Fakir Intensives - July 13, 2025

Full Circle at Fakir Intensives

In January 2013, I came to Fakir Intensives Basic as a student.
A little over a decade later, I had the opportunity to be on the other end—helping at the Fakir Intensives Comprehensive class alongside Raven.

I’ve been meaning to go back and audit a Fakir class for a while now. But somehow, the studio—or just life in general—always found a way to keep me in town every time I tried.
This time, no excuses.

Raven graduated from Fakir a year ago and had been meaning to go back too. She took the lead, coordinated with Fakir’s director Kenny Coyote, and made it happen. I’m really grateful she did.

Coming Back to a Place That Changed Me

I love Fakir Intensives.
This place will always hold a special place in my heart.
It’s one of those experiences that’s nearly impossible to describe—you just have to be there to truly understand it.

When we arrived, there were a few familiar faces and many new ones.
It was Sunday—piercing day and graduation day. (Fakir classes usually run Wednesday through Sunday.)

Raven and I got the rundown of the behind-the-scenes work—sterilization, keeping supplies organized, making sure the day ran smoothly.
Then I got pulled aside… turns out there was a different plan for me.
They asked me to help the students directly.

Definitely wasn’t expecting that.

Even after nearly 15 years of piercing, and attending every Fakir program—Basic in 2013, Advanced in 2014, Comprehensive in 2022—I still get imposter syndrome sometimes.
This was one of those moments.

Learning While Teaching

I had the opportunity to assist with a navel, septum, and stacked earlobes.

Even though I do these piercings regularly at the studio, each student taught me something new. Whether it was how they marked their piercing, the tools they chose, or how they interacted with their client—there was always something to learn.

Flashback: My Student Days

It reminded me of when I was a student at Fakir, doing a nostril piercing with a hoop. I was paired with Jef Saunders. Before we began, he asked me how I normally did nostrils. I said, “Freehand or disposable clamp.”

He followed up with, “What about receiving tubes?”

I admitted I didn’t like them. I’ve always found them difficult to use, so after my apprenticeship, I stopped using them unless I had no choice.

He just smiled and said, “Cool. We’re using a receiving tube.”

Damn.

And sure enough—I messed it up. But honestly, if you’re gonna mess up, this is the environment to do it.
I talked it through, fixed the issue, and the client left with their hoop in.
(Yes, a hoop in a nostril. More on that another day.)

The Nape Piercing Story

Later in the day, I ended up having a spontaneous request to do a nape piercing on Airick from Laughing Buddha.
Thank you so much for the trust 😅🙏🏽.

It’s been a minute since I’ve done a surface piercing, so I let him know. I honestly thought he was joking when he said he wanted me to do it—with a room full of phenomenal piercers around. At one point I asked, Why me?

He said, “I don’t know, man. I like your vibes.” 😅
Good enough answer for me.

(Thanks again to Jef for helping me navigate it 😅)

A Full-Circle Ritual

That evening, we had the graduation ritual, and I had the opportunity to be one of the piercers.
I got to do a pair of tandem nipples with my friend Kenny Crespo, which was a really special moment.

After the ritual, we helped break down the setup and ended the night with dinner alongside the instructors.

Wrapping It Up

Raven and I both really enjoyed being a part of this Intensive.
It felt incredibly rewarding to give back to a program that gave us so much.
We’re both looking forward to continuing to be involved in the future.

After Fakir, we stayed in the Bay Area a couple extra days—did some touristy stuff, visited a few studios, and ate good food.
Raven and I parted ways Tuesday evening, and I’m now back in SLO.

But if you're in the Bay Area, Raven is currently guest spotting at Rose Gold in San Francisco from 7/16–18 and will be at Make Me Holey in San Jose on 7/20.

She’ll be back at SLO Piercing starting 7/24 and available for bookings.

🔗 Tap the link below to book with her! ⬇️