Ayahuasca Microdose and an Attitude of Gratitude
- Brainz Magazine
- Nov 17, 2025
- 7 min read
Updated: Nov 18, 2025
Aaron Eschenburg is an Ayahuascero and Astrotheologer. He is the Founder and creator of Ancestral Herbs, a natural plant medicine company, and MiTranscendance Entheo Religious Society.
Ayahuasca, the psychedelic ceremonial brew from South America, is often referred to as the vine of the dead. Holding onto a glass half full of water doesn’t matter if it’s half empty or half full. It matters how long you hold onto it and how long you can carry the weight before you need to set it down. Setting it down is the moment of surrendering to our physical limitations. We know the moment it’s coming too, we can set it down gracefully with the last of our strength, or we can hold onto it until it gives way and comes crashing down.
When we carry something physically, there is usually a destination or a goal to move something from one place to another. When we carry mental and emotional weight, there often is no destination or goal, just replaying the record on repeat. We lift weights and exercise the body. The weights shape our posture and being, but we can induce physical pain and stress on the body that needs attention. When we carry mental and emotional weight, it shapes our mood. These weights, physically, mentally, and emotionally, define us. Define our physique and physical appearance, define our moods, and define our personality. A mood can last a few hours or days, a behavior can last days to weeks, and when that behavior is repeated into a personality trait, it can last years into a lifetime. It’s a story we tell ourselves on repeat. Sometimes we need help surrendering in order to set the non-physical weight down, and truly relax our body, mind, heart, and spirit.
Too often, we hear stories of people in their last days of life who are reflecting on memories and emotions they have held onto for far too long. Resentments held towards others in their lives after they had a falling out, arguments, disagreements, or different views that drove them apart. Reflecting on the things they wanted to do but never did. Realizing the fears they held of being judged, embarrassed, or the thought of failing that outweighed the possibilities of having fun and experiencing an opportunity. Feeling as if they couldn’t live their life to the fullest with internal joy unless something external changed.
We’ve heard stories of people who have had a near-death experience that changed their lives immediately. A car crash they can’t believe they walked away from, an overdose they can’t believe they woke up from, survived cancer, cardiac arrest, heart attack, choking while eating, or any number of things. There is honesty and humble awareness in knowing that none of us is going to make it out of here alive. We don’t know how or when, no clue what age we will be, or if tomorrow is guaranteed.
These near-death experiences can trigger the same awareness as the person lying on their deathbed who’s reflecting back on their life. The experience can bring awareness to the mental and emotional weight we carry and limitations that we trap ourselves in over the years, and cause an immediate change, the eureka moment, like a lightning strike or volcanic eruption. The huge difference between one of these impactful near-death experiences and a person passing from old age or terminal illness is the time itself. More time to create the changes we need in our lives. More time to do the things we want to do that we put off, or take the chance on something we may have previously passed up. The perspective of others’ judgments or fears once held can dramatically change in an instance, followed by the ability to flow into a space of confidence that is rooted in gratitude to be alive with the ability to experience life in all its contrast with joy.
This is why Ayahuasca is called the vine of the dead. We are mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually showing up to a ceremonial space where we know we are metaphorically entering the car that leads to a crash. Perhaps a crash in consciousness. There is a surrendering to the greater unknown. In this humble space, humility leads to an abundance of gratitude.
Gratitude for this life. Gratitude for consciousness, to have a body and the ability to be mobile, a beating heart, eyes to see the beautiful world, to have lungs that breathe air, gratitude for all the plants and trees that give us oxygen, and gratitude for the animals and insects that help fertilize the soil that grows the foods that we eat. A greater sense of gratitude for the balance of life and the contrast of all that is.
Some could argue that if there is a God, it is a singular consciousness and we are all one expansive collective consciousness experiencing life within it, as it experiences life through us, the plant and animal kingdom, and all physical matter and non-physical spirit. God is choosing to experience life through you. Specifically you. With Ayahuasca, there is often a recognition and strengthening of the awareness of this connection, and a beautiful reflection of one's self and the part of self that truly is God, experiencing this collective consciousness through individual cognizance and sentience.
