Series: Protocols, Methods & Tools from Microhuasca

Microdosing Schedule: Incremental Dosing & Calibration Protocol

Adjust and experiment with different doses to discover your ideal dosage in a flexible way.

About this Practice:

We’ll explore protocols for dosing during a microdosing process of at least 6 weeks, along with suggested timings for this practice.

What you’ll Need:

  • Measuring tools (required):

    • Syringe or measuring vessel (for ayahuasca)

    • Ideally: Grinder + digital scale that measures in grams, ideally with 2 decimal points of precision (for mushrooms)

  • A calendar or alarm/notification system (recommended)

How to Do this Practice:

 
 

1. DOSING AND CALIBRATION (HOW MUCH IS A MICRODOSE)

What is considered a full dose of ayahuasca?


Generally, between 30 and 60 mL. However, a full dose depends primarily on the proportion of ingredients in the recipe of each brew, the age of the preparation, and the density (boiling time, decoction, level of reduction) of the mixture. You can use 30 mL as a general reference, but it may need to be adjusted.

  • ¿What’s a microdose of ayahuasca?
    Most Microhuasca users experiment with 5–20% of a full dose over the course of their process. Using 50 mL as the reference full dose, a microdose would be:

5% = 2.5mL
10% = 5mL
15% = 7.5 mL
20% = 10 mL

Once a microdose reaches 20%, we usually suggest to alternate it with lower doses, avoiding doing it more than twice.

  • What’s a Microdose with Psilocybin (mushrooms)?

For mushrooms, calibration tends to be more gradual (±2% intervals). Assuming a full dose of 3g (the most common, but it can vary), the microdosing range would be:

5% = 0,15 g
7.5% = 0,225 g (0.2 g)
10% = 0,3 g
12.5% = 0,375 g (0,4 g)

Sometimes, dosing doesn’t follow a linear pattern. We've seen that the same person might feel little at 10%, then quite a bit at 15%, and not much again at 20%. It’s part of the personal and therapeutic journey. This is why we encourage combining the philosophy of science with a medicinal approach.

2. MICRODOSING SCHEDULE (WHEN)

  • Week 0- Preparation Week: Before beginning microdosing, it’s essential to prepare by exploring Elements of Integration such as diet, self-care, intention setting, and connecting with the spirit of the plant.

  • Week 1 - Calibration Week: The Calibration Week invites microdosers to have their first contact with the medicine, beginning to integrate it into their personal practice. With ayahuasca, this process involves voluntarily increasing the dose from 5% to 20% (as a percentage of a ceremonial dose). During this first week, participants might try 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%.

    If any specific challenges arise, it’s recommended to maintain or lower the dose, with further increases happening later in the process. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences with their facilitators and the wider community, who are going through the same process. Starting in Week 2, they then choose their “ideal dose” (5%, 10%, 15%, or 20%) for each dosing day based on what suits them best.

    A common misconception is that the Calibration Week is meant to determine a fixed ideal dose for the rest of the microdosing process. In reality, the ideal dose is not a fixed number—it’s a flexible choice the microdoser makes each day (e.g., “Today’s ideal dose is 10%”), and the Calibration Week acts as an initial learning phase that offers perspective to support these decisions.

    The initial effects and states (Integration Elements) that appear during this week are usually connected to the needs the microdoser identifies, acknowledges, and chooses to work on.

    A common experience during this time is the emergence of physical and emotional challenges—symptoms such as fatigue, migraines, stomach discomfort, nausea, anxiety, or irritability may point to areas in the body that need balance before working fully with the medicine.

    For individuals who are medicated or highly sensitive, starting doses of 2.5% and gradual increases of 2.5% are recommended. In such cases, calibration may extend up to two weeks.

    For those on medication, each situation is assessed individually to determine whether the medication has relevant interactions, and dosing and frequency are adjusted accordingly.

  • Week 2 Onwards: Starting in Week 2, microdosers follow the well-known “Fadiman Schedule” (1 day on, 2 days off) and select their ideal dose each day based on their primary challenges or how they feel. This ongoing process of titration between lower and higher doses often creates meaningful patterns that support the overall microdosing process—especially when it comes to identifying and integrating insights.

  • Do you want to experience a guided Therapeutic Microdosing process with the creators of this protocol? 👉 Applications now open here

  • Want to get certified to support others in their microdosing journeys? 👉 Apply here