Set and setting is not a metaphor — what actually changes the experience
312 replies · Experiences
I keep seeing people dismiss set and setting as obvious advice. I said the same thing before my first difficult experience. Now I understand it differently. Set and setting isn't a checklist item. It's the entire context within which the drug's effects land, and small changes in either produce qualitatively different experiences.
The part nobody talks about: who else is in the space. I've had sessions in houses where someone was home and not involved, and the ambient awareness of their presence created a performance anxiety I didn't know I'd been carrying. Now I only session in completely private spaces.
'Setting' includes the setting inside you, not just outside. Your relationship to your body is a setting. Your recent sleep quality is a setting. I had a terrible experience after a week of poor sleep.
Music is more powerful than I can explain. The same dose with different music produces experiences that feel like different substances. I've assembled specific playlists for each stage based on five years of experimentation.
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