Healthy Living Through Adversity part 3 with Cain Velasquez

What if your hardest moments are actually training you for the life you want? We sit down with Cain Velasquez to unpack how breathwork, meditation, and carefully held plant medicine experiences can turn hair-trigger reactions into grounded, loving choices you trust.

Cain describes his heart-opening work with ayahuasca and a profound 5-MaO-DMT near-death experience that revealed a felt sense of oneness and radical compassion. But the most important takeaway is what happens after ceremony: bringing insight back into daily life, where breath and accountability meet conflict, boredom, and pressure. We talk through the mechanics of triggers—tight muscles, shallow breath, racing thoughts—and how big, relaxed breathing restores oxygen, widens perspective, and interrupts the spiral. From there, meditation sharpens awareness so you can feel emotions fully, trace them to their roots, and let them move through instead of calcifying into armor.

Cain also breaks down holotropic breathwork: fast, rhythmic breathing over extended sessions that can surface and release stored tension, sometimes with the intensity of compressed therapy. He shares facilitation tips, what “hitting the wall” feels like, and how to find your rhythm safely. The throughline is empowering: the healer is within. When adversity arrives, accept it as essential, ask what it’s teaching, breathe into the discomfort, and choose from your highest values. We close with simple, durable practices—daily breath, modest meditation, gratitude, and service—that make resilience a habit, not a hope.

If this resonates, follow the show, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway so we can bring more conversations like this to you.

Intro for podcast

information about subscriptions

Transcript

Setting The Stage: Adversity

SPEAKER_00 0:10

Oh, well, hello and welcome back to the Healthy Living Podcast. I'm your host, Joe Grumbine, and today we're going to be doing episode three of Healthy Living Through Adversity. And we have Juan currently incarcerated with us as a guest. And we also have another inmate named Kane, and he's going to be joining us today as we talk about childhood adversity and the tools to overcome trauma. Juan, welcome back. How are you doing today?

SPEAKER_06 0:46

I'm doing great. I'm doing great. Thank you very much. And thank you for having me on.

SPEAKER_00 0:50

Oh, it's my pleasure. I think we're reaching a lot of people with this conversation. And uh, you know, I believe we can help make a difference out there.

SPEAKER_06 1:02

Exactly, exactly. Yeah, that's that's the uh that's the plan is to uh is to share you know our life experiences and share what's helped ourselves, you know, overcome that adversity and um share that with with other people and hopefully it can um get some people uh you know give some people some tools, some uh peace of mind as well.

SPEAKER_00 1:23

Yeah, I was speaking with somebody yesterday about our conversation, and she was actually knowledgeable. She's studying to be a psychologist, and she completely agreed with what we were talking about. She thought it was really good work.

SPEAKER_07 1:39

Yes, yes. That's that's amazing, that's amazing.

SPEAKER_00 1:43

So um Kane's gonna be joining us. Why don't you tell us a little bit about him?

Introducing Kane And His Path

SPEAKER_06 1:50

Yeah, so yeah, um the this is who's talking. This is Kane. Um hey Kane, how's it going? Um I'm doing well, thank you. Um yeah, my name's Kane Velazquez. I uh I'm uh people a lot of people know me from being a a former two-time uh UFC heavyweight champion. And um after my fighting career, um I try to get into um holistic medicine, so uh psychedelic plant medicine, and along with that, um we'll get into more of uh uh of a spiritual uh uh practice. So whatever type of uh spirituality, along with uh different types of uh religions and uh and theologies and um I started just looking more about the the mind and the soul and uh what's uh what the bigger picture is of uh of us being here.

SPEAKER_00 2:48

That's powerful stuff. We were talking uh the last episode about childhood adversity and trauma and um some of the tools that can help uh an individual to regulate some of the impulses and um overcome you know the the lizard brain taking over and and acting without thinking. Um I'd like to get some of your thoughts about that.

