Psychedelics have been used in traditional medicinal and spiritual practices for thousands of years. Our ancestors likely considered them to be a pathway to another world and another level of being, and they used large doses to break through the doors of perception and enter another state of consciousness.

Today, psychedelics continue to play a role in spiritual practices, and people all over the world sit with them to change their perspectives and increase self-awareness. In recent years, however, many have turned to microdosing, consuming sub-perceptual doses to achieve some of the creative and mood-related benefits without preparing for an intensive journey or worrying about ego death.

Psilocybin and LSD are two of the most commonly microdosed psychedelics, but San Pedro could provide similar benefits. It is one of the oldest psychedelics, but how suitable is it for this new age of microdosing?

Why is Microdosing so Popular?

The idea of taking a smaller amount of an active substance is nothing new, and in that sense, microdosing has been around for a long time. It began to grow in popularity over a decade ago when Rolling Stone published a piece discussing the trend of microdosing LSD and psilocybin among entrepreneurs and professionals. (1)

Within a couple of years, various other news outlets and media sites had run similar stories, and microdosing continued its spread through Silicon Valley and much further afield.

For many of these professionals, microdosing was seen as a way of boosting productivity and creativity without needing to set aside an entire day for a typical psychedelic experience.

Can You Microdose San Pedro?

Technically, you can microdose any psychedelic, including mescaline, but it gets a little more complicated where San Pedro is concerned. This psychedelic cactus can contain anywhere from 0.053% to 4.7% mescaline by dry weight. If you’re consuming the plant as opposed to an extract, it’s hard to know how much you’re taking, which means it’s very difficult to properly structure your dosage.

While contemporary microdosing practices can sometimes overlook the traditional contexts of psychedelics, it’s crucial to recognize the deep ceremonial heritage of San Pedro. Revered by Indigenous Andean cultures as wachuma, this medicine has been integral to sacred rituals for millennia.

Traditionally consumed in a brew called cimora under the guidance of a curandero (a healer), San Pedro is valued for its ability to open the heart, cultivate compassion, and facilitate a profound connection to spiritual understanding.

As practitioners, we must educate clients about this rich history. Even in microdosing, we encourage approaching San Pedro with reverence, mindfulness, and understanding that it is not a simple solution, but can be a powerful ally in emotional healing and personal growth.

How to Guide a Client Who Wants to Microdose with San Pedro

As a practitioner, the first step in guiding someone through a microdosing protocol is to make sure they are ready.

• Do they have any preexisting health conditions that may interfere with their experience?
• Do their expectations and needs align with the reality of microdosing?
• Do they take any medications that could influence their experience?
• Have they carefully considered the set and setting to fully optimize the experience?
• Are they prepared to keep a journal outlining their experiences?

Once you have considered all of the above and provided the necessary guidance, you can work with the client to integrate their experiences.

In our training at the Psychedelic Coaching Institute, we emphasize mescaline’s lesser-known capacity to support creative cognition. San Pedro, even in low doses, may help dissolve rigid mental patterns and support novel emotional or interpersonal insights, especially when combined with specific coaching frameworks and exercises.

We teach that effective microdosing protocols are about far more than dosage. The practitioner’s role is to create a safe, ethical container, one that acknowledges both the neurobiological mechanisms and the spiritual dimension of the medicine. This includes working with clients on mindset, journaling practices, and somatic awareness, as well as offering grounded frameworks for interpreting the subtle emotional and psychological shifts that may arise.

Considerations for San Pedro Microdosing

A microdose may be sub-perceptual, but we’re still dealing with a potent, mind-altering psychedelic, so it demands a certain degree of respect.

Every dose should be carefully measured to provide consistency without venturing too close to the therapeutic dose range. As noted above, this can be tricky with San Pedro, but it’s not impossible.

Anyone with preexisting health conditions, including heart problems and a history of mental illness, should reconsider microdosing mescaline, or any psychedelic for that matter. Such issues greatly increase the risk of adverse health outcomes.

Psychedelic practitioners should never diagnose, nor should they advise clients to take unnecessary health risks. If they wish to proceed with a microdosing protocol despite potential issues, they should first consult with a healthcare professional to ensure they are fit and healthy.

Caution is also advised for anyone taking medication that affects serotonin levels. This includes medications like antidepressants, anti-psychotics, and opioids like tramadol. These medications work on similar pathways as mescaline and may increase the risk of side effects or prevent the medication from working properly. (3)

Learn More About San Pedro and Microdosing with the PCI

The Psychedelic Coaching Institute trains forward-thinking practitioners to safely and skillfully guide others through psychedelic experiences, including microdosing protocols with medicines like San Pedro. Our 10-month certification program blends neuroscience, ceremonial wisdom, and practical coaching strategies to prepare you for real-world client work.

You’ll graduate with the confidence to work at the intersection of peak performance, emotional healing, and spiritual insight—whether you’re supporting microdosing clients or facilitating high-dose journeys.