Set and Setting in the Santo Daime

The psychedelic experience is profoundly shaped by psychological, social, and cultural factors—a concept known as set and setting. The Santo Daime religion in Brazil uses a rich tapestry of ordering principles, techniques, symbology, aesthetics, and music to direct the effects of the hallucinogenic brew ayahuasca. This paper systematically describes these elements and the mechanics of entheogenic initiation within the tradition, providing a template for future studies on how context influences psychedelic experimentation.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Set and setting is a fundamental concept in the field of psychedelic drug research, which points to the profound dependence of psychedelic effects on psychological, social, and cultural factors. Santo Daime is a Brazilian religion that makes elaborate use of ordering principles, techniques, and symbology to shape and direct the effects of the hallucinogenic brew ayahuasca. This paper systematically explores the tapestry of, inter alia, symbolic, social, cultural, psychological, aesthetic and musical elements that participate in the shaping of the psychedelic experience in the context of the Santo Daime ayahuasca religion. The methodically rich under the hood description of the mechanics of entheogenic initiation within the Santo Daime tradition provides a template for future studies of the role of context in psychedelic experimentation.