DiscoverIn Presence We Trust: The Facilitation PodcastThe Myth of Transformation - Dave Booda
The Myth of Transformation - Dave Booda

The Myth of Transformation - Dave Booda

Update: 2025-11-25
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"Treating people with just the smallest amount of dignity in a space where they're routinely gaslit and made feel small… it's amazing how people will respond." – Dave Booda

Dave Booda is a writer, musician and social entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of IntimacyFest and hosts the Darkness Experiment, a five day relational retreat in complete darkness. Over the last 15 years he has led more than 450 workshops on connection, touch and relationships, consulted for communities, festivals and companies, and published over 200 essays on boodaism.com. He also performs as his alter ego "Boodananda," a satirical spiritual sex shaman teaching about abuse and predator warning signs, and serves on the board of the Foundation for Intentional Community while living in rural San Diego, California.

  • Why the word "transformation" is so often misused in our industry and how overpromising can leave participants feeling more broken, not more whole
  • The difference between transformation, peak experience and community and what ethical containers for each actually require
  • How to design intense workshops as if participants were on a medicine journey, including pacing, aftercare and integration once they go home
  • Practical facilitation upgrades like real customer service, high touch pre event calls, end of retreat debriefs and asking the sharpest 10–20 percent of the group for honest feedback
  • His own growth edge around service, moving from "making rich people feel good" toward work that serves communities and people who would not normally access retreats


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Connect with Dave

Dave's essay on ethical ecstacy: https://boodaism.com/lgat/

Website and writings: https://boodaism.com

Connect with Rachel

Rachel's Email List: http://rachelrickards.myflodesk.com/subscribe

Rachel's Website: https://rachelrickards.com/

The Field Facilitator Training: https://www.the-field.com/

Find us on Instagram

The Field Facilitator Training: https://www.instagram.com/thefieldfacilitation

Rachel Rickards: https://www.instagram.com/rachel.rickards/

Our Cover Art was Designed by Oana Serbana

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Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OanaFlowingArt

 

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The Myth of Transformation - Dave Booda

The Myth of Transformation - Dave Booda

Rachel Rickards