Plant Medicine Opens The Heart

SPEAKER_06 3:19

Well, um so my first uh my first big breakthrough I would say where I felt like I got a lot of learning um all up at once. And I'm not saying this is for everybody, but it it it it really worked for me. I think I was I was ready uh at this time. Um my mind really got opened up with with uh psychedelic plant medicine. Um where I I all of a sudden had a lot of learning. I um my my heart opened up a lot more. Like I was uh I was more conscious uh of everything at that at that moment and um in doing so and practicing with that. Um practice is in in real life without without without anything, without any substance. It's uh it's a constant work. Um of yourself, you know, self-regulation. So so I I really opened up to that and I and um it's it's proven that the uh psychedelic plant medicine um it it will it will stop the um call your brain that um that's uh that that does the uh the program, you know, where you have a program set within your mind. Um where you constantly uh give a sort of uh certain reaction to something over and over again once you've uh accumulated this this reaction over time. Um so I felt like I was I started new and I and I I was really present at each moment that um I was more controlled to this call and your telephone number will be monitored and recorded. Well I was more controlled to uh and react in a certain way that I wanted to. So I I would uh if I wanted to react in in in the highest timeline that I could, um I felt like I I was able to. And part of it plant medicine and also meditation, a lot of meditation.

SPEAKER_00 5:26

Um let me ask you um with the plant medicine, I work with a lot of plant medicine, and I I sit with Peyote and and um Wachuma regularly. In fact, tomorrow we're gonna be sitting with Wachuma. Um, and agree. Um, it takes you to a place where you know your heart opens up, you become very aware of your own being and others around you. Um, which medicines were you sitting with?

SPEAKER_06 5:53

So I I had two really profound experiences. Um one with uh one with ayahuasca.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

Okay.

SPEAKER_06 6:01

Um I sat with ayahuasca, and yes, um what that really taught me was to open up my heart a lot more um to um like I appreciated everyone in my life, everyone on this earth at this moment, and know that everyone has um purpose here. And they're serving out the purpose, whether it's good, whether it's bad, it it doesn't matter. It's it's it's all something to learn from and appreciate. So I appreciated everybody for being here at this moment and everybody who's who's ever taught me or taught uh had some kind of experience with me ever. Um and I would say one of the most important things was that the pr that the present moment is working for me. My uh my higher power, uh the great I am, God, the creator, the universe is all working for me to grow. Grow in a way that I know myself, that that I can live in compassion and love and that anything is possible and and the best thing is the best thing that is possible is is to live out of love. Um so that's what that's what ayahuasca taught me.

Near‑Death Insight And Oneness

SPEAKER_00 7:19

Um that's a powerful lesson.

SPEAKER_06 7:23

Yes, yes. Um and then I also sat with uh with uh 5MEO DMT uh the the Sonoran toad. Um so I'm part I'm part Yaqui, I'm part Yaqui native. Um so I grew up in Arizona, I grew up in the Sonoran desert and I had I had a great death experience with that, uh a near death experience with with that medicine. Um and it really just showed me who who I was. And Hawaii.

SPEAKER_00 7:59

So you're talking about Buffo.

SPEAKER_06 8:01

Buffo, yes, Bufo uh Various, yes.

SPEAKER_00 8:05

That's beautiful. I I work with a Yaki Roadman and we sit in the teepee with uh Peyote um with this Yaqui R Yaki man.

SPEAKER_06 8:16

Yes, yes. So so I had uh uh a near this experience with that. Um well I I let go of all the earthly things, you know. I I had a full just let go, a full release of myself and everything that I that I thought I knew. And um I I expanded to the universe, I became everything else, so I had this this profound knowing that um there's only one being here, one conscious here, and it lives in everything and in everyone. And I'm here with myself and all these different versions of myself I'm interacting with all the time. How do I want to treat myself? That's what love and compassion and and and sharing wisdom and and and respect.

SPEAKER_00 9:59

Wow, that's a lot to to hang on to. Um and and and yet it's it's the truth. Um you know it's it's interesting when you sit with these medicines, you're in a place that's uh safe in your own mind, in your heart, whatever the people you're around. But then you go back out into the world and you have to think about you know these lessons or these experiences. How do you carry this with you now when you're you know where you're where you're at?

