Phenomenological analysis of set and setting’s manipulation in shamanic psychedelic rituals and psychedelic-assisted-therapy

Abstract

In this paper, I present a phenomenological examination of lived experiences within the context of psychedelic therapy, specifically focusing on the influence of "set" and "setting" in consciousness’ regular functioning. I scrutinize the limitations of psychological and sociological approaches in understanding how the manipulation of internal and external factors mediates therapeutic effects. Even when these approaches attempt to concentrate on the internal state of mind, they adopt a third-person perspective that fails to adequately explain the subjective experience. Consequently, I argue for the necessity of a phenomenological reflection employing Husserlian methodology to elucidate the intentional structure underlying modifications in the subjective experience that anticipate therapeutic outcomes. Utilizing epoché, I propose both a descriptive and a genetic analysis to capture the essential and universal properties that define those types of experiences. By comparing shamanic therapy in indigenous populations with the medicalized use of psychedelics in the West, I demonstrate how the efficacy of manipulating "set" and "setting" depends on an ongoing re-organization in consciousness’ intentional functioning concerning structures of embodiment, intercorporeality, intersubjectivity and culture.