The Golden Teacher is here, and class is about to start. Sit down and listen to the cosmic lessons from psychonauts' favorite professor.

History of the Golden Teacher

They first appeared in the mainstream around the 80s, but the exact origin is unknown. What we do know is that these magic mushrooms are popular among mushroom enthusiasts. 

We also know they're cultivars, not natural strains. Some believe a company in Amsterdam cultivated them for the first time, but this has not been confirmed.

Cultivar? Strain? What's the difference?

In the magic mushrooms market, there is a lot of confusion around what these botany terms mean because of frequent misuse. 

Each genus divides into different species. Different species cannot reproduce with each other. Each species of magic mushroom divides into different strains that can interbreed. 

For example, Psilocybe Cubensis and Psilocybe Mexicana are different species from the same genus. Both have the characteristics that define Psilocybe. Because they are different species, they cannot reproduce with each other.

There are many strains within the Cubensis species, such as B+, Penis envy, and Golden teacher.  A cultivar is a strain variety that forms through selective breeding. By definition, cultivars need human intervention, and they often require cloning to ensure consistent traits. 

What about different genus? Among psychedelic mushrooms, you can find the psilocybe genus. It doesn't matter if a mushroom is psilocybe Cubensis or psilocybe Mexicana; both are from this genus. On the other hand, Amanita Muscaria is part of the Amanita genus.

To sum up: Each genus divides into species, and each species divide into various cultivars and strains. Strains occur naturally, while cultivars are man-made.

With that out of the way, let’s see how we can identify them.

How to identify Golden Teachers

Golden Teachers have bigger than average caps with yellow patterns and golden stems. Yet people often confuse them with other strains from the Cubensis species.

It doesn't help that many people use the name Golden teacher when referring to other Cubensis. Probably because of how similar they are; this is especially true for Golden Teacher and B+ strains. 

When in doubt, buy from a trusted source. They will know.  This advice applies whether you are buying spores or whole shrooms.

Subjective experience

All magic mushrooms have similar effects. After all, they all have psilocybin and psilocin.

Yet, different mushroom varieties have a variable average amount of psilocybin. Other alkaloids can cause subtle differences and make each strain unique.

Golden teachers have slightly above-average psilocybin content. They are not as potent as Psilocybe Azurescens or as Blue Meanies, but they are by no means weak.

They also have an average amount of psilocin. That's a good thing for beginners because psilocin acts faster than psilocybin. It's also more intense. Too much psilocin could take a new psychonaut by surprise. 

Besides, if you want an intense but short experience, you can use your Golden Teacher for a lemon tek recipe.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that Golden teachers tend to offer a mild ride and are less likely to cause a bad trip. Because of these properties, they are as famous as strains such as Blue Meanies, B+, or Penis Envy.

Something else to consider is its name.

One of the main characteristics of psychedelics is how they can make a small thing have a big impact.  For example, a name.

It's not unlikely to eat Golden teachers and feel that you will learn some lessons from a wise mushroom being. It doesn't matter if your logic says, "it's just a name"; logic sits in the backseat when you are tripping.

Psychiatrist and psychedelic Stan Grof describes psychedelics as non-specific amplifiers for a reason. Psychedelics will amplify your emotions, as well as the meaning of things. This amplification applies to names and their associated meaning.   

Add to that anything you have heard about the Golden teacher mushroom. Any association you create with this shroom will be part of the experience.

In a way, reading this article might reinforce this effect.

What kind of effect are we talking about?

It depends on the dose, but between 2 and 3 grams, you will probably get the visuals everyone talks about, but visuals are not the most prominent effects. 

Golden teachers will change your way of perceiving reality.

As your mind stops filtering information the way it usually does, you will notice things and details you used to ignore. Our brains filter information it considers irrelevant or redundant. This is great for our day-to-day functioning, but turning that filter off for a few hours offers novel ways of thinking.

Maybe you will see nature with childlike wonder or go deep inside and find fundamental truths about yourself. 

Perhaps you will become fascinated with how your body moves. You might even find a solution to the creative block you have been in for a while.

You might feel ego death or have a conversation with an entity. 

Of course, none of these are unique to Golden teachers but common effects of magic mushrooms. The main difference is the beginner-friendly nature of this magic mushroom variety.

Erowid's experience vaults are well worth a read to learn about other peoples experiences on Golden Teacher mushrooms. 

For example...

"Then I decide to lie down in bed and let the mushroom take total control. As I close my eyes, I begin to hear a sound, two sounds, a lot of sounds, like windchimes, trumptets, singing bowls in different frequencies. The sounds are so harmonious they surprise me: I have never heard anything like this. As I try to focus on the sounds, the pitch begins to shift radically upwards. As this is happening, I feel my body becoming weightless, until the sound is so high it is inaudible. At that precise moment, I feel that my “spirit” has disconnected from the body (or, to put it in other words: the materiality of the body has been dissolved and I have entered “hyperspace”- that fluid-like dimension of the mushroom where thoughts, feelings, sounds and objects are woven together into a harmonious but increasingly bizarre landscape)."

And...

"I came back and I was happy. I was in my body and it is a good body. I had felt exhausted and old and now I felt refreshed. Usually I get intense visualisations whether looking at materials, my body or if my eyes are closed. At points I was fascinated by the shapes my hand could make. At one point I was certain that my hand was a swan, and other times just marvelling at the beauty of certain gestures. At different points in the trip, I was sad that I didn’t know who I was or what I was doing but after the ego death, I realise that it made sense, that I am everyone I love and interact with and they are me and that I am not fixed and static, I am fluid and constantly changing. I realise that it made sense, that I am everyone I love and interact with and they are me and that I am not fixed and static, I am fluid and constantly changing. I also reflected on people I don’t like or care for, and I forgave them, even strangers like internet trolls, I felt I could see them behind the screen and I could forgive them."

Legal Status 

The legal status of spores is not the same as the legal status of magic mushrooms themselves. For example, spores are legal in all states except California, Idaho, and Georgia. They are also legal in Canada.

In North America, magic mushrooms are only legal in Denver and illegal in all of Canada, although there is an emerging Gray Market.

Golden teacher: Why or why not

Golden teachers are suitable for first-time growers and new consumers alike.

The low cultivation difficulty and abundant harvest are great for people learning to cultivate for the first time. For a new psychonaut, the often beginner-friendly trips are great for first-time users too. 

That doesn’t mean that experienced mushroom enthusiasts can’t enjoy these versatile shrooms.

With that said, you decide your journey. 

It doesn't matter if your first time you try penis envy or trust the wisdom hiding inside a few grams of Golden Teachers. We recommend you start with a low dose and make sure you have a proper set and setting.

If you're interested in reading more about other types of magic mushroom, we built this strain library in partnership with some of the top grey market suppliers and mycologists in the country. It’s the result of hundreds of hours of labor, years of experience and the generosity of many many experts in the field. Continuously evolving and 100% free to use.