Spring Washam

Warm greetings Beautiful Community, We are living in a time of profound uncertainty, grief, and transformation. I know many of you are struggling with deep despair. So many hearts are hurting including my own. In times like these, I believe the most powerful offering I can make is to become more deeply anchored in love, truth, and the unwavering commitment to the liberation of all beings. At this exact moment, I am preparing to enter a one-year solitary meditation retreat at Tara Mandala, beginning in just a few days and ending in May 2027. I experience this beautiful retreat center and this sacred land as a true place of refuge and a gift to the world. This is one of the most important spiritual commitments of my life. I am not going on retreat to leave the world behind. I am going because I love this world so deeply, and I want to cultivate a heart and mind that can truly serve it with wisdom, courage, and boundless compassion. My Path & Background I have been devoted to the path of meditation and Dharma since my early 20s. Over the past decades, I’ve trained extensively within the Spirit Rock Meditation Center community, completing a Community Dharma Leader training and a five-year retreat teacher training. I have also spent over 10 years as a ceremony guide, supporting others in deep healing work. I’ve had the blessing of studying with beloved teachers, and I have dedicated my life to teaching, writing, and guiding others on the path of compassion and liberation. My work has always been rooted in the heart in love, bodhicitta, and the deep intention to reduce suffering in this world. And still, I feel called to go much deeper. There is another level of compassion I hope to anchor in. Why This Retreat, Why Now This one-year retreat is my bodhisattva offering. For 365 days, I will step away from my public life and enter a simple, disciplined, and devotional container of deep dharma practice in the mountains. I will live alone in a 100 square foot cabin called Luminous Peak, dedicating my days to meditation, prayer, and the continuous cultivation of wisdom and compassion. My practice will be rooted in the traditions of Metta, Tantra, and Dzogchen paths that open the heart, clarify the mind, and reveal our deepest capacity to love and to remain present with suffering without turning away. This is not an escape. This is a turning toward. A turning toward the suffering of the world. A turning toward the reality of impermanence and loss. A turning toward the possibility of liberation for all beings. A turning toward a love that does not turn away. The Path of Love & Service After my catastrophic truck accident in 2024 and the deep healing journey that followed, my life has been asking something new of me. There has been a slowing down… a listening… a reckoning with what truly matters. This retreat feels like a sacred response to that moment a time to restore my body, deepen my practice, and realign my life with the deepest truth of my heart. It is a step into devotion. A step into silence. A step into love. At the center of this retreat is a simple but profound intention: To cultivate bodhicitta the awakened heart of compassion that is dedicated to the liberation of all beings. And when I say all beings, I truly mean it and that is hard work. This path is not about personal escape or transcendence alone. It is about becoming a vessel of love in a world that is so deeply in need. It is a commitment to the Bodhisattva vow: to remain present, to serve, and to walk alongside all beings until suffering is relieved. Through this year of practice, I am committing to: • Deepening my capacity to meet suffering with compassion through deep practice • Strengthening a love that includes all beings, without exception • Cultivating courage, clarity, and presence in the face of difficulty • Listening deeply for how I am being called to serve in the next chapter of my life • Preparing to offer future teachings, writings, and retreats that are rooted in lived realization This is the path of the bodhisattva. The path of love in action. Financial Support To make this one-year retreat possible, I am hoping to raise $40,000–$45,000. After my accident in 2024, I have spent considerable time healing my body, and I have not been able to work as I normally would. These funds will support: • Cabin rental at Tara Mandala ($12,000) • Food and basic living supplies ($9,600) • Medical and health insurance & expenses ($4,500) • Minimal admin support to keep my work flowing while away ($6,000) • Storage fees (home & car) ($6,500) • Essential Dharma support (texts, teachings & supplies) ($4,000) • Transition and relocation costs after the retreat ($5,000) I will be living very simply, but even a simple life requires a real foundation of support. If you feel called, you are also welcome to send supportive items to the center things that nourish the body and spirit such as loose tea, cacao, or simple superfoods are always deeply appreciated. Mailing Address: Tara Mandala (Yogini Spring Washam) 250 Hot Springs Blvd #1983 Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 Energetic & Spiritual Support If you feel moved to support this retreat, I would be deeply grateful for any contribution, no matter the amount. Every offering is meaningful. Every gesture of support matters. And if financial support is not possible, I ask for something equally powerful…Please hold me in your sacred prayers. Send loving-kindness. Please keep me in your heart. The practice I am entering is not only for myself it is for all of us. There is real strength in being held energetically by community, and I deeply believe in the power of collective prayer and intention. Thank you to my beautiful sangha for walking this path with me. Thank you for believing in the power of love, of practice, and of a heart devoted to the liberation of all beings. I carry you with me into this retreat. For any additional information, updates or questions, please contact my beloved assistant Bhavananda. With the deepest love and gratitude, Spring Washam

