A Moment that changed me.

There was a moment when it all began.
I’m talking about a defining moment when I realized something simple yet life-changing:
We live twice, and the second time starts when we realize we only get one life.
It wasn’t dramatic. No fireworks, no rock bottom. 
Yet, it carried the unmistakable weight of initiation.

About 10 years ago, I walked into the rainforest with a group of men. And as we ventured deeper into the wild,
I found myself walking into something far more mysterious, my own interior world. 
That experience sparked a journey I’m still on today and I will continue to be on for the rest of my life. 
A path of the heart getting to know my nature.

In the jungle, our leader gathered us in a small clearing beneath the canopy and asked one question: “What does it mean to be a man?”
The responses from that circle of men have stayed with me ever since.
There was a dutch environmentalist who escaped the corporate world and focused on combating climate change by regreening degraded landscapes in Africa. 
A Turkish millionaire confessed to losing everything before discovering the simple, quiet joy of making breakfast for his daughter.
Another man, a former festival entrepreneur, used his fortune to create a healing retreat space in Italy.

I began to see a pattern: suffering as a spark. Shift happens when shit happens. But was this the only way? I became deeply curious.
What are the tools, rituals, and practices that can help us to initiate us as men, before a crisis forces it upon us?
It also made me realize to not just ignite a spark but the importance of keeping a fire burning.

Because life isn't going to get easier, it's actually getting more difficult and we're just learning to take the harsh better.
In times of adversity we need to rely on something to keep the fire burning.
We need to rely on ourselves, our principles, our values and continue being curious about our own nature.