This week I sit down with my friend Sam Chaknova, who I met during a Joshua Tree retreat, for one of the most honest, grounded conversations I’ve had on the podcast so far.

We talk about the messy middle of self-work—how chasing healing can become its own addiction, what happens when we lose our sense of self, and the real-life lessons that come from silent meditation retreats, psychedelics, and heartbreak.

Sam shares his journey from biotech to Burning Man, from “toxic productivity” to self-compassion, and what he’s learning about belonging, contentment, and being human in the process.

If you’ve ever wondered whether healing ever ends—or how to balance the pull between doing and being—this one’s for you.

📚 Resources Mentioned

• The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
• Vipassana Meditation (S.N. Goenka method): dhamma.org
• Holotropic Breathwork by Stanislav Grof
• Sam’s site: bambamdo.com
• Follow Sam on Instagram: @bambam_do

✨ Takeaways

• The difference between chasing healing and truly integrating it
• How Vipassana meditation teaches impermanence and self-compassion
• Why psychedelics and breathwork can both open the same doors
• What it means to balance being and doing in everyday life
• The quiet power of belonging, contentment, and self-acceptance

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