Trauma, Psychedelics and Buddhism

Machan Taylor, singer for Pink Floyd, Sting, Michael Jackson, Foreigner, Pat Benatar and more, joins Karen Sprinkel to discuss childhood trauma, belonging, and how psychedelic-assisted therapy became part of her healing journey.👉 Karen Sprinkel: http://www.KarenSprinkel.com👉 Machan Taylor: http://www.MachanTaylor.com | Book: https://a.co/d/0iNSNaNpIn this conversation, Machan shares:• Growing up between cultures and never fully feeling she belonged• How guided psychedelic therapy helped uncover buried childhood trauma• What psychedelic therapy opened up that years of talk therapy had not• The difference between youthful experimentation and intentional healing• How trauma can remain hidden beneath success and performance• How this journey transformed her sense of identity, self-worth, and healingSpecial Thanks:Konstantin Alexander - Podcast Production http://www.KAStudiosHQ.comDavid Starfire - Musichttp://www.davidstarfire.comRyan Bell - Logo Design

Karen introduces her new concept of energy, focusing on maintaining vertical energy to stay balanced amidst external influences. She explores the interaction of physical, emotional, mental, subtle realms, past lives, and future potentials, emphasizing the importance of verticality for thriving in life. Karen also shares that the podcast will be taking a seasonal pause, creating space for integration and what comes next.

In this episode, Cindy, founder of the In Her Name Foundation, shares her journey inspired by her late sister, Carla J. Baker (1955–1976). A former college athlete, long-distance cyclist, yoga instructor, physical therapist, and high school tennis coach, Cindy discusses the many stages of healing from trauma. The conversation highlights the often-forgotten family members affected by tragedy, emphasizing the importance of honoring the life of a loved one and recognizing the impact on the community, especially siblings. https://inhernamefoundation.org/teamSpecial Thanks to: Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast ProductionRyan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo DesignDavid Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music

In this episode, Ilana a previous programmer on the Space Shuttle turned Buddhist and psychedelic psychotherapist, describes how presence and deep listening are the keys to awakening. https://deepbow.org/aboutSpecial Thanks to: Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast ProductionRyan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo DesignDavid Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music

CEO of the Cabin in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Sudi has a unique insight into all the layers needed to provide a sustainable healing path to clients. Sudi shares how his own experiences helped shape the Cabin’s comprehensive offerings from classic psychotherapy, trauma and addiction treatment, to holistic services with the containment of the dharma. From the set and setting, to the community, he describes the many facets of well being. https://www.thecabinchiangmai.com/about-the-cabin/Special Thanks to:Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast ProductionRyan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo DesignDavid Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music

A musician turned psychotherapist, Adam Kadmon LCSW, reflects on how Buddhism and psychedelics helped his own trauma healing. He described his wisdom to bring these deep depths of healing to his clients on the healing path - a rare find in the psychotherapy space. https://kadmoncpt.comSpecial Thanks to:Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast ProductionRyan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo DesignDavid Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music

Sharon Niv, Cognitive Psychologist, the co-founder of Joyous, a public benefit company helping make psycholytic, or low-dose, ketamine assisted care more accessible and affordable than ever before discusses her passion to improve health care for all. https://www.joyous.team/Special Thanks to:Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast ProductionRyan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo DesignDavid Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music

Dr. Radhikesh Das is a physician-turned-astrologer who bridges modern medical science with ancient Vedic wisdom. After earning his Doctorate of Medicine in 1999 and serving over two decades in clinical and executive roles, he followed his family’s multigenerational lineage of Ayurvedic doctors and astrologers into the study of Vedic and Medical Astrology. Now a full-time astrologer, meditation teacher, and international lecturer, he offers deeply informed consultations that blend spiritual insight with medical precision, guiding individuals toward clarity, balance, and holistic healing.In this episode, Dr. Radhikesh and Karen explore the intersections of astrology, divinity, and the healing path. Dr. Radhikesh shares how Vedic Astrology reveals the soul’s blueprint, illuminates life lessons, and supports emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. Together, they discuss how understanding planetary influences can help people make aligned decisions, navigate challenges, and connect more deeply with their purpose. This conversation offers a grounded yet expansive look at how ancient wisdom can guide modern healing and transformation.https://www.radhikeshdas.com/Special Thanks to:Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast ProductionRyan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo DesignDavid Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music

