I love crowdfunding.
That’s where the fans fund the dream.
I’ve seen authors, musicians, inventors, and movie producers raise the money they needed for their projects by going straight to the people.
- I became friends with Grammy nominated saxophone sensation Mindi Abair when she crowdfunded her album.
- I studied songwriting with rock icon Melissa Etheridge when she used crowdfunding on her last album.
- I received a signed guitar when I helped Jim Peterik with his crowdfunding for his last album.
- I also supported local musicians I know by donating to their crowdfunding requests on Kickstarter.
But until today, I’ve never seen crowdfunding for spirituality.
As I write this, it’s 4 am here in Madrid, Spain.
I came here to give a presentation to 5,000 people.
Fifteen other speakers flew here as well, including Gregg Braden, Don Miguel Ruiz, Neale Donald Walsch, Mooji and more.
But the planned event – called BeingOne – didn’t occur.
It turned into a nightmare.
Five thousand people stood outside a bull fighting arena where the event was to be held.
But the organizers didn’t pay their bills.
Security would not let the people in. They hadn’t been paid.
Vendors left. There were no people inside to sell to.
People left.
They were upset.
The police came.
There were still thousands of people waiting for hours, confused, impatient and curious.
At least one author (I don’t know who) went to the standing crowd and spoke to them, comforting them, assuring them that all would be well.
The people appreciated him and the love he showed. But they paid good money for a three day event to see 16 speakers.
They weren’t happy.
Where was the event?
Where were the speakers?
Where was Dr. Joe Vitale?
I was in my room, reading social media posts about the missing event, and just as baffled as anyone.
After all, I flew to Spain from Texas solely for this event.
And I did it against the advice of my attorney.
Since I hadn’t been paid, the event organizers violated their contract. So my attorney said don’t go.
But I kept thinking about all the people who paid to see me. Many were flying from other countries. Many had to borrow to make the trip. Many had posted how they longed to meet me.
I knew I had to make the trip.
So I did.
But when I got to the hotel, I was told my room was not paid for.
I was stunned.
So here I am, sitting in Madrid, wondering why I and apparently 5,0000 other people attracted this experience.
I was looking for the lesson, not the loss.
But here’s where the story becomes miraculous.
Many thousands of people, after waiting half a day, left.
The thousands who stayed found out that the security detail needed paid before they would allow the crowds into the arena.
So these people raised the money among themselves.
They essentially crowdfunded the event.
But that’s not all.
When speakers needed translators, people volunteered.
When speakers needed audio for the event, people volunteered.
When the police needed people to move and sit, people volunteered to help the crowd comply.
It was amazing to see.
It was a miracle.
And it happened because good people decided to practice what they had been learning from the very speakers they came to see.
- They were not victims; they were victors.
- They were not giving in to circumstances; they were creating their own circumstances.
- They were not feeling bad or unhappy; they were finding the good and feeling the joy.
This brought me to tears.
By the time I took the stage, the crowd went wild.
They were almost delirious to see me.
I smiled liked the morning sun and opened my heart and repeated, “You are loved! You are loved! You are loved!”
“You are loved!”
I had two beautiful translators on stage with me. Both were volunteers.
They helped me and the crowd understand each other, though I suspect we were all just vibrating at a level of wordless love.
I spoke spontaneously. I answered questions. I did my best to deliver what these wonderful people had waited so long to see.
When my talk ended, the crowd roared like they were at a rock concert.
They stood.
They applauded.
They screamed in joy.
And this was the same crowd that had spent hours frustrated and confused, but stayed the course, raised the money needed, and got to see the speakers they love.
And now, closer to 5 am here in Madrid as I write this, I am still processing the power of people.
When you are clear about what you want, you can move heaven and earth – and raise funds if you need it – to make it happen.
Madrid proved today that miracles are real.
Crowdfunding helped.
But the people did it.
Anything is possible.
