How to Choose a Mushroom Strain for Psychedelic Therapy

What’s The Correct Term: ‘Strain’ or ‘Variety’?

Mushroom species like Psilocybe cubensis and Psilocybe azurescens contain subspecies such as Golden Teacher and Blue Meanie. These subspecies have been colloquially termed ‘strains,’ although microbiologically, ‘variety’ proves most accurate. 

The influence of the cannabis industry led to ‘strain’ usage in the mushroom community. Unlike cannabis however, mushrooms, reproducing through spores, result in unique varieties with each cultivation, making consistent strains an impossibility. 

‘Variety’ accurately describes the diverse genetic expressions within mushrooms, while ‘strain’ implies consistency not feasible in most cultivation methods. 

Moving forward in today’s content, excluding headers, we are committed to using accurate terminology, specifically employing the term “variety” to describe the diverse genetic expressions within the Psilocybe Cubensis mushroom species.

Thank you for your understanding as we navigate a balance between accurate terminology and search engine optimization. Now, let’s continue our exploration into the fascinating world of psilocybin mushrooms.

1. Determine Your Therapeutic Approach

Psychedelic therapy encompasses a spectrum of purposes, ranging from targeted therapeutic outcomes to exploratory journeys of self-discovery. 

A targeted therapeutic approach inherently demands a heightened degree of precision, organization, and consistency. In this context, the intention is often to address particular mental health concerns or achieve predefined objectives. 

Users seeking a controlled and structured therapeutic environment may place emphasis on creating a more predictable setting that facilitates a focused and intentional healing process. As we’ll learn, the choice of mushroom variety can play a role in shaping this environment.

Conversely, an exploratory approach to psychedelic therapy takes a more open-ended and flexible stance. Here, the preparatory process is less about reducing the number of potentially confounding variables and more about embracing the creative and exotic elements of the psychedelic experience.

2. Understand Your Dosing Intentions

Microdosing, characterized by the consumption of micro-perceptual doses, has gained popularity for its potential cognitive and emotional benefits. On the other end of the spectrum, macrodosing involves consuming higher doses, often leading to more intense and transformative experiences in a shorter amount of time.

Therapeutic approaches to psychedelic healing are not prescriptive. This implies that while one may feel drawn to a structured microdosing routine one year, the following year may bring an appreciation for intentional high-dose psychedelic experiences. In fact, some individuals choose to engage in microdosing after a high-dose psychedelic experience.

The intuitive and evolving nature of dosing intentions suggests that factors like mushroom variety may not always remain constant. However, when prompted to alter dosing experiences, you can revisit this article to reassess your variety preferences in light of new intentions.

3. Prioritize Essential Elements Beyond Strain Selection

While the choice of variety in psychedelic therapy has its significance, it is paramount to recognize that the therapeutic value extends far beyond this consideration. Two pivotal factors—preparation and integration—stand as pillars that significantly elevate the overall impact of psychedelic experiences.

Preparation is the groundwork for a safe, intentional, and meaningful journey. Its influence surpasses the variety selection, emphasizing crucial elements such as mindset cultivation, intention setting, optimizing the environment (set and setting), establishing social support, and considering appropriate dosage. 

Integration serves as the bridge between the psychedelic experience and real-life application. This phase is equally, if not more crucial than the journey itself. Reflecting on the experience through journaling, incorporating mindfulness into daily life, expressing creativity, and connecting with a supportive community are integral components of integration. 

These facets collectively lay the foundation for a positive and transformative experience, overshadowing the singular focus on variety.

4. Assess Your Relationship to These Strain-Related Factors

Accessibility & Consistency of Strain 

Accessibility becomes crucial in maintaining a consistent supply for a microdosing routine. If a specific variety is hard to obtain or inconsistent in availability, it can disrupt the microdosing regimen.

For individuals adopting a more targeted therapeutic approach to microdosing, where specific cognitive or emotional benefits are sought, consistency in mushroom variety becomes important. Microdosing aims for subtle cognitive and emotional benefits, requiring a more precise and consistent experience. 

By minimizing the variables associated with varying varieties, users can more confidently gauge the effects of the substance over time. Opting for the same variety not only ensures a more reliable and reproducible set of effects but also aids in determining a more consistent dosage. 

While there is variability in active ingredients between different varieties of mushrooms and even within multiple flushes of a single variety, selecting the same strain provides a degree of assurance that if you take the same dose, you are ingesting a relatively consistent amount of psilocybin and psilocin.

In the context of macrodosing, where higher doses are consumed less frequently, accessibility to a specific variety becomes less critical. The one-off nature of these experiences allows for more flexibility in variety selection without concerns about continuous availability.

For individuals opting to legally grow their own mushrooms, the assurance of consistently having their best-selling P. cubensis spores in stock makes them a reliable choice.