If you are familiar with the use of LSD, you have probably heard the expression "Set & Setting".
It was coined by Norman Zinberg to describe the context of the psychedelic drug experience and has been widely accepted by researchers in psychedelic therapy.

Unknown to most others, however, there are four other S's: substance, sitter, session and situation. Although these four S's do not play as primary a role as Set & Setting, they still affect the nature and value of a psychedelic experience.

In this article, I dive head first into the descriptions of each S and why it is essential to have each S in mind for a great psychedelic experience.

SET

Set' is an abbreviation of the mentality during a journey. It includes the preparation and expectations of the traveler and the guide before embarking on a psychedelic experience.

Before a psychedelic experience, the traveler ñ (person taking the psychedelic) must make a series of preparations. First, the traveler needs to approach the psychedelic experience as a three-day experience, not as a one-day trip.
On the first day, keep quiet and don't rush.
Set aside time for self-reflection and spend part of the day in nature.
On the second day, consume the psychedelic.
On the third day, begin to integrate the experience and record your findings and knowledge.

During the first day, record your thoughts related to the experience:

What are your preconceptions about psychedelic experiences?

What do you expect to happen during the trip?
what do you hope to learn? Experience? Understand? Solve?

What are your goals? Do you have spiritual goals? Psychological goals? Social objectives?

Discuss these thoughts with your guide. He or she can clear up any concerns you may have, helping you experience a deeper sense of calm as you approach a psychedelic experience.

Setting

The configuration is the environment in which the trip takes place. It includes the physical environment and space for the session.

There are two options suggested as examples for a physical environment when taking psychedelics:

A clear and comfortable room with a sofa or bed.
An outdoor family environment.

If you decide to take a psychedelic inside, choose a clean, clear place with a sofa or bed and access to a toilet. Make sure there are a variety of pillows and soft blankets and some kind of stereo system.
Your goal is to create and maintain a simple environment that supports inner peace

If taken outdoors, psychedelics will create a more extroverted experience. Connecting to nature becomes an essential part of the experience. However, even if you choose to do it outdoors, make sure there is room to lie down.
Have a blanket and music.

Many trips combine these two environments.
I have had many trips where I start my journey outside and retire to an inner place later on. Alternatively, one may experience the most intense period of a psychedelic journey within and then explore nature.

In terms of atmosphere, music is critical to an enlightening entheogenic experience. In fact, according to the Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: "Most cultures that use plants for healing, divination or spiritual revival use music to ease the transition from one level of knowledge to another and to enhance the sense of security by providing nonverbal support.

headphones or a stereo system will work.
Focus on classical music.
Specific recommendations include Hovhaness's Mysterious Mountain, Faure's Requiem, Gregorian chants, solo piano, piano with one or two other instruments, unaccompanied flute, ragas and indigenous drum recordings.

Avoid anything with words after the first hour.
It may be a distraction.

When listening to music, closing your eyes will increase its impact. To enhance the experience, a pillow or soft cloth to create a feeling of complete darkness.

Certain individuals who have truly profound experiences do not want to try psychedelics again. This can happen to you.

Whenever you try psychedelics again, check all the above variables.

And if you couldn't find a model the first time, make an extra effort to do it in your second experience.

Quantity of substance

How much psychedelic are you taking?

If you want to improve your work productivity and creativity, then a micro-dose is best (10-20ug maximum LSD, 0.1-0.2g dried psilocybin mushrooms).

If you want to have a moderate enteogenic experience, a moderate dose (100-150 g of LSD, 1-1.5 g of dried psilocybin mushrooms) is best.

If you want a full "heroic dose", then 200-400ug of LSD (or 2-4 g of dried psilocybin mushrooms) will work. I don't recommend any dosage above 400ug. Anything before that can cause mental instability.
MODELO
Do you have a session guide?
Someone to look after you?

For any user of psychedelics (especially a new user), a travel guide is recommended.
An ideal guide is someone who has extensive experience with psychedelics, both taking them and guiding them through psychedelic experiences.
The guides should be sober.

The model acts as a reassuring figure in the midst of a disorienting experience. He or she takes care of the physical setup, monitors the music and, most importantly, acts as a sensitive pillar of support for the traveler.

If you can't find an experienced caregiver to guide you, don't let this stop you from trying psychedelics. I have used LSD more than 15 times and have never had a caregiver. However, I consider my experiences with LSD to be some of the most transformative of my life.
If you don't have a caregiver, you should administer the other 5 S's. Also, as an extra help, it may be a good idea to ask a friend for help, even if he or she has no experience with psychedelic use.

Session

Session refers to the general time of a journey.
According to the Psychedelic Explorer's Guide, there are six stages to a psychedelic session:

• Eating the psychedelic

• Home

• Opening and letting go

• Plateau

• The smooth sliding

• The end of the formal session

Situation

Situation refers to how the traveler integrates the experience into his or her life. It begins at the end of the formal session and lasts for weeks, or even months, in the future.

Make an occasional effort to sit down and find out what matters most to you about your experience:

Did you have any innovative ideas about your habits, daily actions or thought processes?

Is there someone in your life you need to reach out to? Or, alternatively, people who depress you and you must leave behind?

Be patient with yourself in making these decisions. Don't make any major life changes in the first few weeks. Instead, give yourself time to integrate your experience. The exception would be to stop any toxic behavior, such as excessive use of alcohol or drugs.

If you plan to talk to others about your experience, understand that many will not be interested.
Remember, your psychedelic journey is primarily an inner experience. Keep it internal.
Grow out of it Use it to help you reach a higher level of self-awareness

When should I have another psychodelic experience?

As with other positive experiences, you may want to try again. After taking LSD for the first time, I experimented with it another 5-6 times over the next three months. I was 19 at the time and if I could return, I would approach my psychedelic experiences more cautiously.

The golden rule for psychedelic experiences is that the deeper the experience, the longer you have to wait before doing it again.

A comfortable time frame for most people is at least six months.
At least this time is needed to integrate learning and ideas into your life.