0:00:00.0 Natasha Lannerd: I feel like the Golden Teachers are like the tried and true, they can have more of a visual feeling you forge spiritually into.
0:00:11.4 April Pride: The Golden Teacher, shroom strain, is one of the more popular psilocybin mushroom varieties. We just heard from Natasha Lannerd, our high guide or psychedelic facilitator in season three of this podcast. If you’re a long time listener of the show, then you may recall she prescribed two grams of Golden Teacher to each of our three sister trippers that season. While each woman had her own set of intentions and experience with psilocybin, this strain in this dose, suited each. In part, Golden Teacher’s 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, both shroom strains we’ll explore more later in this series. Also, before we get into Golden Teacher, today’s shroom strain, I want to tell you something else I’m working on. When I started working in cannabis in 2015, the number one question I got from any one I encountered as the one Cannabis expert they knew was, “What should I buy?” When dispensaries are almost as plentiful as coffee shops, at least here in Seattle, where to buy weed, was no longer a challenge.
0:01:32.0 AP: But with psilocybin, all psychedelics impact, the question I get now is, “Where do I get them?” If you are considering taking psychedelics, it’s important to research their effects and potential risks thoroughly and to only obtain them from a trusted source, so wanting to make sure I was pointing close friends and curious Sister Trippers toward a trusted source, I early shared a trusted source. Then I started thinking, “What if I could be a trusted source?” So last year, I created Rae Rae, a psilocybin brand available in Seattle only. In 2021, Seattle City Council, voted to approve a referendum proclaiming the investigation, arrest and prosecution of anyone engaging in entheogen-related activities, should be among the city of Seattle’s lowest law enforcement priorities. In a word, Seattle decriminalized, among other things, psilocybin, so I can legitimately gift magic mushroom products to attendees of events that I will start hosting this summer. These new experiences are created to inspire all. And I incubated them in my home with small groups this spring. I’ll share more of what came out of these evenings as the episodes progress.
0:02:49.1 AP: And if after listening to a couple or a few of these shroom strain episodes, you still have questions, and you happen to live in Seattle, starting on May 16th, again, on May 30th, June 13th and June 27th, at the Cloud Room on Capital Hill, for Q&As, expert guests and the 411 on how to find a trusted source for psilocybin mushrooms in Seattle, stay tuned for more information. And for now, listen on, as we get into Golden Teacher, the perfect first shroom for any first-time psychonaut. Golden Teachers are a gentle profound entry point into the world of psychedelics, so let’s learn more about the Psilocybe cubensis variety. When choosing a strain of magic mushrooms, the most important factor is strength or potency. Some strains are considered stronger than others, but overall the effects are more or less the same in these species. There is an expression, a cube is a cube, is a cube. Meaning, with few exceptions, the various strains of Psilocybe cubensis have very little differences in their potency and effect. Golden Teacher is, as I like to say, Fisher Price, my first mushroom trip, type of strain. Golden Teacher, also known as Golden Emperor, is perhaps the most well-known Psilocybe cubensis strain, consistently in the top five of most recommended desired strains.
0:04:21.0 AP: Golden Teacher again, or GT, was first classified in the 1980s, but the specifics around its discovery are shrouded in mystery, most reports have Golden Teacher mushrooms first discovered in the late 1980s and were first identified as a unique strain by mushroom expert Steven Pollock. The origins of this strain are not entirely clear, but it is believed to have originated in Southeastern Asia, possibly in the region around Thailand and Cambodia, although an earlier episode of this podcast, stated that it was believed to have come from Florida. Often referred to as GT, this strain’s Golden Moniker, is inspired by its bell-shaped caps that resemble tanned leather like skin, a top medium to large size fruiting bodies. That’s what we call these whole mushrooms, they are whole through bodies. Although Golden Teachers have average potency, it produces trips that are very calm and relaxing with mild visuals and strong body sensations. GT trips are often shorter than average, only two to four hours, which is an advantage for beginners.
