Heart Attack

When life suddenly turns chaotic: who will thrive, bum-slap and hi-five?

In the picture: Rosemary Dream’s Heart Attack survival week in Canto das Aranhas, Florianópolis, Brazil. Yotam (co-founder) is teaching a minimalistic fishing technique in ‘you eat what you catch’ day.

Hopeless?

Bored?

Terrified?

Hungry?

Isolated?

Doubtful?

Well.. how do you deal with those feelings?
Ah, and wait! why are you impacted so greatly by a passing crisis?

Is it trainable?
Fortunately yes, it is.
Unfortunately yes, because it sucks.
It sucks your life and then it triples it.
Are you willing to pay with bitter tears that turn into the champagne of life?

“Self-control is strength.

Right thought is mastery.

Calmness is power. ”
― James Allen, As a Man Thinketh

In the picture: The most stupidly brave people in the world — ‘volunteered’ for our pilot Heart Attack program that had cost only 500$ for all inclusive 30 days experience. Hmmm why was it so cheap hehe ;)

I used to be the salesperson of Heart-Attack: ‘a life changing experience’. actually I am embarrassed to say salesperson, I befriended joyfully those trouble-seekers. Champion of humans one by one that were equally awesome as the present facilitators in Rosemary Dream, just at a stage of ripeness to recieve and not yet to give. By now they are love-bombs ;)
They were ready to crawl in the dullest savannas of life, bones-licking for wisdom like hyena puppies starving.

The Heart Attack students are called — ‘Doers’
Hmmm, this is self-explanatory.

Their ridiculous level of curiosity was applied right-away in their enthusiasm to accpet challenges instantaneously while we’re talking on the phone:
1. Free-style rapping dreams.
2. Order objects, books or programs to start today. Now.
3. Writing heart-opening letters to loved-ones.
4. Dancing, moving, doing something surprisingly uplifting.
5. Paint and hang new quotes they resonate with around the house.

…………ring ring
Can I call you today, yeah yeah, exactly today and play those games with you?
(I am dead serious but freaking excited to enliven your ass)

In the picture: Eden, a Heart Attack Doer is preparing the crops in a self-sustainability class with Daniel — the simplicity king that lives in a tiny island furthest away from everything nonessential for life.
Eden, rest in peace our dear brother, we miss you.

‘Get instant access to the entire Optimize collection of wisdom” Brian Johnson Optimize.me

Listen Brian, you’re doing a fantastic job summarizing and bringing the best of them lessons from history to the ones that are willing enough to learn from other’s mistakes. I am one of your true fans, adoring your work!
Yet, nowadays when Stoicism, Minimalism, Existentialism turned highly popular and are available like candies on the shelves of libraries and apps.. Where are those wise practitioners to lead the way when everything is collapsing around us and those sexy promised tools are to be found unhandy. Eventually.

Sweet-tooth students, upon global-crisis you’re hunting-gathering for toilet-paper and uploading Netflix shows.. Well, this might be fun for a while but it won’t save you from your creeping — collapsing minds.

In the picture: Kurt, a Heart Attack Doer is preparing some handy tools from the sparce forest for the urban observer, yet holds many secrets for those who seek deeper. Rest in peace our dear brother, we miss you.

A call with a Heart Attack candidate:

Hey Cormoran :)
I saw the incredibly beautiful posts of Rosemary Dream: The nature, the activities, the food, the people, wowow! I am speechless, it is the perfect place for me now!

Hello nasty fancy candidate :)
First of all, delete everything you’ve seen or thought about.
We will put you in a blender of experiences and get you soooooo exhausted, confused and bombarded that you will have to create your own new, fresh and vital reality within this chaos — That’s the product = You.
I won’t say a better version of you, I won’t say the you you want to be, I actually won’t promise anything but lots of roller-coasters with people that are freaking willing to enjoy this ride, but not because it is particularily fun but because you all commit to sit down, without fastening your seltbelt for the first time and having 0 clarity about it. Going through whatever you know deep inside that you deserve and worthy of experiencing with other people that take the extra-mile and another 100 miles to reach a dipping point in life that will turn you into a yummy fried dim sum rolled in this disgusting Chinese overly pinkish dressing.
Kapish?

YA MAMA! I am game!
But who will be the roller-coaster drivers?

The teachers and students sit side by side and experiencing the same damn thing. it’s not a school — it’s a life-style.

“Our home. Your playground. Get wild.”

Written by Natalie and myself in 2016, when establishing the project was an ever-lasting ‘Heart Attack’.
Yes, we were spinning around in the carousel of life without breaks, do we regreat it? hmmm

…………..

Will we be learning survival techniques?

Yes and no, but forget about it. This is not a cave-man course.
Instead of focusing on certain skills, we intend to build gradually the right mindset that enables you to perform: remain a loyal friend, cheerful teammate — A benefector in hectic environments = when necessary take the lead for the collective with a cool-headed, responsible and integral attitude.

What should I bring then?

Humility, horny for growth, foolish humor and dancing shoes ;)

“At the end of the day

your feet should be dirty,

your hair messy and

your eyes sparkling”

Written by Zoe, in her volunteering application in 2016.
A Swiss young chick that didn’t have a clue about life, but had goosebumps to live= the real currency of life.
(Hell yeah! we took her)

In the picture: Gina, the most low-maintenance chick is chilling on the grass deck in Rosemary with one of our dogs: stressless, simple and accidental role-model.