Carrying Lessons Inside Prison

SPEAKER_06 10:31

Yeah, so obvious um so for me to get uh to get to this place where I'm at now, I've obviously made, you know, made made mistakes and it was just a higher level of learning, um uh something that you know I got I got put in a position where it was probably the hardest lesson for me. And um but also knowing that the road that I'm on right now and me being here was essential for for my growth. Me being in prison has been essential for my growth. I've been able to show uh kindness and compassion to people that I never thought I would be showing, you know, and and and expressing to. Um and uh have shared a lot of healing with with the men here. So how I carry this these lessons from from plant medicine with me is that I know the work is done here in uh in life, in in in the 3D. So um not about going back to the medicine all the time. That's that's not what it is about. Uh doing the work.

SPEAKER_09 11:43

This call and your telephone number will be monitored and recorded.

SPEAKER_06 11:49

Doing the work with yourself around other people and and teaching and sharing and um enjoying yourself with with with with nothing else but yourself, you know. You don't need any type of uh a physical thing, um, you know, money or or anything like that. You can just have just be pure happiness if you choose to be. It's it's really possible for everyone to to do that. And happiness and love and compassion is is abundant. It's it's for everyone and it's as much as you want, you can have. Um so I believe just again everything that's gone through my life has been essential for for my growth.

Tools: Choosing Growth Through Pain

SPEAKER_00 12:34

Wow, that's amazing that you that you're able to get that. I I I am aware as well that adversity is where we can grow from. I I just overcame cancer and I had a huge growth lesson for myself. And I I I understand exactly what you're saying and that you've chosen that way. It's powerful. I I think you're gonna be um able to reach a lot of people with these conversations and just the work you're doing. That's fantastic. So is there a tool in particular? Um, for example, uh Juan was telling me that you know recently he had a situation where um he he came upon another individual and there was a misunderstanding that likely would have led to an altercation, a problem that you know he felt his fight or flight, his uh amygdala taken over, and he was able to catch himself in breathing and and work himself through it. Do you have a tool that um you work with that you think you could share with our listeners?

SPEAKER_06 13:43

Well, for me, the number one tool is is I would say for me first that steps in always in every situation is is understanding is that ad uh adversity is essential for for your growth. Without adversity, there is no growth. We have to go through these experiences of being uncomfortable, we have to go through these experiences of of trauma, um of of of being stagnant, you know, uh of feeling uh like depression, all these all these things are essential for our growth. Without them, if we're just living in very comfortable existence, um then there really is no growth. There really is nothing to rise above.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

So we can find well Ad and I um it it looks like we lost him, but he'll be calling back. Um what a powerful testimony, huh?

SPEAKER_02 14:46

Yes, definitely. And it's so nice just to see him as a person, you know, because like you said, a lot of people know him.

unknown 14:54

Right.

SPEAKER_02 14:54

Like an actually champion.

SPEAKER_00 14:57

He's a champion uh UFC fighter that is uh a well-known name in certain circles. So for him to um, you know, number one, be be incarcerated and and you know uh a lot of people, you know, especially people that have that have made some kind of something from themselves and find themselves in a bad way, they they go down a dark hole and maybe never come back out. But it sounds like he's really um owning it and and looking to uh better himself and others.

SPEAKER_03 15:29

Definitely. Yeah, and he also um he does like breathing workshops in there, so it's cool how he's bringing all of the knowledge that he knows and um from his career into the facility as well and helping others.

SPEAKER_00 15:45

Yeah, I'm looking forward. I think he's gonna um be sort of a regular on the on this series, I'm hoping, anyways. He's got a lot to share between him and one and and possibly others. I think that um we're really on to something here.

SPEAKER_01 16:01

Yes, definitely. Uh let me see if I can get them back, and you guys will have the floor again.

SPEAKER_00 16:09

Absolutely. Absolutely. So for those of you listening, um, you know, this is a series where we're talking about oh, I think they're back. All right. You guys both back here?

SPEAKER_06 16:25

Um excuse me. It's uh it's it's it's Kane.

