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If you spend enough time talking to fans of psychedelics then you’ll eventually come across the term ‘trip sitting’. Maybe someone will ask you to be a trip sitter, or maybe they’ll relay to you a past experience where they trip sat for someone. It’s a pretty common and important aspect of the psychedelic community, and one that I am a HUGE fan of. But for how significant it is, the term is deceptively vague, so here is my interpretation of what it really means to be a trip sitter.
What is a trip sitter?
The simplest definition is that a trip sitter is somebody who takes care of another person who is under the influence of psychoactive substances.
I could end the article here, as that seems pretty comprehensive, but there are some nuances which need to be explored. For starters, I believe the relationship between the sitter and the tripper needs to be established. For the most part, a trip sitter is usually a friend with whom you share some history with, and for whom you trust, but that’s not always the case. An alternative example would be when people go on Ayahuasca retreats and are guided by ‘shamans’ who they have never met before. These shamans are essentially highly accomplished and capable trip sitters who also perform other relevant and significant tasks. Another example would be when…