Ao Akua
Joe
PS – I have to mention that during the chaos of today, three people who were at the event and lost in the confusion, discovered the hotel I was in and called me. I met them, went on a walking tour of Madrid with them, and had a great time. When I got the call that the event was still on due to crowdfunding, I went and presented. All in all, a great day – just not one that went as planned. Maybe that’s the point: miracles occur when you quit insisting life be a certain way and you instead work with what you are given in the moment. But what do I know? It’s 5 am in Madrid and I’m processing a miracle.
Note: Here are my new friends…and their account of the BeingOne event is here… https://www.facebook.com/maria.cognifusion/posts/545621902493048
48 Comments
Joe, this is a wonderous account of the human spirit and Miracles! I love it!
I totally agree/. š
How do I know you, Joe Vitale, will read this? I want to share my story with you. How you changed my life.
Dear Joe, I have been thinking of you the last couple of day, sending you some energy and hoping you were having fun. What a great experience you co-created! Love, Jill
Thank you, Jill. It was an adventure.
OMG I had an odd feeling about that event … and you were in TWO of my dreams (one with your cars) the night before last… How odd, and how amazing to shift that… I think Spain needs all that LOVE energy now. Wow… thank you for being SO amazing, and transformational. xxx
Hi Gerri. Thank you for the energy. It helped.
Gracias Dr,Joe Vitale, el SĆ”bado la calle estaba pensando en crowdfunding, y tambiĆ©n estaba muy dolida que en EspaƱa las personas se mata para ver un partido de fĆŗtbol y en un evento que ayuda crecer no son interesados… me alegro que ha sido el evento, y creo que sea hecho en sitio donde mas se necesitaba subir la vibraciĆ³n, un sitio donde tantas almas ha sido maltratadas.
Cuando sea propuesto que hacemos la donaciĆ³n mi corazĆ³n sea transformado en amor puro, solo nos importaba estar dentro o escucharlos a ustedes y la calle o en un parque, “Jesus” no ha dado su sabidurĆa en hoteles y son tantos que lo queremos.
Lo siento, perdĆ³name,gracias, te amo!
Sonica de RUMANIA
Gracias, Sonica
Thank You for your words! I was in Spain like You in Being One in Madrid! Your word confort my Heart! God Bless You! I bless to u too! Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
I’m glad you were there, Albert. It was a miracle.
I only attended on Friday to Being one, I only bought one day ticket.
I really liked how you have told everything that happened this weekend.
You have told all things in a very clear way, the mistakes of the organization and the virtues of the assistants.
Really the organization even when things were very bad, were so clear.
I regret that they did not comply with the contract, but I am very happy to know that you decided to give the conference, because people who attended told me that it was really impressive.
Thank you , thank you, thank you!!
Hi Mara. I’m sorry you missed the rest of the event but glad you got to see part of it. Blessings to you.
Wau… if I would have MONEY to go (main condition), if I would know for this event in advance, if I would be a bit closer (I’m in SLovenia), then I would certainly decide to go there and be part of this event, even if I would know in advance that all these problems would appear.
I’m very seriously writing my own book (it’s becoming incredible!) and my great wish is to get a feedback from you, Dr. Joe, one day (your most valuable opinion, if I’m on the right track)… I hope it will happen. š
Hi Zoran. Let me know when your book is done. Meanwhile, keep writing.
Dr. Joe, thank you! I will do that in next weeks.
Love the responsibility-wow- just so powerful. Thank you for sharing Joe. Truly a miracle. I needed this story today. š
Thank you, Brette.
Hi Joe
Else and Maria are dear friends of mine and I know how excited they were to attend this event AND to meet you!
I am so blessed that they took inspired action to track you down and then had a blessed and fun day with you.
What a JOY!
Much love
Angie
I’m glad they reached out to me. I had a great time with them.
Hi , Joe Vitale
I was one of the many people that left on saturday, because it was too much, doors closed, speakers on the street and total black-out of “organization” . I am happy to hear that some pf you could speak thanks to crowdfunding… that is great, but is being used to present the disaster of the “beingoneforum” as a success. It was a success, but of people and some speakers. The organizers failed in every way, took the wrong way all the time and lied and deceived everybody by not cancelling it in advance, causing people to spend more in travel tickets and lodging. Love and awareness have nothing to do with idiot compassion which is being applied by many people about this. Organizers hooked people in with false marketing, and that is not admisdible. Just to make main organizer “good and appreciated ” costed a huge lot of money that could have helped many people who really needed it. Each one has to take responsibility for his acts, including the “organizers” of such event
Hi Ferdy. I totally agree. I’m focusing on the miracle, and on the good people, but the promoters did not honor their word.
Mil gracias por todo! Eres una fuerza vibrando! El evento nos provocĆ³ a todos de una manera rara para sentir distinto! Y sĆ, desde el haos, la alquimia se hizo su labor y nos ofreciĆ³ un espectĆ”culo grandioso! Todos formamos parte de el. QuizĆ”s el Universo nos hizo un plan: ya que se llama Ser Uno, pues que lo sentamos hasta en el mas profundo de nuestro ser! Gracias!
I love you
I’m sorry
Please forgive me
THANK YOU!
ditto š
Joe,
This is awesome. Thank you for sharing. My $200k will be manifested soon! Thanks for all that you do š
Love,
Richard
P.S. The quality of my hypnotic writing is improving, to where I don’t have to rely on sarcasm š
Well said, Richard. š
Thank you for sharing dear Joe! It’s real miracle! I love you!
Thank you, my friend.
When life gives you lemons, give them Joe Vitale!
That made me smile. š
What a beautiful and inspiring story, and indeed a miracle! Viva Madrid! Viva Joe Vitale! And thank you for bringing Ho’oponopono to us regular folk. I have cleared many a difficult situation with great outcomes!
Thank you. š
I was there and I’m still processing…I can’t explain what happened, but I suppose “a miracle” is the best word to describe it!
Thank you Joe for your humility.
š
I am glad you were there, Dina, despite the challenges around it. Blessings.
Amazing Joe this is just what i need to hear i want to help create justice peace and feed and home people in africa this story gives me clarity on how miracles can happen and fast you are God sent God bless ps have you had seminars in africa
much love Alisi Australia
A great inspirational story of a wonderful outcome, despite the challenges that were presented. Great read to start my day! š In the end, the collective power of the positive mind will always prevail. Thank you.
Thanks Joe it was amazing the event celebrated in Madrid, it was a miracle!! i visualize that all woul be fine at the end being confident and sure and of course it was finally great!!
your speech was very good, gregg Braden was also very good and the rest of speakers, breathing peace and love during the three days, it was Magic. Hope to write a book soon in spite of being a very busy international lawyer.
Best wishes
Gran trabajo PT! Cuando te ves lo mejor de la gente, eso es lo que encontrarĆ”s. Me alegro de que todos nos encontramos y que el evento sea un Ć©xito. Ā”Aclamaciones!
Wow! What a great story of love, possibility and community. It really proves that ANYTHING is possible. Thank you for sharing this. I love you.
Thank you, Linda
Hey Joe, I love this story! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Will you share this story with the Miracles Coaching students on the next mastermind call? Inspiring!
Hi Lane. Glad to. Just need someone to ask me about it. š
Hi Joe, Maria here, the one who made the call to you whilst you were in your hotel room wondering what was going down… I am still processing the miracle too… how we met Sebastian, how much he loved you, and said that you changed his life, and how pissed off he was when we met him at the back end, and how insane it was when we said we were going to find you, and we did… and then had that tour around Madrid, and lunch… and then the miracle of the crowdfunding that got you and Anita Moorjani to be able to speak live on stage… unforgettable, truly unforgettable! You always say ‘Expect Miracles’… and there you were, a big live miracle personified, and how truly miraculous and joyful that was and I am still loving the people of Spain who made it happen! The whole day was such a gift! I’m sorry, please forgive me, I love you, thank you!
