Creating an Ideal Set for First-Timers

[Subtlevibrations]

It goes without saying that many Nexians are "that person" their friends and family turn to when they have questions about entheogens or drugs in general. As someone who finds themselves wearing those shoes, I have found myself administering first doses to various people, learning from various substances. I have done my best to develop an easy, pleasant, guided meditation to take an individual through just prior to dosing. It is non-denominational, not plainly spiritual or metaphysical, requires no beliefs or lackthereof, uses plain language, and requires no explaination.

We know from experience that even being experienced doesn't stop pre-trip anxiety, jitters, and nervousness. We also know that no matter how much you explain to someone the importance of set and setting, we ultimately cannot control another persons behavior. Having a mind toward compassion and wanting individuals to have a beneficial or, at the very least, a pleasant first experience with entheogens - to protect both them and the medicine - I employ this meditation to help people be completely at ease the moment of ingestion.

I have used this technique with LSD more than any other substances, but feel confident in its efficacy for use with any entheogen. Often, I will ask for the individuals consent to dose them while they are in the depths of the meditation. Obviously you cannot dose another when using inhalation/vaporization as the ROA (as with freebase DMT).

If anyone has feedback into ways I can improve or build upon this, please let me know. Again, one of the primary qualities that I really value in this meditation is that it requires no investment in a belief system of any kind. Lastly, this meditation includes themes of childhood - if the individual you are working with has had a particularly traumatic childhood, or was orphaned, this meditation is not well suited to them.

It goes a little something like this:

"Sit down and get comfortable but don't slouch. [I offer cushions blankets etc]. Close your eyes, and let your attention rest in your breath. In through the nose, and out through the mouth... let your breath clean you inside and out. Imagine, as you inhale, bright light, full of life, vigor, and peace filling your entire being.... as you exhale, let everything that's ready to go, go. See it like smoke drifting from your mouth as you let it out... gradually getting lighter and lighter, as your own breath restores your natural freshness. Let the day fall away.... Remember back to a time when you were a kid. It's summer... You have the protection of your parents.... your mother. There are no obligations for you right now. Remember this time... be there... everything is alright. The wonder of childhood is with you... You feel the warmth of the sun on your skin and smile, knowing how free and happy you are. Bask in that warmth. Let it fill your entire being, inside and out...... [at this point I will typically administer the dose, or cue the individual to begin dosing themself... after the dose, if we have the raport, I'll add a gentle, "I love you".]

Peace
sv

 

[Panpsychic]

It goes without saying that many Nexians are "that person" their friends and family turn to when they have questions about entheogens or drugs in general. As someone who finds themselves wearing those shoes, I have found myself administering first doses to various people, learning from various substances. I have done my best to develop an easy, pleasant, guided meditation to take an individual through just prior to dosing. It is non-denominational, not plainly spiritual or metaphysical, requires no beliefs or lackthereof, uses plain language, and requires no explaination.

We know from experience that even being experienced doesn't stop pre-trip anxiety, jitters, and nervousness. We also know that no matter how much you explain to someone the importance of set and setting, we ultimately cannot control another persons behavior. Having a mind toward compassion and wanting individuals to have a beneficial or, at the very least, a pleasant first experience with entheogens - to protect both them and the medicine - I employ this meditation to help people be completely at ease the moment of ingestion.

I have used this technique with LSD more than any other substances, but feel confident in its efficacy for use with any entheogen. Often, I will ask for the individuals consent to dose them while they are in the depths of the meditation. Obviously you cannot dose another when using inhalation/vaporization as the ROA (as with freebase DMT).

If anyone has feedback into ways I can improve or build upon this, please let me know. Again, one of the primary qualities that I really value in this meditation is that it requires no investment in a belief system of any kind. Lastly, this meditation includes themes of childhood - if the individual you are working with has had a particularly traumatic childhood, or was orphaned, this meditation is not well suited to them.

It goes a little something like this:

"Sit down and get comfortable but don't slouch. [I offer cushions blankets etc]. Close your eyes, and let your attention rest in your breath. In through the nose, and out through the mouth... let your breath clean you inside and out. Imagine, as you inhale, bright light, full of life, vigor, and peace filling your entire being.... as you exhale, let everything that's ready to go, go. See it like smoke drifting from your mouth as you let it out... gradually getting lighter and lighter, as your own breath restores your natural freshness. Let the day fall away.... Remember back to a time when you were a kid. It's summer... You have the protection of your parents.... your mother. There are no obligations for you right now. Remember this time... be there... everything is alright. The wonder of childhood is with you... You feel the warmth of the sun on your skin and smile, knowing how free and happy you are. Bask in that warmth. Let it fill your entire being, inside and out...... [at this point I will typically administer the dose, or cue the individual to begin dosing themself... after the dose, if we have the raport, I'll add a gentle, "I love you".]