My name is Spring Washam, and I am organizing this medical fundraiser for my dear friend and colleague, Dr. Robert B. Kargbo. He is a brilliant scientist, humanitarian, and one of the most compassionate souls I’ve ever known. Robert and I met at the Usona campus while I was attending a series of groundbreaking conferences. It was during a conference on Bridging Worlds that I shared about an innovative psilocybin project & potential study focused on supporting highly traumatized Black communities in the rural south. He agreed to support the project by offering his time, expertise, and great heart. Tragically, on November 15, 2024, Robert and I were struck by a truck while walking in a crosswalk together in Atlanta, Georgia. My heart is in my hands as I write this. As we crossed the street during a volunteer visit, a truck suddenly came barreling toward us. In a split second without hesitation, Robert stepped in front of me, shielding my body with his own and pretty much saving my life. This past year has been one of the hardest of my life, and although I’ve been on my own recovery journey, I’ve watched Robert endure severe injuries with extraordinary courage. His right hand, the hand behind over 300 scientific publications and major breakthroughs in psychedelic research, was catastrophically damaged. He now lives with severe nerve injury, mobility loss, chronic pain, and the aftermath of a life-threatening blood clot. His injuries include: Multiple surgeries Severe nerve damage to his right hand A serious knee injury affecting mobility A life-threatening blood clot Injuries to his neck, shoulder, and back Chronic daily pain Loss of sensation and functional strength in the hand is essential to his scientific career. Robert’s willingness to volunteer to support these vulnerable communities in Georgia and to put himself in harm’s way for me is something I will never forget. Your support will help him regain function, rebuild stability, and continue the scientific and humanitarian work that has touched so many. Now, he truly needs our help. What Has Happened Since On June 4th, Robert went out on medical disability. As his condition worsened and his recovery required more time than anticipated, he was unable to continue his employment, which concluded on October 2nd after after eight years of dedicated service. This transition has placed a significant strain on his recovery and stability, and as his friend, it has been heartbreaking to witness how profoundly these events have affected his life. Most recently, during a stressful period of travel disruptions and repeated flight cancellations, Robert experienced a collapse consistent with acute stress-related syncope. This episode underscores the severity of his condition and the urgent need for him to remain closer to the medical teams overseeing his care. His situation is unfolding rapidly, and he needs support now as he navigates these escalating health and logistical challenges. He lost: His income His health insurance His ability to work His physical ability to perform his craft His basic sense of stability And still, he has kept his heart open. He has fought with courage, with grace, with quiet faith. But he cannot do this alone any longer. He urgently needs: Intensive, ongoing hand therapy Neurological rehabilitation Physical therapy for mobility Additional surgeries Adaptive medical technology Transportation and home-care assistance Lost income support COBRA health insurance ($2,000+ per month) Relocation assistance to move to Georgia to receive medical care This campaign is not just about medical bills; it is about giving Robert the chance to rebuild his life. The Hand That Changed a Field Robert’s right hand has contributed to some of the most important innovations in psychedelic science. With it, he has: Co-authored over 300 scientific papers and books Synthesized hundreds of compounds Contributed key breakthroughs to psychedelic development Trained young scientists with patience and generosity Presented at international research conferences Supported colleagues with humility, brilliance, and heart This is the hand that shaped an extraordinary scientific legacy and lifted thousands along the way. This is the hand that wrote groundbreaking papers, mentored colleagues, and reviewed the work of others so they could rise. This is the hand that offers support, comfort, encouragement, and kindness. Now, that same hand trembles with nerve pain. Now, that hand cannot type, draw, or work without agony. Now, that hand needs our hands to help him return to the work he was born to do. Yet instead of turning toward bitterness after his medical separation, Robert chose gratitude. He entered a meditation practice honoring everything these hands have given him over the decades of his life—the discoveries they made, the letters they wrote, the breakthroughs they shaped, the people they touched, the embraces they offered. Even in suffering, he is thanking these hands for a lifetime of service. And now, those hands need to be cared for so they can heal, so they can create again, so they can continue their purpose. ⭐ WHY THIS MATTERS — The Larger Impact This is not only Robert’s story it's a story about: A scientist who devoted his life to healing others A Black chemist in a field with very few Black voices A humanitarian doing outreach for traumatized communities A man who quite literally saved another person’s life A world that needs compassionate scientists now more than ever Robert’s contributions have profoundly shaped psychedelic research, trauma recovery, and mental-health innovation, touching the lives of survivors of trauma, veterans, people living with depression and PTSD, community healers, scientists around the world, and the future of psychedelic-assisted therapy itself. When we help Robert heal, we are supporting a man whose life’s work has helped the world heal. His recovery matters for science, for the psychedelic field, for the communities he serves, and for everyone who believes in compassion, service, and courage. What His Colleagues Say “Robert is one of the most inspiring individuals I have ever met. His optimism is infectious. He reminds us that adversity is not an excuse and that great things can be achieved no matter what hand we are dealt.” Please Help Us Support our dear Robert If Robert has ever inspired you, taught you, mentored you, reviewed your work, collaborated with you, encouraged you, made science more humane, or touched your life in any way, please consider donating. Every contribution moves him toward healing. Every gift helps restore his ability to work, create, and serve. Every act of generosity honors a man who risked his life to save another. From the depths of my heart, thank you. Any donation counts, no matter how small. We’re aiming to raise $250,000. Funds will be transferred directly to Robert to support his recovery and living expenses during this challenging time. With love and tremendous gratitude, Spring Washam