I aspire to be a full time finder of happiness and a researcher of the inevitable suffering (because without a true research of the latter, full time happiness might be impossible).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

What I love about traveling is not necessarily going to the famous places or eating the famous food a place has to offer, but to have real, honest, conversations with locals, to really understand what it's like to experience life from their point of view, and actually _sense_ the culture and environment I'm currently living in. I believe couchsurfing might be the best way to do that. Also, I have trained myself to be content with a modest accomodation (sleeping on a padded floor is lovely for me), and I have a calling to trust strangers, trusting that there are kind people willing to host me at their place out of simple generosity. In a world where almost everything has become a commodity, knowing about a community of people who aspire to trust each other and actually be generous is, in my view, the way towards peace.

Interests

My days are basically all about meditating, serving others and researching about the world and its mysteries (appart from the maintenance chores, which I try to do mindfully and happily)... AND grounding (so good, simple and healthy, look for it if you resonate). I have planned on becoming a monk, but the rigid rules have scared me a bit; hence, I try to live peacefully in my own terms, grabbing inspiration from the world's biggest religions and spiritual traditions. That's my monk life at the moment 😄

• yoga
• meditation
• podcasts
• philosophy
• science
• spirituality
• spiritual growth

Music, Movies, and Books

Formerly a deep house DJ, I dig a little of electronic music, though lately my favorite music has been softer, a lot softer...my favorite artist at the moment is Alex Serra, and the music that feels healing is the music I listen to mostly. I have drifted a bit away from books and started to use conversations and talks as my primary learning tool, but every know and then I grab a book about meditation, yoga, psychology or philosophy. I have not read novels in a long time, though The Glass Bead Game by Herman Hesse and the novels/stories from Cortázar or Saramago sit in my wholesome memories. I usually don't watch movies, my multimedia input is more on the front of documentaries and talks...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One time in Bogotá, a stranger, being very agitated, approached me and asked for a 20, sort of threatening me with a stabbing (no knife was being displayed though). I paused, recognized the fear going on in my body (and maybe in his) and asked him "What do you need brother?" He then went and explained that he needed money to feed his children, that it was not for drugs (he nodded strongly). I said "Ok, let me see what I can give you" and went on to pull out my wallet from my backpack...as I was doing that, he told me in an agitated manner "do it fast, fast", but I looked him and said "I cannot do it fast, it's rather slowly" and he then calmed down and said "ok then slowly". I gave him about 7, and then asked him "can I ask you something?". He said "what? A hug?" and moved on to give me a hug. It felt weird but I said "a hug is fine, but please stop robbing", and, as he moved away from me he nodded his head from side to side and said "It's the only option that life has left me" and at the end I yelled to him "Think about it". I fantasied about encountering a robber and neutralizing him with the power of mindfulness lol, this might have been it 😂. And I believed it was a courageous leap in actually living my understanding that beings who hurt others do it out of confusion ans suffering...no being hurts another because he/she is happy.

Teach, Learn, Share

I have been teaching others, mostly for free, how to get to know themselves (meditation) for about two years. As I learn something enough to be able to put it into a coherent story, I might share it with others, if not then I keep learning on my own. This has been my project for basically the last year: being a learner who shares (@aprendizquecomparte in IG)

What I Can Share with Hosts

An honest and compassionate conversation, and maybe a guided meditation or asana (yoga) practice if I get asked. I try to be mindful every waking moment I have, and as I speak I try to concentrate on speaking true and wholesome words, this is usually helpful to other people. Also, I cwn help with the chores, I have learned to enjoy it.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

Colombia, Panama