Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Robinson.
Samantha, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Detroit and spent a lot of time at warehouse parties and events around the city. The culture in Detroit is heavily centered around music, especially techno and house. I’ve always had a passion for dancing and have found a lot of inspiration and energy from going to shows.
When I moved to Austin at the end of 2019, I went to ecstatic dance at Indra’s Awarehouse and fell in love. It was wild, chaotic, cathartic, and sober. I loved that the event wasn’t focused on drinking or taking something. It was about using dance as a moving meditation.
I was laid off from my job in public relations at the start of quarantine in 2020 and felt called to pivot into wellness. I took my 200-hour yoga teacher training through Soul Ascension Healing Arts. The more I leaned into yoga, meditation, and breathwork, the more I was inspired and driven to pick up music. I was captured by the idea of making the Maha Mantra techno high-energy, and fun to dance to. If you haven’t heard the Maha Mantra, look up George Harrison Hare Krishna on YouTube. It’s said the vibration of the chant clears negative energy from the body.
I started taking production and DJ classes at Dub Academy on the East Side and have been playing music and finding ways to incorporate elements of wellness ever since. It’s truly been a magical ride and Austin has been the best city imaginable for ecstatic wellness.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it’s been a smooth road, but I have felt guided by the flow majority of the time. It’s been endlessly interesting applying all that I have learned in my yoga teacher training to this journey. Non-judgement for self and others and learning how to deeply tap into intuition have been incredibly valuable.
I think the continuous struggle is appreciating where I am now and knowing there is still so much more I want to accomplish. It is so important to take time to recognize the progress we’ve made and all of the things we have done before looking for the next big thing to do.
In general, I do think it is hard to be a female in a male-dominated industry. There’s an extra layer of confidence needed to show up in certain situations and believe in yourself enough to do the damn thing and support yourself after if things don’t go as hoped for.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a DJ and yoga teacher specializing in ecstatic wellness. I want people to feel elated, psychedelic, connected, and inspired by the things I do. What sets me apart from other DJs is the level of intention I create with. I think a lot about the words and frequency of the music I mix with and want to be sure it’s uplifting and conscious. Facilitating connection with one another, ourselves, and the universe is my mission. I want people to come to the events I am a part of and leave feeling fulfilled at a soul level.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @samsara.dj
- SoundCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/samantha-robinson/
- Other: Patreon.com/samsara
Image Credits
Photos by Dominique Mireya
