How to Structure Your Ayahuasca Microdosing Experience

The right balance of structure and creativity is essential for curating an ayahuasca vine microdosing experience that will provide you with peak benefits and results. Everyone is going to want to structure their microdosing journey differently according to their lifestyle, personal needs and preferences, and what it is they are specifically seeking from the experience. 

If you are a night owl, for example, you may find that taking ayahuasca vine drops in the evening and journeying into the insights and sensations at night alone in your room is what you prefer. Another reason to take it in the evening is if you’re curious about what might be revealed to you through dreams when your brain, body, and spirit are intermingling with the vine. 

On the other hand, if what you’re seeking is a plant ally to help relieve daily stresses and anxieties, then planning a regular time early or mid-day to take your drops or tea may be the ticket for you. Let’s explore a few possible ways to structure your journey.

Microdosing With Ayahuasca Vine During the Day 

I find ayahuasca vine microdoses to be mellowing, anxiety-relieving, and sometimes aiding in focus or attention. In this way, it can be utilized as a way to weave more presence, depth, and an overall more relaxed attitude into your daily existence. 

Studies have shown that the alkaloids in the ayahuasca vine act similarly to the way antidepressants act in your brain.¹ They inhibit serotonin reuptake, allowing serotonin and dopamine to stay in your brain longer.² If you’re using the ayahuasca vine to help with depression or anxiety, then you may want to go with the daytime usage to experience these benefits. By taking your drops in the morning, you can experience the calming, antidepressant benefits all throughout the day.

I recommend finding a consistent time every day to take the drops, setting aside enough time to sit with an intention and to create time to meditate with the vine before going about your day. 

If any novel insights come to you throughout the day, be sure to write them down in your microdosing journal. As the days go on, you may find that there is momentum building around your intentions and what the vine is showing you. Pay attention to inspiration, visions, and insights that may come to you spontaneously during this time.

Here is an example of how to structure your daytime ayahuasca vine microdosing experience:

• 8:45 am Spend 10-15 minutes journaling and setting an intention for your day, getting present with yourself, smudge with palo santo, and tune into the moment.
• 9:00 am Take between 1-5 drops (or your cup of tea) under the tongue. 
• 9-9:20 am Perform a 20-minute mindfulness meditation, or a guided meditation.
• 9:30 am onward Go about your day as normal, paying attention to any new sensations or feelings in your body and mind.
• 6 pm Take some time to journal about any effects you experienced throughout your day. Did you follow through with your intentions? How have you felt the vine working with your consciousness throughout the day?  

Microdosing Ayahuasca Vine in the Evening 

Depending on your unique constitution and level of experience working with the psychoactive ayahuasca brew, you may find that taking the vine stimulates a bit of a shamanic deep dive. For some highly sensitive people, taking the vine in the evening may provide a more tranquil and open space to be with whatever sensations or insights may arise.

Ayahuasca vine is not typically stimulating, and most users report that it doesn’t inhibit their sleep, and in some cases may actually aid in more restful sleep. However, you’ll have to test it out for yourself to find out for certain how the vine uniquely affects you. Taking your drops in the early or mid-evening after the hustle of the day has died down can be a great way to support inner reflection, relaxation, and meditation as you ease into sleep.

I have found that taking the vine before bedtime has the effect of enhancing my dreams. I find that when taking the vine in the evening, I have one or two clear dreams that feel less jumbled than my usual dreams. They sometimes have a specific message or symbol. My dreams don’t necessarily feel more chaotic or intense, but they do feel more specific and clear. If you’re an avid dreamer, this could be another reason to take the drops at night.

As mentioned above, choose a specific time each night to take them, and make sure to build in some time for journaling and meditation.

Here is an example of how to structure your nighttime ayahuasca vine microdosing experience:

• 8 am Journal about any meaningful dreams from the night before or novel insights that come to you in the morning.
• 6:45 pm Take 10-15 minutes to journal about what you’re seeking guidance for in your life, smudge yourself with palo santo, and invite your higher self to the party. 
• 7 pm Take 1-5 drops under the tongue. 
• 7-7:20 pm Perform 20 minutes of mindfulness meditation or a guided meditation 

Microdosing Ayahuasca Vine in Both the Morning and Evening 

Taking the vine twice a day is simply a personal choice. If you’re wanting both of the effects or experiences described above, then you may feel eager to take the drops twice a day. Taking the drops twice a day will provide you a more intense experience with the vine, as your system will be more saturated with it around the clock.

If you choose to work with the vine in both the morning and afternoon/evening, you may discover that the two doses complement each other in unique ways. It will give you an opportunity to compare and contrast the effects depending on the time of day and what state your body is in. Noticing the effects on your “active” mind versus your “resting” or “winding down” mind may be of interest to you.

• 8 am Journal about any meaningful dreams from the night before or novel insights that come to you in the morning.
• 8:45 am Spend 10-15 minutes journaling and setting an intention for your day, getting present with yourself, smudge with palo santo, and tune into the moment.
• 9:00 am Take 1-5 drops (or your cup of tea) under the tongue. 
• 9-9:20 am Perform a 20-minute mindfulness meditation, or a guided meditation.
• 9:30 onward Go about your day as normal, paying attention to any new sensations or feelings in your body and mind.
• 6 p.m. Take some time to journal about any effects you experienced throughout your day. Did you follow through with your intentions? How have you felt the vine working with your consciousness throughout the day?  
• 6:45 pm Take 10-15 minutes to journal about what you’re seeking guidance for in your life, smudge yourself with palo santo, and invite your higher self to the party. 
• 7 pm Take 1-5 drops under the tongue. 
• 7-7:20 pm Perform 20 minutes of mindfulness meditation or a guided meditation 

Where Do I Get Ayahuasca Microdosing Drops?

EntheoNation recommends several ayahuasca microdosing products. All are preparations of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine obtained ethically from sustainable farming methods.

We’ve reviewed the best ayahuasca vine extracts for their quality and versatility, so you’ll be able to find the ideal extract for your needs.

How Many Days in a Row Should You Take the Drops?

Our current understanding suggests that ayahuasca vine does not create a physical dependency in the same way that pharmaceuticals can. However it is possible to develop a psychological addiction to any behavior, and we recommend taking breaks to give yourself a mental rest and opportunity to reset. 

How you choose to take these breaks and when is up to you. Here are a few different ways to structure your microdosing experience and why:

• 30 days on, two weeks off: This approach is a good option if you feel like having a very in-depth experience with the vine and feel prepared to follow-through with a daily routine 30 days in a row. After a few cycles of this technique, make sure to take a longer break of several weeks to allow yourself to reach a new equilibrium and avoid any chronic ill effects.

• One day on, two days off (The Fadiman technique): Originally designed for serotonergic psychedelics, which require a refractory period of two days to prevent tolerance build-up, this technique can also be useful for ayahuasca vine. Two days is a useful period of time to reflect on the benefits of your microdosing day and enjoy the afterglow. Most people use the Fadiman technique to dose twice a week on regular days (i.e. Monday and Thursday) and take an extra rest day every week.

• Two days on, two(+) days off: As an alternative, you may want a longer regular “break” from microdosing. Perhaps you want to work with other plants or herbs on your days off or find that the effects you experience from the vine are not something you want to experience every day. By using the drops for at least two days in a row, it allows the vine to do slightly more intense work than with the Fadiman technique.

There is no golden rule when it comes to how many days on or off you want to microdose with the vine. Many users report having greater results when they take the drops continuously over a longer period of time, as the effects can be cumulative. 

We always recommend that you take a longer break (at least two weeks) from microdosing if you’ve been doing it for several weeks at a time. We also recommend limiting your microdosing routine itself to less than three months, at a maximum! This is to avoid the situation where you are using microdosing as a crutch, rather than a signpost towards a happier life; and also to prevent any physical risks that we may not yet be aware of.

When structuring your microdosing experience, tune in to your guidance and listen to your intuition. You may have to play with the dosing, time of day, and regularity of your practice until you find which approach works best for you. Don’t be afraid to experiment and tweak it as you go along, and make sure to track everything in your journal!

References

1 Morales-Garcia et al (2017) The alkaloids of Banisteriopsis caapi, the plant source of the Amazonian hallucinogen Ayahuasca, stimulate adult neurogenesis in vitro. Scientific Reports, 7(5309).

2 Buckholz & Boggan (1977) Inhibition by β-carbolines of monoamine uptake into a synaptosomal preparation: Structure-activity relationships. Life Sciences, 20(12), p2093-2100.