From Crooked Media, this is unholyer than now. I'm your host Philip Picardy.

When many people think of Buddhism, they think of passive pacifists who practice meditation.

So maybe you'll be surprised by today's guest, who's here to talk a little bit about Buddhism,

and a little bit about BDSM.

Soma is an artist, activist, and a fierce advocate for sex workers, people struggling with addiction, and people who are houseless.

She's also taught as a Buddhist teacher at Against the Stream Meditation Center, a nonprofit based in Los Angeles.

And finally, she's worked as a professional BDSM dominatrix for the last 15 years.

If that last part sounds a little at odds to you with the rest,

you may be surprised to hear just how harmoniously it works in Soma's life.

Here's just a little taste of her magic.

Is it soft? Is it soft?

Is it rough?

Is it restricted?

What's here?

What do you notice?

What do you notice about the breath?

What we do is intrinsically risky and to pretend that it's not risky is

irresponsible.

What if this was your last breath?

As a dominant, we're responsible for the bodies of our submissives.

So first, Soma, I'd love to start with your origins of faith. I understand that you left Christianity. Can you tell me a little bit more about that?

Yeah, I left Christianity when I was about 17, 18 years old and it was a really big deal because I came

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