Learning From The Golden Teacher

The Golden Teacher is a strain of Psilocybe cubensis — the most commonly used and cultivated psychedelic mushroom. The Golden Teacher strain is said to have emerged in the 1980s, and has been a firm favourite with mushroom lovers ever since. This is due in part to its reliable mid-potency, making it perfect for less experienced trippers while also being a trusted friend to well-versed psychedelic users. The other reason for its popularity is in its name — teacher. This shroom strain is renowned for imparting wisdom, insight, and helping the tripper to uncover deep revelations. It teaches us about ourselves. And not to sound self-centered, but I think we all find ourselves a pretty interesting topic. Sign us up for class!

All About the Golden Teacher

An important thing to note about the name Golden Teacher is that it is sometimes used to refer to Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms in general. However, in this article we are talking specifically about the strain Golden Teacher, a specific variant of the P.cubensis, just as the B+, Mazapatec, or the A+ Albino strains are. 

What Does The Golden Teacher Looks Like?

The Golden Teacher magic mushroom strain is recognisable due to its golden cap, speckled with yellow. They achieve a pretty large size when compared to other P.cubensis strains — up to 3 or 4 times in fact! The caps are large and flat and can be up to 3 inches in diameter. The stem, or ‘stipe’ is whitish beige and rather long and thin, lending the Golden Teacher an elegant look. Its gills (under the cap) can range from white to purplish brown.

How to Grow Golden Teachers

Golden Teachers are notorious for being fast and enthusiastic growers, sprouting up much earlier than other strains. This is why they are such a popular choice for home-cultivation, for both beginners and experienced growers. They can be grown from spores using the PF Tek method, taking around 6 weeks to start to show themselves. When growing from a pre-inoculated grow kit pinheads (tiny baby mushies) can be seen as soon as ten days after set up. Thats another amazing thing about the Golden Teacher — as well as guiding you through your trip, they are expert mushrooms to guide yourself through your first growing sesh too!

Comparing the Golden Teacher to Other Popular Strains

Golden Teacher vs. B+

The Golden Teacher and the B+ strain share many similarities, including growth requirements and potency. Both emerged in the depths of the pre-internet forum era, so much of their cultivation journey (pre-1990s) is lost to history. Like the Golden Teacher, the B+ is recommended for new shroom growers looking for a dependable starter type. Like the Golden Teacher the B+ grows happily on grain-based substrates and bulk substrates such as coco coir and manure. When growing from a spore, they can appear so similar that even experienced growers can’t tell them apart.

One thing that makes the B+ stand out however, is a recent mutation that causes the mushroom to grow fuzzy little hats of mycelium on the cap. Although kooky looking, this is completely harmless. Luckily, having to tell the Golden Teacher and the B+ apart is not a problem if you order from our website — you can be sure what you are getting is what it says on the package. 

Golden Teacher vs. Mazatapec 

The Mazatapec is also a popular mushroom for cultivation. However, it is recommended for slightly more experienced growers as it can take a little longer to begin sprouting, which can be a bit of a buzz-kill for eager first-timers. They originate from Southern Mexico, and are thought to have been used to tap into spirituality by Indigenous cultures for centuries. They are easy to tell apart from Golden Teachers once they start popping up from the substrate. This is due to their distinguished chestnut brown-to-purple caps. Sources differ as to whether the Golden Teacher or Mazatapec is more potent. As a rule, the Mazatapec is thought to be a little stronger… but sometimes the Golden Teacher can surprise you with a pop quiz!

Dosage of Golden Teachers

As a good mid-level psychedelic mushroom you can follow the general guidelines for shrooms in either fresh or dried form. You can learn how to calculate your perfect dosage right here, with our Ultimate Magic Mushroom and Truffle Dosage Chart. 

Learning From the Golden Teacher

Because Golden Teachers are so famed for the insights and guidance they can offer, many people prepare for a Golden Teacher trip by focusing on their intention (what they want to gain from a trip) before they embark upon it. This can be done by journalling, meditation, or discussing your hopes with trusted friends. Afterwards, integration is key to absorb and put into effect what you learned. This can be done via much the same routes as preparing for your trip. Recording your feelings in the days after, sharing and discussing with a friend or therapist, meditating and being mindful, and taking some down time to be fully ‘with’ yourself.

Alternately, you may not have a specific intention when you take Golden Teachers. You may just be in it for the trippy ol’ ride. In that case — get dreamy and enjoy! But don’t be surprised if you come out a little wiser…

The Takeaway: Golden Teacher Mushrooms

• Golden Teachers are a strain derived from the Psilocybe cubensis psychedelic mushroom.
• They are popular as they provide what people describe as a ‘guided’ trip, full of insight and learning. 
• Golden Teachers are comparatively easy to grow at home.
• They grow large and sprout quickly.
• The Golden Teacher is named as such due to the yellow flecks on its golden cap. 
• It is a strain of middle-potency, and often recommended for beginners.