The Corona-Virus had landed unexpectedly and forcefully:

• Are we depending on social services in order to survive?
• Are we depending on the news in order to make our moves?
• Are we depending on first-world conveniencies to be relaxed at home?
• Are we depending on external entertainment in order to enjoy the moment?
• Are we depending on environmental freedom to feel truly free?

Can you respond to these questions naked-honestly, looking in the mirror and saying to yourself with a donkey smile:

• I am a free human to enjoy this life unconditionally!
• I take small practical steps today and stop blaming everyone and everything I can’t control!
• I build a fortress in my mind and commit to an unshakable reality I create on my own and maintain it self-sustainably!
• I know, spirituality is key but not enough to survive in the physical world: that’s why I am fit, equipped and ready to cruise!
• I turn breakdowns into breakthroughs. Nothing can stop me but the bad inside of me that wants to destory my life. Self-control knocks him down.

In the picture: Julia at the first Heart Attack, April 2017 — vivid than ever yet far away from modern comforts. Damn, we love the new awesome you!
To watch me challenging her live click here. (She smashed it)

You wake up in the middle of the night, the alarm is buzzing painfully and you find yourself inhaling ‘100 cigarettes at a time’, your house is one fire! Damn.
You anxiously look for the one thing that could save your life: your self-help book that you love so much and secretly dream about every day..
You lock yourself in the shower and pouring monsoon yourself with water to cool down, you accidentally wet your whole bible.
You manage to read the summary of the book in the back cover because the pages are sticky and unreadable.
It says:

If you wish to be a fire-fighter, fight fire.

“The thoughtless, the ignorant, and indolent, seeing only the apparent effects of things and not the things themselves, talk of law, of fortune, and chance. Seeing a man grow rich, they say, “How lucky is!” Observing another become intellectual they exclaim, “How highly favored he is!” And noting the saintly character and wide influence of another, they remark, “How chance aids him at every turn!” They don’t see the trials and failures and the struggles which these men have voluntarily encountered in order to gain their experience; have no knowledge of the sacrifices they have made, of the undaunted efforts they have put forth, of the faith they have exercised, that they might overcome the apparently insurmountable, and realize the vision of their heart. They do not know the darkness and the heart aches; they only see the light and the Joy, and they call it “luck”; do not see the longing arduous journey, but only behold the pleasant goal, and call it “good fortune”; do not understand the process, but only perceive the result, and call it “chance”.”
― James Allen, As a Man Thinketh

In the picture: Laurence, our longest Dream Teamer one day chose to be in a ‘jungle quarantine’ instead of chasing a flawless yet troublesome reality.
Harmony in its most down to earth form.

Is it clear or is it foggy now..? when the world crisis had erupted aggressively and started ‘destroying’ humanity— who are the pimps to survive and even thrive in this annoying scarcity =
Who dances in the living room and juggles green bananas?

The Heart Attack successors have been through hardships that enabled them to face the situation with a handy mindset — one that is applicable when the seas get stormy.. Tsunami surfing time!

If you ask so hell yeah, they suffered a lot.. even more than they wanted, but today, when everyone freaks out, they just recall what they did last time that made them pass through the hectic times. hmmm life is yummy.

Fight or Flight vs Play or Chill

Yes, the answer is yes.
Real philosophers are Doers in their nature.
They don’t just theorize and write essays over a green tea cup.. they get up, the spank some (especially themselves) and they’re on their way to respond to life, whatever that might be: with a cheerful and practical approach.

How to do it when you’re stuck at home now?
The course of life is happening 24/7.. do you lick those bones at every chance or do you avoid the learning process which is freaking hard: because it requires our utmost attention and dedication..
Automatic doesn’t live in the jungle of life, the bush of your brain, the flower of your soul.

Water it abundantly and it’ll grow

like passion fruit,

like the fruit of passion.

In the picture: Remy, waving her Heart Attack certification in the closing party with her mates. Life had never been so sweet after such bitterness.
It literally has no worth but a pounding reminder of what she is capable of — Upon recalling she freestyles boomchakalaka and giggles in the face of chaos.

I am grateful for the ones who reached the end of this blogging:
not because you should do what I write, but because you look for answers, you’re curious, you’re on it, you’ve got it!

If you’re interested to get direct assistance, I am here for you and would love to give a sailor’s hand/rope/liferaft/man-over-board/party boat — you decide hehe ;)

I want you to know that the last 2 years ‘I feel quarantined’ in Africa away from my desired life. First year on a small island and this one on a ship. unfortunately I needed too many slaps and splashes to write what I think about it today. The day that repeats itself for too long. Did I do my best? I don’t know, but I am on my way.

This blog is written after months and months in the Afrcian Ocean, I am not ‘Doctor Freedom’ and definitely not ‘Universal Soldier’.. I am just here to type down how it feels about what I did or didn’t do to better this uncontainable mess in my life and yeah, in myself too.

*1903 ‘As A Man Thinketh‘— Grab this book as long as you can, but remember: these are not instructions, these are useful reflections from the last century to be applied right here, right now.
When things got freaky in Africa, I listened to its audio in loops (55m)
And hey, I am still here, stuck but growing like a puppy hyena:
Cheers to that with a cup of dry blood, (oh it’s not cheerable, but we cheer anyway) hell yeah, still alive and kicking it in the womb of who knows.
Mama is not here and I am not a baby anymore. but damn reborn!

Sweet as salt, I wish you nothing but the worst.

Roger that, out of the nest.

Yours sincerly,

Birdy

In the picture: Natalie, a curious sick-puppy, learning faster than a beginner’s first day which makes her the best teacher ever.