Sensi Magazine - Orange County (August 2018)

O R A NOGREACNOGUN YUNTY E CT O

W NNOORRMMAALL TTHHEE NNEEW

8.2018 8.2018

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VEGAN EATING THAT’S LEGIT

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MAN VS. SOLACE

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the BRO DOWN on wellness

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6 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

ISSUE 8 // VOLUME 1 // 8.2018

BLENDING Cannabis concoctions

52

FEATURES 48 The Bro-Down

One man’s journey to wellness.

SP EC IAL R EP OR T

52 The Entourage Effect

Do THC and CBD play well together?

58 Going Psychedelic

42

GREAT ESCAPE Stress-free travel

Taking the ayahuasca journey.

every issue 9 Editor’s Note 12 The Buzz 18 AroundTown

5 HEALTHY STOPS

24 TasteBuds

REAL TALK Modine and Rackoff

DRINK TO YOUR HEALTH

26 LifeStyle

ASCENDING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

32 HomeMade

DAYS OF FIGS AND WINE

34 HighProfile

ART + FILM

42 TravelWell

INTENTIONAL BLISS

66 HereWeGo

YOGA + TEA TOKING

Sensi magazine is published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2018 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 7

sensi magazine

Visit Torrey Holistics for a delicious array of edibles.

Ron Kolb ron@sensimag.com CEO, SENSI MEDIA GROUP

Tae Darnell tae@sensimag.com PRESIDENT, SENSI MEDIA GROUP

Alex Martinez alex@sensimag.com CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

EDITORIAL sensimediagroup

(Re)Leaf

EXECUTIVE FOLLOW US

Sweet

ISSUE 8 VOLUME 1 8.2018

Stephanie Wilson stephanie@sensimag.com EDITOR IN CHIEF

Dawn Garcia dawn.garcia@sensimag.com

MANAGING EDITOR, SENSI SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Leland Rucker leland.rucker@sensimag.com SENIOR EDITOR

Robyn Griggs Lawrence CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Ricardo Baca COLUMNIST sensimagazine

David Duran, Matt Sanderson, Mia Wasilevich CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

A RT & D E S I G N Jennifer Tyson jennifer.tyson@sensimag.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR

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DESIGN & LAYOUT

BUSINESS & A D M I N I S T R AT I V E Mark Basser mark@sensimag.com PUBLISHER, LOS ANGELES

Derek LaCrone derek.lacrone@sensimag.com PUBLISHER, ORANGE COUNTY

Eva Silva eva.silva@sensimag.com PUBLISHER, SAN DIEGO

Mike Afuso mike.afuso@sensimag.com Pam Langsam pam.langsam@sensimag.com Karen Petersen karen.petersen@sensimag.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS, ORANGE COUNTY

Vanessa Fleur vanessa.fleur@sensimag.com Alicia Jernigan alicia.jernigan@sensimag.com Roni Stetter roni.stetter@sensimag.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS, SAN DIEGO

Amber Orvik amber.orvik@sensimag.com CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR

Andre Velez andre.velez@sensimag.com MARKETING DIRECTOR

Hector Irizarry hector@sensimag.com DISTRIBUTION

editor’s ADVISORY BOARD 3C Farms // CULTIVATION 4Blooms Cannabis Business Services // BRAND CONSULTING SERVICES

55 Hydroponics // HYDROPONICS Artisan Bail Bonds // BAIL BONDS Bailey’s CBD // PET CBD TINCTURE/PET TREATS Bird Law Group // ATTORNEY, CANNABIS LAW

NOTE

Tapping into YOUR happy

This year has been transformative in a

multitude of ways, so as we think about the last bit of summer

before schools are back in session and life gets back to the crazy,

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it’s time to focus on finding our center. This issue is all about

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wellness and in my world, that means striving to attain a state of

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zen regardless of what else is happening. So while I dream of

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Illuminent // CBD VAPE OIL Inclusive Cannabis // MARKETING Jason Momenthy //

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white sandy beaches and escapes to faraway lands, I’ve embodied the notion that wellness—and zen—can be achieved simply by making every effort to find that in our daily lives.

From doing yoga that’s cannabis friendly to finding a small bit of solitary paradise up north, we can implement wellness into our lives rather easily. For me, that state of bliss happens by choice. Personally, I find that sense of calm in submersing myself in art at a local museum or sitting on the sandy shores while sand sneaks its way into every open crevice. I can find it in eastern philosophy, a careful dosing of CBD, talking to fellow creatives, or practicing yoga/meditation (this presents a challenge for me and my hyper-speed life, but I submit—reluctantly).

Recently, I’ve committed to eating cleaner, trying new things, laughing with people I love being around, listening to the sound of my daughter yelling at Zelda while she spends her summer days mastering Link’s ultimate domination, going to live shows, to discovering a terrific yoga workout app that energizes my soul: Asana Rebel. I’ve tried new dining popups, experimented with mixology, talked to men like Matthew Modine and Adam Rackoff about life, filmmaking, and being an activist, and I’ve indulged in a bit of mint chocolate chip ice cream and silenced the guilt. In other words, wellness doesn’t necessarily mean you escape to a silent retreat for

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a week. It can mean finding your joy, tapping into nature and going

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for a hike, dancing for no reason (in public if you’re bold enough),

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listening to your body, or talking it out with a therapist. The point is,

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wellness is what makes YOU feel better about life. And let’s face it, these days, we all need to feel a little better.

As August sweeps in, live passionately and don’t apologize for it. Eat well, sip happy, live big!

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MEDIA PARTNERS

Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Dawn Garcia

M ANAG I NG E D I TO R

SENSI SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 9

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sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 11

THE NEW NORMAL

sensi

buzz

Snatchers WATCH

You know you love Dale & Tucker Vs. Evil (if you haven’t seen it, watch it stat). Now, there is a twisted series on par that makes aliens fun again—yep, for real. Snatchers is a digital horror-comedy series about to launch its second season. This summer is the perfect time for you to catch up on Season 1, which will have you laughing from the start. The beautifully shot and well-written story centers on two ex-besties (Sara and Hayley) who find themselves in a rather unusual predicament after Sara has sex for the first time and wakes up the next day eight months pregnant…with an alien baby. Now it’s up to the teenage duo to face the extraterrestrial threat and save the world. The

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critically acclaimed series premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and was picked up by Verizon, which ordered two more seasons earlier this year.

With over-the-top scenes, odd and oddly entertaining characters, high school angst, and kickass gore, this series is one to watch. The short episodes average about five to seven minutes each, so you can breeze through the first season in no time, preparing for season two’s release later this summer.

–DG Stream episodes and catch up on the latest news on stage13.com.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 13

THE NEW NORMAL

sensi

buzz EXPERIENCE

High-Minded Tour:

Buds & Brews With wine, culinary, and city tours available, Southern California is among the first regions to tout that it now has cannabis tours. With a fun combo of beer and bud, consumers and lovers of a leisurely Saturday now have a damn good alternative to basic barbecues with friends at home.

West Coast Cannabis Tours (WCCT) is one of the first licensed and insured cannabis tourism companies in Southern California, and brings a different kind of experience to fun-loving enthusiasts of “the new normal.” Whether you’re seeking a simple good time, an afternoon of adventure, or a community of like-minded cannabis lovers ready to break the stigma, WCCT has an innovative alternative to the afternoon smoke sesh or day-drinking outing: the Kegs-n-Kush Tour.

Pairing San Diego’s celebrated breweries with California-grown cannabis, the tour—which runs a highly apropos 4 hours and 20 minutes—visits Green Flash brewery in San Diego for a behind-thescenes tour and tasty samples. Next stop is a recreational dispensary, where participants get a VIP tour complete with tips on how to navigate the newly legal offerings and a chance to purchase some top-quality strains and products. Then the “cannabus” heads to Pariah Brewing Company for some more beer samples. There’s also trivia, games, and camaraderie included in the experience.

–DG Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. / $99 / wcctour.com

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READ

The Widow Clicquot

This New York Times bestseller tells the story of a champagne empire and the woman who ruled it in the 1800s. Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin was 11 when the French Revolution broke out. For fear of being raped or worse, she was smuggled through the streets of Reims in disguise. Through travesty, tragedy, and violent times, this daughter of the French elite would rise above and create one of the best champagnes on the market. Left a widow after building the brand we all know as Veuve Clicquot—the coveted bottle with the distinctive yellow label— Madame Clicquot defied conventional response and took the reigns of the company, steering it through “dizzying political and financial reversals” and becoming one of the world’s most celebrated—and wealthiest—businesswomen of her time.

While she is still a legend in her native France, the world that consumes her highly regarded bubbly has never before heard the real story behind the brand.

This book is a harrowing look at her reign, her tenacity, and her devotion to making a name so recognizable, even the label is synonymous with the effervescent beverage. Through history and revolution, delivering champagne to Russia one day to Napoléon Bonaparte the next, this is a fascinating read full of interesting history and facts. You won’t look at a bottle of Veuve the same again.

–Dawn Garcia Written by Tilar J. Mazzeo / Harpers Collins / $25.98

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 15

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sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 17

{aroundtown}

by D AW N G A R C I A

HEALTHY STOPS

These spots are legit.

Eating out and eating healthy aren’t typically known for being synonymous. But that’s changing. These days, as health and wellness become the centrifuge for positive living, more and more options have popped up. I scoured the terrain in hopes of finding cuisine that would feed my longing to bite into savvy, yet flavorful dishes that also appeal to my commitment to a longer, healthier, and fit life. Turns out the options are ample, so here’s a snapshot of the choices available to satisfy that desiring hunger of yours.

Vegetable / Los Angeles Vegan and vegetarian cuisine isn’t often referred to as comfort food, but at Vegetable

(VEGETABLELA.COM)

on Ca-

Kreation / Abbot Kinney, Venice Its motto is simple: Peace. Love. Juice. In other words, be mindful, be kind, and be healthy. Discovering Kreation

huenga in Studio City, veggie-based comfort food is what

(KREATIONJUICE.COM)

they serve. I wandered in for dinner on a whim and found a

your body. While I’m already a frequenter of their juiceries, it’s

menu that’s vibrant, with unique vegan dishes and undeniably

the Kreation Kafe I love most. The big, bright green salads,

delectable cuisine. While it is a bit pricey, this restaurant is one

hearty wraps, and other fresh dishes are made daily using lo-

to check out when you’re up for a filling, flavor-forward meal.

cally sourced, Farmer’s Market Certified Organic fruits and veg-

The vegan cheese board is remarkable, with selections that

etables. In Kreation’s words, those foods “flood the body’s cells

taste like actual cheese, not dehydrated blocks. The restau-

with vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that cleanse, heal, and

rant also serves gluten-free bread and crackers. But the truf-

nourish.” A Santa Monica-Certified Green Business, Kreation

fled wild mushroom and Brussels sprout risotto is the menu

outposts can be found throughout Southern California, includ-

highlight. The dish is decadent and rich, perfectly cooked, and

ing the powerful, effective cleanses, CBD-infused juices and

rivals some of the cheesiest fungi risottos I’ve had anywhere.

wellness shots, an expansive selection of snacks, desserts, gr-

is one of the best things you can do for

ab-n-go meals, and a hearty array of powders to use at home.

18 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 19

Seabirds Kitchen / Costa Mesa & Long Beach Seabirds Kitchen

(SEABIRDSKITCHEN.COM)

believes in

making a difference and serving excellent fare. It’s true that vegan cuisine isn’t always as scrumptious as the dairy-based, meat-filled foods some people are used to. But sometimes, PHOTO BY ANDY REED

a culinary team decides there’s no reason for it, so they elevate vegan. Seabirds started as a food truck on a mission to push the boundaries of vegan cuisine. With sauces and condiments made from scratch, the team’s seasonal menu focuses on locally grown, organic fruits and vegetables because to them, the ingredients should shine. Seabirds also is staffed with some of the nicest people around, so whether or not you are vegan, this eatery will make your mouth happy.

Trilogy Sanctuary / La Jolla To keep us grounded, centered, happy, fed, and connected, Joe and Leila Caldera created a haven in one of the most beautiful stops in Southern Cali: La Jolla. Trilogy Sanctuary (TRILOGYSANCTUARY.COM)

is a serene space that offers yoga,

vegan cuisine, spiritual healing, and an opportunity to connect with both nature and the community. The menu boasts vegan concepts like the aptly named Perfect Tacos, the Heavenly Smoothies, and the Transcendent Brownie, among a slew of other dishes that are entirely organic, vegan, and free of gluten, dairy, soy, and refined sugar. Trilogy Sanctuary was created to provide a place that nurtures, balances, and inspires people to lead healthy lives in harmony with themselves and with nature. The cuisine that accompanies that ideology mirrors it.

Bar Kindred / San Diego Seared watermelon, biscuits in mushroom gravy, Memphis barbecue jackfruit, beet risotto, and the Descent into Madness or the Psychic Venom cocktail to wash it down— that is what Bar Kindred

(BARKINDRED.COM)

offers. Wildly

inventive cocktails with even more imaginative vegan cuisine can make a believer out of any carnivore. You understand what you’re getting into when you read these words: plants, booze, and revelry in South Park. Drinking while eating food that nourishes your insides just seems right. Bar Kindred emits a sense of adventure while presenting a culinary program that pushes what vegan cuisine is all about, and I’m all for that.

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{tastebuds}

by D AW N G A R C I A

DRINK TO YOUR HEALTH The CBD-infused concoctions from Monk Drinking Botanicals beckon your thirst.

24 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

Cannabis is a broad but powerful

“When we started Monk, our focus was to create mul-

plant that has more uses and ben-

tiple product lines that were delicious, clean and health-

efits than any pharmaceutical can

ful, consistently dosed, and beautifully branded,” says

conjure up. CBD, a cannabinoid de-

McGraw. “We also wanted to create products and brand

rived from the cannabis plant that’s

messaging that encourage connection. Connection is

associated with many healing prop-

one of our core values, whether it’s a shared moment

erties rather than the psychoactive

with friends, connecting with our communities or the

properties its cousin cannabinoid THC is

world at large, or simply taking a breath in the middle of

known for, is to our bodies what oxygen is to

our busy lives to reconnect with ourselves.”

our brains. It’s like a jumpstart to our system—our

The brand’s name comes from that same place of

tired, overworked, over-stressed, in-dire-need-of-some-

authenticity. “The word ‘Monk’ is associated with the

attention system. Now as the legalization of cannabis

qualities of openness, equanimity, and being present—

reaches deep into the marketplace, more and more com-

both to the external world and our own internal work-

panies are infusing CBD oil into edible products and drinks

ings,” explains Burke. “It’s a way of being that is mean-

alike. Monk is one of those companies.

ingful to us.”

Monk Drinking Botanicals (MONKPROVISIONS.COM) , cre-

The “Drinking Botanicals” part of the Monk handle is a

ated by Aaron Burke and Melanie McGraw, are craft cock-

reminder of the company’s origins and purpose: botani-

“We also wanted to create products and brand messaging that enourage connection.”

“The word ‘Monk’ is associated with the qualities of openness, equanimity, and being present.”

—Melanie McGraw

—Aaron Burke

tails enriched with CBD. With impressive branding that taps

cally driven products. “Clean, plant-based foods are good

into an apothecary design aesthetic, the bottles feel medic-

for our bodies,” says McGraw. “Craft cocktails are complex,

inal without being cold, appealing to the eye as much as the

delicious vehicles for enjoyable experiences. Our line of

liquid within appeals to the tastebuds. Available in a range

CBD-infused Drinking Botanicals marries the best of both

of flavors for novice and seasoned palates alike, the flavor-

worlds in plant-powered craft cocktails designed to help

ful blends include unique combos such as ginger, maple,

you unwind.”

and apple shrub and rosemary, orange peel, and lemon.

With over 20 years of experience in the cannabis industry plus plenty of restaurant ownership experience to boot, Burke and McGraw’s approach to taste, development, quality, and aesthetics is something to appreciate.

Monk’s handcrafted cannabis cocktails showcase their commitment to providing what they describe as the “best and cleanest ingredients, exceptional taste, gorgeous packaging, and a healthful way to unwind.”

The infused concoctions are available via an online subscription service, available in a variety of membership tiers by way of monthly seasonal care packages. As a bonus: there are no setup or cancellation fees.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 25

{lifestyle}

26 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

A life-changing natural high in the mountains of Baja California

A SCENDING TO THE NE X T LE VEL

by D AV I D D U R A N

I’m laying on a pile of blankets and pillows with my eyes

surroundings. Consistently listed among the best spas in the

closed, surrounded by 30 to 50 others doing the same. My

world by venerable publications such as Condé Nast Traveler

body tingles with anticipation. At any moment, the first vi-

and Travel + Leisure, the place has earned a global following.

brational sounds emitted from the quartz bowls would reach

The meticulously landscaped property boasts an extensive

my eardrums, followed by a medley of chimes. I keep peeking

network of trails throughout the sage scrub and chaparral of

to see if the couple leading the sound healing session have

the San Ysidro Mountains that act as pathways for a kind of

picked up their instruments. As I attempt to stay focused,

moving meditation. The ranch’s modern philosophy encour-

trying to block out other irrelevant sounds, I prepare my mind

ages technology cleanses and a healthy, plant-based diet,

for the magical hour that would ensue.

but the main draw has always been the award-winning spa.

