Set and setting - & - take a break

[windyshaman]

Now this was brewing in my mind for a while. Wanted to circle back to these two very clear and simple messages that the community is trying to get through to anyone just getting into psychedelics.


I had to get through a streak of some absolutely horror-show trips and a few months of “DMT-treatment” to really understand the “set and setting” one. It’s all about set and setting. If you have something heavy on your mind or if your environment is wrong — just don’t do it. Not worth it. Period. No maybes. You might think you know better — the medicine will show you.


But it’s the “take a break” I really want to expand on. Over the course of the last months I’ve noticed that I basically get no CEVs on anything other than DMT. Like — nada. Nothing on cubes up to 6 g, some hints and bits on L and mescaline at quite high doses… and then I started noticing things in my daily life that got me worried. Lost taste for music — as in, don’t care much for anything but deep meditation rumble. Don’t care much for films or books. My headspace was getting somewhat weird as well — things weren’t feeling right, sleeping without dreams, just falling in and out of “something” for the night. That’s another thing — the quality of sleep has gone down considerably.


And then, following my first real mescaline trip, I just kinda realized I’m overdoing it. Even though I only get to trip deep once a month on DMT and once every 2–3 months on cubes, I always have cubes in my daily life in the form of micro or macro dosing — and it all adds up at the end. Our body can only take so much, it seems. Anyhow, it’s been about three weeks since I stopped everything, just cut any kinds of “dosing” out. It’s been interesting to observe myself getting back to “being humane” Waking up with a song playing in my head — something I heard a few months ago… wtf? Where did this come from? Picking up a book and actually getting lost in it…


All that to say: take that @#cking break. Psychedelics are the shit, but our life should not be revolving around it. There used to be a time when I needed my DMT trip every week and I couldn’t imagine not being able to do so. I’m down to “it's ok - I can do it the next week - or the week after...”, there's actually more value in integration and just plain - being human. Isn't it why we're here for?

 

[rkba]

The plants can show you but the real magic trip is in Life itself. Don't be mesmerized by the show, but let it guide you on your voyage.

It's like the plants are a force that can create waves in the Flux. It's up to you to recognize the wave that best suits you and surf that wave into the 'next' Now. It's just another way to create your own magical voyage of Life.

Watching the waves roll by is entertaining, just don't let them become another show on the wall in the cave.

So, as always, Flux with Joy and enjoy the Flux!

 

[TransistorBass]

I’ve noticed I used to be more musically creative before starting DMT last October 2025. I still listen to a lot of music though and films and TV are still interesting.
I have recently started Microdosing, 400mg Magic Truffles and pretty much decided only to do them Twice a week, maybe experiment when I have time on more low dose stuff at a weekend. I notice if I have a little DMT with my midweek Yoga I have less pull towards it at the weekend.

A bigger microdose does make me very active though and get things done.

But I completely agree, DMT is a distraction from other things and that’s even if it’s doing garage-science experiments to extract the stuff rather than taking it.

I’ve got a stack of books, mostly about consciousness and psychedelics, that I need to read…. It’s common for me to replace an hour or two reading with DMT! Which when you think about it is a bit arse-backwards.
Experiencing kinda replaced reading!

 

[Panpsychic]

Now this was brewing in my mind for a while. Wanted to circle back to these two very clear and simple messages that the community is trying to get through to anyone just getting into psychedelics.


I had to get through a streak of some absolutely horror-show trips and a few months of “DMT-treatment” to really understand the “set and setting” one. It’s all about set and setting. If you have something heavy on your mind or if your environment is wrong — just don’t do it. Not worth it. Period. No maybes. You might think you know better — the medicine will show you.


But it’s the “take a break” I really want to expand on. Over the course of the last months I’ve noticed that I basically get no CEVs on anything other than DMT. Like — nada. Nothing on cubes up to 6 g, some hints and bits on L and mescaline at quite high doses… and then I started noticing things in my daily life that got me worried. Lost taste for music — as in, don’t care much for anything but deep meditation rumble. Don’t care much for films or books. My headspace was getting somewhat weird as well — things weren’t feeling right, sleeping without dreams, just falling in and out of “something” for the night. That’s another thing — the quality of sleep has gone down considerably.


And then, following my first real mescaline trip, I just kinda realized I’m overdoing it. Even though I only get to trip deep once a month on DMT and once every 2–3 months on cubes, I always have cubes in my daily life in the form of micro or macro dosing — and it all adds up at the end. Our body can only take so much, it seems. Anyhow, it’s been about three weeks since I stopped everything, just cut any kinds of “dosing” out. It’s been interesting to observe myself getting back to “being humane” Waking up with a song playing in my head — something I heard a few months ago… wtf? Where did this come from? Picking up a book and actually getting lost in it…


All that to say: take that @#cking break. Psychedelics are the shit, but our life should not be revolving around it. There used to be a time when I needed my DMT trip every week and I couldn’t imagine not being able to do so. I’m down to “it's ok - I can do it the next week - or the week after...”, there's actually more value in integration and just plain - being human. Isn't it why we're here for?

