I am a poet-storyteller, and a "weaver of connections".
I was also an actor, performing artist, life purpose counselor, shadow work facilitator, intimacy coach, corporate salesman, headhunter, shipping clerk landscaper and a lot of other things... but it's a lot simpler now.

I have lived in 3 countries on two continents, had a successful corporate career and family life - and left all of that behind to embark on a voyage of self-discovery that has taken me to many remarkable places and acquainted me with countless extraordinary people.

I set off telling old, mythical tales - while I got to meet real people whose tales are worth telling - while I got to live my own tale, which may one day be worth telling as well...

I am currently working on publishing one book of poems and finishing two novels - and a non-fiction book on silence.

My guiding thread has been all-along an immersive, consuming involvement with a variety of personal development disciplines and spiritual paths since the age of 13, guided by a passionate desire to Live Deeply.

I am very interested in meeting and connecting with people, making new friends across many cultures, and weaving life-stories together. I enjoy building community, in all the ways I can, and have been part of several in the course of time. I have a knack for learning new languages (and an obsession for correct pronunciation!) as I wish to be able to speak to everyone in their own tongue.

I love being in service to people's growth and inner work process:
I used to hold, on a "gift economy" model, a personal counseling, deep inquiry practice, being like a "Socratic friend" to people (imagine having an overqualified, skilled, empathetic and patient "best friend for hire", whom moreover you would not "owe" anything for the support he offered, but could only gift based on your gratitude, valuation and your means, whatever they may be...)

I believe in living fully present, with radical honesty and transparency in my interactions. In all my experiences and interactions I seek growth and how to stretch into being the best version of me that I can.

I am well-versed in NVC (Non-Violent Communication, also known as Compassionate Communication) and enjoy very much communicating and building connections, on a personal and larger scale. I see my role at times as that of a "weaver", weaving a web of connections between people, communities, circles, across countries and continents.

我为什么加入 Couchsurfing

I tend to move around quite a lot, going regularly between Europe and the United States - and perhaps adding more destinations soon. And I have always preferred staying with "real" and interesting people everywhere I go, instead of being stationed in some non-descript places somewhere :-)
It's how I made some of my dearest and most fascinating connections to date.

I have couchsurfed a lot, less with CouchSurfing than with or through friends, quite a few of them. I have always enjoyed it (without exception so far) and I am willing to wager that most of them would say I am quite easy going and great fun to have around and spend time with. Quietly entertaining, and an unusual and unique experience, in the least...

兴趣

The common threads between all my interests, occupations (and pre-occupations...) is whatever takes one deep into the heart of life and living, and the most intimate encounter with Reality.

Thus:
Deep Spirituality, Mythology, Storytelling, Archetypes, Depth Psychology, Shadow Work, Poetry, Meditation, Mindfulness practices, Transformational work, Circling, Community-building, Dance (Tango, Tandava, Ecstatic Dance), Music (I have more than I will ever get a chance to listen to...), Reading (my only known addiction), Deep connections, Children, Martial Arts (Internal, Qi Gong, Tai Chi), Yoga, Rock-Climbing, The Yoga of Nourishment

• arts
• poetry
• performing arts
• acting
• dancing
• yoga
• meditation
• reading
• traveling
• music
• martial arts
• rock climbing
• psychology
• wilderness
• spirituality
• esoterism
• storytelling
• zen
• silence
• listening
• lucid dreaming
• nonviolent communication
• polyamory
• advaita
• waking up

音乐、电影和书籍

BOOKS:
I am no longer reading these days (unless I need it for my own writing) - my life has become more interesting than I could find in any books :-)

But here is a sampling of what I once most enjoyed:
"Pronoia" (Bob Brezsny), "The Prophet" (Kahlil Gibran), The "Bhagavad Gita", "Tao Te Ching", "The Alchemist", "The Little Prince" - and lots more...
Most of Hermann Hesse's books ("Steppenwolf", "Siddhartha", "Narcissus and Goldmund" remain among my all-time favorites)
Poetry by Rumi, Hafez, Lala, Kabir, Walt Whitman, T.S. Eliot, R.M. Rilke, Pablo Neruda, Mary Oliver, David Whyte, Wislawa Szymborska, Naomi Shihab Nye - and lots more...
Science Fiction: "Dune" (Frank Herbert), "Hyperion" (Dan Simmons), "The Left Hand of Darkness" (Ursula K. LeGuin), "The Summer Queen" (Joan D. Vinge), Stanislaw Lem, Philip K. Dick - and lots more...
Robert Bly, Michael Meade, Mircea Eliade, Umberto Eco, Italo Calvino, J.R.R. Tolkien, José Luis Borges - and most anything that deals with myths, esoteric spirituality, symbol.

MUSIC:
All across the board. I have enough music to listen to offline for 3 years straight without interruption, spanning everything from reconstructed Classical Greek music, Mediaeval Gregorian chants and obscure African and Chinese music - through old and modern Classical, Jazz, and a capella - to the most feet-stomping modern dubstep, trip-hop and edgy rock from all continents.
Favorites?
Stefan Micus, Massive Attack, Russill Paul, Sergey Rachmaninov, Ravi & Anoushka Shankar, Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, Glitch Mob, Vangelis, Klause Wiese, Wardruna, Dead Can Dance, Claude Debussy, Philip Glass

MOVIES:
I have not watched TV in 17 years and mostly weened myself off of movies as well. There would be a handful I recommend and enjoy, depending on the context of the conversation - but I am not a connoisseur in that field...

我做过的一件不可思议的事情

Awakening

教，学，和分享

I am a perpetual learner with much to share - lots of good stories, poems, music and a listening presence unlike any you've met before.

I do not have much of "personal philosophy" anymore, not as much as I once did, at least, but if there are a few lines that encapsulates well how I move through life, it would be these:

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life...”
(H.D. Thoreau, "Walden")

"Para mí sólo recorrer los caminos que tienen corazón, cualquier camino que tenga corazón. Por ahí yo recorro, y la única prueba que vale es atravesar todo su largo. Y por ahí yo recorro mirando, mirando, sin aliento."
(Carlos Castaneda, from Don Juan Matus, his Yaqui brujo teacher)

我游览过的国家

Germany, India, Mexico, Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom

我居住过的国家

France, Romania, United States