MINDBEND EPISODE 45 - MEDITATION, SSRI CESSATION, LIBERATION with ANDREA MONIER I am honored to welcome my dear friend Andrea Monier to the Mindbend podcast. Together, we dive into the transformative journey of meditation as Andrea shares how her personal experiences with anxiety led her to explore meditation as a necessity, not just a practice. Over time, her curiosity evolved into a lifelong passion, guiding her to study the nuances of mindfulness, Kriya Yoga, and internal family systems.

To me, part of what defines Andrea's scholarship is her ability to integrate neuroscience, storytelling, and spirituality into her work, offering a holistic approach to self-discovery. From her own struggles with trauma and healing to helping others navigate their inner landscapes, Andrea has created a bridge between ancient teachings and contemporary modalities, making meditation accessible and deeply personal.

In our conversation, we touch on the power of presence, the courage to face our shadows, and how cultivating a relationship with ourselves can transform every other connection in our lives. Please listen to hear Andrea’s inspiring insights on finding peace, purpose, and integration through the art and work of meditation.

Follow Andrea Monier:

Instagram: @an_dream_onier

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Website: www.mymindbend.org

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Diego Ugalde is a repeat guest on Mindbend. The founder of The Trident Approach, and author of the book LEADING FROM THE DEEP, the last time on the show Diego discussed more of his own journey and integration of medicine work, and how lessons learned from the SEAL Teams translate into leadership training.

Diego has returned on this episode to tell us about the most powerful medicine he's encountered, which is connection. And how he has formed WARRIORSIDE as an academy to train veterans to become elite level storytellers, who may parlay this skillset into a career of public speaking, or simply show up better for the aspects of their current employment and daily lives that demand high level communication skills.

This, from the Warriorside website:

Warriorside is a veteran-owned 501 (c)(3) that stands with those who’ve served and now fight battles no one can see. In a world where veteran suicide and depression claim too many lives, we’ve discovered a plan of attack more powerful than therapy or medication: Connection.

Through the timeless art of storytelling, Warriorside brings veterans together to share their raw, unfiltered experiences—stories forged in courage, brother and sisterhood, and sacrifice through live on-stage performances. These connections transcend words, reigniting purpose, and resilience. Join us in this episode to learn more about how you too might become invovled with Warriorside.

Follow Diego Ugalde and Warriorside:

Instagram: @thewarriorside

Website: warriorsidefoundation.org

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Watch Full Episode on YouTube: @mymindbend

Website: www.mymindbend.org

This is an Operation Podcast production, connect with us @operationpodcast

Our guest on EP.43 of MINDBEND is Shane Norte, founder of Church of the People for Creator and Mother Earth. Shane is someone I've wanted to visit with for some time now. It's not every day that I meet a native person who has opened their home on tribal land to facilitate medicine ceremonies for anyone in need who is able to honor and respect the process and the container, and is also in optimal physical condition so as to maximize the benefits of the work.

During our conversation, Shane shares his unfiltered insights into the psychedelic community and the challenges of integrating Native values into modern healing spaces. Shane candidly explores the dichotomy between ceremonial reverence and party culture within the psychedelic movement, questioning whether the industry is truly walking the walk when it comes to inclusion and authenticity.

Shane also discusses the unique model of his church, which offers free, earth-based ceremonies grounded in Native traditions. He reflects on the broader societal disconnect from nature and how reconnecting to the land can foster humility, healing, and community.

This episode offers a provocative lens on the state of psychedelics today, the importance of uncomfortable conversations, and the enduring wisdom of Native voices. It’s a call to action for those seeking depth, truth, and genuine transformation.

Follow Shane Norte:

Website: churchofthepeopleforcreatorandmotherearth

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Watch Full Episode on YouTube: @mymindbend

Website: www.mymindbend.org

This is an Operation Podcast production, connect with us @operationpodcast

Dr. Sarah Abedi shares her incredible journey from emergency medicine to psychedelic advocacy in this episode of the MINDBEND podcast.

Reflecting on her time in one of the country’s busiest emergency rooms during the pandemic, Dr. Abedi unpacks the systemic failures that inspired her to rethink the role of prevention and holistic healing in modern healthcare. Her personal struggles with burnout and misalignment led her to explore the transformative power of psychedelics—a path that has redefined her approach to medicine.

Dr. Abedi discusses the potential of psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA to address root causes of trauma and chronic disease, emphasizing the importance of integration and community in the healing process. Drawing from her work on groundbreaking initiatives like Treat California, she highlights the urgent need for equitable access to psychedelic therapies, especially for marginalized communities.

Join us as we explore Dr. Abedi’s compassionate vision for the future of medicine, where science and spirituality coexist to support human thriving. Her insights challenge us to think beyond the confines of traditional healthcare and embrace a more connected, preventative, and holistic approach to healing.

Follow Dr. Sarah Abedi:

Instagram: @sarahabedimd

Website: sarahabedimd.com

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Watch Full Episode on YouTube: @mymindbend

Website: www.mymindbend.org

This is an Operation Podcast production, connect with us @operationpodcast

On EP.41 of MINDBEND, singer/songwriter and psychedelic journeyman Mendeleyev takes us on a trip through his unique upbringing, marked by family-bonding experiences with psychedelics and he details the profound ways they, and his circle of family friends have influenced his artistry.

Lev was raised in a family that used psychedelics intentionally as part of a rite of passage. He shares how these early experiences introduced him to altered states of consciousness and shaped his personal philosophy, all while honoring a culture of safety and open communication. His stories of “family trips” provide an intimate look at the power of psychedelics to deepen connections and foster self-awareness.

As a musician and songwriter, Mendeleev explores the role of altered states in his creative process. Right when this episode is published, he will be on the verge of releasing his upcoming album, Family Trips, a project born from psychedelic-fueled solo sessions in which he recorded vocalizations influenced by LSD, MDA, 2C-B and other compounds. With no added production effects, the album aims to capture the raw, transformative energy of these sessions, offering listeners a window into a private, deeply emotional world.

Lev delves into the challenges of recording and integrating these moments into his artistry, revealing a vulnerability that resonates beyond the music. Our conversation moves into broader cultural insights as Mendeleev reflects on the shifting landscape of psychedelic acceptance. He shares his thoughts on the importance of set and setting, his cautious optimism about the medicalization of psychedelics, and the challenges faced by communities advocating for responsible psychedelic use. Together, we examine the delicate balance between mainstream integration and preserving the sacred aspects of these substances.

I appreciated Lev's willingness to share about what I really consider to be a unique rearing, with a family that intentionally integrated psychedelics into their experience, and the cast of characters that populated his world from a young age, including psychedelic legend Ram Dass. From navigating creative blockages to building resilience, this episode shines a light on the intersections of family, art, and conscious exploration.

Follow Mendeleev Instagram: @mendeleyev

Website: levsongs.com

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Watch Full Episode on YouTube: @mymindbend

Website: www.mymindbend.org

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Thank you so much to Yossef Sagi for coming through the studio to share his story. Yossef, among many other things, is the founder of The Mystery Temple, an organization that curates intentional events for exploration of the psyche through recognition and affirmation of desire, kink, and things often considered taboo. Consent is paramount and the safety of attendees is at the forefront of everyone's minds, and they work to build progressive and radically inclusive containers.

Yossef's road to leadership in this space has its roots in his background as a longtime student and teacher of Kabbalah. Knowing that there were untapped sources of happiness and pleasure in his own life, he discovered a powerfully relevant guiding light in the form of a text gifted to him, entitled "The Multi-Orgasmic Man." From there, training in tantric practices led Yossef further down the path towards his own sexual enlightenment, as he has continued to hold space for others as they endeavor to come into their own erotic energies and power.

Yossef was exceptionally open during our conversation, which ranged from sources of illness and suffering in the body, the subjectivity of mystical experiences, shame around the body and the body's desires, and the need for paradigm-shifting experiences to break old and limiting beliefs.

It can still be uncomfortable to talk about sex. There is plenty of stigma surrounding the topic, the questions one may have may long go unanswered when knowledge and open discourse can work to bring so much more clarity and empowerment. At MINDBEND we believe that conversations around the states of non-ordinary consciousness that can be experienced, through the conscious engagement of one's own sexuality, can help to make for safer and more fulfilling lives.

Follow Yossef Sagi

Instagram: @yossefsagi

Website: linktr.ee/YossefSagi

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Website: www.mymindbend.org

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It may be cheap to refer to the amazingly talented duo known as The Cosmic Romantics as "Psychedelic Magicians," but I certainly found their routine to be "mindbending" when I first caught them at the Black Rabbit Rose, unexpectedly, in Los Angeles. And when I approached them about being on a podcast that often discusses psychedelic medicine and other forms of "non-ordinary consciousness," they were right at home with the idea.

Magic has always fascinated me, and on a recent trip to the Magic Castle, I experienced what could only be described as a state of perpetual "stun." I was stunned by this trick, stunned by the next. I was just about dizzy by the time we left from the shock that my senses endured as one skilled practitioner after the other left me searching for answers, exhausted from pondering the up close and impossible.

Whatever it is that they do, magicians reach into something secret and sublime, and then share their discoveries with those fortunate enough to find themselves in the audience of a legit performance. And thankfully they were willing to be my captive audience for an hour's discussion on what our minds are all about, the demands of the craft, and even their own experiences with mind altering substances, leading to revelations that have informed who they are as people, and performers.

From their website: Elizabeth Messick and Eric Thirstin (The Cosmic Romantics) perform world class magic with the flair of an old vaudevillian duo. They are regulars at the Magic Castle in Hollywood and recently fooled their childhood heroes Penn & Teller.

Follow The Cosmic Romantics.

Instagram: @thecosmicromantics

Website: thecosmicromantics.com

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Watch Full Episode on YouTube: @mindbendpodcast

Website: www.mymindbend.org

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Christopher Solomon aka "Salvia Healings" on Instagram, is a somatic Salvia guide, teacher, and inventor of a pipe that aids in the mindful exploration of Salvia Divinorum. He has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Texas at Dallas, and received his training in somatic psychotherapy from the Hakomi Institute of California in their comprehensive 2 year training certification.

Christopher has been working with Salvia for over 10 years, and guiding group and individual Salvia sessions for over 5 years. In 2020 he decided to start guiding people on Salvia sessions via Zoom, which means he can work with clients from the comfort of their own home.

Christopher's main goal is to teach people how to use Salvia for themselves in a manner that is supportive, informative, and empowering.

I was excited to visit with Christopher because I really appreciated his thoughtful, reverential and unsensational approach to sharing the wisdom of salvia. It is clear that most of the easily found content on YouTube, etc. about Salvia is really low-vibe buffoonery, glorifying the irresponsible use of a very powerful plant medicine with the potential to create lasting positive change in the lives, hearts and minds of human beings.

Follow Salvia Healings: Instagram: @salviahealings

Website: salviahealings.com

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Watch Full Episode on YouTube: @mindbendpodcast

Website: www.mymindbend.org

This is an Operation Podcast production, connect with us @operationpodcast