We’re all here to journey to whatever realm the healing

The enduring goal is the indulgence of mindful moments,

sounds of the singing bowls and chimes would take us to

of getting lost in the present. It can happen anywhere on the

that afternoon. This isn’t my first time at sound healing; I dis-

ranch: In the spa during a deep tissue massage; on the courts

covered it on my first day at the ranch—Rancho La Puerta,

rallying with the tennis pro; in the pool in the arms of the

the destination spa in Baja California to be precise—and

Watsu aquatic bodywork guide; or, like me, on the floor im-

planned the rest of my days here around the experience.

mersed in the sounds produced by 300-year-old Tibetan

Known as a destination resort that helped start a modern

singing bowls and Nepalese and Paiste gongs.

fitness revolution, the 78-year-old wellness retreat has long

Founded in 1940 by Edmond and Deborah Szekely, the

championed itself as a place of peace and respite in tranquil

fitness resort remains family-owned today. Deborah, now in her mid-90s, still comes to the property each week, regaling guests with stories of life at the ranch through the decades.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 27

Chx & Blnz is a full-service accounting and business consulting group focused on assisting cannabis companies with bookkeeping/accounting, tax services, audits, compliance, first-time business setup for start-ups, product/service consulting and financial analysis software to give business operators the information they need to make decisions with confidence, and manage with success.

Our staff include licensed CPAs, professionals with advanced degrees in Masters of Business Taxation from USC, Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Project Management.

The enduring goal is the indulgence of mindful moments, of getting lost in the present.

She affectionately refers to her husband as “the professor,” beaming a bit with affection whenever he makes a cameo in one of her tales. The wellness resort they started together decades ago has garnered a cult-like following, growing into one of the world’s leading health and wellness resorts. Located just across the Tecate border, an hour South of San Diego, Rancho La Puerta was designed as a one-week experience. The ranch becomes a digital-free zone, and camaraderie with fellow guests is encouraged.

To visit Rancho La Puerta is to find balance and to incorporate some of those experiences into daily life. The regular lineup of classes varies, with offerings for every fitness level. Beyond basic yoga and circuit training, the schedule features an assortment of unexpected ways for guests to get their heart pumping. Hit the twomile obstacle course, play pickleball, bounce on a trampoline, shake it to some Broadway choreography, or bang out some beats during Cardio Drum Dance, which involves wailing on giant barrels with drumsticks. Even with all that, however, the ranch’s enduring draws are the hiking trails meandering through stunning moun28 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

tainous scenery. Plus, there are some new, challenging running tracks lined with sage, rosemary, and lemon verbena.

Along with the fitness offerings, the packed schedule features classes for well-being, designed to invigorate the mind and spirit. Along with guided meditations and sound healing, guests can join in the ancient practice of chant, explore the labyrinth, and wander the reflexology pathway. The summer-camp-like experience for adults is best enjoyed with others. It’s not uncommon to see couples, mother-daughter pairs, or friend groups at the ranch—some of which first met at the resort decades ago. That sense of community is part of the draw.

Various pools dot the grounds, which also feature three spas and designated bars for juice, coffee, and wine. There are no rules to how to spend your time. You decide what works best for you. What the ranch does is provide all the tools and options necessary for an enjoyable week.

Accommodations come in the form of 86 garden casitas in seven different sizes and rate categories, each beautifully decorated and many outfitted with wood-burning fireplaces—but no televisions, no Wi-Fi. (If you must stay tethered to the outside world, there are some limited Wi-Fi zones on site.)

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 29

The meals are vegetarian-centric, though some include seafood. By day three, I found myself loving the anticipation of discovering what’s on the creative, health-driven menu.

I’ve now been to the ranch twice, and my body and mind long for another return.

It’s hard to incorporate all I have learned during the retreats into my daily life, but I’ve been able to sneak in a few disciplines here and there. It’s less about changing my entire routine and more about being mindful of what makes me happy.

Sometimes the mind needs to focus on a beautiful tree while it clears itself during a few moments of much-needed meditation. For me, I like to recall those moments of lying on the ground, soaking in the sounds of the singing bowls. Remembering those euphoric moments helps bring my mind to ease—and knowing that my mind is capable of ascending to that level is also somewhat calming. With time and practice, I can go back there anytime I want.

RANCHO LA PUERTA’s seven-night, eight-day retreats start at around $4,000 per person and incude meals and snacks, lodging, transportation from San Diego Airport or the Tecate border crossing, and access to the full lineup of classes and facilities. Spa treatments extra. You’re worth it.

30 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

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{homemade}

Ugly Little Greens:

Gourmet Dishes Crafted from Foraged Ingredients (Page Street Publishing, $16.99 on Amazon)

recipe and photos by M I A WA S I L E V I C H

DAYS OF FIGS & WINE As a forager and chef, Mia Wasilevich lives off the land evey day. Spawned by a need for self-reliance and sustainability, she decided to see what ingredients surrounded her—it turns out there’s a bounty, even in Los Angeles. To celebrate her love of food from nature and her recently published book, we asked Mia to share a unique summer

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1: Heat 1 tbsp of butter and the olive oil in a medium, heavy-bottomed stockpot over low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 40 mins or until caramelized.

STEP 2: Add rosemary, garlic, and a pinch of salt in last 5 minutes. Deglaze the pot with balsamic vinegar, scraping any bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.

recipe made with found ingredients.

STEP 3: Add the stock, wine, and remaining salt. Bring up to a boil, then set heat to med-low and simmer.

Braised Dandelion Greens

STEP 4: Add dandelion leaves. Braise partially covered for 45 minutes. Add sugar, then adjust sugar and salt to taste.

with caramelized figs and onions in red wine INGREDIENTS // serves 2-4

• 2 tbsp butter, divided • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 med onion, cut into

• 2 cup stock, vegetable or chicken • 1/2 cup dry red wine • 8 cups dandelion leaves,

• 1 tsp fresh rosemary,

• Pinch sugar • 4 large fresh figs, washed,

1/4-inch-thick half-moons finely chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced • 1/2 tsp sea salt, divided • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

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washed, trimmed, roughly chopped

tops and bottoms trimmed

• 2 oz aged goat Gouda or Spanish Manchego, frozen

STEP 5: In a small sauté pan over med-high heat, add remaining butter. Slice the figs into quarter-inch-thick rings and brown on one side for 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

STEP 6: Arrange dandelion leaves in a large bowl or deep platter. Scatter figs over top. With a rasp grater, grate frozen cheese lightly over top. Enjoy!

MIA WASILEVICH is a chef, forager, wildcrafter, artist, educator, photographer, and food stylist in Los Angeles. While working as a full food stylist, she teaches classes and creates bespoke culinary events and art/food installations. Her new passion is studying herbalism and exploring food as medicine.

FOLLOW US @POTDRIVE sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 33

34 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

When you’re a creative person, keeping a happy, healthy, and centered state of mind can mean different things to different people. In truth, most creatives turn to other forms of creativity to find inspiration and in essence, it leads them to a place of inner happiness. That’s exactly what happened when actor, writer, director, and producer Matthew Modine teamed up with designer, illustrator, and visionary Adam Rackoff to bring new life to Full Metal Jacket. A film brilliantly told by Stanley Kubrick, Full Metal Jacket explores the state of mind that occurs when anyone is preparing to push themselves further mentally, physically, and emotionally—especially when preparing for war—than they’ve ever been pushed before.

While the film was released over 30 years ago, the heart, sentiment, thoughtfulness, and poetry of how the story unravels haven’t lost their appeal. Thanks to the collaboration and devotion of Modine and Rackoff, they spent hundreds of hours sifting through content, including choosing rare moments caught from behind the lens, revitalizing a moment in time that ignited the artist within Modine, and brought it to life in a telling, elegant yet raw, visual, digital, and inspiring diary. The resulting work begs us to look inside ourselves in a way that is quiet and thoughtful, but still gives us a rare look at the ubiquitous genius of Stanley Kubrick.

While this issue is about wellness and living a far more intentional life, when I met Matthew and saw how he engages and directs his passions into something the world gets to participate in, I knew I had met someone that embodies the purest forms of humanity. That said, I find my greatest sense of peace when I escape to a museum to surround myself with other artists who dare to expose their vulnerability. That is precisely what Full Metal Jacket Diary is to me. It was an honor to speak with Matthew and Adam about the birth of this project, as well as the creative journey they’ve embarked on along the way.

Full Metal Jacket Diary is a poetic look at the BTS story of the film, your role, the crew, and of course Stanley.

What photo in the series gives you the most pause?

Matthew Modine (MM): I don’t have a favorite. If you asked which image is the most, say, poetic, I would say the empty director’s chair. It is a chair that will never be filled again. We sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 35

all die. Kubrick’s empty chair magnifies that. It’s what we do, or don’t do, with our lives that matters.

Adam Rackoff (AR): There’s one image that I’ve always been drawn to. It’s a shot of Kubrick and his director of photography, Douglas Milsome, sitting on a camera crane in a field. Phil Hobbs (producer and caterer) is standing next to them discussing the road to Hue and “mass grave” scene.

The script supervisor/continuity person, Julie Robinson, is on the left of the frame with the focus puller. It’s a very candid moment of Kubrick and his team figuring out how to shoot a scene. I actually have a large blowup of this image hanging in my living room.

tally unique FMJ Diary iPad “app-umentary”, which took the book to a whole different level. After that, Adam produced the audiobook which I think is (humble brag) terrific.