Process, Don’t Suppress Emotions

SPEAKER_00 16:27

Oh, beautiful. All right, Kane. Well, why don't we pick up where you left off? You were telling us about um uh growth through adversity and and just um a point of reference, it's like you know, when you're training um you know, in your sport, if you don't work yourself to the point where you hurt, you're never gonna get stronger, right?

SPEAKER_06 16:49

Yeah, yeah, and that's and that's how it is with uh with um emotional adversity, you know, um trauma as well. Um everything can can be overcome and and it's a part of our process to to go within to overcome. You know, it's not it's not a thing of uh relying on outside sources, you know, like upside outside substances, you know, drugs, alcohol, or even outside people, you know, relationships, um um chasing chasing well. Um that's not gonna make you happy, like a uh a relationship will not make you happy unless unless you're happy first.

SPEAKER_00 17:30

That is a powerful truth right there.

SPEAKER_06 17:33

Yeah. Yeah, that's just something to kind of fill the void, you know. Um that we need certain things um on the exterior to make us happy. Um so adversity it's it's it's all in us to overcome these things and that's why we're here in in life is to uh it's to grow, right? It's to grow. Like you became in here a certain way, things that have happened to us that are bad. Um, but it's all a moment to grow. And um So the number one thing for me is to know that everything that's happened to me is essential. And then the next step is okay, what is this teaching me? You know, I'm in this altercation with this person. What is it teaching me? What is that? Now uh now I have to examine what what that is and where the root cause of that is. So it's a sense of processing that other than I think you know, try to shut out those feelings and not feel that, now now what we're doing is is counteracting that and we're we're holding that in. So those things that we hold in, you know, will do certain things to us, and uh they'll turn into like diseases. Also they'll um come out later. They'll explode much later, you know, they're like like like a volcano. So thing of accepting those things that are happening within you, processing them, you know, trying to find the root cause. Let them go through you, right? So really feel that feeling that that that uncomfortable mess that you're feeling. Let it run through you. You know, feel all of it. You know, it's kinda um be conscious of it. Feel that pain. Let it run through you f and then know that the more times you keep doing that, it's not gonna hurt as much as it as it once did. So you've processed it now, you've gone through it now and you're not new to it. So now you know how to react to it if uh if if a situation like that comes up again. So that's that's one major step I think that helps me is how do I know that I have to accept this for for a a growing lesson, right? Um and then I would say after that, um, you know anything, um so obviously breathing, there's different types of breathing that you can do to help regulate that, right? So help uh work through that that that trauma or being uncomfortable or or um adversity that that's within you. You know, um so any type of breathing exercise that that's comfortable for you. Um meditation as well.

Breath As Performance And Peace

SPEAKER_00 20:33

Juan was talking about um with with breathe with regards to breathing, that when he felt triggered, he he was able to notice it because he started breathing scallow. Like when you feel a threat, oftentimes you know, your tenses perk up and your breath changes. Do you start breathing, you know, quicker? You're trying to take in more more air real fast, but you're not breathing in deep. Did you do you um share that experience?

SPEAKER_06 21:04

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_09 21:05

And um, so with my with my career in fighting, uh This call and your telephone number will be monitored and recorded.

SPEAKER_06 21:14

With my career in fighting, uh the breath is very important. So we're doing something that's very extreme and something that that um the best way to uh that that I found is is to be relaxed. Every athlete in general talks about keeping the body relaxed. So when you are relaxed, start breathing these big breaths, right? You're taking in a lot of oxygen. That oxygen is feeding your mind, it's feeding your brain, feeding your muscles, um, and it's keeping you relaxed. It's not letting that lactic acid build up. So the same thing happens being in a situation with uh adversity. Then the tents up, our breath becomes more shallow, so we're not taking in as much oxygen. So already we feel like we're maybe going into a panic attack, or we may feel like we're um you know, starving from oxygen. So we're almost getting choked we're we're we're choking ourselves from from what's happening in that moment. And nothing's really happened other than your your thoughts and feelings have now run throughout your body, mind, and it's making you do this. So I've learned my fighting career to be relaxed at all times in every situation. Your body works best when you're relaxed, mind as well. And make your breathing at all times. Make sure you're taking those big those big breaths um within yourself to uh stay to stay calm, to stay relaxed. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:50

Yeah, I think that is um advice that carries through many traditions and many um, you know, many arts, many pathways. So I I'd say I say we're in a truth at that point. Um and how how do you get people or how do you get yourself, you know, to really get into that? Because like there's a lot of different breathing techniques. Um and and you know, some of them involve taking in as much air as you can and then letting it out forcefully, or box breathing, holding it, and there's all these different techniques. How do you uh know which is the one to apply to what you're doing?