Note: This episode contains audio glitches due to technical issues during recording. In this enlightening conversation, Reverend Kokyo shares his journey through Zen Buddhism and the integration of his prior experiences with psychedelics into his spiritual practice. He discusses the profound impact of both Zen teachings and psychedelic experiences on his understanding of self, trauma, and healing. Kokyo emphasizes the importance of intention and setting when exploring psychedelics, and how these experiences can complement Buddhist practices. He also addresses the challenges of navigating trauma and the significance of allowing oneself to feel and process emotions without avoidance. The dialogue highlights the interconnectedness of various spiritual paths and the potential for healing through mindfulness and compassion.Special Thanks to:Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast ProductionRyan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo DesignDavid Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival, or Nine Emperor Gods Festival, is a Taoist ritual held each October in southern Thailand. Though known for its strict vegetarianism and purification practices, it is equally defined by trance and mediumship. Ma Song (“spirit horses”) enter altered states believed to be deity or ancestor possession, performing acts like cheek-piercing or fire-walking without pain—seen as devotion and purification.Psychologically and spiritually, these trance states function as culturally supported dissociative experiences and communal catharsis. They allow participants to transcend ordinary consciousness, channel symbolic divine power, and release personal and collective suffering. The festival becomes a powerful expression of embodied spirituality, uniting body, mind, and spirit in a shared ritual of protection and renewal.In this episode, Dolnaras, Ommi shares her 20-year journey of serving as a medium during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, where a female deity enters her body to offer blessings and joy to others. She describes how the deity guides her toward the people who need her touch and how this non-ordinary state of consciousness has deepened her appreciation for both the human experience and the realms beyond it.Through this cultivated balance between the spiritual and the everyday, Ommi has learned to support others in their healing—not only during trance states but also in her daily life.ดลณรัสม์ กีรติวุฒิพงศ์ (Ommi):Dolnaras Geerativudhipong is a Holistic Health Therapist specializing in Thai Sappaya Aromatherapy and Reiki Energy Healing. Her integrative approach blends the ancient wisdom of Thai Sappaya Medicine with the therapeutic properties of aromatic Thai herbs and essential oils to restore harmony and natural balance to the body, mind, and spirit.Through the art of scent and herbal therapy, Ommi guides individuals toward inner peace and emotional clarity. Each session offers a gentle, sensory journey that soothes the heart, nurtures the senses, and awakens the body’s innate capacity for healing. By combining the core principles of Thai Sappaya—emphasizing comfort, balance, and mindfulness in all aspects of life—with the restorative energy flow of Reiki, Ommi’s sessions cultivate sustainable wellness and a deeper connection to self-awareness.Special Thanks to:Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast ProductionRyan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo DesignDavid Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival, or Nine Emperor Gods Festival, is a Taoist ritual held each October in southern Thailand. Though known for its strict vegetarianism and purification practices, it is equally defined by trance and mediumship. Ma Song (“spirit horses”) enter altered states believed to be deity or ancestor possession, performing acts like cheek-piercing or fire-walking without pain—seen as devotion and purification.Psychologically and spiritually, these trance states function as culturally supported dissociative experiences and communal catharsis. They allow participants to transcend ordinary consciousness, channel symbolic divine power, and release personal and collective suffering. The festival becomes a powerful expression of embodied spirituality, uniting body, mind, and spirit in a shared ritual of protection and renewal.At just 14 years old, Kornrawee (Nok) entered her first trance during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival—a moment that terrified her, transformed her, and ultimately shaped the trajectory of her life.In this episode, Nok shares what it felt like when a deity first took over her body, how she learned to communicate with and honor that presence, and the courageous decision she later made to ask it to leave so she could pursue a career in law.Now an attorney in Bangkok, Nok continues to hold deep reverence for the deities of the festival and the Buddhist traditions that guided her early experiences. Her story is a profound reflection on finding balance between the spiritual and the worldly—and honoring both with integrity.A rare and intimate glimpse into trance, tradition, and the choices that shape a life.ฉันเป็นทนายความ ได้รับใบอนุญาตถูกต้องตามกฎหมาย สามารถว่าความได้ทั่ว ประเทศไทยฉันเรียนจบปริญญาตรีนิติศาสตร์จากมหาวิทยาลัย ในปี พ.ศ. 2556 และได้รับใบอนุญาต ให้เป็นทนายความเมื่อ พ.ศ. 2562ตอนนี้ฉันเป็นทนายความได้ 7 ปี แล้วค่ะ(Kornrawee is a licensed attorney, legally able to practice law throughout Thailand. She graduated with a Bachelor of Law from the University of Bangkok in 2013 and received her legal license in 2019. She been a lawyer for seven years now).Special Thanks to:- Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast Production- Ryan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo Design- David Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music

