BodhiSpeak: Recent Episodes
Jerry Walsh
BodhiSpeak is a platform to share, discuss, debate, and converse over teachings and philosophy’s from different traditions and thinkers around the globe. We go into topics such as consciousness, art, spirituality, health, healing, psychedelics, esoteric studies, mysticism, politics, relationships, communal living and all things transformational--leaving nothing excluded.
Dimitri Mugianis is a writer, artist, musician, ceremonialist, and harm reduction practitioner whose work explores psychedelics, addiction, spirituality, community, politics, and the ways people heal outside conventional systems. For more than twenty-five years he has worked with people navigating addiction, trauma, and profound psychological and spiritual experiences, pioneering community-based approaches to ibogaine and other psychedelic practices.
Drawing equally from the Beat tradition, avant-garde music, activism, and contemplative practice, Dimitri writes and speaks about the intersection of personal experience and social change. His work explores the commodification, medicalization, and militarization of psychedelics, the contradictions of late-stage capitalism, and challenges dominant narratives around recovery, psychiatry, and the psychedelic renaissance, arguing instead for relationship, culture, ceremony, and community as central to healing.
His writing has appeared in STAT News, The Guardian, Salon, Jacobin, Left Voice, and other publications, and his work has been featured in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, NPR, VICE News, The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, and the documentary I'm Dangerous With Love. He is currently at work on a memoir and a collection of essays exploring the cultural, political, and spiritual implications of psychedelics, harm reduction, and recovery.
Sound Healer Training with Dream Seed 26-27
Venerable Lama Konchok Sonam is the Spiritual Director of the Drikung Meditation Center. Born in Lhasa, Tibet, Lama Sonam began his Buddhist training when young within the Drikung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. At the age of 18, Lama Sonam took full ordination and became a monk (Gelong). Lama Sonam then went on to complete a retreat on Ngondro (Common and Extraordinary Preliminaries) and the Five-Fold Path of Mahamudra under H.H. Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche and Gelong Yeshe. Lama Sonam received teachings and blessings from more than twenty-five great masters, including Nyedak Rinpoche, his beloved main teacher, and the Most Venerable Pachung Rinpoche, the renown scholar and retreat master at Drikung Thil monastery. Lama Sonam served as disciplinarian at Jang Chub Ling monastery, in Dehra Dun, India. This difficult position required an extremely vast knowledge of the Dharma, and inspirational deep inner qualities. Lama Sonam has also served as the personal attendant to H.H. Chungtsang Rinpoche, H.E. Drubwang Rinpoche, Tongkar Tulku, and H.E. Thritsab Rinpoche, and tutored American tulku Thadag Rinpoche (Jack Churchward).
On June 9, 2003, Lama Sonam arrived in Boston to be the Resident Lama at the Drikung Meditation Center. Lama Sonam has shown himself to be expert in both the theoretical and practical aspects of training the mind through meditation and Vajrayana methods for awakening our Buddha Nature. In the fall of 2005, Lama Sonam started the Jowo Rinpoche Statue Project to benefit the Boston area, the United States, and the world. Lama Sonam began to realize his vision of bringing the blessings of Buddhism, from Buddha Shakyamuni and countless other enlightened masters from the East- India, Nepal, and Tibet, to the United States by creating a pilgrimage site. Arriving in May of 2008, the centerpiece of the pilgrimage site is an eight foot tall gilded, jewel-encrusted bronze, the U.S. Jowo Rinpoche Statue. The magnificent U.S. Jowo Rinpoche statue is a replica and spiritual emanation of the most revered Jowo Rinpoche statue that was made at the time of the historical Buddha and brought to Lhasa, Tibet in 641 AD.
My friend Sam and I were discussing the humanitarian crisis in Israel and Palestine, which has been heartbreaking for so many of us and shortly after we spoke, we received word that August 6th-9th there is a "Hunger Strike for Humanity", co-organized by our friends and healing allies, Stephen and Marcina at Reconsider. August 6th and 9th specifically coincides with the 80th Anniversary of the atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The intention and prayer of the fast is to meditate on what we can do in our personal lives to help humanity choose peace over violence and deeply ask, "what kind of world do we want to live in?". This fast is not focused on one specific situation but the myriad conflicts that are happening in the present day (Gaza, Sudan, Congo, Haiti, Ukraine/Russia, Myanmur and so on). Simultaneously, this hunger strike for humanity is stated to be in solidarity with Satyam Homeland’s Hunger Strike for Peace, an ongoing hunger strike being carried out by both Israeli and Paelstinians calling for peace, reconciliation between cultures, and the end of the policy of forced starvation and siege on the civilians in Gaza. This hunger strike isn't a one-sided political movement - it is just a humble, simple inner and outer action we want to take for humanity to recognize that love, compassion, forgiveness, peace, and a fundamental respect for human rights for all people are the only methods capable of ending conflict both within and without. We are inviting the community to join us in this prayer to advocate for a more compassionate world so that as my teacher, Maestro Manuel, would say, may all people may have clean water, food, shelter, & be happy. If you feel inspired to join in some manner there is more info below here: https://multifaithpeace.org/event/vigil-for-humanity-on-80th-year-after-atomic-bombing/How to ParticipateThis is a personal and collective invitation. You are welcome to join in whatever way resonates with you:
- Join the vigils and conversations via Zoom
- Fast in a way that aligns with your capacity—full, partial, from food, a habit or distraction
- Hold moments of daily silence, prayer, or reflection together
- Share stories, light candles, or simply witness
Together, we reflect with curiosity, become aware of our role in all of it, take responsibility for what we create, reimagine what’s possible, and manifest peace through conscious presence.
There is no need to RSVP. Just join us when you feel called.
Zen Buddhist Teachings and Beyond inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh and others
Descriptions are empty but I am home, I have arrived
Our very own Mateo Bazgier joins me in-house for discussion on the coming changing times and astrological insights of the year 2025 - a profoundly unique and extra - ordinary year of change and paradigm shift galore
https://thecosmoswithinus.com/about-us/
In Mateo's own words:
"Originally I come from Poland. I was born into a family of astrologers, both my stepfather and my mother were full-time astrologers since I remember. I was saturated with this atmosphere since early childhood, but I started to study astrology when I was 20 years old.
In 2015, I moved from Poland to New York, where I have been exposed to various teachers, including Maestro Manuel Rufino, A.T. Mann, Kypacha, Anne Ortlee, Mark Waltz, who represent different lineages, schools, and approaches to astrology.
I’m a member of the Initiatic College and Golden Drum Community based in Brooklyn. For 10 years I have been studying sacred traditions of humanity under the guidance of Maestro Manuel Rufino and other Elders from different traditions and indigenous cultures. I’m also a multi-instrumentalist, sound engineer, and sound healer, which I combine with astrology with great success.
I really love teaching astrology to groups, but my favorite form of practice is private 1:1 consultation session. When we can have a real dialog about important life events, we can create a space to go deep into certain aspects of the chart and see how it is reflected in a client’s life. Together we can get to an understanding of how the natal chart works in a client’s relations, work, business, study, and growth process and how to realign with one’s unique planetary blueprint.
Support the Akwesane Freedom School and Theresa Bear Fox to empower Native Youth!
Click Here For More Information!
THERESA BEAR FOX
Shekon Sewakwekon, (Greetings everyone), My name is Theresa “Bear” Fox, my Mohawk name is Kenkiohkoktha, and I am of the Wolf Clan. My Mohawk name means I am at the back of a crowd of people or I am the end of a long line of people. I have five children. My oldest is a girl and I have four boys.
I was born into a big family. There are eight boys, six girls and I am the youngest. My Mother and Father were hard working. They made sure we were always provided for. They always made sure we had a table full of food and clean clothes to wear. We didn’t have a lot of money, but I didn’t feel that we had to go without anything. I always felt like we were rich, because I was so happy and I always felt loved. We always looked out for one another, and at times my sisters were like my Mothers too. I try and raise my children with the same family values. I taught them to take care of each other. I taught them to respect their elders and to take pride in who they are. I encourage them to learn our language and culture so they can teach their young ones someday. My goal is to raise good mothers and fathers.
