When I landed at JFK Airport in NYC, I knew something had shifted after spending 10 days at the Awakened Life Project retreat in rural Portugal in August 2018.  I strongly felt that a deepening into soul had occurred for me and that I had a greater awareness of my life purpose.  Writing this now more than a month later, I realize my life purpose, my BIG YES, is less about what I want to be in life and more about what life is calling me to be.  This was an astonishing revelation for me and dissolved many little and big “NO’s that I continually ‘stumbled’ over.

I remember being asked by Pete early on in the retreat how I wound up at Quinta da Mizarela; my immediate response was “I have no idea.”  Surely, I could have joined a program closer to home, but instead I trusted and surrendered to my own intuition and traveled to Portugal instead. I am convinced that the perfect response or action will always arise for me to meet the needs of the present moment, and without question, it did in this situation. I am really grateful!

I deepened beyond expectation from the instruction and leadership of Cynthia and Pete and the contributions from the retreat volunteers and cohort participants. And then there was the learning from the loving dogs, the cats, the ruins and forest, and the burned land. Every person, place and thing had a role to play! The program enabled us to tap into the loving and peaceful core of who we all truly are, and our love and connection to each other will continue to grow long after leaving that “sacred place.” 

I’ve attended many professional and personal development ‘functions’ over the last four decades, and this was one of the most professional, well-coordinated, affordable, thoughtful, instructional, hands-on, graceful, caring, nurturing, loving and welcoming environments I had ever experienced.  Cynthia and Pete will remain important role models (in person or virtually) as life calls me now to be a modern elder for generations to come.  

I remain in awe about how this life event occurred for me at the right moment.  I am more aligned with who I am than at any time prior including my understanding (and transcendence) of my own ego and self-contracted state of being.  Finally, I’ve stopped ‘seeking’ and now focus on just ‘doing’ from my open heart.

Much Love,

Albert DiBernardo, New York City, USA