In this powerful conversation, audio/video producer & musical artist Konstantin Alexander joins me to share how he discovered that trauma therapy—not cannabis—was the true elixir on his healing path.We explore:• How self-medication can mask deeper pain• Why anxiety sometimes increases before healing begins• The courage it takes to turn toward trauma instead of away from it• How authentic transformation starts with self-acceptanceA vulnerable, wise, and deeply human dialogue about what real healing asks of us.Healing is possible—no matter the depth of the wound.For More about Konstantin, his music and his work, check out: Production: kastudioshq.com/Original Music: https://open.spotify.com/track/6qSNeGTm3UU43erndglFZX?si=1b51dc5591d840abSpecial Thanks to:Ryan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo DesignDavid Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music

In this episode, I speak with Jake Dimmock, a longtime Seattle resident, U.S. Merchant Seaman turned cannabis pioneer, and co-founder of one of the nation’s first medical marijuana dispensaries—the Northwest Patient Resource Center.Jake reflects on his unexpected journey from working tugboats on both U.S. coasts to becoming a leader in medical cannabis. He shares how his perspective shifted beyond the idea of “just getting high” toward recognizing cannabis as a powerful—though complex—tool for healing.Our conversation explores:• How cannabis can support mental health, particularly for people living with PTSD.• Why cannabis helps some but not all—and the importance of remembering that no treatment is universal.• The fascinating role cannabis plays in dreaming: disrupting or suppressing dream recall, sometimes relieving nightmares, but potentially interfering with deeper healing for others.Jake offers a grounded perspective on cannabis as both an elixir and an interferer, reminding us that its impact is highly individual.Special Thanks to:- Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast Production- Ryan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo Design- David Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music

In this episode, Dharma teacher Erin Treat shares her perspective on the ever-changing nature of healing. She likens the process to surfing a wave—calling for presence, adaptability, and courage to stay on its leading edge. Erin encourages us to move beyond fixed methods and instead bring curiosity, innovation, and deep listening into our practice. Together, we explore how mindfulness, compassion, and spiritual practice help us navigate life’s constant shifts and keep the healing journey alive and effective.Special Thanks to:Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast ProductionRyan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo DesignDavid Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music

In this episode, trauma therapist and Buddhist practitioner Tom Faupl shares his powerful experience in a high-dose psilocybin clinical trial. He describes it as both the hardest and most transformative day of his life, revealing the profound healing potential of psychedelics when held in a trauma-informed way.Tom and Karen explore the importance of sustained integration support and the role of the subtle body—an energetic, psychospiritual dimension recognized in traditions like Buddhism, Hinduism, and Yoga. They discuss how psychedelics can open deeper awareness of this subtle body, and why honoring and integrating this embodied knowledge is essential for true healing.Special Thanks to:Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast ProductionRyan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo DesignDavid Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music

In this episode, I speak with David Weinstein—founding teacher of the Rockridge Meditation Community, teacher at the Pacific Zen Institute, and psychotherapist. David shares his unexpected entry into Buddhism and psychedelics, beginning with childhood mind experiments, LSD in college, and a chance encounter in a German bar that led him across Nepal, Afghanistan, Japan, and beyond.He describes how the teachings of Lama Zopa and Lama Yeshe on death and suffering drew him deeper into Tibetan practice, extended retreats, and later into Zen koans, shikantaza, and Morita psychotherapy. David sees psychedelics not as permanent tools, but as bridges—“for crossing, not carrying”—that can open insight when paired with meditation and integration.We explore how psychedelic states, trauma, and awakening experiences can dissolve identity, making community and integration essential. David emphasizes gentleness in practice, belonging, and keeping the mind open with his guiding mantra: “make your mind a question mark.”Special Thanks to: Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast Production Ryan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo DesignDavid Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music

A podcast exploring the meeting point of trauma therapy, psychedelic medicine, and Buddhist wisdom and how weaving them together can transform healing and our relationship to suffering. Learn more at karensprinkel.com.Special Thanks to:Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast Production Ryan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo DesignDavid Starfire (davidstarfire.com) - Music