What you're pointing to is a dichotomy that has been more well established in the past era and in some traditions to this day.

Entheogens are ultimately just that - geared toward "God realization". There are of course various degrees and working through the layers, personal unconscious work, creative endeavours and hedonistic practices. At the higher ends and with more regular use combined with the integration work, they lead however to this.

What are the traditional settings to support this type of experience? They are the quiet monasteries, the empty groves and parks. The simple life not filled with distraction. This is what was occurring as your mind inclined ever more toward that.

These are the traditional settings and the associated mind set for this type of work and where they are leading and the lifestyle that is most supportive of it. The monastic or renunciant mystic life is not for everyone though , actually only for a few and likewise entering these states through psychedelics often is also only for a few and not without pitfalls if done without care.

The majority of lay practitioners, that is those who practice meditation or use psychedelics or both, will still be involved in the world to much more of an extent. So that is where you had noticed you were going "too far", and pulled back.

There is no right way, both paths are valid. There is also the rare type who can live the dichotomy within one life, having a dedicated practice and go very deep, then leave it and engage in more worldly endeavours for the other part of their week or month or year. However this is even harder.
There may also be fluctuations over time within the same individual.

So find the right level of engagement with these tools and work with that, oberving the feed back and observing the mind along the way.

 

[northape]

I have to agree with @Panpsychic on this one. People don't want to change. They would rather stay in their comfort zone (what you've called “being humane”).

Maturation is not free, and the ultimate price you pay is yourself. At some point, you are required to surrender. It can start small, like surrendering a few habits or ideas about who you are, yet the longer and deeper you go, the less of you remains. All your movies, books, and hobbies are simply distractions if you're getting lost in them. There is no wisdom there, because wisdom can only be found in life. Sure, you can tell yourself a nice story and continue the superficial use of psychedelics, but once you've heard that knocking on your door, it won't let you go easily.

A spiritual direction usually coincides with a total disillusionment with mundane life. When people see even an inkling of it, they run away and hide. This path is far from easy and will never become mainstream. You can play with psychedelics only up to a point. Some manage to go years without seeing anything, yet sooner or later, the fruit will start to ripen. Decide for yourself what you want - just be honest. The human experience is fine, but suffering comes with it. You won't escape it, no matter what you tell yourself. It is entirely your choice whether to orient your life toward freedom or stay engaged in the game. I'd rather be honest and real. Yes, my path leads through lots of suffering. However, it's not a surprise. Modern people are scared of maturity and what it implies. We're all going to die one day. How do you plan to escape that?

By the way, mescaline is very much pro-life, so it will naturally realign you with living. Like any master plant, it aims for the same place, though. Try working with mescaline for a few years and see how your life changes. This modern habit of jumping from one psychedelic to another, as if you're eating at a buffet, is precisely what keeps you stuck. Why not foster a real relationship with a single plant rather than running at the first sign of difficulty? I suppose my words will once again be misinterpreted and met with hostility.

Psychedelics, huh? Don't make me laugh. IT IS ALL ABOUT LIFE!

 

[doubledog]

I personally use 4- phase model or concept to explain how use of psychedelics often progress:

1. Honeymoon phase
Everything is great, it seems that final enlightnment is in the reach.

2. Something is not right, it's broken.
It's not like before, problems became obvious, things are getting weird, chaotic, confusing, even depressing. Still some hope and clear light.

3. The dark night of the soul.
Very unpleasant phase of void, darkness, metaphysical emptiness, depression, confusion. Crushing loss of meaning and hope. Very often real problems in your life (death, divorce, unemployment, mental crisis,...)
Big problem here is lack of support and understanding from the family and medical profession.

4. Back to new normal.

Most people stop in phase 2 and abandon the practice, some does not get through phase 3.

 

[northape]

I personally use 4- phase model or concept to explain how use of psychedelics often progress:

1. Honeymoon phase
Everything is great, it seems that final enlightnment is in the reach.

2. Something is not right, it's broken.
It's not like before, problems became obvious, things are getting weird, chaotic, confusing, even depressing. Still some hope and clear light.

3. The dark night of the soul.
Very unpleasant phase of void, darkness, metaphysical emptiness, depression, confusion. Crushing loss of meaning and hope. Very often real problems in your life (death, divorce, unemployment, mental crisis,...)
Big problem here is lack of support and understanding from the family and medical profession.

4. Back to new normal.

Most people stop in phase 2 and abandon the practice, some does not get through phase 3.

