Here.

To me.

The rabbit hole has led me to myself.

In 2013, after a torrid two night weekend affair with Mother Ayahuasca, I realized that I (and this is totally cliche) needed to be the change I wished to see in the world. Duh. Obvious, right?

Maybe.

But it's one thing to understand a simple concept, and another to actually embrace and embody it. Perhaps I'll elaborate more on that and further engagements with Amazonian plant medicine in a future post, but for the purposes of this article I'll keep it simple. In short, after that weekend I vowed to step into and become the best, most excellent and authentic version of myself.

So here I am, 5 years later, in awe of what has transpired since. It hasn't always been smooth, but that's OK; life's not meant to be sunshine and roses all the time. As my good friend Max Igan, @maxigan, often says, enlightenment is a destructive process. And, it's what you do with the information. You can let misfortune and hardship destroy you, or you can take challenges head on and learn from them. Opportunities for growth are everywhere, all the time.

I'm not here to preach though. I'm simply acknowledging what's worked for me on my journey. Because here I am, in my early 30's, traveling the world performing poetry. Huh...?? It's an astonishing turn of events and one I certainly didn't see coming. But, boy, am I glad it's happening. :)

The reflections of my success and the beacons on my journey are the people who have come into my life. And not just any people, the BEST people. They are the living proof that I am on the right track. JoyCamp hasn't paid out so much financially, but it has definitely paid out in relationships and opportunities. All of my "heroes" and the people I respect most in this world are now, I can honestly say, my friends.

Not only are they my friends, but they respect me as well. I've earned my seat at the table so to speak. I left my dreams and my career behind in 2013 because I understood that life, and a movement toward a freer and more balanced world required my participation. I embarked on a unique journey, my journey, on the road less traveled, with the intention of helping people and serving a greater good. It was a scary and uncertain leap into the unknown, but one that, upon reflection, was absolutely necessary for my development.

I know that what I'm doing now is helping. I get messages almost every day from people thanking me for my work. And nothing is more gratifying than that. Fame is rather empty. It can even leave you famished. But being acknowledged for your contribution and service to humanity is special. I don't care about being famous. If I did I would have stayed in Hollywood. I care about doing what's right. And it's rewarding to know that I am.

But enough about me. Let's talk about you, my international community. You all are top fucking notch.

The people in my life, the friends that I've made, are my biggest accomplishment yet. Actually, I observed and declared that back in 2010, two years BEFORE Kevin and I got around to creating JoyCamp. Now, in 2018, that sentiment is more resonant than ever.

Last month, as some (if not most) of you know, I had the honor and pleasure of speaking at Anarchapulco for the third time. Actually, I didn't speak, I performed, and I entitled my performance, "Creation of Care." For those of you whom it's not obvious to, that's an inversion of the name of that creepy Bohemian Grove ritual, Cremation of Care. I decided to call it that because that's what we need now more than ever; CARE. Am I right, Mark Passio?

(Credit goes to my friend Alex Cy Ember though. He used that clever play on words in conversation shortly before the conference and I immediately asked if I could borrow it for my set. Obviously he obliged. Thanks bro.)

Performing there this year in front of the largest Anarchapulco crowd yet was an exhilarating experience and some pretty sweet pics of me were snapped by Nandovision Media. Like the one posted above, or this one featuring our emcee and my friend Terry Brock, @terrybrock, smiling in the background.

And this one featuring me pointing at something.

And this one of my girlfriend Sonya (on the right), sitting in the front row enjoying her man (me) doing his thang.

Thanks also to DASH for sponsoring that photo.

Here are just a handful of the cool cats I had the pleasure of kicking it with in Mexico. I emphasize some because I was blown away with the number of outstanding people I connected with down there. Most of which, I DON'T have a picture with!!

Larken Rose @larkenrose & Amanda Rachwitz @dragonanarchist

Dan Rubock & Mike Maloney

Derrick Broze @dbroze & Miriam Gomez

David Dees!!!

Mark Passio, Max & Mark's friend, Carrie

Chuck Williams & Melina Stroumpis

Even this guy...

The best part, however, is that I got to share the entire experience with my favorite person of all...

And the ride has only continued since. A few weekends after Anarchapulco, and thanks to Mark Passio, I got to perform at the inaugural, Truth - Mind - Reality conference in Phoenix Arizona.