SPEAKER_06 23:33

So being here um and um I've been working on this path of uh of plant medicine. I've also looked up how how are the ways that we can um kind of go through our trauma and also get to a place where we're we're um where our senses are heightened, um, where we have those uh transcendent uh experiences, possibly without without uh any type of plant medicine. And I started looking into um holotropic breath work. Um so I started a class here um where we do holotropic breath work and um essentially it's fast breathing for a long period of time. So people normally think hyperventilating. So I guess yes, that that's what that's essentially what you're doing. You're you're flooding your body with oxygen. Um and as you're doing that, the brain actually produces more natural GMT in that moment by doing that than breathing. So we'll do it for um like a minimum of thirty seconds to an hour to two hours. Um and what you're doing is you're going deeper within yourself, just like you're doing with the plant medicine. Deeper within yourself, so you are are self-regulating yourself, you're um knowing that that medicine is within you.

SPEAKER_07 25:03

You that you are the healer.

SPEAKER_06 25:05

Um and what I found is it feels like a couple maybe, you know, a handful of uh therapy sessions all at once. You know, or or or a year's worth of therapy sessions all at once just by yourself. By you know, self-regulating yourself, letting go of things that that subconsciously are there. This bleeding, um I found uh to me to be the most the most beneficial. Um I think with what I've done in the past as far as you know, fighting, um, you know, I wrestled in junior high, high school and college. Um, I think I I think for myself I need that strong medicine. And as far as breathing goes, I believe this is the strongest medicine that that we can do without with with just our breath and by ourselves.

SPEAKER_00 26:09

Oh, absolutely.

SPEAKER_06 26:13

Yeah, so um the the way that I that I first looked it up was just was just h holotropic uh breathing on you know on YouTube. You know, and then I just started seeing what type of techniques people were doing and I started kinda um just fine-tuning the way that I thought uh would be best beneficial for me and and to share with others. So uh so I got kind of a baseline um of people that are on YouTube showing what holotropic breathing is, and I started just uh adding new new new techniques to it as well.

SPEAKER_00 26:49

Do you use motions along with the breathing or or do you just sit there in a static position?

Finding Rhythm And Breaking Walls

SPEAKER_06 26:57

So if some people uh want to use motions, they they do. They'll tend to uh to move move around, you know, maybe the parts of them are tight, uh they tend to move around. But what we do as uh as facilitators, um generally people's um, you know, hands start to uh start to lock up like uh like their wrists will be will be flexed, their hands will be closed to where they really can't move 'em at that moment. That's that extra tension that's that's um within their body that's that's finally coming out. So what we'll do is uh we'll we'll we'll we'll stretch them out as well. Once uh once they get to that point, we'll help stretch them out real quick as they're breathing, so they can keep breathing and we'll um help the energy kind of get released that way. But people again they they start to do it on their own where they go in within themselves and they know exactly what they need, so they they feel like they need to start moving around as they breathe. They will, they will.

SPEAKER_09 28:00

So it's um it's uh the base thing is uh that fast breathing this call and your telephone number will be monitored and recorded.

SPEAKER_06 28:10

At base breathing in and out, as fast as you can, um as much air in, as much air out that you can, and then whatever else you feel through there, um go ahead and do it and um know that that the healer is within you, that all the medicine is within you, and you can you can do it all with um nothing else but just assure your your breath.

SPEAKER_00 28:34

So when somebody tries to do this for the first time, and you know you realize you've been breathing shallow, or like you know, me, I have a lung condition, so I'm always struggling with that. And you you try to breathe in deep and out, and and you do it a few times, and it literally make you cough. Um, you know, and and you you kind of get off your off your game for a second. Um what what's your thoughts about you know getting getting yourself into a good rhythm that way?