I live in Akwesasne, and I love our community. I especially love how our people care for one another. If someone is going through hard times, the community comes together for a fundraiser and a lot of support. I always try to do my best to help out when I can. I am part of a woman’s singing group called “Kontiwennenhawi” which means Carriers of the Words. We get together once a week and we talk, laugh and learn songs. Our duties as a Singing Society are to help out in our community. We are often asked to sing for visitors or for the children in our community. We help out at fundraisers and donate money to people who are in need. We have a community fund account and we raise money by selling our CD’s or by singing outside of our community. Niawen kowa, (Big thanks)
Jo Confino is a leadership coach, facilitator, journalist, sustainability expert
and Zen mindfulness practitioner. Jo has worked closely for the past 16 years with Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and his buddhist monastic community in Plum Village.
He works at the intersection of personal transformation and systems
change; working with several organisations including Leaders’ Quest and
Future Stewards. His coaching practice focuses on supporting leaders
within the fields of climate, biodiversity and social justice. He works across
sectors, including NGOs, foundations and business and coaches
individuals as well as leadership teams within organisations, such as
Global Optimism and Force of Nature.
He is co-founder and co-presenter of the acclaimed podcast series ‘The
Way Out Is In’ and is the co-author of the book ‘Being With Busyness: Zen
Ways to Transform Overwhelm and Burnout.’
We sit down to discuss Zen Buddhism, Thich Naht Hanh and spiritual transmissions, global conflict, activism, community action, and the power of simplicity
Read more about Jo here:
Besides facilitating events and conferences all over the world for the past
20 years, Jo also runs smaller workshops and roundtables.
As a journalist for more than 40 years, he was executive editor, Impact &
Innovation and Editorial Director of What’s Working at the HuffPost in New
York. During his five years there, he developed long-term editorial projects
based on social, environmental and economic justice and was a member of
the senior leadership team.
Before joining HuffPost, he was an executive editor of the Guardian and
chairman and editorial director of the Guardian Sustainable Business
website. During his 23 years at the Guardian, he set up and managed a
unique multi-stakeholder development project in the Ugandan village of
Katine, and helped create the Guardian’s environment and
global development websites.
Jo also created and managed the sustainability vision and strategy for the
Guardian and its parent company Guardian Media Group.
He is a fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts,
Manufactures and Commerce and completed an MSc in Responsibility and
Business Practice at the University of Bath.
Joe's epic journey from being a survivor and rescue worker as a fire fighter on 9/11 at Ground Zero, losing 26 friends and co-workers, then dealing with PTSD, addiction, cluster headaches (often termed, "suicide headaches") and eventually finding a trifecta of healing in physical pain, psychological trauma, and emotional turmoil through therapeutic use of psilocybin mushrooms
Joe is a retired FDNY firefighter who spends his time advocating for causes close to his heart, he also sits on the board of Clusterbusters, a non profit that supports research for better treatments and a cure for cluster headache, Joe has found Psychedelics are an effective treatment for his Cluster attacks as well as a treatment for PTSD and Addiction. Joe is a patient advocate for the Headache on the Hill event where he helps lobby Congress for increased recognition of, and more equitable policies toward Americans with disabling headache disorders. Joe also advocated along side fellow first responders and Jon Stewart in 2015 and 2019 to get 9/11 health and compensation bills passed, and again with Burn Pits 360 to help pass the PACT Act in 2022. He is also volunteer Board member for the Ray Pfeiffer foundation, helping 9/11 first responders with medical needs.
Interview with Michael Mithoefer
Michael Mithoefer, M.D., is a psychiatrist living in Asheville, NC, with a research office in Charleston, SC. In 2000, he began collaborating with MAPS on the first U.S. Phase 2 clinical trial of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. He and his wife Annie have since conducted two of the six MAPS-sponsored Phase 2 clinical trials testing MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, as well a study providing MDMA-assisted sessions for therapists who have completed the MAPS-sponsored MDMA Therapy Training Program, and a pilot study treating couples with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy combined with Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy. He is now Senior Medical Director for Medical Affairs, Training and Supervision at MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC).