Peace
sv

I think its great you have put thought and intent into this. It also would vary in the individual, if a person was from a certain religious denomination then personally I wouldnt hesitate to use associations with that to help them ease the process for a first time, for example playing some Gregorian chanting for a Christian or traditional chanting for a Buddhist if they felt it was calming and centering. Ultimately if they go far enough they will come to the Universal Mind so its just a familiar gateway.

In general soft ambient music in the background without lyrics usually either played or preselected for a playlist if they use earphones can be good.
Of course for some they may just prefer silence which is also fine.

I think your script is generally good although you are right to identify the childhood memory as a potential trigger. People can also have supressed memories that come out so I would probably just remove the section about childhood and parents.
I would keep it to neutral themes like the breath, relaxation, tuning into body sensations.

I also wouldnt try to dose them while meditating. Let them take the active step to intentionally dose themselves and take ownership of the action. They can come out of the meditation to do this and continue to meditate after they have taken it especially if they want to go deeper.

 

[Varallo]

Check this out, I think this manual is a great start for anyone new to psychedelics.

Publication - OHT

Welcome to the Open Hyperspace Traveler Course. If you are reading this, you presumably have an interest in entheogenic drugs - psychoactive compounds found in plants and fungi -often referred to as psychedelics or simply entheogens. In this...

forum.dmt-nexus.me

 

[Subtlevibrations]

I think its great you have put thought and intent into this. It also would vary in the individual, if a person was from a certain religious denomination then personally I wouldnt hesitate to use associations with that to help them ease the process for a first time, for example playing some Gregorian chanting for a Christian or traditional chanting for a Buddhist if they felt it was calming and centering. Ultimately if they go far enough they will come to the Universal Mind so its just a familiar gateway.

In general soft ambient music in the background without lyrics usually either played or preselected for a playlist if they use earphones can be good.
Of course for some they may just prefer silence which is also fine.

I think your script is generally good although you are right to identify the childhood memory as a potential trigger. People can also have supressed memories that come out so I would probably just remove the section about childhood and parents.
I would keep it to neutral themes like the breath, relaxation, tuning into body sensations.

I also wouldnt try to dose them while meditating. Let them take the active step to intentionally dose themselves and take ownership of the action. They can come out of the meditation to do this and continue to meditate after they have taken it especially if they want to go deeper.

I really appreciate this feedback. Yes, I usually do have some music playing, generally whatever the individual selects, and I always encourage them toward calming selection.

Perhaps if I explain why I choose the childhood themes, your attitude toward doing away with them may change also:

Before we’ve gotten this far, I’ve gotten to know this individual and will know if this technique will work for them or not. And if not, we go another direction.

Intentionally avoiding religious themes, the protection of your parents is about as supreme as protection can get. People usually are skeptical to divine protection until they’ve experienced it. Adult life is difficult. People have difficulty getting their regular everyday cyclic thoughts out of the way of the present moment, regardless of whether it is time to take drugs or not. Allowing someone the opportunity to mentally return to the sanctuary of childhood can (and does IME) open them up to a state of allowance, non-resistance, and ease. You can watch people’s shoulders literally drop as they sink into this feeling.

I think the dangers you pointed out are completely valid, and go to show that the relationship between the two people in the picture I’ve painted should be more like a friendship and less like an acquaintanceship or a relationship of exchange.

Even when folks have a strong tie to a religious or spiritual path, if it is their first time with entheogens (the time I use this technique), I try to avoid that association. As with childhood, religious sentiments can be very complex, involve schism and traumas, the full range of mental illness. I’ve also experienced Christian people vocalizing Buddhist sentiments after dosing, such as inter-being, and can see how their previous beliefs might have gotten in the way of that new insight.

The sum and substance of it all is that you need to know the individual you are working with.

The feedback I liked the most is the accountability and ownership piece. It is fun and magic for both of us (again, IME) to dose the other individual in this meditation, but I see the clear value in putting the wheel in their hands, instead of playing chauffeur.

Thanks for taking the time @Panpsychic