Skills and qualities that are needed by a trip sitter are also detailed in Trip Sitting, such as knowledge of the medicines, their pharmacology, dosage and contraindications, kindness and experience.
“Sitters need the capacity to care without controlling or infantilising,” says Vayne.
Experience is also needed – ideally, personal familiarity with psychedelics across settings and over a number of years, along with a broad reading of trip reports to understand the range of experiences.
Good sitters know their limits – recognising when a person’s needs exceed their scope, or when additional support is necessary. They also work within the cultural and legal realities of their context.
I’m not a scholar or pharmacologist – I come from the Western magical tradition, a strand of esoteric practice that works with altered states, often via pharmacology.
Over the years, I’ve taught, advised licensed settings, and contributed to designing rituals and openings that feel both accessible and meaningful.
Vayne explains that while his main work is with psilocybin, the principles of Trip Sitting apply across many substances.
“Whatever the medicine – kambo, ayahuasca, 5-MeO-DMT – the fundamentals are the same: maximise safety, honour the person’s first encounter with the substance, and avoid the temptation to overwhelm for the sake of impact,” says Vayne.
Good practitioners, whatever their tradition, tend to welcome fresh perspectives. Even familiar ideas, expressed differently, can help reveal new aspects of practice or reaffirm what already works.
Trip Sitting: The Art and Science of Holding Psychedelic Space by Julian Vayne – set to be released this September – is a vital companion for anyone looking to guide or participate in safe and effective psychedelic journeys. The book is available for pre-order now.
Stephanie Price | Community Blogger at Chemical Collective
Stephanie is one of our community bloggers here at Chemical Collective. If you’re interested in joining our blogging team and getting paid to write about subjects you’re passionate about, please reach out to Sam via email at samwoolfe@gmail.com
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