#237 Why Classical Acupuncture Is the Missing Piece with Dr. MG McCullough
SuperFeast Podcast
This one's a ripper, legends. I sat down with Dr. MG McCullough, a classical acupuncturist who trained under Anne Cecil Sturman in the Jeffrey Yuen lineage, and we went deep - like, Jenga-block-pulled-from-the-middle deep - on what modern acupuncture school actually leaves out. MG's whole thing is that we didn't just simplify Chinese medicine when it got exported West, we pulled the center block out of the tower. The primaries got taught, the channels, sinews, luo vessels, divergences and eight extraordinaries got filed under "extra," and now most acupuncturists are running triage clinics...
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#236 Tonic Herbalism, Liver Flow & Using Your Emotions (Properly) with Helen Padarin
SuperFeast Podcast
This one starts light and ends deep. We get into Gynostemma - one of those rare herbs you can take daily without throwing yourself off. Proper longevity tonic, not hype. Then Asparagus Root (“Heavenly Gate”) - big for adrenals, reproductive health, and actually getting some perspective when life’s a bit chaotic. But the real thread here is the liver. There’s a clear pattern right now-people sitting on a lot of anger, resentment, frustration… and trying to “let it go” without ever working with it. Problem is, that’s not junk-it’s energy. Life force. So instead of...
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#235 Laying the Ground for Jing & Cultivation with Benny Fergusson
SuperFeast Podcast
Right, we’re kicking off this new series on the Three Treasures - Jing, Qi, and Shen - and I’ve brought in an absolute legend to help us navigate this. Benny is a fixture around here, living just a stone’s throw from the studio, and he’s the perfect guide for this series. He comes from a hardcore performance background - sports, movement, the works - but he’s spent years deep in the trenches of neurosomatic movement and nervous system work, which makes him the perfect bridge between high-level performance and ancient Taoist principles. We’re starting with Jing, but forget the...
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#234 Forgiveness is Self-Care and Choosing to Respond, Not React with Damien Cole
SuperFeast Podcast
[TRIGGER WARNING]: This episode includes discussion of a traumatic car crash and associated trauma (TBI). Listener discretion is advised, especially for those with past experiences related to car crashes. Alright everybody, that was a ripping chat with Damien Cole, who is an absolute legend and hammering towards his destiny. The core thread we pulled on was the difference between external labels—like his name, Damien or Damo—and what's actually going on inside, which led us into this heavy territory about whether love or blood ties should carry more gravitas when talking about family...
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#233 Pharmaceuticals and Natural Therapies: An Award-Winning Pharmacist's Guide to Safe Integration with Sara Murdock
SuperFeast Podcast
The chat features Sara Murdock, an award-winning pharmacist and key integrator on the front line of modern health, addressing the reality that people actively use both pharmaceuticals and natural therapies. The central challenge is ensuring this dual approach is done safely, a dilemma highlighted by Sara's inability to recommend beloved products like turmeric due to potential harmful interactions with certain medications. This underscores her definition of Integrative Healthcare: leveraging the best of both worlds with structure, accountability, and paramount safety. ...
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#232 The Magical Gap: Why Our Ego, Politics, and Dogma Block True Healing with Peter Galle
SuperFeast Podcast
The chat really dives into a deep philosophical and super-practical look at healing, all sparked by Peter Galle's firsthand experience with a pretty serious health hurdle—a herpetic cold sore infection in his eye. He ran the full gamut, hitting it with conventional treatments like Valtrex alongside a ton of classic antivirals like Coptis (Huanglian) and Skullcap. But nothing was truly curative or stopping the progression of the ulcer. He was ready to give up and hit the emergency room for steroids when, as a last-ditch "recesses of my mind" shot, he took a large dose of St. John's wort...
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#231 What's the Wall? Removing the Roadblocks to True, Deep-Seated Healing with Eddie Enever
SuperFeast Podcast
Boom. So, we dove in deep with Eddie Enever on the brutal reality of chronic disease, specifically cancer. The big kicker is that it's not just a physical problem, is it? He frames it—and this is a real stake in the ground—as a "disease of disconnection," forcing you right up against your own mortality. Having walked that gnarly path himself, from Stage 1 all the way to Stage 4, Eddie's insight as a practitioner is monumental. The absolute linchpin, the central theme we hit on, is agency—getting your sovereignty back. It’s about taking total, personal control over your...