He is a Grof-certified Holotropic Breathwork Facilitator, is trained in EMDR and Internal Family Systems Therapy, and has nearly 30 years of experience treating trauma patients. Before going into psychiatry in 1991, he practiced emergency medicine for ten years, served as medical director of the Charleston County and Georgetown County Emergency Departments, and has held clinical faculty positions at the Medical University of South Carolina. He has been board-certified in Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine, and Internal Medicine.
Elements of Sound explores the relationship between sound and consciousness at the intersections of science, spirituality and music theory. DiMatteo's approach draws inspiration from ancient and modern thinkers, scientists and indigenous wisdom-keepers, relating sound as both a primal mystery and a practical tool for communication, healing and transformation.
Weaving together diverse perspectives, Elements of Sound compares global traditions of song, poetry, storytelling and sacred language. It invites us to consider how sound and silence frame our innermost thoughts, and to be aware that sound itself constitutes our beliefs, identities and the words we use to define reality.
Influenced by such classics as The Mysticism of Sound and Music by Hazrat Inayat Khan and The Kybalion by Three Initiates, Elements of Sound penetrates the cosmology, esotericism and philosophy of sound and music, suggesting that thoughts are subtle forms of sound which impact our psychophysiological health.
Drawing from decades of experience in academic, clinical and ceremonial settings, DiMatteo conveys the relevance of sound, music and language across human culture. Spiritual seekers, curious minds and students of music will find an oasis of inspiration in his work, along with a common language to discuss what might otherwise seem ineffable.
Neuroscientist and cognitive psychologist Daniel Levetin wrote, "Music may be the activity that prepared our pre-human ancestors for speech communication and for the very cognitive, representational flexibility necessary to become humans." Music and language are prehistoric, but traces of our ancient origins remain preserved in the mythologies and aural teachings of humanity's living traditions.
To learn, to express and to share are intrinsically human. They connect us through sound to the power of creation, and to vibration as a property of reality. Elements of Sound encourages us to consider how we relate to sound in our daily lives-what we hear, how we interpret it, and how we respond to the world within and around us. "Music is a limited term. Sound encompasses melody, harmony, speech, thought and a universe full of vibrations." - from Elements of Sound
https://www.sonicinstitute.com/allproducts/p/elements-of-sound-book
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Growing up in Hawaii
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Childhood Trauma and Sports
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10 years in the NFL and Concussions
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Fire Fighting and Dealing with Trauma
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Hitting Rock Bottom and Re-birthing through Psychedelic Plant Medicine
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The Future of Psychedelic Plant Medicine Work for First-Responders
Jo Berry has founded the charity ‘Building Bridges for Peace and is an international speaker and workshops facilitator committed to bringing peace to the world. Jo is also an executive committee member of Uniting For Peace which promotes a culture of peace, non-violence and sustainable development. She is on the Board of the Global Alliance for Ministries and Infrastructures for Peace and is working to create a Department for Peace in Europe. Jo is also a founder member of Survivors Against Terror. Its mission is to help our country tackle terrorism more effectively and ensure victims and their families get the proper support. Jo shares her story below.
On October 12th 1984 my father, Sir Anthony Berry and 4 others were killed in the bombing of the Grand Hotel, Brighton as they attended the Conservative Party Conference. I made a personal decision just two days later, to bring something positive out of this emotionally shattering trauma and to try and understand those who had killed him. I chose to give up blame and revenge, instead taking responsibility for my pain and feelings, transforming them into passion for peace. The journey of healing began with my intention and I trusted that life would then bring me the opportunities to heal and grow. Two months later I randomly shared a taxi with a young Irish man whose brother had been in the IRA and had been killed by a British soldier. We should have been enemies but instead we talked about a world where peace was possible and where there were no enemies. As I left the taxi, I had a flash of inspiration, this was one way I could make a difference, I could build a bridge across the divide.
The hardest bridge to build was with Patrick Magee, who was sentenced for his part in planting the Brighton bomb and released as part of the Good Friday Peace Agreement in 1999. I made enquiries from mutual friends and finally met Pat for the first time in November 2000 at a friend’s house in Dublin. My intention was to hear his story so that I could experience him as a human being rather than a faceless enemy. I was scared and had doubts, but the strongest part of me needed to see him and speak to him. I asked him many questions and shared a little about my Dad. At first he began to express his political perspective, which though I was familiar with was hard to hear but I could see he was a sensitive and intelligent person.