Your model hits close to my own experience. Most of my friend circle who were into mushrooms dropped out during phase 2.
One friend became a self-proclaimed mushroom guru and gaslit me for years, claiming he was "working on himself," which was far from the truth in the end. He's stuck somewhere in phase 2, but because mushroom use was such a big part of his persona, he feels forced to take sub-threshold doses from time to time.
Long story short, one strong mimosa ceremony put an end to that dysfunctional relationship.

I've been working through my own darkness in what has felt like phase 3 for almost 10 years. Some years were so dark that they're just a blur in my memory. My relationship with plant medicines today is less magical and more practical. I know that it's work and that I'm not there for fun. Yes, some euphoric states occur, but they are like the syrup that helps the medicine go down. So, of course I'm triggered by people who talk a lot of nonsense, thinking they've uncovered some great truth. Set, setting, integration, and breaks are all basic knowledge. If you're only after the fun part, that approach is going to backfire sooner or later. One friend swore off psychedelics for life after trying to have a fun trip that ended in a visit to the ER.

Be real, my friends, and be honest - at least with yourselves.

"One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.
The latter procedure, however, is disagreeable and therefore not popular."
- Carl Jung

 

[windyshaman]

Thank you for the input mates. Looks like a number of us are more or less on the similar path.

Full disclosure: been to ER myself, more by lack of experience and pure fright - than anything else. Saddest thing about that ER trip - is how the ER personnel didn't know @%it and at some point I simply became lucid enough to just walk away.

By the way, mescaline is very much pro-life, so it will naturally realign you with living. Like any master plant, it aims for the same place, though.

Mescaline was definitely a discovery for me. Not the trip itself, but a couple of days that followed. Given the amount of time it requires - however - makes it the hardes to work with, at least for me.

 

[reun]

Psychedelics hold a lot of power. People often call them medicine for the soul, because like therapy, they can help you dig up unresolved problems that demand actions. Not only will psychedelics make you aware of these problems intellectually, but you may feel the urgency to resolve these issues deep in your very bones. When used correctly, I feel that psychedelics can help us live authentic lives. They can help me become the best versions of ourselves.

However, the process of discovery followed by you taking action is... emotionally taxing, to say the least. Personally, I feel that to get the most value out of psychedelics, one should use big doses sparingly. That said, small doses can be empowering without rocking your world.

I should also add that I have a bit of an unconventional view on the advice concerning set and setting. I feel that most of this advice assumes that you want to feel good while you are on your trip, and if you are already in a distressed state, then psychedelics will drag you into hell. This may be true. But there may genuinely be value in it. My most powerful trip to date happened in a state of distress. It was brutal, but it was an enormous wake-up call for me. It is worth adding that there are different types of distress. Sometimes you may feel flat, depressed, anxious, angry or just unwell -- this isn't the time to touch psychedelics. Other times you may feel like you are in a clear state of mind, but you are troubled by aspects of your life and these troubles are on your mind -- this is when I think it's appropriate to do psychedelics.

As for DMT -- this is still the molecule I'm trying to figure out. I had groundbreaking experiences on DMT, but unlike other substances, I noticed that the impact of DMT hasn't hung around for very long. One moment I may feel like my entire life was turned upside down, and then next moment I feel like I saw a strange dream... I'm still new to the molecule and I'm developing a relationship with it. From what I understand, pharmahuasca is more likely to leave a lasting imprint than raw DMT. That said, I'm currently at a point where I'm not even chasing a groundbreaking revelation that will alter the direction of my life. After discovering DMT, for the first time in my life I developed a strong (and I still find it somewhat unsettling) conviction that there is a higher being out there. By periodically connecting with DMT, I feel like I'm nurturing this connection. And sometimes I'm getting cosmic downloads, or lessons that I'm still trying to decipher.

 

[northape]

My most powerful trip to date happened in a state of distress. It was brutal, but it was an enormous wake-up call for me. It is worth adding that there are different types of distress. Sometimes you may feel flat, depressed, anxious, angry or just unwell -- this isn't the time to touch psychedelics. Other times you may feel like you are in a clear state of mind, but you are troubled by aspects of your life and these troubles are on your mind -- this is when I think it's appropriate to do psychedelics.

I've been doing oral teas for years with a quite anxious, depressed, and unstable mind space. However, I've used my medicine not for fun, but to heal myself. From what I saw, when you come with an open heart and honestly ask for help from your depths, the medicine will answer. I'd not advise anyone to go through the same process, but it worked in my case.

I noticed that the impact of DMT hasn't hung around for very long. One moment I may feel like my entire life was turned upside down, and then next moment I feel like I saw a strange dream... I'm still new to the molecule and I'm developing a relationship with it. From what I understand, pharmahuasca is more likely to leave a lasting imprint than raw DMT.

Rue is the king here and the force behind long-term change. DMT feels more like a lightning strike in the night. You see it all for a fraction of a second and are filled with awe right after, yet it's extremely fleeting. Rue brings duration and direction to the experience. The synergy between these two is pure magic.