0:05:31.1 AP: In line with the expected effects of a standard trip dose, two to three and a half grams, and what many considered to be a classic psychedelic trip dose of psilocybin mushrooms, Golden Teachers produce a high characterized by visual distortions, enhanced colors, lightness or giddiness, powerful emotions, including feelings of euphoria and enhanced spiritual connection. Macro-dosing, which is not micro-dosing, can both be done with strong and weaker strains, but you might wanna consider a mushroom like Golden Teacher for microdosing. Feedback among those who microdose with Golden Teacher include the following results, introspection, reflection, grounding, awareness, lightness, emotional clearing and happy cries. The potency of Golden Teacher mushrooms can vary depending on the growing conditions, such as substrate, temperature and humidity. Considered to be a moderately potent strain of psilocybin mushrooms, Golden Teachers are the perfect variety for first time psychonauts, the Golden Teacher mushroom variety will take you on a comfortable euphoric journey through both your environment and your mind. The intention for taking Golden Teacher mushrooms can vary depending on the individual, and not everyone likes to set an intention, but many people use them for spiritual or therapeutic purposes.
0:06:51.1 AP: Some users report that Golden Teachers can help to alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD, and can promote a sense of emotional healing and self-discovery. Some people use them to enhance creativity, improve mood and reduce anxiety or depression, others use them for introspection, self-discovery and personal growth. It is important to approach the use of psilocybin mushrooms with intention and respect for the substance. It is recommended to approach the use of Golden Teacher mushrooms with a clear intention in mind, such as exploring personal issues, gaining insight or connecting with nature. 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. In short, you gotta make sure you’re golden, right?
0:07:54.7 AP: The effects of Golden Teacher mushrooms are often described as gentle and uplifting with a sense of clarity and insight, the moderate potency of the golden teacher mushroom variety means that it airs more on the side of typical psychedelic effects, visual hallucinations, such as visual distortions, vivid colors, increased sensory awareness, perhaps auditory hallucinations and altered perceptions of time and space. Users may experience feelings of euphoria, introspection, heightened creativity and feeling of connectedness to the world and the universe. Unsurprisingly Golden Teacher is named for the yellow or golden center on a mature cap, the Golden Teacher strain has a golden colored cap that can range from light yellow to golden brown. The cap has a convex shape that becomes more flattened as the mushroom matures, it has a distinctive nipple-like shape that can make it easy to identify. Caps tend to be medium-sized in the first crop of mushrooms, but can reach larger sizes up to five centimeters in diameter in subsequent flashes of growth.
0:09:00.7 AP: The gills underneath the cap are initially pale yellow, but turn darker as the mushroom matures, the stem is white, usually thicker towards the base and can grow up to 10 centimeters in length, as with most psilocybin containing mushrooms, the stems bruise blue when picked or damaged. And for more information on exactly what that means, check out episode 43, the medicine, in this podcast.
0:09:25.3 AP: Let’s talk about the duration. As I mentioned earlier, 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 to 60 minutes after consumption. Like I mentioned earlier in this episode, the lower potency of Golden Teachers means that the trip can be a little shorter than more potent varieties. You should expect to be feeling the effects of the mushroom for two to four hours. With more potent varieties, we may suggest low doses 0.5 grams to one gram when starting off. Most information about Golden Teacher suggest a larger dose of up to two grams, even for beginning psychonauts. This is due to the lower levels of psilocybin in the mushroom, a 2-gram dose will provide all the introductory effects of a psychedelic trip.
0:10:15.3 AP: That said, if it’s your first time, it’s always a good idea to have someone be offered to them, most people do, as a trip sitter, close at hand, just in case things get too intense. Again, a typical beginner dose for Golden Teacher mushrooms is between one and two grams for a mild to moderate experience, while a more experienced user may take two to three and a half grams for a stronger trip. As we finish up this episode, here are trip tips, start with a low dose 0.5 to 1.5 grams for beginners. Be patient and allow time for the effects to fully kick in, wait 45 minutes, work your way up gradually, take more in 0.5 to full one gram increments. Be sure to prepare a comfortable and safe environment and avoid taking them in unfamiliar or public spaces.
