Gahdi envisioned Mastodon's presentation since back before it's opening (almost five years ago). From the careful selection of the employees to the type of clientele which the shop's style has impacted, none of this happened by accident. Mastodon has an extremely wide range of customers -- one thing in particular that most of them have in common is that they are the kind of people who want more than just a fashionable piercing. Our clients know that when they come to Mastodon they are in for a whole experience, and because of this we always see people coming back to share the experience with their friends. Gahdi strongly believes in bringing ritual back into daily living. Gahdi's approach to piercing is to give all piercees the opportunity to find deeper meaning within the piercing. When one has an intention or "target" when getting pierced, then the act or "ritual" of the piercing coupled with the environment produces a "personal ceremony". Breathing and meditative techniques with each and every client helps to allow the person to let go of apprehension, fear and anxiety. Through this release, people become more vulnerable to experience something different. We want people to have a pleasant and unforgettable experience, and through the process of introducing ceremony to people who may not normally have the opportunity to experience ritual; we hope to break the stereotype of how the public imagines a typical "punk rock" atmosphere when they think of a Body piercing studio. Mastodon is a professional studio which offers Body piercing, branding, scarification and mehndi, supplying the San Diego community with highly sought after -- but not readily available services.

• Gahdi originally from Los Angeles was aware of body modification since its early day in the L.A scene He first became involved by working with a friend to make and sell body jewelry. A great number of people asking him to pierce them along his interest in tribal cultures motivated him to further explore the art.
• Gahdi helped to establish the guidelines and criteria for Body piercing insurance. Gahdi is the longest active board member of the APP, having started working with the APP not long after its initial inception, and is currently the Chairman of the Board of the APP.
• One of Gahdi's main personal interests is travelling to tribal villages. A few of the countries to which he has done extensive travels include: India, Nepal, Egypt, and several of the Indonesian Islands. During these travels Gahdi has collected countless artifacts which he displays in his shop -- including masks, antique ritual daggers, human skulls, prayer wheels and much more.
• One of the main reasons that Gahdi loves being with Indigenous people is their connection to the Earth and their connection through ritual -- bloodletting of Indonesian's, fire ritual ceremonies of Bedouins of Northern Egypt, and drum and dance ceremonies of the Rastafarians in the high hills of Jamaica.
• Recently Gahdi was participated in a power pull ritual in which 7 men and 1 woman joined together in a sacred space, used 8 gauge flesh hooks through the back in a circle formation tied off to a center circle. Joined together in a sacred space and invited the spirits to protect them and their loved ones. This ritual was planned and brought together by the Mastodon family as well as other friends. Gahdi initiated the ceremony with the lighting of the candles representing the four directions and an affirmation of the meaning and symbolism of the ritual for the participants. The closing included thanks to the spirits who guided and protected us during the ritual and in our everyday lives.

Gahdi's travels: Big Hindu cremation ceremony in Indonesia. These were taken in a ritual ceremony during the "bearing of bones" where a woman's soul was finally released, after her bones were kept with her daughter in her house for two years until the Shaman felt it was the right time. During the ceremony they slay many animals to ensure that the deceased has a bountiful afterlife.

"At first introduction Gahdi and I immediately clicked. Our common passion for travel and interest in indigenous peoples immediately sparked conversations about shared experiences. I had just returned from a three month journey through Bali, Sumatra, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand where Gahdi had also been travelling earlier that year. While in Indonesia my husband Mike (also a Mastodon employee) and I hired a guide to take us to a small island where we trekked through

Callie receives a tradtional tattoo by Mentawai shaman in Indonesia using bamboo stick tapping method.

the rainforest and lived among the Mentawai people. We first heard of the Mentawai from Kristian White (of Nomads of the Dawn). We have been friends with Kristian for years and he was one of the main people who sparked our interest in body modification. Having traveled through Indonesia several times himself, Kristian highly recommended for us to try to live amongst some tribal people while we were there. The Mentawai still live "primitively" in bamboo huts with no running water and no electricity. The Mentawai fully tattoo their bodies -- faces, necks, torso to ankles. They also had stretched earlobes and were very fascinated by the "white man" with colorful tattoos and piercings and stretched ears. Both my husband and myself were able to arrange getting tattooed by a shaman using the primitive bamboo stick tapping method, quite an experience."

