Set and Setting

Timothy Leary first introduced the concept of “set and setting” in 1964.

The concept of set and setting was first introduced by Timothy Leery and his colleagues at Harvard and laid out in their 1964 psychedelic guidebook, The Psychedelic Experience: A Manual Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

Set and setting respectively refer to the internal and external factors that influence your psychedelic experience. “Set” is a reflection of your inner climate—your mood, personality, beliefs, perceptions, and so on. “Setting” refers to all that’s going on outside, such as the people around you and their behaviors, the music playing, the smells and weather in the air, even the cultural forces that aren’t as readily visible.  ― Set and Setting: Why Preparation Matters - DoubleBlind Mag