Meditation Intertwined With Breathing

SPEAKER_06 29:05

Yeah, uh so I um so what what I've seen here is um or those of the people that I've had do this practice, um there's a period of time where you're breathing where you maybe like again, you yeah, like what you're saying right now is you can't really find your rhythm. So you're you you're you're starting to feel sensations, um, you you know something's happening, but again it's it's kinda hard uh to keep that that rhythm going. You just kinda you're just kinda uh okay, it's it's I can't really get my rhythm. I tell people just keep going and trust that after that I I call that that I g I call that a wall, that you you're hitting a wall where it's not really sinking all together. Tell people just trusting yourself, just keep going with the breathing and you will break through that wall. There'll be another there'll be another side to it where you start hitting your rhythm, you start going, and you're you're just in a zone where you're just fully into what you're doing at that moment and you've got the rhythm down. So it's more of just a practice, it's more of just a you have sixty seconds remaining. Uh it's confidence that to know that that you you will get there.

SPEAKER_00 30:23

So just keep going. Just keep going at it, and when it feels good, you know you're into this rhythm, and um, you know, continue on. If it's not, you just keep powering through it a little bit until you get back into the rhythm.

SPEAKER_06 30:37

Yes, yes, sir. Yes, that's it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:41

Well that's that's some uh some powerful advice, and I I think um w when you get used to doing this, it becomes like muscle memory, like you don't have to think about it so much, right?

SPEAKER_06 30:55

It does, it becomes a practice where you know uh the best technique for yourself. Um when you start going in, the technique already, you know, it's uh it's a learned practice of we're gonna be this way, most beneficial for me. Um, you know, so it is it is it is a learned practice, yes.

SPEAKER_00 31:15

And and you feel like this is essential to all the other tools that you're gonna be sharing or that you're working with yourself? Is that you know this is like the fundamental?

SPEAKER_04 31:31

We lost them.

SPEAKER_00 31:32

Oh, okay. All right. Well, Ad and I, this is uh a great episode. Uh Kane Velasquez, I think hopefully he'll be able to come on regularly. We're gonna wrap this episode.

SPEAKER_04 31:44

Well actually, unfortunately not. Yeah. He's actually, I don't want to like disclose his information, but oh okay.

SPEAKER_00 31:56

All right. Well, we got him for one episode at least, and then we were able to get some good information.

SPEAKER_04 32:02

Yeah, it was nice having him. Do you want to at least close it out with him? Because they're getting back in.

SPEAKER_00 32:07

Oh, yeah, yeah. If he's getting back in, we can we can one more round. Yeah. Yeah. You back, Kane?

SPEAKER_07 32:20

Hello.

SPEAKER_00 32:21

Okay, you're still here. All right. Um, I just became aware that um this is really gonna be a one-time episode. So I was hoping you'd be able to join us on the regular, but it doesn't seem that that's gonna be the case.

SPEAKER_05 32:34

Hold on. Yeah, hey Joe, so Kane gotta wrap it up real quick, but he'll he's uh he'll close it out and I'll give him your number to make sure uh check in with you.

SPEAKER_00 32:42

Oh, beautiful.

SPEAKER_05 32:44

Okay, all right, okay, yeah, yeah. Hello.

SPEAKER_00 32:48

All right. We're gonna we're gonna be able to to wrap it up here, and and then uh Juan's gonna give you my contact so we can continue our conversation.

SPEAKER_06 32:57

Sounds great, yes. Okay, let's do that.

Purpose: Share Healing And Service

SPEAKER_00 33:00

So well, it it as as we're kind of wrapping this episode up, um you know, I was I was bringing up to light that the breathing uh is kind of a fundamental aspect of of all of the practices that might help, you know, get you through a traumatic uh triggered experience or even just in growth, right?