AR: When the limited-edition book was first released in 2005, I was working for Apple Computer. I was responsible for producing high-profile events with creative professionals (filmmakers, photographers, musicians, etc.). Since Matthew’s book was designed on a Mac, we invited him to do a talk and present a slideshow of his photographs at the Apple Store, SoHo in New York City. It was a big success, and Matthew and I became fast friends.

About five years later, I pitched Matthew on the idea of taking his diary and creating something new with it—an app for the iPad. Only 20,000 copies were printed—each with a metal cover and laser-etched serial number on the back. Matthew liked the idea that each copy was unique and that those who owned one had something special. The first iPad had just been introduced, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to create a new version of his diary— this time with even more photos and artifacts from the making of the film, married to audio of Matthew reading his diary with original music and sound effects, to create an immersive audiovisual experience.

In Full Metal Jacket, two scenes continue to stick with me: The late (and truly powerful) R. Lee Ermey in the barracks and the final scenes with D’Onofrio in the bathroom cleaning his gun. What was the most intriguing part of working alongside R. Lee Ermey?

MM: His poetry. I hope, one day, his poetry is found and published. It is obscene and politically incorrect. His fans will love it.

Knowing how the story would unravel, did you ever feel the pang of loss knowing Gomer’s ultimate end?

MM: Suicide is horrible, no matter the circumstances.

With it being just over 30 years since the film’s release, what inspired this project?

The photos needed a narrative, and I had kept a diary of the

Writing and photography are now part of your creative DNA. What photographer and writer inspire you now?

filmmaking process. The photos and the diary complimented

MM: Photographer and painter, Matt Mahurin. Author,

each other. Then Adam Rackoff suggested we create the to-

Yuval Noah Harari.

MM: I wanted to share the images I’d captured during filming.

36 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

MM: I like Twitter, but it’s basically like pissing into the wind.

As “Papa” on Stranger Things, we discussed the challenges of playing that role as a father in real life. Do you find the love he has for Eleven, albeit totally obscure, something you can make sense of?

You log in and participate in a collective Orwellian “Two Min-

MM: Yes. I can. I do my best. Do you recall Jessica Rabbit in

utes Hate”. You become an Oceania Party member reading

Roger Rabbit? She said, “I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that

missives and seeing images depicting enemies (replace

way.” You’d have to ask the Duffer Brothers to explain why

Emmanuel Goldstein with Donald Trump and his followers).

they draw the way they do.

As the political climate becomes basically a torrid storm of chaos, how do you deal with it all (especially on Twitter)?

Everyone gets to express their hatred for all their perceived dragged into the muck.

What haven’t you done in your career that you hope to see come to fruition?

AR: I enjoy Twitter as well, but I try not to get drawn into

MM: Too many things to mention. I like it that way. It gets

Twitter feuds or debates. Matthew and I produced an

me out of bed in the morning. And I think one’s hopes and

award-winning political documentary entitled The Brain-

dreams should be kept to oneself. If you need to share them,

washing of My Dad (on iTunes and Amazon Prime). The film

it should be only with people you trust and love very truly.

enemies. I go there for the humor, and inevitably get

explores the rise of right-wing media and the addictive effect it can have on people (especially those with a lot of spare time on their hands, such as retirees). I learned very quickly that the film wasn’t going to change many minds. It reinforced some people’s beliefs, gave others hope (that they weren’t alone in their struggles), and helped educate viewers on the history of the media.

You’re an advocate of the legalization of cannabis.

What message would you convey to those who aren’t 100 percent on board with it just yet?

MM: Cannabis is a plant. It’s been used for hundreds of years to treat hundreds of ailments. Cannabis is not a ‘gateway’ drug. Alcohol is. If you’re looking for a drug to criminalize, booze should be your target. It destroys your organs.

Contributes to diabetes and depression. So far this year, almost 17,000 have died from drunk driving.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 37

Has cannabis/CBD helped you in any way?

What’s next for Cinco Dedos Películas?

MM: I don’t smoke. CBD oil is beneficial in so many ways.

MM: Adam and I always have several projects we’re work-

Helping to reduce inflammation and normal aches in mus-

ing on. The most exciting one for me, personally, is a docu-

cles and joint pain.

mentary series about the preciousness of the ocean.

AR: I don’t smoke either, but not because I think it’s wrong. I

AR: We’re also helping to produce an animated feature

agree with Matthew that alcohol is far more problematic than

film by Signe Baumane entitled My Love Affair with Mar-

cannabis. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse

riage. It’s at least a year (probably more) from completion.

and Alcoholism (from 2016), alcohol causes 88,000 deaths ev-

Animated films take a long time to make. I’m also a pro-

ery year. All other drugs combined cause around 30,000 deaths

ducer on an animated series created by two-time Oscar

annually. This is an inconvenient truth. Our laws are illogical. I’m

nominee Bill Plympton called Trump Bites.

not saying we should make alcohol illegal, but we need to take

As dads, husbands, filmmakers, and artists, what do you think is the most challenging in terms of relaying a message of thought, hope, and social responsibility?

Neither of you shy away from controversial topics.

You speak out in ways that are constructive and actionable. If you could summarize how your political and social stance integrates with the projects you produce, what would you want people to know?

MM: To be hopeful. To be thoughtful. To be responsible for

MM: Neither of us are shackled to a political ideology. We,

your actions. To not be a hypocrite.

if I can speak for Adam, want what is best for the world. If

AR: The biggest challenge is trying to understand where

we’re doing good by the world, we’re doing good by all the

a long, hard look at why cannabis is still illegal in so many states.

others are coming from. To put yourself in their shoes, even if you disagree, and try to find some common ground.

creatures we share this earth with. If we’re doing good by all the creatures, we are, naturally, doing what’s best for ourselves, our families, and the ones we love. We are motivated by love.

AR: What he said. Exactly.

Creativity is a form of release and purpose for many, including myself. What Matthew and Adam are doing is creating with intention and I personally can’t wait to see what else is in store. To learn more about Full Metal Jacket Diary, visit FULLMETALJACKETDIARY.COM.

While the film was released over 30 years ago, the heart, sentiment, thoughtfulness, and poetry of how the story unravels haven’t lost their appeal.

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{travelwell}

by D AW N G A R C I A

intentional

42 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

secluded setting along the Calabazas Creek offers a tranquil wine country retreat with soul-reposing additions like their meditation areas, calming fountains, private zen gardens, and luxurious amenities including on-site spa treatments. I revisited the serenity I found over and over on my trips to Japan.

Traditional tatami flooring lines the entry, with accents of

Shaved cedar wood in the nether regions, meditative gardens, and zen achieved.

Shoji screens, Japanese décor from a soaking tub, kimono robes, traditional Japanese zori sandals, sculptures lending to the artistic curation of the space, dual showers, a gorgeous bedroom, and a private meditation garden in the middle of the room. With entry to the garden from both the bathroom and bedroom, it reminded me of feng shui—earth by way of the plants situated in the corner, stability and a sense of grounding represented in the white rock acting as a foundation, air in the opening above, and water in the form of a flowing water fountain lulling you to sleep each evening. The meditation garden became my morning

Truth time: I’ve been going at warp speed for years.

Toggling motherhood, screenwriting, editing, writing, and overall life—and it has me feeling a bit like the Tasmanian Devil (for those of you old enough to know who I’m talking about). In other words, while I smile and push myself to accomplish a laundry list of to-do’s every single day, the idea of a blissful escape seems more like an anecdotal pipe dream than my reality. That said, it was long overdue. This summer, the call to leave the city behind was too loud to ignore.

The whispers of calm are something you can only hear when you’ve stopped long enough to breathe. With our everyday lives seemingly consumed with news headlines that make our heads spin, a continual cycle of chasing our dreams and gathering our humanity, there’s never been a more relevant time to find our center. In an effort to leave the world behind for a while and engage in small-town living, a state of tranquility, and the reminder that a sense of community is still alive and well, I headed north with my partner in crime, Alexia—past the roar of the cities, the politics, the stress, the calling of the screen—and literally escaped. To Glen Ellen.

Glen Ellen is a town no bigger than 2 square miles and barely 800 residents. Surrounded by nature, small eateries, boutique wineries, and one hotel that is a Japanese-inspired ryokan— the Gaige House + Ryokan, which can be described as a place of Eastern thought and meditative grounding. Gaige House + Ryokan (THEGAIGEHOUSE.COM) features 23 thoughtfully appointed guestrooms with modern Asian details. A verdant and

reminder that a bit of quiet does the soul good.