Then something changed. He stopped talking and said he didn’t know who he was any more, he wanted to hear my anger, my pain and what could he do to help. It was as if he had taken off his political hat and had now opened up and became vulnerable. The conversation was very different after that and a new journey started, one which we are still on. He now had a need to meet me and rediscover his lost humanity. When he planted the bomb he was not seeing human beings in the hotel, they were just a means to an end. During our meetings, he began to develop the awareness that he had killed a human being with a soul, someone he could have sat down and had a cup of tea with. He would later say that he was disarmed by the empathy I gave him, that he would have found it easier if I had met him shouting, blaming and defending my position. I wasn’t there to argue my point; I was there to listen and experience his humanity. After three hours I could not talk any more and ended our meeting by thanking him for his willingness to engage with me so honestly and he said he was sorry he had killed my Dad.
Looking back on the years which have passed since the bomb, I am so touched by the amazing people I have met and the opportunities I have had to make a difference. I have now shared a platform with Pat Magee over 300 times and I see how our dialogue has inspired others to choose a non-violent solution. I have learnt so much from this challenging dialogue and continue to do so. I have learnt about my capacity for violence and for non-violence. I am learning to give up blame and choose empathy.
I passionately believe that there is humanity in everyone, and every time we demonise the “other” we are delaying the onset of peace in this world. Once we find our own humanity, and we see the humanity in the other, then we are going to want them to have their human rights, their good housing, food, medicine, education and freedom to be themselves, to be safe and secure. We will want for them all what we want for ourselves. Peace happens when we treasure everyone, all creatures, our land, our planet, and work together to find solutions in which everyone wins.
We have been speaking in many different places including Lebanon, Rwanda and Israel and Palestine. We have been all over Europe and in the UK we have spoken in schools, Universities, religious groups, youth groups and many organizations.
I am now focused on working with young people and and empowering them to be positive changemakers.
Marcina is a therapist and film maker who is trained in many modalities from different traditions and who appreciates the collective wisdom of cultures. She is a License Marriage and Family therapist and also CIIS and MAPS certified in psychedelic work. She has facilitated conversations and workshops internationally and across the US and has had the honor of co-creating with many amazing people especially the team at Reconsider including the Guardians / Board Members, Wisdom Keepers / Advisory Board and Chacarunas / Bridgers.
She is an Executive Producer of Fantastic Fungi, Producer of Disturbing the Peace and is a facilitator for Reconsider workshop experiences, which have been given in the U.S. and internationally. Marcina spoke at TEDxKC Women about how to change the world in which we are living.
Marcina’s vision is to catalyst the creation of experiences that evoke thought and conversations that both challenge and inspire a new ways of relating to ourselves and to life itself.
Humanizing the other - challenging narratives of violence - practicing peace and forgiveness - finding commonality with our enemies - Stephen travels through the West Bank filming the stories of former militants on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides who have transformed their lives and chosen not only to walk peacefully but also to walk peacefully with other former militants from the opposing side, as a unified force to end occupation, bring love, compassion, and peace to a region of consumed with hatred and violence. His film, Disturbing the Peace, was critically-acclaimed by the New York Times and Robert Ebert, receiving the Ebertfest Humanitarian Award amongst numerous other awards by various film festivals around the world Stephen and his partner, Marcina, are also well known for the acclaimed film "Fantastic Fungi" and have created a beautiful center devoted to healing, psychedelics, and community building only 15 minutes from my house in the Catskills called Reconsider. My sound healing group, Dream Seed, has been a regular music guest at their retreats offering immersive sound meditation experiences for first-responders, student groups, therapists, and members of MAPS - multi-disciplinary association of psychedelic studies This was one of my favorite podcasts to date - Stephen's humanitarian work, films, and philosophical understanding of conflict, peace, and healing is profound and revelatory - recommended for anyone who looks out at the world today and wonders how we can steer humanity back on track. Fortunately, it begins with ourselves
Stephen Apkon is an award-winning filmmaker, and social entrepreneur. He is the Founder and former Executive Director of the Jacob Burns Film Center, a non-profit film and education center located in Pleasantville, NY. Stephen is the Director and Producer of Disturbing the Peace. He is also an Executive Producer of Fantastic Fungi and Planetary, and Producer of I’m Carolyn Parker, and Enlistment Days, and Co Producer of Presenting Princess Shaw.
