Dose

Our blends are made each with a unique amount of psilocybin curated to the intention behind the creation of the blend. As a general rule of thumb, a microdose is 5 to 10 percent of a ‘normal’ dose. Based on the standard that a ‘normal’ dose of magic mushrooms is 1 to 1.5 grams, microdoses usually range between 50mg-250mg. The majority of people report that a dose of 100mg of psilocybin is their favourite.

If you are interested in trying a particular blend but want to adjust the ‘dose’ of psilocybin, please email us at hello@zenkoe.com and we can chat further. We want everyone to do what feels right for them, no two people are the same, so if we can help in ensuring your experience with microdosing is tailored to your needs, we will certainly do our best.

Protocol

When microdosing it is important to choose and maintain a schedule. This schedule that you design and choose is known as your microdosing protocol. We recommend 2 or 3 days a week.

For example; Tuesday and Saturday or Sunday, Wednesday and Friday.

Depending on your personal preferences and experiences, you have the freedom and ability to choose whatever schedule works best for you. We’ve listed a few of the more popular protocols if you’re looking for a place to start or for some guidance.

The Fadiman Protocol

Named after Dr. James Fadiman, this protocol is a 3 day cycle.

Day 1: first microdose day

Day 2: transition (off) day

Day 3: normal (off) day

Day 4: second microdose day

Cycle: 4-8 weeks

Reset: 2-4 weeks

Stamet’s Protocol

Named after world-renowned mycologist, author and advocate for medicinal mushrooms Paul Stamets. Stamet came up with the idea of ‘stacking’ ingredients with psilocybin for maximum benefit, a practice we now see much more of today and one we use with our zenKOE products. Stamets original ‘stack’ is Lion’s mane, niacin (vitamin B3) and psilocybin. Using this ‘stack’ he came up with his protocol which we have listed below;

Day 1-4: stacking (dose) days

Day 5-7: transition (off) days

Day 8-11: stacking (dose) days

Day 12-14: transition (off) days

Cycle: continue this cycle for four weeks

Reset: 2-4 weeks rest

Intuitive microdosing

Another way of microdosing is to do it entirely intuitively, following only one rule; take one day off between each microdose day. Many people who have followed a microdosing protocol for a cycle or two tend to switch to more intuitive microdosing as they gain experience and knowledge of themselves and their needs.

Please note that it is important to take off days, without these days your body will build a tolerance to the psilocybin and your journey may not be near as expansive and rewarding.

Intention

Before entering a microdosing protocol, it’s incredibly beneficial to set clear intentions for yourself. Why are you microdosing? What are you setting out to achieve for yourself through this journey? Are you looking to improve your focus? Are you looking to be more present in your daily life? Or maybe you’re looking to improve your overall happiness...whatever the case may be, make sure you are clear on your intentions before you start microdosing. These intentions are set based on your personal desires and goals. Once you have found your intention(your why) we recommend writing it down somewhere you can review it daily throughout your microdosing cycle. This review helps you stay accountable and keeps you moving towards this goal, aka the intention, that you have set for yourself.

Check in

Checking in with yourself, tracking your ‘progress’, reviewing your experiences throughout the weeks…these are all incredibly important components of your microdosing journey. We highly recommend journaling throughout your entire cycle AND reset periods. (zenKOE journals coming soon!)

We recommend tracking and checking in with yourself in the following areas;

Mental: Notice the thoughts occurring in your mind. Are they the same as usual, or different in nature? Are you having more or fewer thoughts than usual? In general, is your mind more clear or more cluttered?

Creative: Are you finding new qualities in things, like stories in objects? Do you find your mind wandering in new directions? Are you getting more or different ideas? Do solutions to problems come more easily to you?

Emotional: Be intentional about taking time throughout each day to observe your emotions. Do you notice feelings take on any different qualities than before? Are there more or fewer feelings experienced than usual? How do you process these feelings? Is sex better, or of different quality?

Social: How are you expressing your thoughts and feelings? Are there any changes in the pacing, tone, or nature of your speech? What about your facial expressions? Do you smile more or less? What frequency do you agree or disagree with someone in conversation? Do you interact differently with your coworkers, spouse, friends and family?

Body: Observe how aware (or not aware) you are of your body. Focus in on your body by closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths. Slow your thoughts and place your full attention on your physical body. Do you notice anything?

Capabilities: Notice if you’re more willing to approach and complete certain tasks. These may manifest as changes in attention span, physical/visual awareness, verbal fluidity, problem-solving ability, empathy, different areas of awareness, and so on.

Outlook: Do you view this life from a more positive or negative perspective? Are you more or less skeptical? More fearful and guarded, or more open to possibilities? Do you find yourself experiencing feelings of oneness, connectedness, love, and/or peace? Is there an inner knowing peeking through, is your intuition growing?

These are all example questions to guide your journaling and check-ins while you journey throughout yourself. We recommend also tracking your feelings in regards to the intention(s) you set at the very beginning. Checking in, tracking, and reviewing are all useful in your journey as they aid you in remembering where you started and where you’re going.