Each night they host a wine hour, and the evening we arrived, we were introduced to a winery called Imagery Winery (IMAGERYWINERY.COM),

thanks to a couple I’m confident will

be lifelong friends—fellow Mexicanos, Gabriela Alamarez and Daniel Zamanillo. Pouring some malbec and award-winning white burgundy (chardonnay and pinot blanc) from the Sonoma collection

(SONOMACOUNTY.COM),

the story behind

the brand is notable. Crafted by female winemaker (badass and rare in the industry) Jamie Benziger, these wines break the rules and take risks, which on this trip only adds to the draw of the region. Gabriela and Daniel set the tone for exciting wines. After all, wine is supposed to be fun, and while it’s often perceived as serious, the joy of making it and drinking it is what should shine through.

After the wine tasting, food was on the brain; and much like when traveling to Europe and immediately making friends with strangers, Daniel and Gabriela insisted on driving us to the “best authentic Mexican restaurant in town,” El Molino Central.

“Real authentic Mexican food, run by women,” they said emphatically.

It was a reminder of the late Anthony Bourdain. When I interviewed him last year, his passion for authentic cuisine made with culture and heart, and a love of Japan, became our common thread. I’ve spent my life falling in continual love with other cultures, appreciating my own, and hoping to taste that in everything I eat. As an homage to him, we had to go to El sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 43

Molino Central

(ELMOLINOCENTRAL.COM).

The experience became yet another

reminder to pause and take in the simplicity and grace of life.

El Molino may not seem like a stop for bliss, but I can assure that the minute you bite into their nachos verdes, tamales, molé, or any of the tacos, you will understand. Every ingredient reminded me of my heritage, my travels, and what it means to take pride in the cuisine you present. Run by owner Karen Taylor, with food prepared by Alfonsina Juarez and Alma Blanco, the restaurant has a mostly female staff. It’s a space where tradition and family are evident. The menu consists of dishes passed down from mother to daughter, including Zoraida’s molé. It has a real sense of community, and even down to the brightly painted picnic tables outside on the patio, you feel like you’re eating with people you’ve known all your life. Just come hungry—the portions are huge.

After happily achieving food coma status, it was time to melt into the ryokan and enjoy the calming state of the hotel. Outside the open windows, nature drowned out the noise of incessant thought constantly plaguing my all-too-busy mind. Pouring the sake gifted to us, I paused before submitting to the odayaka (“calm” in Japanese). Cascading water just outside the screen, and melodies from the meditation garden, soothed us into a quiet state.

The following day, I awoke rested and ready to partake in a meditative retreat that has the only cedar enzyme baths outside of Japan: Osmosis Day Spa. Mind 44 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

you, we didn’t totally know what a cedar enzyme bath entailed, but once we got there and were greeted by owner Michael Stusser and the property’s publicist, Jennifer Klein, it all became quite clear. Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary (OSMOSIS.COM) is a place of refuge. Stusser designed it alongside his friend Robert Ketchell, after a fateful meeting in Kyoto years ago while together studying Japanese landscape and Taoist philosophy.

“I enjoy sharing Osmosis with people because it’s a collective learning experience—I learn something every day. It allows us to bring alive what we’re doing here, creating a meditative environment where people can drop out of the rat race and get renewed at a deep level,” said Stusser.

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Walking through the gardens, we noticed rocks strategically placed throughout that represent stages of one’s journey, and Kyoto’s influence was apparent. As we passed the water installation that depicts the continual flow within us, we were called in for our cedar enzyme bath. This was when everything got way more interesting.

Stripping down to nothing but a robe, we were led into a private room where tea, ginger bites, and a host awaited. Our host was Melissa, and she poured us fresh tea and encouraged us to sit outside in the Japanese garden while she prepared our bath. We happily obliged, and the stillness of the moment was heavenly. Now time for the bath!

Imagine an empty, square jacuzzi. Now imagine it being filled with what seems like pencil shavings comprised of finely ground cedar, rice bran, and enzymes. While sure we would sink into the mixture upon ditching our robes, that wasn’t the case. It was a firm pile of material that you’re led to step into— naked—and nestle into the molded shavings. Once there, you had to dig yourself in. Translation: your nether regions get extra friendly with the blend of cedar, rice bran, and enzymes. Welcome to a new experience! Make sure you burrow down until only your head is sticking out.

While the sweat gathers in every place you never wanted it to, I found myself distracted by our view. Tall bamboo swayed in the wind a few hundred feet outside, all in a careful dance. It was another kind of peace—something hard to

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describe—but imagine melting into the stillness of yourself, giving into your body’s deep desire to heal, as tension unravels like a snake loosening its grip.

That’s what it felt like. It was otherworldly. That said, there came a point when the heat became nearly unbearable. That’s when Melissa entered on cue with ice-cold washcloths, gently wiping away the sweat puddled on our faces, giving us sips of water. At the end of the 20-minute soak, we exfoliated outside and then showered off. We followed it with a massage in the pagodas, along with a facial. When we left, our mindset was so content, it was as though we finally felt ourselves take full breaths for the first time in probably forever.

After one more night, a lovely dinner at Glen Ellen Star (GLENELLENSTAR.COM), a deep sleep, and a three-mile trail hike the following morning, the stress and worry that most often hides behind my smile dissipated. I felt—we felt—free to completely let go and simply be in the moment. A rare and beautiful thing. Bliss.

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Wellness (noun):

THE QUALITY OR STATE OF BEING IN GOOD HEALTH, ESPECIALLY AS AN

ACTIVELY SOUGHT GOAL. THAT’S THE LITERAL DEFINITION OF WELLNESS. But what does it mean?

TO EACH OF US, IT COULD BE A MYRIAD OF THINGS. FORTUNATELY, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT I THINK IT MEANS AND WHAT I DO TO

achieve it in my daily life.

by M AT T S A N D E R S O N

First off, why do we need wellness? It’s so we don’t drive

Here’s an excerpt from Leafly, a leading resource for all

ourselves into the ground with work, lose our sanity, or get too

things cannabis: “Crossing a Blueberry indica with the sati-

stuck in the perpetual vortex of monotony. Americans work

va Haze, Blue Dream balances full-body relaxation with

an average of 1,760 hours a year, not to mention the many

gentle cerebral invigoration. Novice and veteran consumers

hours we work off the clock (and we work way too many).

alike enjoy the level effects of Blue Dream, which ease you

So, how do we, or more importantly, how do I, find the

gently into a calm euphoria.” I’ll have that one, please.

most effective ways of attaining the wellness I’m seeking?

Now, obviously, you can’t blaze up at work when the boss

When I break it down, there are a whole lot of ways I can do

is kicking your ass on deadlines, or when the kids need a

it but that doesn’t always equate to me really doing it. Still,

ride to soccer practice. Let’s not get it twisted. We’re search-

some of the quickest ways to steer myself away from going

ing for what gets us to a state of wellness, not what gets us

crazy vary. Like many, I enjoy going out and tossing a few

stupid. Got it? Good.

beers back with the boys. It’s a stress-free way to normalize.

Keep in mind Blue Dream also is available as cannabis

Then there’s karaoke. No shame, karaoke is a guilty plea-

oil, so make sure to know your dosing. I found out the hard

sure of mine. But if you’re ever around when I take up the

way that one hit off of a vape does not in fact equal one hit

mic, consider this your warning. (I’m terrible.)

off a joint. Start small and go from there.

I also enjoy heading to a movie by myself. I’ve become

I spoke before of beers with the boys, karaoke, movies, and

one of many MoviePass members (MOVIEPASS.COM) . If you

long walks along the beach. (I should write dating profiles,

don’t know, MoviePass is the greatest thing since sliced

no?) The first two of those things are awful for your wallet and

bread for an avid moviegoer—$9.99 a month to see a movie a

liver. Not to mention the expense of acetaminophen for those

day (if I really wanted to). It’s the Netflix of moviegoing.

nasty hangovers. Good thing Blue Dream has none of those

There’s also hiking up big mountains. (Nope. Way too

factors. In fact, it even has the awesome side effect of making

much effort involved for this guy.) Okay, maybe a brisk

almost any movie or sunset extra fantastic. Have you ever

stroll through the neighborhood or along the beach. It al-

watched a movie or a sunset on Blue Dream? You should.

ways makes me feel content. It’s the wind kissing my face that gets me.

As you’ve guessed, Blue Dream is my go-to strain of cannabis. I don’t feel woozy when it wears off and it’s easy on

But there’s one thing that has always worked to get me to

the wallet. It also allows me to be creative in a way alcohol

that place: Blue Dream. It’s a sativa-dominant hybrid strain

never could and that’s a major perk. Having Blue Dream to

originating right here in California, possibly in the coastal

ease into a calm state helps the chaos around me become

community of Santa Cruz.

less disruptive to my life. And that? That’s my wellness.

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SP ECIAL R EP OR T

Is it the CBD, the THC, or the combination of those and other chemicals in cannabis that make us feel better?

by L E L A N D R U CK E R DR. MARY VAN IS A NUTRITIONIST AND PHARMACIST WHO OWNS THRIVEX, A MEDICAL SERVICE IN FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA. SHE SPECIALIZES IN

custom intravenous injection therapies,

AND SHE BELIEVES THAT NUTRITION IS THE KEY TO HEALTH. “NO ONE CAN HEAL YOU,” SHE SAYS. “I CAN JUST MAKE YOU STRONGER,

and then your body takes over.”

