Unbroken Chain Podcast Maura James McNamara

My friend Kasem joins for a tender, deeply personal conversation about his lifelong dance with the mystic. From a childhood rooted in the Missionary Baptist church to his last 13 years as a practicing buddhist, Kasem has been following the radical meme of self-discovery.  We talk about everything from putting Jesus back in context and learning to examine the nature of reality, to the “double dutch” of code switching and navigating the American Dream as the child of immigrants.
If you want to connect with Kasem, you can email him at ricanarab@gmail.com. More podcasts at MauraJames.com and IG @maurajames.
[“Haenim” - Kim Jung Me]

“Nerdy rebel” Kenton Bartlett discusses starting Alabama’s first psychedelic studio where he shepherds people through therapeutic ketamine sessions. We talk about leaving behind traditional talk therapy models, holding space, curating music, legality, and combatting drug war propaganda.  “If I had to summarize my current philosophy, it would be: trust yourself. And everything I’m trying to do as a therapist is just get out of the way.”
You can find photos of Kenton’s meticulously designed trip spaces on Facebook and learn more about his offerings on his website. Listen to the higher consciousness playlist here. More podcasts at MauraJames.com and IG @maurajames.
[“Sit Around the Fire” feat. Ram Dass & East Forest]

Musician and human laser beam of positive energy Phil Cook comes to the woods in Alabama for an intimate conversation by the creek. We talk everything from space and swing, to dad’s ski tapes, to getting diagnosed with ADHD at 40, and learning to respect the power of plants. It’s been a big time of reflection and setting new direction. Welcome to Phil’s big, beautiful world. You're part of the family now. 
Watch Phil’s new documentary Stay Prayed Up and listen to his new album All These Years. He’s on IG @philcookmusic. More podcasts at MauraJames.com and IG @maurajames.
[“All These Years” - Phil Cook]

My dear friend Chase Bauer returns to the podcast with a deeply personal exploration of the nature of mind. In telling the story of a recent psychedelic ceremony, Chase reveals how a constellation of wisdom including nonviolent communication (NVC), guru yoga, and the witness of LSD helped him understand his relationship to addiction in a radically new way. Along the way we contemplate cults and spiritual abuse, whiteness, codependence, the value and limitations of constructing mental models, and doing whippets in your 30s.
Watch Chase’s short films Calling For Home Care and Pleasant Valley Black and Blue and connect with him on IG @cosminomena. More podcasts at MauraJames.com and IG @maurajames.
[“Love Is Overtaking Me” - Arthur Russell]

Kathy Nida is an artist most well known for her quilts, which depict potent visions of the human experience. She describes quilting as a form of meditative practice that is essential to her mental health. She has intentionally prioritized it throughout her life, including while also being a mother and a full-time middle school science teacher. In this conversation, we explore truth-telling and censorship, art and capitalism, pantyhose revolt, and finding hope for the future in critically-thinking 12-year-olds, among much more. You can connect with her at kathynida.com and on IG @knida. More podcasts where podcasts are found and at MauraJames.com.
[“Down By the River” - Letta Mbulu]

Susan Ateh is a breathwork facilitator whose goal is for all people to experience love for themselves. An Irish-Cameroonian living in LA as a working actor for many years, Susan realized that the misogyny, materialism, and judgment inherent to the film industry had worn down her love for her craft, and she found herself paralyzed by depression. She shares how breathwork reconnected her to the beauty of her emotions and helped her begin to release decades of unprocessed emotion, a journey into reconnection that she now holds space for others to walk. We talk about the socialization of “the good girl,” the trope of the “angry black woman,” comparison culture, capitalism and colonialism in the wellness industry, and the importance of apologizing for our participation in white supremacy—unconscious and conscious—when we begin the work of deprogramming our minds and hearts. You can find Susan and her virtual breathwork circles at www.susanateh.com and IG @irishinfused. More podcasts where podcasts are found, www.maurajames.com and IG @maurajames. 
[“Deep Silence” - Loma Suyo]