Hello, how are you doing? Drop a comment if you like; it’s been a while!
About three months ago, in early January, I left for Gabon, Africa, for a Bwiti Missoko initiation with the Iboga root.
It’s been so strong that it felt like a rebirth. I definitely left in the temple in Gabon many parts of myself I did not need anymore or that weren’t mine.
It was very profound and impossible to describe with words. So much that I even felt like removing most of my own words and traces online. I archived all the contents of this newsletter and took it as a meditation to archive thousands of Instagram posts.
I felt what I posted online did not fit me anymore, a bit like old clothes that I did not want to wear anymore and had to recycle and get new ones.
I also stopped writing and sharing for three months. My friends from Gabon say the integration of such an initiation is 6 to 12 months, and I will keep changing fast this entire year.
I have started observing many changes, following already years of transformation in another jungle, the Amazon.
Back to the hero’s journey: we’re all the heroes of our own life.
Concluding my Bwiti initiation was a good time for me to read again Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces, I also started to read The Masks of God and watched this excellent series on YouTube I highly recommend.
Here is a good description of the phases of the hero’s journey.
The cycle keeps going after each cycle, I have had a few already but never really took the time to understand what am I bringing back.
Is there a treasure I found in my spiritual work and if so what is it? How did I change? How is what I brought back useful both for myself and those around me?
I am definitely starting to see some clear teachings.
I was not planning to start writing and public speaking again for a while but my friend Soren Gordhamer just invited me to join his stellar Wisdom 2.0 speakers at his 2024 conference in San Francisco. After some hesitation and back and forth with Soren (my ego and what I share with the world has been a constant work these last months, the Iboga root has no comparison at teaching humility) I accepted and booked my flights.
I hesitated to write again and to do a public talk about my journey because the more I progress, the less I feel I know about anything, which is quite fascinating to experience, but I will give it a try.
As part of my “return” phase I also decided to participate in some great events after more than 5 years mostly going to the jungle, here is my schedule if you happen to be around and want to catch-up:
R.AI.SE AI Summit Paris, April 8
Paris Blockchain Week Paris, April 9
San Francisco, April 10-14
TED 2024 conference, Vancouver, April 15-19
San Francisco, April 20-27
Speaking at Wisdom 2.0, San Francisco
Founders Forum, London, 11-13 June 2024
The Lobby Conference, Big Island, Hawaii, Oct 16-18
I might write often again as I am preparing my talk, if I get to post daily or very frequently again I will do it on my journal as I used to do, you can subscribe there if you’re curious.
Wishing you the best on this beautiful Sunday.
Hello Loïc, I’m really happy to read you again.
Silence can be very powerful, and it felt that this winter has been a transformative one for many.
The Hero’s journey is the perfect narrative structure for writers and storytellers :)
Welcome back my friend!