What is microdosing?
Microdosing is the practice of taking a sub-intoxicating (sub-perceptible is a term often used, but we DO want it to be slightly perceptible, but not in an intoxicating way) dose of a psychedelic substance, typically around one tenth of a full dose, on a structured schedule.
The goal is not visions or a completely altered state. You feel the benefits without any of the full psychedelic experience: improved mood, focus, creativity, emotional regulation, and a general sense of groundedness.
I work primarily with San Pedro, a sacred cactus used in Andean healing traditions for thousands of years, though psilocybin (mushrooms) is another common option and one I have personal experience with as well. Microdosing is not a magic fix, but for people who have felt stuck, numb, or disconnected, it can be a gentle but powerful on-ramp to feeling like themselves again. This is particularly true when microdosing is combined with somatic practices and other healing modalities.
I came to microdosing after ibogaine and Bufo, and it made complete sense as the next chapter. Healing does not always have to be a 12-hour journey into the depths of your soul. Sometimes it is a quiet Tuesday morning where you notice that the world looks a little different and you feel a little more like you.
What is Ibogaine/iboga?
Ibogaine is a plant-based psychedelic derived from the root bark of the iboga shrub, native to Central Africa, where it has been used ceremonially for centuries. My life has two timelines, before ibogaine and after, and I’m far from the only one who says that.
In a therapeutic setting, it produces a profound, introspective experience often lasting 12 hours or more, and has shown remarkable results for people dealing with addiction, trauma, PTSD, and depression.
Unlike many other psychedelics, ibogaine works at a neurological level to interrupt addictive patterns and help the brain reset. It is not yet legal in the United States, but licensed clinics in Mexico and other countries are making it more accessible, and the research is finally catching up to what people have known anecdotally for years.
What is bufo?
Bufo, also known as 5-MeO-DMT, is one of the most powerful psychedelic medicines on the planet. It comes from the venom of the Sonoran Desert toad and has been used in ceremonial healing contexts for centuries.
Unlike ibogaine, which can take 12 hours or more, a Bufo experience typically lasts less than 20 minutes, but those 20 minutes can change everything. People commonly report mystical experiences, a complete dissolution of fear, and a profound sense of unity with something greater than themselves.
I didn’t see anything during mine, but I felt everything. Every cell in my body. A love I had never experienced before. For the first time in my life, I was not afraid to die. If ibogaine took me to the roots of my trauma, Bufo took me to the sky. Both were exactly what I needed.
