With Best Intention: Psychedelic Intention-Setting Rituals as Rites of Sacralization
Psychedelic Intersections January 17, 2025 DOI: 10.70423/0001.02 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Ethnography Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 14 |
| Population | Members of Cloud-9 Camp at Burning Man 2023 who participated in the 2C-B ceremony |
| Intervention | 2C-B |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | The intention-setting ritual at Cloud-9 Camp's psychedelic ceremony functioned as a structured entry into the altered state of consciousness, reflecting the broader ubiquity of such practices in psychedelic use. |
Abstract
At Burning Man 2023, the Cloud-9 Camp’s night-long ceremony with the psychedelic 2C-B (4-bromo-2, 5-dimethoxyphenethylamine) began with one question: “Would anyone like to speak a word of intention? Just one word—for yourself, for this journey.” This question marked the start of their intention-setting ritual and their entrance into the psychedelically altered state of consciousness. Intention setting is a ubiquitous practice among psychedelic users and frequently precedes psychedelic experiences in clinical, spiritual, and personal use settings.i To understand the ubiquity of this practice and its role in the psychedelic experience, this chapter analyzes the form and function of Cloud-9's intention-setting ritual, drawing from ethnographic observation and interviews with the 14 camp members who participated in the ceremony.