"One thing I discovered during my travels was the realization about how deprived I have been my entire life of ritual and ownership of my body. Growing up in the U.S. we are socialized to be ashamed of our bodies, and never given much opportunity to discover the reasons why other cultures celebrate their bodies through ritual and adorn through scarification, encumberments, tattooing, and other body modification. Americans cheat themselves of true culture and celebration -- look at how all of the "American" traditions or holidays have become very materialized, people are putting themselves in irreversible credit card debt so that they can please their friends and family with material gifts. Thus, growing up as a part of the American culture, I believe that I have been forced to create my own ritual. I feel that my body modifications are a symbol of my commitment to taking back ownership of my body. When I am partaking in a piercing or tattooing, I like to focus all of my mind and energy on the way my body feels at that particular moment of time. There aren't many other times in our lives that we have taught ourselves to do this -- I need to be in touch with my emotions, sensations, and spirit on a regular basis -- this is about as close as I think I can possibly get in touch with the rituals of tribal cultures."

"Coming into Mastodon just felt right. Some of the artifacts that I had encountered on my travels hang on the walls at Mastodon and make me feel very at home. I feel a connection with the artifacts and therefore also with the shop, this connection has motivated me to become very passionate and dedicated about my work here. I strongly feel that Mastodon is more than just a "job", it is a reflection of the staff, our efforts and energies, our passion. "

Mastodon employee "picnic" gathering. Most friends and family are invited to an annual cleansing, ritual where they undergo various activities sub as branding, scarring and piercing.

"Upon moving to San Francisco in 1992 my eyes were opened to the magical world of body modification. I began acquiring piercings at age 18, a personal time of growth and maturity. These experiences were very reaffirming for me, confirming thoughts and experiences of higher states of consciousness, release, the validity of energy, and a reclaiming of my own body. I had discovered ritual -- which I had lacked but craved for so long."

"I began studying and researching modern piercings and ancient ways. I then realized that this is what I wanted to devote my life to and I aspired to become this dream. Several years later I found myself in the Fakir Intensives seminar, every thing coming more natural than expected. Shortly after I began an apprenticeship on Haight\Ashbury I remained with this shop for a year and then began my travels and further search for myself and my home. I found myself in Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, and now back in California this time in San Diego."

"Since my first sight of Mastodon the tall Buddha lurking amongst other colorful artifacts, the soft smell of incense as you enter and the cultural music fill all your senses. I remember breathing it all in as if to ingest it, my heart was opened and I knew I had found my new home. I

At the cleansing ritual some of the Mastodon family share a flesh pull (or energy pull)

became friends very quickly with the Mastodon staff and as our relationships have blossomed they have become the closest thing to family I have ever known. I am surrounded by like minded people and this has allowed my true self and my piercing ability to soar . I have become very focused on balance, meditation, ritual and love and aspire every day to remember appreciate and not take these things for granted . Recently I was the only woman to participate in a power pull along with 7 men. (see Gahdi's bio for description) Partaking in this ritual served as a cleansing of my spirit, a realignment of my personal balance as well as my energies. Since the ritual I have felt completely in tune with my third eye, my spirit as well as my surroundings."

"My goal as a piercer is to pass this energy on, to enlighten, to listen not only to words but also to the body and spirit. I believe, even if on a subconscious level, we in this industry have the ability to touch others souls and allow them to taste magic and ritual something they may never get an opportunity to feel in the American society. New clients tend to enter piercing shops on the same level filled with apprehension and fear and I pride myself on working them through this. My ability to relate to and read people may be the greatest asset to my piercing. I allow my kindness and gentle hands to guide both the client and myself. People are in a very safe space and this enables them to utilize my breathing and relaxation techniques in any way they may need. Because of this I have seen the phenomenon of "shamatic" release whether it be through laughter, tears, moments of silence or words all these are pieces of people that stream from depth that they may not even know. Maybe through this they will touch on something that will change their lives, I know this was the case for me.

"All of these elements confirm for me that this is my calling and place in life. I am so happy to have found something that is not only therapeutic for myself and others, but which also promotes universal consciousness."

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top (L-R): "Spike", Mike (Mastodon's newest), Rob, Mike (apprentice)
bottom (L-R): Corey, Gahdi, Callie