SPEAKER_06 33:25

It is. Um there's a lot of practices out there. Um I would say breathing is um um is one of the most beneficial. Um but I I think I think all of them are essential, the all-server purpose. And um for me, I started with meditation and I and I that's uh that's always been a practice of mine now. Um yeah, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 33:49

And the meditation and breathing are kind of intertwined in a lot of ways, right? I mean, if you're not breathing right, it's pretty hard to get into a meditative state.

SPEAKER_06 34:01

Yeah, it's vice versa. They both work work with each other, right? You're uh with the meditation, you're you're going in with your mind, getting your mind stronger, and uh the way the way that I how I say stronger, I mean um you're you're more conscious. Right? You're more conscious of of uh your body, you're more aware of your body, you're more aware of your surroundings.

SPEAKER_09 34:19

This call and your telephone number will be monitored and recorded.

SPEAKER_06 34:24

More aware of uh somebody else's you know um energy and and and and then feelings and emotions. Um as you're doing the breathing, the more conscious that you are, you you can go within yourself and you know find that path of of of helping yourself heal, helping yourself let go of certain things, or just appreciate, you know, your yourself in the present moment.

SPEAKER_00 34:50

Absolutely. So as you're growing inside and and um you know exploring your potential and and making choices to you know to to follow that path, um what are what are your goals as far as you know helping others or or or just um you know making yourself the best person you can? Where are you headed with this?

SPEAKER_06 35:16

My goals um are just to share everything that I've that I've learned thus far. You know, share to share myself and to share uh that pieces that that I have learned. Um whether it's it's just through a uh a talk, whether it's through um reading, whether it's through uh plant medicine. Um I would say my true passion is is plant medicine. Um I I truly believe in it. Um I've I've sat down with these medicines and know that that it can bring you truth if you're open and um and do it in the right set and setting and the right people are there to help you. Um so my I one of my one of my goals and dreams is is to bring this this plant medicine to a lot of people that that need it, you know, the the men and women that that need this healing at this moment.

Gratitude, Accountability, Choice

SPEAKER_00 36:14

That's powerful. We're um I have a nonprofit in a garden here uh in Southern California where uh we're we're providing a space for exactly what you're talking about. And uh we we have a number of uh medicine people from around the world that come out here and uh elders from different tribes and different countries and different uh traditions. And um we're we're we're experiencing just what you're talking about, um, finding helping people to find their way to you know their own better consciousness and and connecting with creator, sitting with the fireplace, and all of the things that um these plant medicines and these spirits um have to offer, you know. We're we're part of, like you said, this creation is all really one consciousness. So when you connect through whatever tool it is, whether it's meditation or plant medicine, you come to realize that you're part of something bigger, as big as the whole universe. And uh to be able to share that with people in a safe and loving environment, I think is a is a great tool. I I I hope one day we can uh meet in person, maybe sit together um in the garden.

SPEAKER_06 37:30

That'd be amazing. That'd be amazing, yes. Uh that that'd be an honor. Um yes, uh, yes, thank you for the work that you're doing. Um and yes, it's um beautiful to know the more the more that you learn by yourself, the more you learn how how big you are, how how uh how powerful you are. It's it's truly a blessing. It's it's an honor to be here on this earth with so many people, you know, at this one time to share and grow. Um I I I appreciate it all.

SPEAKER_00 38:06

That's fantastic. I think that's actually um you know the cornerstone of love is gratitude, right? Um you when you become aware of how blessed you are and the things that you have, instead of whining and complaining and and and and having problems with everything, you you realize, you know, what a blessing it is just to be alive. I I was given that gift, you know, I almost died less than a year ago with from cancer. And the whole way through it, I just said I want to live, you know, and and I fought my way back to health. And and every minute of every day, I'm I'm just so grateful. I wake up, I'm like, yeah, I'm alive. I get to be here another day. And and it's a powerful tool because you realize that you can do anything. You know, you're you're in a difficult spot right now, but you you can take that and you can literally do anything with it. And I'm I'm impressed that you're willing to to own that.

