My Name Was Mushroom: Wendy Baker’s Journey Beyond the Source Family Cult

Jun 30, 2025

Wendy Baker, a former member of the Source Family cult and author of the memoir, My Name Was Mushroom, shares her captivating journey from a neglected childhood to life within a communal setting. She vividly describes the allure of Father Yod's teachings, contrasting the superficial beauty of veganism and free love with the underlying oppression and control. Wendy discusses the manipulation of emotions through concepts like 'ego' and reflects on her healing journey post-escape, emphasizing the importance of authenticity in rebuilding her life.

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ANECDOTE

Wendy's Early Commune Life

Wendy Baker joined the Source Family at 14 to escape a traumatic childhood and found a caring, vibrant community.
Life involved cold showers, meditation, raw vegan diets, and her being renamed Mushroom within the commune.

INSIGHT

Ego Used as Gaslighting Tool

The word "ego" was used to shut down dissent and dismiss complaints in the commune.
This tactic gaslit members into self-doubt, preventing meaningful discussions about concerns.

ANECDOTE

Declining Led Leader's Offer

Father Yod offered Wendy participation in "Dionism," a sexual practice minimizing its abusive nature.
She declined due to discomfort and observed infighting among women in the harem; he accepted her refusal.

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Long before kale smoothies went mainstream, The Source Family was seducing Hollywood with vegan food, free love, and a guru who called himself Father Yod. This wasn’t just LA’s first vegan restaurant – it was a commune where long-haired devotees in white robes took ice-cold showers at dawn, meditated for hours, and followed strict spiritual rules under their bearded leader. Celebrities like John Lennon and Cher might have stopped by for a meal, but for many teen girls – often runaways – this place became home, for better or worse.

Wendy Baker was one of those girls. At 14, she left a traumatic childhood behind for promises of love and enlightenment. Renamed Mushroom, she was swept into a life of chanting, raw vegan meals, and devotion to Father Yod. By sixteen, she had her first child; by nineteen, she was ready to escape.

In this episode, Wendy shares what life was really like in the Source Family – from malnutrition and sleep deprivation to the ego-shaming that kept members silent. She talks about her journey out, her marriage to Bart, Father Yod’s son, and how writing her memoir, My Name Was Mushroom, helped her heal.

For more on Wendy’s journey, check out her website and memoir My Name Was Mushroom.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses childhood trauma, underage relationships, and cult manipulation.

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The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.

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CREDITS:

Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames

Production Partner: Amphibian.Media

Co-Creator: Jess Tardy

Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media

Audio production: Red Caiman Studios

Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin