MUD/WTR: Trends with Benefits

In a since-deleted "fact sheet," D.A.R.E claimed marijuana had no medical value, weakened the immune system and caused insanity. But as Shakespeare said, "at the length the truth will out" and we now know the War on Drugs was more about criminalizing certain groups of people than keeping the public safe. Whether you need help recovering from addiction, want access to healing or just don't want to...

Rick Doblin, PhD, (@rickdoblin) is the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). He received his doctorate in public policy from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, where he wrote his dissertation on the regulation of the medical uses of psychedelics and marijuana and his master's thesis on a survey of oncologists about smoked marijuana...

Melatonin is the OG sleep support. But does it benefit you?  Maybe it's time to transition your relationship in order to explore something more compatible. Something that understands your moods and knows exactly what your body needs. Mushroom boost by MUD\WTR is here to support immunity, vitality and mental sharpness. The powder is a blend of eight mushrooms: lion's mane, cordyceps, chaga, reishi,...

Dan Siegel suggests "investing in a relational trust fund" by knowing how to make someone feel safe, seen, and soothed.  But what if we could create secure attachment beyond our one-to-one relationships to create security in our homes, our communities, and the wider world?  We have to dream it before we can build it. Mushroom boost by MUD\WTR is here to support immunity, vitality and mental sharpn...

David Satori ( @davidsatori ) is one of the Beats Antique trio and co-creator of the band, Dirtwire. Born in Burlington VT, David was inspired by the rich local music scene and started playing guitar and drums at the age of 13. David produced his first original album with his band Bubble Tribe in 1997 as a senior in high school and went on to study music at CalArts in Los Angeles, graduating with...

Who do you depend on?  Who depends on you?  If those questions make you squirm, you might want to get to know Anxious and Avoidant's golden older sibling, Secure Attachment. What would make you feel safe enough to let down your walls and invite connection in? Mushroom boost by MUD\WTR is here to support immunity, vitality and mental sharpness. The powder is a blend of eight mushrooms: lion's mane,...

James Clear laid it out nicely for all of us: we're motivated to be lazy and we might as well embrace it.  You don't get brownie points for struggling, the real reward is having enough energy left over to enjoy all the progress you're making. Mushroom boost by MUD\WTR is here to support immunity, vitality and mental sharpness. The powder is a blend of eight mushrooms: lion's mane, cordyceps, chaga...

Sara Russell & Kyle Thiermann are the co-hosts of Trends w/ Benefits. In this pod they chat about all things pleasure activism, cold plunging, and books they've loved. Sara is a relationship coach, dancer and taoist. Kyle is a professional big wave surfer, hunter and MUD\WTR's copywriter. How they're friends, we still have no idea. "Mushroom boost by MUD\WTR is here to support immunity, vitality a...

Cacao and mushrooms are in the kind of committed relationship we all long for. They support and bring out the best in each other while still kicking ass on their own. There's a good reason why they've worked together so long and you probably want to get in on the action. If you dig this podcast please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts . It takes less than 60 seconds and helps a bunch. For wee...

Mantak Chia's "five elements healing sounds" is a Taoist practice that uses sounds to purge stagnant energy and colors to tonify energy.  Today we'll focus on the heart, using the sound "haaa" to purge impatience and hastiness and the color red to cultivate compassion and joy. If you dig this podcast please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts . It takes less than 60 seconds and helps a bunch. F...

Would you pass the Marshmallow Test? You know, the one where you can gobble up your reward immediately or wait and double your pleasure. Whether it's easy for you to delay gratification or impossible to not fixate may depend in part on whether you have OCD, OCPD, or just a highly ritualized routine. If you dig this podcast please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts . It takes less than 60 secon...

Dede Flemming is the co-founder of The Do LaB and Lightning in A Bottle. Dede's passion for facilitating creativity and bringing the artistic visions of his partners to life has played an integral role both in the success of The Do LaB, and the art festival he also co-founded, Lightning in a Bottle. After his global travels affirmed the importance of integrating art into communities far and wide,...

Resilience is the ability to be both strong and flexible, but if you've ever lifted weights or dabbled with yoga, you know gains don't happen overnight. Resiliency is a practice. In this episode, I share some rituals you can add to your daily routine that can help you bounce back after life knocks you down. What could be possible if you connected with nature before going to work, or checked in wit...

This episode is with East Forest, ( @Eastforest ) a musician who uses sound to guide audiences through psychedelic states of consciousness. Kyle attended one of East Forest's concerts, then sat down with him for this interview at his hotel the following day.  I took pieces from this interview as well as time at the show to write this reported profile piece which you can read at Trendswithbenefits....

"The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao."  And yet, we attempt to have a conversation about that most nameless of mysteries, Taoism. In this episode, we take a break from duality and step into doing-without-doing, as we explore the ancient Chinese philosophy. Krishnamurti once wrote, "It's no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society." Trends w/ Benefits is an exp...

Even Albert Einstein thought of himself as an "involuntary swindler." No wonder the rest of us feel like we're faking it but never going to make it. Here are five ways you can stop trying so hard to convince everyone that you're worth it, and instead start actually believing it for yourself. Krishnamurti once wrote, "It's no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society." Tren...

In this episode, we continue to explore Mantak Chia's Five Elements Healing Sounds. It's a taoist practice that uses sounds to purge stagnant energy from the body, and colors to tonify.  Today we'll focus on the liver using the "shh" sound to purge anger and frustration, and the color green to cultivate kindness and creativity. Krishnamurti once wrote, "It's no measure of health to be well-adjuste...

It's time to send your inner critic to bed with no dessert. Maybe you worry that you're too much; maybe you worry that you're not enough. Either way, swimming in your shortcomings isn't doing you any favors. In this episode I explain why it's not you that's inadequate and how to overcome those feelings when they arise. Krishnamurti once wrote, "It's no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a pr...

Shane Heath ( @SoManyPossibilities ) is the founder of the coffee alternative company, MUD\WTR. Speaking with Kyle Thiermann, Heath recounts the brand's origin story, how psychedelics have played into MUD\WTR's vision and much more.   The Trends w/ Benefits Podcast has two formats— :microdose  and  :macrodose  episodes. :microdose episodes are short-form monologues with Sara Russell. Sara blends a...

While taking flight on a psychedelic journey, one clinical psychologist suggests, "Go wherever it takes you. Climb staircases, open doors, explore paths, fly over landscapes." It's one of many mantras for life that Michael Pollan offers in his book How to Change Your Mind. In this episode, I share five ways Pollan's book opened my mind about how to open my mind. Krishnamurti once wrote, "It's no m...

In this episode, we continue to explore Mantak Chia's Five Elements Healing Sounds. It's a taoist practice that uses sounds to purge stagnant energy from the body, and colors to tonify.  Today we'll focus on the kidneys, using the sound "choo" to purge fear and insecurity, and the color blue to cultivate peace and tranquility. Krishnamurti once wrote, "It's no measure of health to be well-adjusted...

There's a famous saying in Taoism: There's my way, there's your way and there's the way. In order to fight fair, you need to build enough awareness to be able to see the truth of all three. Learn how to tell a big picture story that allows everyone to feel seen, heard and understood. Krishnamurti once wrote, "It's no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society." Trends w/ Be...

Chris Keener heads up the burgeoning film and video mouthpiece within MUD\WTR known as MUD\FILMS. As founder and principal of two production companies—Goldenbear and Goodfight Media—Chris has created content for outlets like National Geographic, Discovery Channel, ESPN, and the Travel Channel. Chris also facilitates transformative experiences by connecting people to the power of their breath. He c...

What do you desire? What does desire feel like in your body? How do you want to direct your desire? In part 1, we worked on clearing our energy fields for cultivating our sexual energy. In part 2, we take a few deep breaths and practice some pelvic floor pullups. Krishnamurti once wrote, "It's no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society." Trends w/ Benefits is an explorat...

In this episode, we introduce Mantak Chia's Five Elements Healing Sounds. It's a taoist practice that uses sounds to purge stagnant energy from the body, and colors to tonify. Today we'll focus on the lungs, using the "sss" sound to purge grief and sadness, and the color white to cultivate courage and inspiration. Krishnamurti once wrote, "It's no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoun...