# Sofi stories | from the journals and travels of our ethnobotanist - Michael J Balick **URL:** \ **Category:** Exploring our relationship with plants\ **Created:** [24 March 2022 23:58 UTC](https://treehouse.sofi.health/t/sofi-stories-from-the-journals-and-travels-of-our-ethnobotanist-michael-j-balick/2644 "2022-03-24T23:58:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kaveh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/treehouse.sofi.health/kaveh/32/59_2.png) [@Kaveh](https://treehouse.sofi.health/u/Kaveh)\ **Post date:** [24 March 2022 23:58 UTC](https://treehouse.sofi.health/t/sofi-stories-from-the-journals-and-travels-of-our-ethnobotanist-michael-j-balick/2644/1 "2022-03-24T23:58:11Z")
Good evening Pioneers … so something we have been thinking about for a bit now. As you know we have an incredible ethnobotanist on the sofi team by the name of [Michael Jeffrey Balick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jeffrey_Balick) … @MJB you’ve been a huge inspiration to me on this journey with sofi and I love your focus on people, plants and culture. A little while ago we started thinking if we could pull some of the stories from Mike’s extensive travels together in short stories and currently testing them in audio format - tonight we just finished the second one, [“On the Importance of Laughter”](https://vimeo.com/692039626/b303a1d195) … we’d love to know what you think! xx 🙏 If you’d prefer to read this story instead of listen, please click [here](https://sofi.health/can-laughter-double-up-as-a-health-medicine/). ---
**Author:** ![pira](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/treehouse.sofi.health/pira/32/493_2.png) [@pira](https://treehouse.sofi.health/u/pira)\ **Post date:** [25 March 2022 00:22 UTC](https://treehouse.sofi.health/t/sofi-stories-from-the-journals-and-travels-of-our-ethnobotanist-michael-j-balick/2644/2 "2022-03-25T00:22:11Z")
Amazing story of the laughter and healing - Love the story, the video, the background music, and his narrative voice - thank you! 🙏 ☺ ---
**Author:** ![Kaveh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/treehouse.sofi.health/kaveh/32/59_2.png) [@Kaveh](https://treehouse.sofi.health/u/Kaveh)\ **Post date:** [25 March 2022 07:43 UTC](https://treehouse.sofi.health/t/sofi-stories-from-the-journals-and-travels-of-our-ethnobotanist-michael-j-balick/2644/3 "2022-03-25T07:43:41Z")
Love to know what you think @stephendahmermd ! 🙏 ---
**Author:** ![vincent](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/treehouse.sofi.health/vincent/32/7_2.png) [@vincent](https://treehouse.sofi.health/u/vincent)\ **Post date:** [25 March 2022 11:10 UTC](https://treehouse.sofi.health/t/sofi-stories-from-the-journals-and-travels-of-our-ethnobotanist-michael-j-balick/2644/4 "2022-03-25T11:10:43Z")
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**Author:** ![vincent](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/treehouse.sofi.health/vincent/32/7_2.png) [@vincent](https://treehouse.sofi.health/u/vincent)\ **Post date:** [25 March 2022 11:12 UTC](https://treehouse.sofi.health/t/sofi-stories-from-the-journals-and-travels-of-our-ethnobotanist-michael-j-balick/2644/5 "2022-03-25T11:12:42Z")
https://player.vimeo.com/video/692039626?h=b303a1d195&app_id=122963 I just love hearing that sofi voice. That voice could tell me anything and I’d feel soothed 🙂 And what about the effect of clowns in the operating room! Amazing 😂 ---
**Author:** ![stephendahmermd](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/treehouse.sofi.health/stephendahmermd/32/97_2.png) [@stephendahmermd](https://treehouse.sofi.health/u/stephendahmermd)\ **Post date:** [25 March 2022 15:16 UTC](https://treehouse.sofi.health/t/sofi-stories-from-the-journals-and-travels-of-our-ethnobotanist-michael-j-balick/2644/6 "2022-03-25T15:16:05Z")
@Kaveh you know my thoughts on this! an absolute gem. Dr. Balick is rich garden of wisdom ful of insights and introspection. I am so pleased to hear this. I wonder what cultural stories there are out there related to sleep. As I ponder that - will leave you with one of my all time favorites from earlier in my career when I worked on Diné Bikéyah (navajo land): ### A woman was driving home in Northern Arizona, when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of the road. She stopped the car and asked the woman if she’d like a ride. The woman thanked her and got in the car. After a few minutes, the Navajo woman noticed a brown bag on the back seat and asked the driver what was in the bag. The driver said, “It’s a bottle of wine. I got it for my husband.” The Navajo woman thought for a moment, then said, “Good trade.” ---
**Author:** ![Kaveh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/treehouse.sofi.health/kaveh/32/59_2.png) [@Kaveh](https://treehouse.sofi.health/u/Kaveh)\ **Post date:** [25 March 2022 15:30 UTC](https://treehouse.sofi.health/t/sofi-stories-from-the-journals-and-travels-of-our-ethnobotanist-michael-j-balick/2644/7 "2022-03-25T15:30:44Z")
That’s brilliant @stephendahmermd🙂 and pleased you like the stories. Was wondering if you have seen humour or a smile having much role in clinic. ---
**Author:** ![pira](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/treehouse.sofi.health/pira/32/493_2.png) [@pira](https://treehouse.sofi.health/u/pira)\ **Post date:** [25 March 2022 16:12 UTC](https://treehouse.sofi.health/t/sofi-stories-from-the-journals-and-travels-of-our-ethnobotanist-michael-j-balick/2644/8 "2022-03-25T16:12:59Z")
I am curious if we can ask sofi’s voice to read bedtime stories for us? His voice as @vincent mentioned is so soothing … it could help us to relax and fall asleep? 😄 ---
**Author:** ![natascha\_mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71e660/32.png) [@natascha\_mani](https://treehouse.sofi.health/u/natascha_mani)\ **Post date:** [25 March 2022 20:26 UTC](https://treehouse.sofi.health/t/sofi-stories-from-the-journals-and-travels-of-our-ethnobotanist-michael-j-balick/2644/9 "2022-03-25T20:26:05Z")
Absolutely soothing voice - thank you totally enjoyed listening to the tranquility of the voice and the music SUPER ! ---
**Author:** ![MJB](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/treehouse.sofi.health/mjb/32/496_2.png) [@MJB](https://treehouse.sofi.health/u/MJB)\ **Post date:** [27 March 2022 14:19 UTC](https://treehouse.sofi.health/t/sofi-stories-from-the-journals-and-travels-of-our-ethnobotanist-michael-j-balick/2644/10 "2022-03-27T14:19:38Z")
Thanks Stephen! Love this story!! ---
**Author:** ![CjaJose](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/treehouse.sofi.health/cjajose/32/1347_2.png) [@CjaJose](https://treehouse.sofi.health/u/CjaJose)\ **Post date:** [7 April 2022 21:14 UTC](https://treehouse.sofi.health/t/sofi-stories-from-the-journals-and-travels-of-our-ethnobotanist-michael-j-balick/2644/11 "2022-04-07T21:14:29Z")
Lovely recollections, the reference to Patch Adams is wonderful. If all doctors had a similar outlook and treat their patients as he did then pain and suffering might become redundant.