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#230 Results, Not Excuses: Navigating Regulation and the Limits of Science in Natural Medicine with Matte Legge
SuperFeast Podcast
The conversation with formulator Matt Legge pulls back the curtain on the supplement industry, framing it as a metaphysical struggle between genuine intent and the corporate Machine. Matt’s journey is a hero’s exile from structures like Metagenics, which prioritize efficiency over the soul of the product. This machine churns out soulless, AI-generated formulas that chase "white space," utterly neglecting the deep clinical insight of Root Cause Analysis—a meditation of the pulse. The founder’s sacrifice creates the Pearl of Reciprocity, the organizational soul. The primary struggle is...
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#229: Herbal Wisdom, Taoist Principles & Essential Travel Health: The Classical Medicine Guide with Ann Cecil-Sterman
SuperFeast Podcast
What a profound conversation this was—a real unpacking of principles, where the philosophical meets the deeply practical. The core of this whole thing, as we dug into with Ann Cecil-Sterman, revolves around the true action of herbs, which—from the Taoist lineage we follow—comes down to pure taste, not just some chemical breakdown. It’s that deeper "flavor sensing in the stomach." My journey with Superfeast has been about living the great Yin-Yang puzzle: holding the intense contrast between deep Taoist tradition and the necessary reductionist language for Western...
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#228: Unveiling the Power of Dream Practice with Clarissa Gunawan
SuperFeast Podcast
If you’ve been here for a while, you know my whole focus is on returning to the roots of a path—an integrated, no-nonsense approach that actually holds up in the modern world. This conversation with Clarissa Gunawan goes straight to the core of a practice we’re all doing anyway, every single night: dreaming. We move well beyond the new-age, “superhero powers” version of lucid dreaming I experimented with in my twenties, and land firmly in the grounded, embodied terrain of Daoist dream work. Clarissa lays out why this isn’t abstract or esoteric fluff; it’s a non-negotiable tool...
info_outlineIn today's episode, prepare to be transported into the enchanting world of herbalism as Mason sits down with the incredible Stephanie Hazel. Stephanie, a traditional Western herbalist, teacher, and earth lover, brings forth a passion for her craft that is as robust as it is poetic, inviting listeners to explore realms beyond intellectualism and linear thought.
Stephanie and Mason embark on a captivating exploration of the sensory landscapes, diving deep into topics that range from heart perception and animism to herbal dieta and apprenticeship. With each exchange, they unveil the rich tapestry of wisdom woven through Stephanie's experiences and teachings.
At the heart of their conversation lies the concept of heart perception in herbalism—an idea that transcends the notion of the heart as merely a pump. Stephanie eloquently elucidates how heart perception involves listening with both body and heart, allowing for profound insights into the healing properties of plants to emerge. Emphasising the fusion of intellectual knowledge, intuitive knowing, and embodied experience as essential components in cultivating herbal wisdom.
Stephanie generously shares her approach to teaching herbalism, highlighting the importance of reverence and respect when interacting with plant allies. She advocates for a guided process that honours the deep connection between humans and plants, ensuring a safe and meaningful exploration of this sacred relationship.
For those eager to delve deeper into Stephanie's teachings, her courses—Plant Allies and The Wild Edge of Herbalism—offer unique opportunities to engage with herbalism in a way that transcends conventional education. Each course is a doorway to a world where plants become not just subjects of study, but cherished partners in the journey of self-discovery and healing.
Stephanie's wisdom shines through as she and Mason explore the practice of embodied listening, highlighting its transformative power in fostering harmony with plants and the environment. Their conversation serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of honouring perceptive senses alongside intellectual understanding—a testament to the profound wisdom that awaits those willing to listen with an open heart.
Tune in today for a powerful and profound journey into the heart of herbalism with Stephanie Hazel—a true plant person and universal voyager whose insights will leave you inspired and enlightened.
To learn more about Stephanie and her courses, visit her website here.
Mason & Stephanie discuss:
- Heart perception in herbalism.
- The power of using single herbs over formulas.
- What it means to hold an animist worldview, in herbalism, and life.
- Plant dieta and the importance of holding reverence in herbal practice.
Resource guide
Guest Links
Stephanie's Website
Stephanie's Podcast
Stephanie's Instagram
Stephanie's Facebook
Stephanie's Herbal Allie's Online Course
Stephanie's Wild Edge Of Herbalism Online Course
Mentioned In This Episode
Stephen Harrod Buhner
Mathew Wood Herbalist
The Emerald Podcast
SuperFeast Reishi
Related Podcasts
Wild Woman Way with Susun Weed (EP#23)
Entering The Imaginal Realms with Stephen Harrod Buhner (EP#88)
Alchemystic Fungi with Bryan & Mikaela (EP#190)
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Check Out The Transcript Below: