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043: A Year Ends, New Possibility is Born

Ed Zaydel
Ed Zaydel
8 min read
043: A Year Ends, New Possibility is Born

Table of Contents

Hola Amigos, 

As you all prepare for your years end rituals, fun, family, solo time in the woods - whatever it be, I wish you the happiest, healthiest, most content joyful and beautiful holiday season possible! Love Ya'll. As a dear friend and teacher, Marcelo Mansour, said to me, "Ed, take a vacation on the inside this week!" So may your days be peaceful! 

And so what is possible for the year to come? How can I not only sit and reflect on the last year, but also celebrate the victories and move with drive into my new year, into my new life, into whatever the fuck it is I want to do with my time on this mud ball. Inside of me lives both a hope for humanity, for my family and loved ones, and sadness to see what's happening in the world. For someone who believes in creating a better model of living and relating, an alternative, inside of me sits a disruption of the usual peace and contentment. A call to action, for my life - a response-ability. How much deeper can I dive into that which I've always dreamed of? How much further can I know myself, my light, it's potential to impact my life and those around me? What are the costs of dimming my light? What's being asked of me, by me? How can me, simply being me, fully, impact anything here? 

When I take the holy days and these special windows of slowness intentionally, I start to see and feel more. I get windows into both my shadow and my light, I see my core restless and fast self, and my relaxed, slow and intentional self, I see my people pleaser, and I see someone who loves humans so much, and cares for them with all his heart. So I realize that it's not so much enlightenment I seek, nor to master the mystery arts, it's simply to know myself and what lives inside of me - to be whole - with the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, but to be fully alive and in this adventure of a lifetime! Know myself and share my light, and in the process bridge people to the possibility of an alternative way of living for themselves and for others. To evolve together as a species, and realize what a rare opportunity we have in this go around. Are we asleep or alive?

I've got some goodies to share in this issue, as usual we'll be going deep, so grab your scuba gear. I won't leave you hanging on the latest in inspiring eco-designs and architecture, as well as cool things happening in Costa Rica and beyond. I'll also be including a new love child I've pulled together - the Land Steward Alliance! Bringing together all of my peeps and connections into one space - supporting each other, meeting the best experts in our field! A rising tide lifts all ships, and I'm going pull out all of the stops here! 

Here's What I Want to Share This Week:

1. Land Steward Alliance - An Ecosystem Builders Guild (LINK)

I’m excited to share something new that I’ve created, for this upcoming year, that is very close to my heart. I’ve just launched a group mastermind, starting January 17, 2024, focused on land projects and land stewardship as an opportunity to not only create a great community support structure for my clients and friends, but also share my wisdom and relationships that I’ve built over the past decade supporting projects here in Costa Rica, and around the world. I’ll be creating a powerful space once a month for current and future land stewards, to share their projects and get feedback from each other, and ask questions to special quarterly workshop guests like architects, builders, operators and investors. 

As a connector, it's easy for me to create the bridge between people and the resources they need. In this group, I’ll be deeply focused on helping facilitate new allies, partnerships, and friendships between incredible people who are committed to conscious land stewardship and a new way of life. You'll meet other visionary entrepreneurs taking this leap, hear about their strategies and challenges, exchange experiences and learn from what’s working right now in some of Costa Rica and the world’s most well-known Land Projects, Villages, Network States, Healing centers and more. A rising tide lifts all ships, so lets go sailing my homies! 

I'm excited to say we've already got our first 15 incredibly diverse members, so I’m confident you'll be in good company! If you want more information - check out the Info Sheet & PDF or to dive right in, please sign up via the following link (Calendar invite to follow). 

2. Take the Leap - Live at Zunya, Mal Pais, Costa Rica (LINK)

​Click here to learn more about the event and get tickets. 

3. From Asleep to Awake - my process of waking the fuck up!

I always try to make space in these newsletters to share what I'm learning, what I'm going through vulnerably, as well as patterns I see and experience others going through - from the internal to the external. So my current edge has been to explore what it takes to awaken to the truth of my potential. To go slow and feel what scares me, my anxiety, my worry, my restless drive to evolve. From apathy and peace, to love in action - I'm exploring who I am and what I stand for - and why! The quote below is basically why I moved to Costa Rica 18 years ago, Why I do what I do at Live the Possibility, what inspires my being and my drive. Yet how can I be silent and indifferent to what I see happening around the world? Is there judgement and people pleasing here, or a real drive to live and die for this peace that I hold so dear. It didn't come from a group of my friends meditating in a circle, I can say that much. People fought for that peace. So would I die for peace? I don't know yet. 

But what I do know, is I want to learn more about what's happening in the world, to be awake, to do my own research, talk to friends and peers, start to be the change I wish to see, with a vigor and appetite like never before. What would Jesus do? What would Moses do? What the fuck will Zaydelman do? Relax, its just an inquiry. My answer for now is to slow down, be intentional, explore what lives inside me, find my anger and my fire, find my peace, and project my love - but starting to feel all of these parts of myself (at times very uncomfortably) makes me feel more whole, more alive, more present to the great mystery of life. And feeling blessed and grateful for a Life Less Ordinary that I get to explore with epic humans everyday. 

Catch past webinars and workshops on Zaydeltube. 

This Week's Curiosities

First Curiosity: Dr. Paul Conti x Huberman Labs (LINK)

A special series on mental health with Dr. Paul Conti, M.D., a Stanford and Harvard-trained psychiatrist & Andrew Huberman. Dr. Conti explains specific tools for how to overcome life’s challenges using a framework of self-inquiry that explores all the key elements of self, including defense mechanisms, behaviors, self-awareness and attention. We also discuss our internal driving forces, how to align them and ultimately, how to cultivate a powerful “generative drive” of positive, aspirational pursuits. Dr. Conti also explains how to adjust your internal narratives, reduce self-limiting concepts, overcome intrusive thoughts, and how certain defense mechanisms, such as “acting out” or narcissism, show up in ourselves and others. 

Second Curiosity: Soul Activation with Jonathan Klodt (LINK)

My buddy, Jonathan is offering a 12-week online course that is tailored to those who achieved many of their dreams, had their successes on the professional journey and feel called to the next level. Whether you sold your business, successfully climbed the career ladder to the top or just quietly quit your corporate job - it is time to reinvent yourself and remember why you truly came here. It is a transformative Journey for Individuals who sense a profound Shift in the World and within Themselves.
You will be guided to navigate the complexities of finding your unique place and contribution in a world undergoing unprecedented, radical transformation. If you are curious, you can check out the trailer and sign up for the free Mini-Course: Soul Activation.

Third Curiosity: Designs that caught my eye this week!

I love masterplanning and design, and I love the result! 

Who We Are Celebrating This Week: Jesus Christ

This week, I'd truly like to celebrate Christ and what his spirit represents for me. The Spirit of Compassion and Unconditional Love. As I explore my own death and rebirth process, I am reminded what his life and death stood for. When I feel anger and hate toward myself or another, I'm reminded what his life and death stood for - Peace and Love. So although I'm a Ukrainian Jew from New York, I embrace with such reverence, the spirit of Christ and his consciousness in my life. Like a Shepard and guide, he reminds of impeccability and service - walk as I walk... So this week celebrating one of the great masters in this world and beyond, Jesus Christ. Amen my friends! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 

Memorable Quote:

Much Love Amigos! 

Founder, Live the Possibility

Ed Zaydel

Ed Zaydel