A journey to the heart of the world
Eight years ago I made my first trip to Colombia. I knew there was something there for me, and that maybe I also had something to contribute. I didn't know it would bring to life my wildest dreams.
here’s a new song for you! thanks for listening. I wrote this song while on tour in Durango, Colorado at jimmy’s music shop. the lads there were kind enough to lend me a Gibson L-00 for a couple hours to write this song before load in. I still wish I had bought this guitar.
thanks for listening ☝️👂🙏
xogb
in 2013 my mentor Scott Smith led me through a journaling process that sparked a new way of being on my path. to cultivate a genuine relationship with myself by exploring my past with intention and compassion and setting me up to take ownership of who i am in the present by creating who i want to be, and dreaming of the life i truly wish to live.
there are 4 steps to actualize your dreams.
4 steps to actualize your dreams
Dream (Wonder)
Design (Make a plan)
Do (Take action on your plan)
Dance (Celebrate along the way
rinse and repeat.
I worked 5 years as a practicing licensed massage therapist with over 4000 hours of hands on experience, then made a shift starting out with zero experience to becoming a six figure earning top commission leader and trainer for a global direct sales wellness company based in Japan, to co-founding the first co-working space in my home town of Dayton, Ohio- then I found myself at another crossroads.
I spent four years dreaming, designing, doing, and dancing with all my heart. I traveled the world and was often surrounded by extraordinary teachers, leaders, and dreamers. I built something for myself based upon being of service to others, and still I felt there was a new direction calling me.
As soon as I experienced a taste of earning greater income than I thought would ever be available to me, I quickly realized it would never satisfy my soul. More money led to more spending, more bills, more habits, more stress, and a disconnection from the path I had been walking toward creating fulfillment in the present moment. I was young and I managed my small successes poorly, yet still I learned that acquiring fulfillment in my life would come from more than just making money. I wanted to make an impact.
I looked back at what my mentor Scott Smith had done for me, and it caused a great stirring within my heart. Scott held my hand and guided me to bring my dreams into my reality. He didn’t do it by giving me advice or tests to pass, he simply sat with me every week for about six months asking me questions and listening.
after this reflection, i realized there was a path toward fulfillment in the day to day right in front of me. if I could help others the way Scott helped me, I would no doubt uncover a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment.
I started gathering group of friends together and had Scott lead us through the work again. then I assisted Scott with a group, and before I ever thought I could be ready for it- Scott kicked me out from under his wing and said, “you should just start your own thing.”
so I did. and I called it “purpose thingy” and after calling up some friends of mine, I had the first 23 people say yes to joining me on a four week adventure to grow a deeper relationship with who they are and design a life they love and start working toward living it.
these 23 people had a people had a positive experience and happened to tell some friends and family about it and before I even had the plans to continue, I had two more groups of people signed up and ready for rounds two and three. within the first year I led more than 150 people within 30 different four week groups in my hometown through my “purpose thingy” process all via word of mouth. and in that year came the name;
*Purpose Spark*
from hosting purpose spark at the nucleus (our co-working space) to workshops at music festivals and retreats around the Midwest, I was invited to visit a friends farm in Colombia. in 2016 when I arrived there at the retreat center in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, known by the indigenous as the heart of the world, my heart sang loud and clear. this was a place where my wildest dreams could come to fruition.
and that they have.
I began sharing Purpose Spark there within international retreats, often combined with plant medicine ceremonies led by facilitators working with yage’ (the colombian tradition of Ayahuasca). Purpose Spark grew organically from my backyard in Dayton, Ohio to the lives of more than 800 people representing 35 different countries.
when you live in harmony with the 4 steps to actualize your dreams, you’ll often find out that greater dreams than you had ever imagined start waking up inside of you and knocking on your front door.
in 2019, without it ever being on my radar or in my realm of possibilities, I was given the opportunity to become a partner and shareholder of the land and retreat center in those sacred mountains that called me home.
the pandemic brought me the gift of meeting my wife, a professor of dance at the Atlantic university in Barranquilla. since classes were all online, she took the opportunity to travel and check out some spaces to host her own retreats. I greeted her at our gate on that late summer morning (Colombian summer) in March of 2021.
our love story began unfolding and it wasn’t long before we both knew that we were ready to merge our paths into one and begin creating our dreams together. growing a family was at the top of our list and in January of 2023 our son Benjamin was born in our humble home in the village of minca below the farm.
now we find ourselves in 2024, Benjamin is coming up on a year and a half of life and sweetness and we are back to living full time at the retreat center, reactivating the space and rebranding our vision and mission together with my partner Max.
Welcome to Poema- write your own story.
This coming July, we have an amazing opportunity planned for anyone feeling the call to the heart of the world. Together with one of our greatest friends, Scott Stone, we are sending out the call to join us for a week long journey of reset and transformation.
Join us at Poema for:
blessings from the kogui indigenous elders of our region as they guide us to make our spiritual offerings to the land
a deep dive into the purpose spark process
guided breath work immersions with Scott, certified Wim Hof breath coach
yoga and movement explorations with Carolina (my wife!)
jungle/coffee farm hikes and natural cold plunge waterfalls
nightly fires with music and stories
an introduction to Mambe and Ambil (plant medicines from the Amazon)
beautiful palm roof cabanas with an ocean view
and a two night integration add on to join us on my favorite beach in the world outside of tayrona national park
no matter where you are in your journey toward self awareness, purpose and fulfillment, whether you are a white belt or guru, this opportunity is designed to give you a reset, a break through, and send you home with a whole new realm of possibilities and the tools to chase them. come with us to nourish your heart, and fortify your passion for life once again and SPARK YOUR PURPOSE.
Click here for more details and to apply!
Thanks for reading, and thanks for sharing with a friend!
xogb 🐝❤️🧙♂️
💛