The Two Most Important S’s (Besides the Substance)
Why Set and Setting Shape Everything
When people talk about psychedelic journeys, the first question is often:
What did you take?
But the more important questions are often:
Where were you?
And what were you carrying in your heart?
In the world of sacred medicine, there are three core elements that shape your experience:
Substance, Set, and Setting.
We tend to fixate on the first: what kind of mushroom, how many grams, what strain, what blend. And while the medicine is sacred and powerful, it's only one part of the picture.
The other two ~ Set and Setting ~ can truly determine whether your experience feels expansive or overwhelming, grounded or disorienting, clarifying or confusing.
Set: What You Bring With You
Your set refers to your mindset. Your emotional and psychological state. Your inner world.
What are you carrying into the ceremony?
Are you feeling hopeful? Grieving? Curious? Stressed? Are there intentions you’ve clarified, or fears you’ve left unspoken?
Set also includes the narratives you bring, your expectations, and your readiness to let go of control. It’s the story your nervous system is telling, even if your mind hasn’t caught up.
In ceremonial work, this is why preparation matters.
This is why we breathe, journal, reflect, and ask honest questions beforehand.
Because how you enter affects how you receive.
Setting: The Space That Holds You
Setting is the environment around you. The physical space. The energetic tone. The presence (or absence) of care.
Is the room warm? Are you with someone you trust? Are the sounds intentional, the lighting soft, the energy grounded?
The body needs to feel safe in order to open.
And the spirit needs to feel honored in order to receive.
I often say that setting is its own kind of medicine.
When we create beauty, calm, and sacredness in the external world, the inner world can follow.
This is why I spend so much time tending to ceremony spaces with intention, from music to lighting to scent to the way tea is served. Every detail matters. Because it’s all part of the invitation.
Why This Matters So Much
Even the most beautiful medicine can feel chaotic in an unsafe container.
And even the most intense experience can become healing if held in warmth, reverence, and steadiness.
While we can’t control what will arise in a journey, we can create the conditions for safety, clarity, and connection.
We can bring curiosity and care to our inner landscape.
We can tend to the environment with devotion.
We can make space for the mystery… without fear.
When set and setting are held with integrity, the medicine can speak more clearly.
The body can soften.
The insights can land.
And the journey can do what it came to do.
Journal Prompts to Prepare Your Set
What emotions, fears, or expectations am I carrying into this experience?
What parts of me are asking to be seen or held more gently?
If I could receive one gift from this journey, what would it be?
What helps me feel safe, open, and fully present in my body?
What am I ready to let go of, and what am I willing to make space for?
