Why did I get into meditation and personal growth?
Let me tell you a quick story. When I was in my early twenties, I had a powerful brush with death. It was a cold evening in my hometown in Bogota, Colombia. I was cycling near my place. Suddenly, I saw a suspicious man come up to me and I knew something wasn’t right. We clashed and, to make a long story short, he stabbed me in the back with a screwdriver. I managed to bounce back onto my bike, kick the robber and escape.
I kept pedaling until I found a neighborhood store where there was a big mirror. I went inside to look at myself. I took off my jacket and realized that my torso was soaked in blood! For a moment I felt lost and hopeless. I wanted to inhale deeply but each breath made the situation worse – my lung had been pierced.
Suddenly, the air stopped being air and became a sharp sword that cut inside me – it was an awful feeling. I was about to suffer a respiratory arrest.
But right there, as death opened its huge arms to me, the impossible happened: from a quiet corner of the store, two angels appeared to save me – a couple of nursing students from the neighborhood hospital. They approached me with compassion and told me a white lie: “The wound is not deep.” They were trying to reassure me but the truth was it had been a very delicate wound – unless I received proper medical attention, I had 20 to 30 minutes left to live.
When I started passing out, these two angels put me in a taxi and took me to their hospital. Thanks to them I received immediate attention; I was transferred to the emergency department where I had a quick and painful surgery. There was no time to apply anesthesia due to the impending respiratory arrest. I suddenly found myself on the operations table, with doctors and nurses trying to fix me. I was aware of every sensation during the surgery: they had to sew the wound on my back, cut me open on the side and insert a tube between my ribs to drain the blood that had flooded my lung.
Suddenly, while I was in this excruciating pain, I had an intense revelation. Everything froze in time, My soul rose above my body and I saw myself from a higher perspective. Everything was covered in light.
The doctors and nurses, all of them appeared like angels, blessing me with their healing hands. I could see and feel the light rushing through my body, into the fragile tissue of my lungs. I realized that life is a miracle and each breath is a gift. The operation was a success, and needless to say, I survived.
Why am I telling you this story? Because this is how I discovered meditation. It took me 21 years to understand that there is nothing more beautiful and ecstatic than taking a deep mindful breath. You don’t need a near-death experience to realize this truth. Anyone can become aware of the miracle of peace hidden within – RIGHT NOW. Try this out with me. Imagine this is the first time you’re breathing. Become aware that, without your breath, you wouldn’t be able to live. Take a long and gentle inhale as you receive the gift of life. Exhale giving thanks and relaxing into infinity.
To this day, I give thanks and pray for the man who stabbed me. Thanks to him I stepped fully into my purpose and became a meditation teacher – my trauma became my biggest blessing. Since then, I’ve made a commitment to spread joy, healing, and awareness to as many people as I can.
Over the last 10 years, I’ve become a published author on Amazon, earned my Masters in Dance Psychotherapy, attended countless retreats, visited sacred sites, and coached people from all walks of life. My guided audios, retreats, and courses have inspired thousands online through Insight Timer, the world’s largest meditation app. This is the purpose of my work and what I want to share with you: how to live with greater joy, energy, and mindfulness.
So, sign up, take a deep breath and let’s dive in.