He is the author of The Age of the Image: Redefining Literacy in a World of Screens, published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux – foreword by Martin Scorsese.
Stephen lives in the Hudson Valley with his partner Marcina, their dog Osa, and the flora, fauna and fungi they share this corner of the planet with.
Nathan's initiation into Native healing work in the prison system
His connection and work with Leonard Peltier
His work at Standing Rock
Protecting the Waters
Native Youth Alliance on Facebook
Free Leonard Peltier Now
Recorded and originally published in 2022
James Mooney shares his life story starting with being brutally assaulted at a young age for his native ethnicity, nearly dying, and being revived in the sweat lodge and then losing a connection with his roots, leading to a severe bi-polar diagnoses. His search for a cure for his ailment then brings him full-circle to the Native healing circles of the Peyote way.
Recorded and originally published in 2022
James shares how he was passed the peyote and authorized to bring it to the white man's culture by Native elders, leading to a political struggle that takes him to the Utah Supreme Court
Recorded and originally published in 2022
James continues sharing his life story about finding real healing to his bipolar diagnoses through traditional Peyote ceremonies and Native American culture, simultaneously connecting him back to his buried Seminole ethnicity
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Politics and Consciousness
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Social Responsibility
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Community action against facism and populist oppression
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Islamaphobia and the Burkha ban in France
*Correction and edit - Nathan Phillips, mentioned in the podcast, is of the Omaha Nation - not the Lakota Nation
Dr. Stephanie Van Hope is a registered nurse, certified nurse coach, and doctor of nursing practice with experience in oncology, hospice, and health coaching and nursing education. She served as a study guide for New York University’s Psilocybin Cancer Anxiety project, guiding cancer patients through psychedelic journeys with psilocybin, and offers a continuing education course for nurses entitled Nursing & Sacred Medicine: Introduction to Psychedelic Therapy and serves as a learning facilitator for the Synthesis Institute’s Psychedelic Practitioner Training Program. Stephanie is a Reiki practitioner and a student of yoga, meditation, astrology, plant medicine, music, dance, and the sacred traditions of many faiths. She currently resides with her husband, son, in an intentional community in the Catskills region of New York.
https://nursingsacredmedicine.thinkific.com/
https://www.hopeholistic.com/
@nursingsacredmedicine
I sat down with my good friends and community members, Sarah Philkill and Maible Coughlin, founders of Catskills Birth Collective, to discuss the hero's journey of birth and becoming a parent, parenting in community, creating community through children, societal misconceptions around childbirth, pain and intensity as doorways to bliss, and what it means to be in a conscious relationship and family
They will be offering a new course for expecting parents (which I took in 2021 and is awesome and highly recommended) and you can use this code for a discount on the program: bodhispeak
Find out more about them here: https://www.catskillsbirth.org/
Recorded in late November - I had to keep editing this one to get where it needed to be
Podcast inspired by Sebastiao Salgado - Amazonian indigenous people - forgiveness - middle east conflict - and more
https://www.goldendrum.org/calendar-1/2023/10/13/dream-seed-sound-healer-training-program-2023-2024-a-9-month-intensivenbsp
Dream Seed 9-month sound healer training intensive above ^
The way becomes the obstacle
Devils are really angels freeing you from the earth
The obstacle is now the way
Stream of consciousness podcast
It is not measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society - J Krishnamurti
thoughts on shamanic healing, cultural conformity, terrence mckenna, ken kesey, vincent van gogh, Nietzsche, Amor Fati, stoicism, philosophy is armor, say yes to life, what is sanity? Not sane or insane but unsane ...
don't be lazy
“The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing, because an artful life requires being prepared to meet and withstand sudden and unexpected attacks"
“When you first rise in the morning tell yourself: I will encounter busybodies, ingrates, egomaniacs, liars, the jealous and cranks. They are all stricken with these afflictions because they don’t know the difference between good and evil. Because I have understood the beauty of good and the ugliness of evil, I know that these wrong-doers are still akin to me . . . and that none can do me harm, or implicate me in ugliness—nor can I be angry at my relatives or hate them. For we are made for cooperation.”