As a pharmacist, she began studying how cannabis

(the oils that give different strains of cannabis their

compounds seem to work in conjunction with one an-

distinctive fragrances) work in concert better than

other, and eventually began to use cannabis as part of

when they are isolated from one another. “The ques-

her treatment regime. “The reason I got involved is

tion is,” Van asks, “is the whole plant more beneficial

because cannabis is a balancer of the body, a homeo-

than an isolate? Or do isolates work together with

static regulator,” she says. “As a pharmacist, I ap-

each other?”

proach it scientifically. Holistic medicine has a bad

This whole-plant concept seems to rub against the

rap—you know, rainbows and unicorns. I approach it

way drugs and medications are created today, usually

as hard science.”

by isolating and testing compounds then developing

Dr. Van’s studies have led her to subscribe to what

and patenting drugs from those compounds. And with

is commonly known as the “entourage effect,” the

a scarcity of clinical trials in the United States for

concept that chemical substances in cannabis, espe-

anything cannabis-related, many scientists are open-

cially cannabinoids (like THC and CBD) and terpenes

ly skeptical of most entourage-effect claims. sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 53

“The lay public has really taken on the notion of the entourage effect, but there’s not a lot of data,” Margaret

vate CB-1 receptors found in the brain and CB-2 receptors found throughout the rest of the body.

Haney, a neurobiologist and cannabis researcher at

Brian Reid is chief science officer of ebbu, a cannabis

Columbia University, told Scientific American last

technology research company. Like many of his col-

year. “The cannabis field can say anything—and it

leagues, he comes from a pharmaceutical background,

does. I’m not against marijuana. I want to study it

and he says that they apply the same basic principles in

carefully. We know it can affect pain and appetite, but

their research. But the company looks to see how differ-

the large majority of what’s being said is driven by an-

ent formulations of cannabinoids and terpenes work to

ecdotal marketing. These guys are really trying to

create moods. “Where we differ, instead of looking for a

make money.”

single compound for a target, we work with what Mother Nature gives us,” he says, “but we emphasize poly-

Wait, What’s a Cannabinoid?

pharmaceutical effects, which is what things do to

Most plants contain chemical compounds that are

these targets.”

used for everything from defense against animals and

He says pharmaceutical companies generally isolate

other organisms to aiding photosynthesis. Those are

a component or look for something specific to target.

called “cannabinoids.” Cannabis has more of them

“CBD alone hits many different targets in different ways.

than most other plants, some of which seem to deliver

That’s one thing pharmaceutical companies sometimes

opposing effects in users. And some of which you’ve

dial out,” he explains. “Some say the entourage effect is

definitely heard of before, even if you’ve never heard

many compounds doing one thing. But in some cases,

the term “cannabinoid” in your life. THC is a cannabi-

it’s one compound doing many things.”

noid more formally known as delta-9 tetrahydrocan-

Reid says that ebbu researchers use chromatography,

nabinol, and it’s the one responsible for the plant’s

a process that separates cannabinoids and terpenes into

telltale psychoactive effects. CBD, or cannabidiol, is

a kind of soup that allows them to test how different

another, and it’s the “it” ingredient

combinations affect receptors. “There

causing a stir in health, wellness, and

are a handful of cannabinoids and ter-

even beauty and skincare circles thanks to its medicinal properties and healing qualities.

Scientists have identified more than 100 other compounds in the cannabis plant, with more still being discovered—THCA, CBDA, CBN, CBG, CBC, CBL, CBE, and CBT among them.

In 1988, scientists also discovered that the human body has an endocannabinoid system, which works to help keep the body in balance, including basic functions like controlling appetite, sleep, cognition and anxiety. The body produces its own cannabinoids (called endocannabinoids) that are similar to those produced by cannabis; both acti-

54 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

“Some say the entourage effect is many compounds doing one thing. But in some cases, it’s one compound doing many things.”

—Brian Reid, ebbu

penes that modulate THC and can increase or decrease its potency.” One example, he says, are serotonin receptors, which help modulate moods and feelings. “We can mimic a profile at serotonin receptors, for instance, that works like antidepressant drugs.”

Van used myrcene, a terpene with a citrusy smell that’s also found in mangoes and other fruits, as another example. Myrcene has been found to increase the amount of THC the body carries to the brain. Finding the right combination or ratio of myrcene and THC could help people sleep or deal with pain.

“This is actually hard science,” she says.

“These mechanisms are very old.”

Dr. Daniela Vergara, an evolutionary biologist research-

ticity. Marinol, aka dronabinol, uses synthetic delta-9

ing cannabis genomics at the University of Colorado, is the

THC for treatment of nausea and as an appetite stimu-

director of the Agricultural Genomics Foundation, a non-

lant in cancer patients. And GW Pharmaceuticals is in

profit whose goal is to make cannabis science available to

clinical trials for FDA approval of Epidiolex, a treatment

everyone. She says that originally their studies led research-

for certain epilepsy conditions.

ers to believe that cannabinoids like THC and CBD were pro-

Sativex, which was brought to market in 2010 and

duced by one gene in different forms. “Now we know that

combines THC and CBD, has a pretty good history of suc-

they are different genes in very close proximity,” she says.

cess. Marinol, which uses synthetic THC, has a more

In fact, they are so close that they seem to originally

checkered history. “Many patients have found the side

come from the same ancestor genes, and that’s what

effects unpleasant,” Reid says. “There are a lot of data

makes the entourage effect argument so compelling.

that people don’t like Marinol. I don’t know how hard

“There is no evidence to support this,” she says, “but

that evidence is, but it is documented in patients. It ap-

what I think is going on is that many molecules are pro-

pears that whole-plant extracts provide more benefits.”

duced by the same gene. The entourage effect is all of

Vergara says it’s not unusual for plants to produce com-

these compounds working together to make you feel

pounds, but not as many as cannabis. “We do know that

some way. All of these work in synchronicity because

CBD appears to counteract the effects of THC,” she says.

they all come from the same ancestors.”

“We know it does that, which suggests that when you’re

Though the federal government’s official stance on cannabis is that it’s a substance “with no currently accepted medical use,” it has allowed drugs developed by

taking pure THC, it’s not as effective.”

Ten Millennia of Cannabis Cures

pharmaceutical companies that use chemicals from

Humans have been experimenting with marijuana as

the cannabis plant or synthesized versions. Sativex, an

medicine for a long time now, some say at least 10,000

oral spray that contains both THC and CBD, is sold by

years. And it has been used over the centuries to ease

UK-based GW Pharmaceuticals to treat pain and spas-

symptoms for many of the same things it’s been recom-

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 55

mended for today. In ancient Greece, it was used for ear-

been presenting their findings at conventions and are

aches and inflammation. A 1621 English clergyman sug-

beginning the process of peer review for their research.

gested cannabis as a treatment for depression. After it

All this talk of the entourage effect as a cannabis phe-

was brought to France from Egypt, it was acclaimed for

nomenon forgets to mention that it’s not a quality unique

headache and pain relief and as a sleep aid. And despite

to cannabis; it’s somewhat unique to all plants. “What’s

the attitude of some scientists who say there is no evi-

the best part of an apple?” Van asks rhetorically. “The

dence to support the entourage effect, research contin-

skin? The meat? We don’t know. The skin is full of nutri-

ues to indicate otherwise.

ents. The meat is full of sugar and fiber. Even the seeds

“I think the problem is that some physicians aren’t looking at the hard science of cannabis,” Van says.

“They’re not paying attention to the pharmacokinetics, which is how the drug affects you, and pharmacodynamics, which is how your body affects the drug.”

She also points out that there is a lot of research if you just look for it. Recent studies in Israel led by Dr. Ari Aran found dramatic improvements using cannabis for some autistic children, and Lehigh Hospital in Pennsylvania is doing its own trial on autistic children. A study published a few months ago offers encouraging signs for Epidiolex. More than 170 people with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a rare type of spasticity, were given Epidiolex or a placebo. The Epidiolex subjects experienced a reduction rate of 41 percent while the placebo only worked 14 percent of the time. Reid says that ebbu scientists have

56 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

have nutritional value. I still believe that whole food is the answer. I don’t know what’s the best part.”

