Plantscendence
Welcome to Plantscendence, a new podcast hosted by filmmaker Jon Reiss. Join us on a transformative journey as we explore the world of plant medicine and its profound impact on healing, personal growth, and artistic expression.
Within each episode, Jon engages in insightful conversations with a diverse array of experts, practitioners, artists, grief counselors and everyday people who have harnessed the power of plant medicine to heal trauma, navigate loss, unlock creativity, and become more their true selves.
Guests for the ten episode first season include poet and musician Vera Sola, author and pioneer of microdosing Jim Fadiman, actress Gina Gershon, artist and Nganga Chor Boogie, US Army veteran Itzel Barakat, author and teacher Spring Washam, artist Doris La Frenais, plant wisdom practitioner Sitaramaya Sita, grief counselor Larry Carlat and healer and author Tricia Eastman.
Jon Reiss is a critically acclaimed filmmaker, author, and media strategist. He began his film career at the fabled Target Video, where he shot seminal punk bands, including Black Flag, X, Iggy Pop, Throbbing Gristle, and The Cramps. Reiss then filmed and edited a series of videos documenting Mark Pauline’s Survival Research Laboratories. After directing numerous music videos, including, notoriously, Happiness in Slavery for Nine Inch Nails, he directed the feature films Bomb It, Better Living Through Circuitry, and Cleopatra’s Second Husband. Through his company 8 Above Reiss also helps filmmakers navigate the new distribution and marketing landscape.
Plantscendence
#9 Larry Carlat: From Grief to Enlightenment
How fear of death led one father to overcome the grief of the loss of his son - and help other parents who have lost children in their journeys. In this episode, Jon welcomes Larry Carlat, a grief counselor and writer, who shares his profound journey with psychedelics following the tragic loss of his son Rob. Driven by a desire to confront his anxiety about death and connect with his son’s spirit, Larry recounts his initial foray into plant medicine, and the incredible healing that it engendered. Larry details some of the remarkable encounters he had with spiritual entities – including his mother, father, and Rob – while on psilocybin, as well as the moments of ego dissolution and emotional catharsis that helped reshape his perspective on life, death, and spirituality. Larry also shares insights from his own counseling work, where he guides other bereaved parents and siblings through their grief journeys.