, it's always a good idea to have someone - a “trip sitter” - close at hand just in case things get too intense.

TRIP TIPS

Psilocybin-containing mushrooms are not recommended for pregnant or lactating women or children. Antidepressants appear to reduce the effect of psilocybin in some people. Note: potency of individual mushrooms can vary remarkably, even within members of the same species. No dose is going to be exactly the same, even when the amounts are measured very carefully.
Consider the natural potency of your strain selection
More blue doesn’t signify more potency
Up the potency by starting your trip with a tek shot
Slow roll your trip by sipping on tea
If you have a weekly microdose regimen, keep an eye on your mushroom tolerance.
Don’t worry about your personal human size, just consult The High Guide to Psilocybin, which includes how to prepare psychedelic mushrooms like making the tek shot and tea, visit our website and sign up for our newsletter for a free download.

LINKS AND FURTHER READING

Healing Maps: What Are Golden Teachers Mushrooms, And Are They Legal? LINK
The Third Wave: The Day My Perspective Shifted: How It Feels to Journey with Golden Teachers LINK
Double Blind: Golden Teachers — Do They Actually Exist? Here’s What You Should Know About This Famous Mushroom LINK