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 57

Trippy

Healing Psychedelics are the new medical marijuana.

by R O BY N G R I G G S L AW R E N CE

58 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

I keep a photo of myself FROM THE REALLY BAD YEAR, WHEN I LEFT THE JOB I THOUGHT DEFINED ME AND BROKE UP WITH THE MAN I’D PLANNED TO MARRY. I’M WEARING A SLEEVELESS DRESS NO ADULT WHO WEIGHS 93 POUNDS SHOULD BE WEARING, WITH MY UNDERNOURISHED LIMBS AND OVERSIZED HEAD. I MAKE MYSELF LOOK AT THE PHOTO ONCE IN A WHILE

I don’t want to forget. MY LIFE ONCE FELT SO BLEAK THAT I DIDN’T WANT TO BE HERE. I COULDN’T KILL MYSELF BECAUSE I LOVE MY CHILDREN, BUT I thought about it BECAUSE

ALL THE TIME. I STARVED MYSELF AND TOLD PEOPLE MY NEW RETIREMENT PLAN WAS TO DIE YOUNG. Right around that time, private ayahuasca ceremo-

Spirit grants so I could travel to the Nihue Rao healing

nies were becoming a thing from Laurel Canyon to Park

center outside of Iquitos and experience traditional

Slope, so I went to one in a multimillion-dollar house in

ayahuasca ceremonies with shamans where Mama Aya

the Boulder foothills with a Jewish shaman who played

lives. I spent four hellish nights in the rainforest, wres-

new age music on a boom box. I had read everything I

tling with anger and despair about my father dying be-

could get my hands on about this ancient medicine

fore I was born—deep, pre-language demons I thought

made from sacred Amazonian plants—not all that much

I’d dealt with in the Landmark Forum, with God knows

at the time, and a lot of it pretty terrifying—and I waited

how many therapists.

with more than a little trepidation for the big bang that

My journeys were desolate and brutal, total annihila-

would fix me. When the mood wasn’t right and nothing

tion of the universe and terrifying solo rocket launches

happened, I was disappointed and then bored, listening

into empty orbits. I felt my father’s heart attack, and his

to the guy next to me groan and sob and watching the

crushing angst about who would take care of me was the

guy across from me paint pictures in the air with his

sword that finally cut through the dark energy I’d been

hands. I snuck into the garage to vape.

born with. I forgave him for dying and myself for thinking

I took that experience as another sign of what a hope-

he didn’t care enough to stick around and meet me. I told

less, crusty loser I had become. Not even drinking this

him he could let go, I would take care of myself now. Free

legendary brew could bring back my appetite for food,

for the first time in my life, I spent the last night juggling

for life. I figured this ayahuasca thing was just more

exclamation points, tossing them up to pop pink balloons

bullshit, a hallucinogenic Landmark Forum for entitled

that rained down sparkles of love on everyone around me.

people who have exhausted their therapists’ patience.

The pink glow lasted. I went home and started re-

I was wrong, of course, as Cosmic Sister founder Zoe

building my skeletal self and reinventing my career—as

Helene, a seasoned journeyer who drinks ayahuasca

a cannabis cookbook author and chef, no less. I met a

only in Peru, where it’s legal and revered, would prove.

nice guy who feeds me when I’m in work mode. I never

Helene awarded me one of the first Cosmic Sister Plant

considered suicide again. sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 59

Coffee, Tea, or Ayahuasca?

dependence, and terminal-cancer anxiety, while MDMA,

Psychedelics are the new medical marijuana, offering a world of therapeutic possibilities for so many things that ail us, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), debilitating grief, opiate addiction, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)—and Americans are more interested in them than they’ve been since the 1960s. In a recent YouGov survey, 53 percent of Americans said they support medical research into psychedelic medicines, and 63 percent said they would be open to having medical treatment with psilocybin, ketamine, or MDMA if the substances were proven safe.

In December 2016, the Journal of Psychoparmacology dedicated its entire issue to psychedelics. Michael Pollen’s recent book about psychedelic therapy, How to Change Your Mind, which he said took him to “places I’ve never been—indeed, places I didn’t know existed,” was an immediate bestseller.

Last year in the widely acclaimed book A Really Good Day, Ayelet Waldman wrote that microdosing, or taking about onetenth of a normal dose of LSD on a regular basis, helped her deal with severe mood swings. Silicon Valley executives microdose LSD for a gentle blast of focus and creativity.

Psilocybin from “magic mushrooms” is emerging as a treatment for smoking cessation, alcoholism and cocaine

KNOW YOUR

psychedelics Ayahuasca A combinatory brew made in the Amazon from the ayahuasca vine and the chacruna leaf containing the psychoactive substance DMT / Effects: Helps journeyers come to terms with deep-seated trauma / Potential

Treatment for: PTSD, chronic depression, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts

Ibogaine A psychoactive compound in the bark and roots of taberanthi, a small African bush tree / Effects: Activist Dana Beal described a waking sleep during which “your entire life and all those spooky archetypes you see distantly in your dreams are projected on the back of your eyelids” / Potential

aka Ecstasy or Molly, is showing great promise for treating PTSD and autistic adults with social anxiety because it lets them relive and safely reprocess traumatic experiences that normally leave them overwhelmed. MDMA, which emerged in the late 1970s as a tool for psychotherapists and made its way into the hands of ravers and yuppies, was “the drug that LSD was supposed to be, coming 20 years too late to change the world,” Newsweek wrote in 1985, the year the DEA made it a Schedule I substance.

Recently, the FDA gave MDMA breakthrough therapy status based on its effectiveness in PTSD studies, and it could be approved for legal therapeutic use by 2021.

As for ayahuasca, scores of medical journal articles are now exploring how journeying changes the very brain chemistry to beat back the anxiety and depression.

Every weekend across North America, thousands of seekers gather for not-so-underground ceremonies like the one that didn’t work for me. For $11,000, San Francisco-area startup professionals can travel to the Amazon with Entrepreneurs Awakening for the real deal—but they don’t have to go to all that effort. In San Francisco, self-help guru Tim Ferriss told the New Yorker in 2016, drinking ayahuasca is “like having a cup of coffee.”

sometimes near-death experiences / Potential Treatment for: Depression, suicidal thoughts

LSD Synthetic psychedelic made from lysergic acid in the fungus that grows on rye /

Psilocybin Entheogenic (meaning “to generate god

colors (synesthesia), deep interconnected-

within”) found in more than 75 mushroom

ness / Potential Treatment for: PTSD,

species / Effects: Disturbs normal nerve cell

alcoholism, anxiety, depression

interaction and serotonin functioning,

MDMA Also known as Ecstasy, Molly. Enactogen developed by German scientists during World War I with molecular and pharmaceutical properties similar to amphetamine and mescaline / Effects: Soaks the brain with neurotransmitters serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine and the hormone prolactin to invoke what psychologist Ralph Metzner described as “a natural state of innocence, before guilt, shame, and unworthiness arose” /

Ketamine

Peyote

Induces deep relaxation, out-of-body and

60 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

able to foresee and to predict things” / Potential Treatment for: Alcoholism and addiction

perception, ability to “see” sounds and “hear”

Potential Treatment for: Couples therapy, PTSD

and used during the Vietnam War / Effects:

top, or button, “causes those devouring it to be

Effects: Produces visuals, intensified sensory

Treatment for: Alcoholism and addiction

A disassociative anesthetic discovered in 1961

synthesized / Effects: Seventeenth-century ethnobotanists reported that eating the plant’s

Vision-inducing woolly cactus used by indigenous people containing mescaline, a psychedelic phenethylamine that can also be

creating heightened sensory experiences, perceptual distortions, hallucinations, and synesthesia (melding of senses) / Potential

Treatment for: Depression, end-of-life anxiety, trauma, addiction, couples therapy

LSD, Past Lives, and Outer Space Psychedelics affect the brain by binding to the same receptors as the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin and facilitating communication between disparate regions that normally don’t talk to each other. Kenneth Tupper, director of implementation and partnerships at the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, told NBC News that under carefully controlled conditions, psychedelics “can create experiences of wonder and awe and a connection to a ‘divine realm’ that leads to significant behavioral changes.”

At a recent international conference on the science of psychedelics in London, psychiatrist Ben Sessa explained that psychedelic therapy “offers an opportunity to dig down and get to the heart of the problems that drive long-term mental illness in a much more effective way than our current model,

That anti-authority effect is, of course, the reason psychedelics—which encouraged an entire generation to drop out and make love when the government desperately needed them to join up and make war—are illegal. In the 1950s, LSD was sold under the name Delvsid and used in conjunction with psychotherapy to treat anxiety and obsessive neuroses. A good number of researchers and therapists were studying the effects of drugs like LSD, which Canadian psychiatrist Humphrey Osmond called “psychedelics” from the Greek word for “mind manifesting.” Hollywood stars including Esther Williams and Cary Grant were outspoken about its effectiveness, Anais Nin wrote about experimenting with it, Alcoholics Anonymous founder Bill Wilson tried it as a means to sobriety, and the CIA slipped it to unsuspecting victims to see how they would respond.

which is take daily medications to mask systems.”

At the Johns Hopkins University’s Psilocybin Research Project, studies found that people had a more “open” personality, greater appreciation for new experiences, and enhanced

PEOPLE HAD A MORE “OPEN” PERSONALITY,

curiosity and imagination­—effects that persisted for at least 14

GREATER APPRECIATION FOR

months—after a single psilocybin session. And earlier this

NEW EXPERIENCES, AND

year, a study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacolo-

gy found that people feel more connected to nature and less supportive of authoritarian views after a psychedelic trip.

