Today we’d like to introduce you to John Moos.
Hi John, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I could walk you through my life story, but it doesn’t matter. We are all having a human experience on this incredible planet. We only get one change to learn our lessons, share our purpose, and spread love. I’ve learned a few things in my 44 years: wisdom both learned and earned. They have informed how I show up for life personally and professionally. I have translated my life’s resume and transformed it into a humanistic model to hold the transformational healing work we offer at Soul Surgeon by Moos MD. Here we go…
Life can be complicated. In our younger years, we are just trying to figure everything out – ourselves, our relationships, our goals and dreams, our future. It’s easy to get distracted with life, the present moment, conflicts and tensions, and all the pressures – social, familial, cultural, political, etc. – you name it. Later in life, after some life experience, reflection, introspection, wounding, and healing, a new wisdom and maturity starts to set in. What feels like wisdom as a kid doesn’t always translate to wisdom as an adult or elder. Time and experience give us perspective.
So where does all this perspective lead? Love.
There is no greater force in nature than love. Your understanding of love will grow with you. It is the most resilient force you will ever know. It the energy that shaped your conception, held you in your womb, and guided you through life. It was the invisible string that connects you to your heart, to the people around you, and the universe at large. It is imbued in the Spirit that conspires to support your life – through obstacles and challenges, setbacks and failures, coincidence and synchronicity, opportunities and successes.
Throughout your life, love will drop breadcrumbs. They may be subtle or obvious. They may bring you towards or away from people, situations, or experiences. It may feel painful or graceful. The absence of love will feel lonely, unsafe, and scary. But love will call you. Even when you don’t know how to listen, it will activate your intuition and guide you towards safe harbor, connection, and grace. Love is not supposed to be hard; it is supposed to be clear. If it is unclear, it just means your mind and your body need some time to catch up and attune to the energy of loves messages.
Follow the things you love. Be mindful if following those things hurts others. Your first commitment is to yourself, but it cannot be a selfish endeavor. Love is serving from a cup that is overflowing. The love we feel for ourselves will be part of the webbing that connects us to others and beyond. But we cannot abandon ourselves to meet the needs of others. When you pursue your interests, make sure they are your interests. When you pursue your dreams, make sure they are your dreams. When you commit to a relationship, make sure you haven’t abandoned yourself, your values, or your safety to show up for another. Clarity is kindness, and kindness starts with the self. Take the time to liberate yourself from the shackles of your past trauma and wounding. That is healing. Healing is an act of love. Commit to love.
Love will be the ultimate road sign from birth to death and beyond. You may experience “love” being used frivolously, loosely, and carelessly. People may attempt to weaponize their selfish intentions in the name of love, but love cannot be weaponized. It is steadfast in its commitment to the truth. My wife’s dad, Joe Hollman, shared in his “Principles of Leadership, #7: speak and seek the truth in all matters.” Truth is love. Love does not lie, deceive, or take unwillingly. Love is not power over or against, but power with. It is a collaborative and creative force that builds, grows, and expands.
My story was, is, and will be about finding and following the things that bring love into my heart and helping others do the same. It is about surrounding myself with people who give and receive love without conditions. It’s about choosing the activities and experiences that grow love from a tiny ember into a wildfire of joy. It’s about welcoming all the emotions that pour love into your heart, help heal the wounds that accumulate, and bring peace to your nervous system.
If and when you feel lost, uncertain of what to do or where to go, return to love. Remember to do the things that bring you joy, make you laugh, and put a smile on your face. That place of serenity will give you the clarity and capacity to listen to and trust yourself as you move forward. It doesn’t matter if you’re 8 years old and trying to decide between two sports, a teenager and trying to figure out what party to attend, a college student trying to figure out what career to follow, a young adult trying to figure out if you should get married or not, or a retiree trying to figure out what to do with your life…just follow love’s breadcrumbs. It will take you need to go, or worst-case scenario, on one hell of an adventure. This path to exploration and self-discovery is also the path to love. Be love!
If you need help finding your way, look me up. I have walked the path of obscurity, confusion, loneliness, and trauma. There is a path of redemption and atonement for everyone.
And always remember, I see you, and I love you.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
If you are a human being in a human body, you’ve faced obstacles and challenges – it’s part of the human condition. We all encounter traumas, whether we are aware of them or not. Trauma, like most things in life, falls along a spectrum. The challenges and obstacles we’ve encountered along the way also represent our path to freedom and wholeness.
Life hasn’t been a smooth road, nor would I have wanted it to be. Franklin Roosevelt said, “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” Obstacles and challenges are opportunities to learn about ourselves, our resources, and our circumstances. They can be confirmation of our victimhood or the steppingstones of our creatorship. A life without obstacles and challenges typically means we’ve never endeavored far enough to stretch our capacity and our potential or lean against our growth edge. Obstacles are part of the growth equation if we choose to move beyond the warm blanket of resignation. Avoiding pain means choosing a prison of comfort.
Throughout life, I’ve experienced many peaks and valleys. As Spencer Johnson, MD, shares in his appropriately named book, “Peaks and Valleys,” Peaks are when we appreciate life, and valleys are when we learn about life. Life’s terrain has texture and topography. There are ups and downs. It is what we do with these experiences that define who we are and what we can offer the world.
A life well lived is one willing to confront our obstacles and challenges, derive meaning from them, and share this wisdom for the betterment of humankind. My work, psychedelic medicine healing, is predicated on the moving through the discomfort so we can turn our obstacles into meaning, and live free from their burden.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
At Soul Surgeon by Moos MD, our vision is to create the conditions for love and light to shine. We aim to accomplish this using multiple platforms to simplify healing trauma so people can experience the joy of life and love. We believe healed people will light up the world with love, and we strongly believe that psychedelic medicines will play an integral part pushing this evolution. Traditional medicine wants you to live longer. Soul Surgeon wants you to live fully.
Translating over 20 years in healthcare, we’ve pioneered new techniques to heal trauma and optimize well-being. Our healing framework focuses on a connection-based, emotionally attuned, trauma-informed, value-driven approach to care. It is a humanistic model, meaning it derives its value from human experiences.
We believe healing happens when the right conditions are provided. Human systems are dynamic and trend toward thriving in optimal environments. Before the healing can happen, we ensure safety, transparency, and trust are established. The conditions: integrity, nurturance, play, stillness, and connection are the bedrock from which the seeds of change grow outward. Love grows concentrically outward from self to other to ultimately all of creation. Your Light is the manifestation of your true purpose and meaning.
We are a healing sanctuary in Los Angeles, founded by Dr. John Moos. Our unique healing framework lies at the intersection of mysticism and medicine and is informed by both clinical and spiritual practices. After becoming increasingly disenfranchised with most KAP medical models, Dr. Moos wanted to create a better container for healing to occur. He chose to make personal transformation simple, safe, and accessible.
As a Western-trained, allopathic medical doctor, he was discouraged by the traditional practice of medicine. Faced with burnout, loss of autonomy, defensive medical practices, and increasing bureaucracy, he needed a change and turned his focus from trauma surgery to trauma healing. After spending years in trauma bays, overburdened emergency rooms, and operating suites, it was time to heal it before it happens. Relying on his deep experience in all contexts of trauma, he is able to apply the wisdom learned and earned from both professional development and personal experiences to support every client’s healing journey.
We are here to create the container, the framework, and the conditions to heal while offering comprehensive and tailored treatment programs for individuals, couples, and groups. Your trust is our inspiration.
Our areas of specialization include:
Psychedelic-Assisted Journeys
Trauma Informed Care
Microdosing education
Psychedelic Integration
Antidepressant Taper Support
Addiction, Sobriety & Recovery
Adolescents, Young Adult & Family Systems
Couples & Intimacy
Group Journeys
Psychedelic Sound & Energy Healing
Psychedelic Body Work
Ketamine Prescriber Support for professionals, i.e. therapists, counselors, etc.
Pre- & Post-Ritual Counseling
Education & Training
Harm Reduction
Retreats & workshops
What’s next?
We are currently in the final stages of completing version one of our healing framework, a humanistic model for holding healing work. We plan to distribute this as an educational resource and training platform and offer elements in workshops and retreats. We plan to offer specialized offerings for professionals and healers, “heal the healers.” We are partnering with community leaders and healers to cross-pollinate communities and disciplines, pioneering new techniques and healing modalities to accelerate the path towards healing, wholeness, and thriving. I have many other plans and always looking for like-minded, big-thinking individuals to partner with to collaborate and grow these offerings. Reach out of it if you’re interested in collaborating or incubating new ideas.
Contact Info:
- Website: soulsurgeon.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulsurgeonmd/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmoos/
- Other: https://soulsurgeon.com/thecontainer
Image Credits
Moos MD