- Marcus Aurelius
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Breathe by Rickson Gracie
Obstacles are Oppurtunities
Philosophy of the Stoics
Commentary on Ryan Holiday's "The Daily Stoic"
Mark Twain once said, "the only real effective weapon we have against injustice is laughter"
Laughter is the best medicine
I would have been a stand up comedian if I was funnier
Synchronistically -- not by intention -- this episode was released on April Fools Day -- God has a sense of humor
Edith Eger and Victor Frankl
Sleep Well
Sunlight
Fasting
Cardio - Asana - Weight Training - Breathwork - Meditation
Cold Exposure
Karma Yoga
Creative Pursuits for the benefit of others
Jnana Yoga
I sit down with long time friend, Matt Canale, to discuss his upcoming album, unlocking the creative process, communal living in spiritual community, and more
"You don't rise to level of your expectations -- you fall to the level of your training" - Greek poet Archilochus
You bought the ticket and you took the ride. A transformative experience can be a meditation retreat, a vision quest, a psychedelic experience, a breakup, a near death experience, a job loss, -- anything that shakes and wakes you up and leaves you activated, challenged, inspired, uncomfortable, more curious, unsettled, frazzled, tuned in with deeper and insight and self-knowledge of capacities and shortcomings -- how do you take this experience and effectively apply its lessons on the chessboard of life?
What are the tools we need for growth and real change at this time -- how do we hone in our character to deal with this new perspective?
Step one is mindset and philosophy to guide us into right action
Good luck
I sit down via zoom with epic throat singing, live looping, Finnish artist, and world class musician, Mikko Heikinpoika. We have an in-depth discussion about Tuvan throat singing and culture, shamanism, spirituality and psychedelics, sauna culture, Shipibo ayahuasceros, the mythology of the igil, cultural dogma, appropriation, and more
Find out more about Mikko and his work here:
https://mikkoheikinpoika.com/
Soohan and Mikko collaboration:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2D5fs8MiyhXBuitKL1rXIi
A discussion of transformational festivals, the Heartfire Festival in Colorado, being curated by Yash, along with words on indigenous wisdom, community living, and the creation of a new Earth
A complete reading and commentary of Steven Pressfield's the War of Art -- an epic book that I have read over and over again, reminding us to not take the path of least resistance in overcoming ourselves and creating transcendence
A cosmic vision like no one has witnessed before, beautiful and terrifying, and such is the finale of the Gita
Hero's Journey, mythology, Aboriginal initiation, Vincent Van Gogh, Black Elk, morality, much more and a continued reading and commentary of the Bhagavad Gita
Intro covering the Lakota warrior, Crazy horse, mythology of different cultures, humility, self-sacrifice, and a continued commentary on the Bhagavad Gita
A commentary and reading of the Bhagavad Gita starting with a long intro share on the mentality of a warrior, discussions on leadership, thoughts on Navy SEAL ethos, Victor Frankl, the holocaust, my time visiting Auschwitz in Poland--duality . Additional shares on work by Steve Pressfield and Plato's Allegory of the Cave included
James shares how he was passed the peyote and authorized to bring it to the white man's culture by Native elders, leading to a political struggle that takes him to the Utah Supreme Court
James continues sharing his life story about finding real healing to his bipolar diagnoses through traditional Peyote ceremonies and Native American culture, simultaneously connecting him back to his buried Seminole ethnicity
James Mooney shares his life story starting with being brutally assaulted at a young age for his native ethnicity, nearly dying, and being revived in the sweat lodge and then losing a connection with his roots, leading to a severe bi-polar diagnoses. His search for a cure for his ailment then brings him full-circle to the Native healing circles of the Peyote way.