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A Threat to Police States Timothy Leary, the ex-Harvard professor who told people to “turn on, tune in, and drop out,” probably did more than anyone else to antagonize the government into making psychedelics illegal. President Richard Nixon called Leary “the most dangerous man in America” for his proselytizing about LSD. Leary told Playboy in 1966 that it was “the most powerful aphrodisiac ever discovered by man,” kicking up those age-old fears about young people’s virtue and predicted it would “enable each person to realize that he is not a game-playing robot put on this planet to be given a Social Security number and to be spun on the assembly line of school, college, career, insurance, funeral, goodbye. … Instead of relying on canned, static, dead knowledge passed on from other symbol producers, he will be using his span of 80 or so years on this planet to live out every possibility of the human, prehuman, and even subhuman adventure.”

Or, as Hunter S. Thompson would explain in Playboy eight years later, “If acid helps people see through conditioned hallucinations, then acid’s a threat to such police states as now exist in America and in Russia.”

All too much for the U.S. government. In 1968, a year after the Summer of Love, LSD possession was banned.

62 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

Two years later, nearly every psychedelic known, including LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, peyote, and cannabis, was declared a Schedule 1 drug with no medical value. The message–drugs are bad–would be impossible to ignore for the next several decades.

That message is antiquated. As we wrestle with so many seemingly intractable issues—opioid abuse, mental illness, mass shootings and violence, PTSD, and skyrocketing suicide rates—we can no longer afford to ignore tools that psychiatrist Stanislav Grof wrote, in the foreword to Albert Hoffman’s 2005 book, LSD: My Problem Child, “make it possible to study undercurrents that govern our experiences and behaviors to a depth that is not by any other method and tool available in modern mainstream psychiatry.”

Perhaps Amanda Fielding, founder of the think tank Beckley Foundation, summed it up best in a recent

Wired interview. “There are these incredible compounds that synergize amazingly well with the human body and can be used to have incredibly positive results,” Fielding said. “And what do we do? We criminalize it. I mean, they are more carefully controlled than nuclear weapons. It is mad.”

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 63

PROMOTIONAL FE ATURE

FLOWERKIST

Flower Power GIVE SOLACE TO YOUR SKIN WITH FLOWERKIST’S CBD-INFUSED SCIENTIFIC SKINCARE AND TOPICAL LINES.

If you’ve opened a magazine or scrolled through some

Short answer: it works, it’s safe, and it’s side-effect-

headlines in the past eight months, there’s a good chance

free, so there’s no harm in trying it to see if it cures

you didn’t hear this here first: 2018 is the year of CBD.

whatever’s ailing you. CBD’s medicinal properties are

It’s the cannabis compound that doesn’t get you high—

widely accepted; even the World Health Organization,

but it certainly has created quite a buzz. Cannabidiol, as

which advises UN countries on global health matters,

CBD is more formally known, is all the rage in health, fit-

released a report this year that stated there’s “prelimi-

ness, wellness, and beauty circles, where its earned a fol-

nary evidence CBD may be a useful treatment for a

lowing of fanatics who spread the “it’s so good for you”

number of medical conditions.”

gospel far and wide—a message so prolific and powerful,

The number of CBD-infused products on the market

it’s converting staunch cannabis opponents into advocates

is growing exponentially. Attempting to cash in on the

of the plant. In January, the trendsetters at

POPSUGAR.COM

green rush, some shady companies are pushing mod-

declared CBD one of hottest health and wellness trends of

ern snake oils. But there are also companies making

2018. Since then, television broadcasters, newspaper

modern medicinal marvels, companies led by caring,

headlines, and magazine features appearing in media

forward-thinking people who utilize the latest science

outlets of virtually every genre have backed up that claim.

and technology to create CBD-infused product lines

The New York Times called CBD Oil “beauty’s new high.”

that help people. That offer real, measurable results and

Bon Appétite declared CBD coffee to be the favorite new

benefits to users. FlowerKist is one of those companies.

drink of the wellness world. Oprah’s magazine featured a

The California-based brand, founded by Stephanie

“dreamy” CBD-infused gummy in roundup of natural sleep

and Barry Clark, offers a line of high-end cosmeceuticals

aids. Outside magazine focused on athletes ditching ibu-

infused with CBD derived from hemp—a non-psychoac-

profen for CBD. Rolling Stone called it the unexpected star

tive variety of Cannabis sativa that by definition has no

of legalized pot. Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand put CBD

more than 0.3 percent THC. Big believers in the nurtur-

products in the gift bags at a June “In Goop Health” sum-

ing benefits of CBD, the Clarks started FlowerKist to “pro-

mit in LA. But it was Washington Post who asked the

mote beauty from within,” with the understanding that

question on many minds: If CBD is the cannabinoid that

when the CBD compound is introduced to one’s body, it

won’t get you high, why are so many people using it?

helps balance the endocannabinoid system, which is constantly being depleted by stress, anxiety, and fear.

From the start, their goal has been to create high-quality, cannabis-infused products that offer safe, effective pain relief that’s a non-habit-forming alternative to dangerous pharmaceuticals.

FlowerKist’s pain-relief topical cream “Solace” is the manifestation of that goal. The topical utilizes a proprietary—and extremely effective—Fast Acting Dermal Delivery System, a patented rapid-absorption technology that allows the therapeutic formula of ingredients to peneThe cellular structure of Cannabidiol, or CBD

64 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

trate into and throughout the user’s skin. The result: rap-

Stephanie shares that has always been the compa-

id, targeted relief. The topical allows users to almost in-

ny goal. “We understand the powerful benefits CBD

stantly tap into CBD’s well-established medicinal

has on your body,” she says. “We want to be the hand

benefits. CBD delivers neuroprotective effects, inhibits

that helps you introduce CBD into your daily routine.

neurotoxicity, acts as an anticonvulsant and muscle re-

Time is of the essence, and by combining CBD with

laxant. It’s an anti-psychotic and an antioxidant. It’s an

high-quality skincare, you are promoting health and

analgesic, protecting against inflammatory and neuro-

beauty without missing a beat.”

pathic pain—especially controlling breakthrough pain. It decreases inflammation and increases cerebral blood flow. To put it in simpler terms: it does a body good.

To learn more: FLOWERKIST.COM

Along with 200 mg of hemp-derived CBD, Solace Pain Relief Cream is a smooth and luxurious lotion enhanced with lavender oil and vitamin E and other easy-to-pronounce ingredients. The resulting decadent blend boasts a naturally low pH balance, a creamy feel, and a soothing scent. And it won’t clog your pores while it hydrates your body’s largest organ.

FlowerKist’s catalog also includes a range of super luxurious beauty products, including ultra-hydrating lipsticks and lipglosses in a variety of attractive shades. As one beauty enthusiast noted after putting it on, “It feels like my lips are coated with soft velvet—it’s thick, but somehow not sticky. I love the subtle color, and my lips feel super hydrated. This is my new go-to gloss, I want it in every shade.”

“By combining CBD with high-quality skincare, you are promoting health and beauty without missing a beat.”

—Stephanie Clark, FlowerKist

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 65

{HereWeGo}

by D AW N G A R C I A

Lit Yoga at Marina Del Ray

Drop-in class, $30 / 5-class card, $125 Schedule and reservations at LITYOGA.COM

Tea + Yoga Toking Serenity plus a little more.

Marina del Rey is one of the largest man-made marinas in the US. It also happens to be the perfect backdrop for getting into a far more relaxed state of mind. In Southern Cali, we tend to immerse ourselves in clean eating and mindful practices such as yoga and meditation, seeking an overall sense of chill—because otherwise, the traffic alone will send us into a tailspin. So when we heard about Lit Yoga—an elevated yoga experience that infuses your practice with cannabis—we were so there.

Where, exactly? The exact studio address is only revealed to participants once they register, but it’s in the Marina Del Ray area. The schedule features a variety of class styles centered around restorative and creative flows—and they all begin with a 15-minute tea and cannabis ritual. Yogis have the option of drinking tea (Gong Fu ceremonial style), smoking joints, and/or adding a little CBD or THC tinctures to the mix.

66 AUGUST 2018 Southern California

Lit Yoga founder Hannah Mason, who has been practicing yoga and dance for 12 years, says cannabis brought her back to body awareness. Incorporating the elevating plant into her practice helped her sore muscles, tuned into her tension, and brought about a calming and far more awakened state of mind.

“Cannabis can be a catalyst to bring yoga practioners into their internal landscape and allow a deepening into the process of self-exploration and self-knowledge,” she says. “It naturally connects people to their physical being, their breath, and an expanded state of consciousness. Micro-dosing can be incredibly powerful in guiding people to a state of relaxation, openness, and heightened awareness of one’s thoughts and emotions.”

With a relaxed vibe that resonates, the 21+ studio delivers a sense of community, inclusion, welcomed social interaction, well-being, education, and intention.