SPEAKER_06 39:07

Yeah, um, yeah again, with the hardships and everything else, it's uh it's it's always the same thing. Yeah, uh wake up in the morning and uh I'm grateful for for just to breathe, you know, just that I'm breathing, um, and I'm able to be conscious. Um I'm I'm grateful for that. And I'm grateful for whatever the uh the creator, whatever the universe God brings me, um, and you know, and in that day. So I'm just uh I'm just grateful to be here on this earth.

Core Message: Love Yourself First

SPEAKER_00 39:39

You know, there's an element we didn't really talk about, but I think you you alluded to it, um, and it it's about accountability, um realizing that you're responsible for all the choices you make, and and that even though um you know things come at us ultimately where what what we do with it is is is our choice. And there's that power there that's so incredible that you know we can choose whatever we want to, and whether if we're willing to do the work, we can we can accomplish it. What are your thoughts on that?

SPEAKER_06 40:17

Yeah, that we're that we are we are in charge to uh to choose our own path. So what if we were we all what if each and every one of us was a place um within ourselves, you know, spiritually. Um that we could choose every moment to be the highest highest choice in all our lives. Like what would that look like? Yeah, you know. So if we would just be honest, you know, to love choose love, compassion. Um yes, yes, so uh to to think of that, you know, that if we were all living in that timeline all together, wow.

SPEAKER_00 41:01

Exactly. Well, I think that's what we're working towards, you know, when we sit together in and grow the family, um sitting with these medicines and these practices and and and having these conversations, you know, I think we're raising the the awareness, we're raising the level of vibration, the the consciousness. And you know, there's a lot of forces that are pushing the other way, but I think we're we're we're we're we're putting a resistance that's gonna bring around the potential. You know, I I like when a guest is able to share, you know, you've you've learned a lot in your life and you've accomplished a lot, you've experienced a lot, and you have people that know your name and and respect your work. Um what would you say? Do you have a a message if you were able to to deliver one message to the people that might be um open to listening, what what would that be look like?

SPEAKER_06 42:00

So for myself, I would say for myself to them, I would say it it truly is an honor to be here at this moment on this earth with everyone and to share this life. I think it's truly magical to it's a it's a uh very amazing space that we're that we're do that um it's sacred, sacred, it's something sacred that we're doing here.

SPEAKER_07 42:26

And for each one of them, um I would say just have love yourself. Love yourself first. That's where it starts.

SPEAKER_06 42:38

Loving yourself, giving yourself. Um have that relationship with yourself that's that's that's loving, that's compassionate, that's that's intimate. You know, um it starts with you first. It doesn't start with anybody else, it starts with you, and then once you go into that, then and start giving it to others.

SPEAKER_00 43:00

That's some that's some good advice, you know. Um in order to love anybody else, you have to be there for yourself, and I think that that's something a lot of people miss out on.

SPEAKER_07 43:13

Yes, yeah, it is.

SPEAKER_06 43:26

Uh no, I think that was it. Um yeah, you know, just uh I mean we could obviously I think we could keep talking forever, you know. Um something very special to me and very sacred as well. Um and there's a there's a lot out there. Um but the basics um for me are are exactly what we just talked about. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 43:52

Well, I I hope that uh you and I can continue this conversation and whether we're able to to share it live with everybody or or or just uh work together. I I I open myself to that. Um I'm I'm always looking to work with people that are seeking the same things I am and and uh you know trying to find your best self and and help others along the way.

SPEAKER_06 44:20

Me as well. Yes, um, I'm I'm open to that as well. And uh and thank you. Thank you so much for for your time and um and what you're doing here. Um, you know, with the with the work that you're doing. It's uh it's amazing. It's something that's that's needed, and um thank you very much for that.

Closing Reflections And Next Steps

SPEAKER_00 44:37

Well, you may be seeing more of me. I'm looking working with Juan, possibly bringing a garden program up there. So um our nonprofit is doing that sort of thing. So who knows? Maybe uh maybe I'll get up there and see you soon.

SPEAKER_06 44:51

Amazing, amazing. I would love that. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 44:54

Awesome. Well, this has been Kane Velasquez and uh another episode of the Healthy Living Podcast.

SPEAKER_09 45:06

This call and your telephone number will be monitored and recorded.