This podcast goes into yogic breathwork such as box breathing, Wim Hof Breathing, alternate nostril breathing, the Native wisdom of mouth v. nostril breathing, pain modulation, and exercise
Kate Raudenbush is a New York-based, Burning Man-bred artist, who resonates deeply with environmental issues, and the perils and potential of our evolving humanity.
Kate’s work and words have been published, and exhibited in art museums from the Renwick Gallery/Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC, to the Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, to the Hangaram Art Museum in Seoul, South Korea. Artworks have been created for international art fairs from Miami to the Hamptons, and for festivals and civic squares from Amsterdam to Las Vegas, Santiago Chile, Montreal Canada, Tulum Mexico, Lake Tahoe, Reno, Washington, San Fransisco, New York City, and in the creative vanguard of many epic, fiery gatherings at Burning Man.
Kate and I dated and worked together for 4 years 1/2 a decade ago, creating art and bringing it around the world
Learn how to activate the bliss of your Endocrine system from within using cold exposure, Anadamide, and embrace the discomfort and transformational forces of nature
Dopamine controls motivation, pleasure, reward, and drive -- it is what moves us and what informs us on how we are achieving and activating our goals and aspirations. It is also a very Buddhist system -- pain - pleasure - craving - aversion
This is part 1 of several episodes that will go in-depth into the mechanisms behind specific spiritual practices -- This episode talks about fasting and the stages we go through neurologically and physically during a 3 day water fast. We also get into the spiritual and philosophy perspective of fasting and inspiration for why it should be at the foundation of your practice
In recognition of veterans day, I sat down to speak with Robert Foley, a former Navy SEAL with Native American ethnicity who has lived with severe trauma all of his life stemming from his rough upbringing to his time in combat. Robert's inspiring story is one of overcoming immense pain and finding solace by bringing healing work to others using equestrian therapy, Japanese forest bathing, and the mystical powers of nature.
Questing for a Vision, Drukpa Kunley, Tibet, Burning Man, Freedom, Synchronicity, and more
There is a inherent good in all people but to activate it and place it in the service of unity, healing, and awakening of the planet requires listening to all sides of our psyche from our highest transcendental potential to our darkest fears and demons. Take ruthless inventory of yourself daily and find the meaning behind pain and suffering.
A conversation with meditation practitioner, mushroom maniac, and Golden Drum community member, Dan Kanda. I first met Dan in Tel Aviv, Israel at a meditation retreat in 2016 -- 4 years later we became roommates in Upstate New York. Dan has spent several years living in S.N Goenka style vipassana meditation centers and has traveled through India, Nepal, and Burma to pursue Buddhist dharma and practices of liberation. Dan discovered his passion for medicinal mushroom cultivation through vipassana and is currently supplying the Golden Drum and local area with epic Lion's Mane, Blue Oysters, and Shitake mushrooms on a weekly basis. Dan and I dropped in to talk about his path of meditation and and how the mushrooms planned it all...
I met Justin Connor at a meditation in L.A. several years ago. Justin is the writer, director, producer, and star of the award-winning film, "The Golden Age", a fictitious documentary about pop-star Maya O'Malley, who leaves the world of show business to set out on a spiritual pilgrimage through India in an attempt to resolve his troubled past
Justin and I talk about the Kali Yuga, the Bhagavad Gita, healing trauma, creating art, aligning ourselves with our highest service, and everything Krishna consciousness and beyond in this podcast.
Watch the Golden Age here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08M98K6NJ
More of a scientific offering on the Wim Hof Method of cold water immersion, breathwork, hacking your neurochemistry, the 4 elements, and healing by going beyond comfort
The social confines of conditioning, Nelson Mandela, outer rebellion and inner revolution, ancient cultures and changing times
Hoarding, trusting, giving, taking, freedom, the noble 8-fold path, and other thoughts on the path
Tarot Card: No-Thingness
Stepping into the Void
Living in Community
The Blessing of Confinement and Commitment
The tarot card for today is "experiencing...Topics include Vipassana meditation, communicating with nature, healing as defined by Lewis Mehl Medrona in "The Spirit of Healing" and the need for a global transformation
Art, Conformity, Self-Expression, Sri Nisargadatta Maharajj, finding truth everywhere, [Sat Chit Ananda], Joseph Campbell,