We can vacation and see the many beautiful sites of the world, from the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, the Great Pyramids, Mayan Temples, every beautiful city ever created, every beach, and every sunset. We can taste the finest wines and beverages, the best cured meats, the freshest plucked garden vegetable soups and salads, and enjoy the finest luxuries of life. We can spend our money on the nicest clothes, cars, homes, hotels, resorts, private jets, yachts, VIP parties, and the most exclusive events. When we sit in an Ayahuasca ceremony, we have a beautiful surrendering into the “all that is”, and there’s no city, site, sunset, or experience more beautiful than the self-reflective mirror and connection to the part of yourself that is the streaming consciousness of God.
One of the many reasons so many people continuously work in these ceremonies is the understanding that Ayahuasca is connected to the heart and soul of this collective consciousness, the heart of the earth, and it desires the absolute best for humanity and all on this planet. Pure as the light of the Sun, it wants the best for your mind, heart, body, and soul. This medicine wants you to be strong and know that this source energy is always flowing through you.
When we surrender to this “knowing”, we allow ourselves to set down the mental and emotional weight that we carry. It doesn’t belong to us. We take the needle off the record and allow for a new song to play from our spirit. We allow and accept what was, what is, and we co-create what’s next. We can’t live in the space of the ceremony every day. It’s a tool to connect us back to ourselves and shine a guiding light on the path in front of us that needs attention. The ceremony is the celebration and the easy part, the hard work really begins after.
The ceremonial brew is made of the Ayahuasca vine and the Chacruna leaf. The vine, which is an MAOI, is known as the wisdom and knowledge, while the leaf, which is DMT, is what gives the visions to the wisdom and knowledge of the vine. While DMT is illegal, Pure Ayahuasca is 100% legal and offers many benefits.
Antidepressant
Antianxiety
Mood elevator
Dopamine regulator
Creates new neural pathways
Repairs & protects neural pathways
Aids short & long-term memory
Reduces oxidative stress
Improves cognitive functions
MAOIs are primarily used pharmaceutically to treat multiple depression disorders and social anxiety by slowing the breakdown and raising the levels of neurotransmitters like norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers that send signals from one neuron (nerve cell) to another nerve cell, muscle cell, or gland. Our bodies can’t function without them communicating properly. MAOIs have a fast onset for quick relief from symptoms and often help where other antidepressants don’t, but B. Caapi Ayahuasca is much more than a normal prescription MAOI.
Similar to microdosing magic mushrooms, but legal and with no risk of taking too much to have a psychedelic experience. Pure Ayahuasca vine promotes neurogenesis, the growth of new neurons in the brain, especially in the hippocampus, which is involved in mood and memory regulation. It has high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities that support overall cell health and actually reduce neuroinflammation in the brain, which shows potential neuroprotective help with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
There are many benefits of working with Pure Being B. Caapi Ayahuasca extracts over a standard SSRI.
B. Caapi boosts serotonin, whereas SSRIs block the reuptake of serotonin.
B. Caapi onset is within an hour to days, while SSRIs can take 2-4 weeks.
B. Caapi side effects are mild, if any, SSRIs often cause weight gain and sexual issues.
B. Caapi facilitates healthy relationships with our emotions, where SSRIs can block deep processing and suppress emotions.
It’s a blessing to have healthy, natural alternatives to the harmful petroleum-based pharmaceuticals. With an attitude of gratitude, we can all be thankful that these plants exist and want to work with us. Plants heal, and nature is medicine. It’s an incredible sensation to know that we have plant allies that can help us set down the weight that no longer serves us. A plant that grows from the earth that shows us our own light and wants us to continue to give thanks for being alive, for everything that we are and have, the ability to exist, and be grateful for the life we were born into, created, and to be exactly where we’re at. When the weight gets too heavy and we need help to surrender, our plant friends at Ancestral Herbs are here to help us along the way.
Follow me on Instagram for more info!
Read more from Aaron Eschenburg
Aaron Eschenburg, Ayahuascero, Astrotheologer
Aaron Eschenburg is an Ayahuasca Shaman and creator of the natural plant medicine company Ancestral Herbs. Being hit by a drunk driver at 21 spiraled him into a journey of exploring alternative medicines to get away from the side effects of pharmaceuticals. Astrotheology and plant medicines then came into his life at the same time, creating a better understanding of humanities relationship with our living planet solar system, and Universe. He now dedicates his life to helping others explore the options of natural healing, entheogenic practices, and embracing the Aquarian Age.
Supporting studies:
.jpg)