Hi Maria! You did an amazing thing by just making a phone call. It changed my day and life, as well as yours and your friends. It’s a great testament for going for what you want. I will always remember you. Blessings.
Great turn around, which wouldn’t have happened if dilemma hadn’t occurred,people’s intuitive took lead..I hope Lorraine finds inspiration from this and all of us too xxšøšš
I didn’t go to the event because I’ll be in Spain later this year with my relatives.
However, this is once again proof that it’s the people who have the power to make the world a better place, not the politicians who lie and cheat their way to “power”, then leave the people in the dust.
Vote with your deeds and love, and make the world the best it can be.
I’m glad you had a great time, and it’s a lesson I’ll be taking to my heart.
Love, Stephen
I don’t know why the link to my FB post about this amazing event in Madrid is no longer working, so I am posting it here in case anyone visits this particular blog and wants to see it.Well the Being One Forum in Madrid got off to a very rocky start as the original venue was cancelled 48 hours before the event was due to kick off! Somehow, the organizers secured an old bullring, El cubierto de LeganĆ©s and eventually, some 2 hours later, we were allowed in. The seating left a lot to be desiredā¦ concrete slabs and no cushionsā¦ so Else bought two packs of toilet rolls from the supermarket across the road and we redefined cool by sitting on those for the rest of the dayā¦
Next, Alicia Sanchez, one of the event hosts, started speaking but the sound system wasnāt working properly, and the acoustics were atrociousā¦. It took another hour to get that right. Then Sergei Torres began speaking, but the translation was really difficult to follow and we gave up after a while.
Things improved markedly when Gregg Braden took the stage and gave a great presentation followed by a heart-centred meditation. His translator was excellent!
So we reckoned that with all the teething problems sorted, Day 2 would go pretty well. We were wrong! We arrived at 11 (having been advised that there was no point arriving much earlier than 10 by the security staff), to see thousands of people waiting outside the venue, whose doors were firmly closed. Rumours were circulating that the event had been cancelled, and eventually we went round to the back and found out from the security manager that all the chaos of both days was due to the fact that nobody had been paid!
And hereās an even bigger shockā¦ the event organizers were nowhere to be seen, and nobody could contact them.
At this point, we met a very irate Italian guy called Sebastian, who was really upset as he had flown in from Gran Canaria to see his idol, Dr Joe Vitale. I was irate myself because Joe Vitale was also the main reason Iād booked to go to the event. Iāve been a huge fan of his work ever since I saw him in The Secret.
So at this point we didnāt know if the event was going to go ahead, and I thought āJoe Vitale is in Madrid. We are in Madrid. We are going to find him!ā I called my brother Declan McMahon and told him what had happened, and said āFind out which hotel Joe Vitale is staying in!āā¦ and amazingly, he came back with the answer in 5 minutes. I turned to Sebastian and said āWeāre going to see Joe Vitale. Do you want to come with us?ā He said āAre you kidding me?ā We werenāt!
20 minutes later Else, Sebastian and I walked into the Westin Palace Hotel in Central Madrid, and we met the beautiful Anita Moorjani, who was determined to get over to the event, and speak to the people, even if she had to do so in the street! What a beautiful person she is! I told her we were also looking for Joe Vitale, and she spoke to the concierge, and he handed me the phone. I introduced myself to Dr. Joe Vitale and I said, āYou always say that if inspiration strikes, you should take action. I am here in the lobby with some people and weād love to meet youā. He replied āIām glad that you took action. Give me five minutes, and Iāll be right down!ā.
And 5 minutes later, there he was, grinning from ear to ear and he gave me a huge hug. We sat in the foyer and chatted for a while, and we found out that he hadnāt been paid his fee, nor had his hotel been paid, and he didnāt know what was going on and whether he was going to speak or not. He was at a loose end and Else asked if heād like a tour of Madrid. He said heād love that! So it was that the four of us went for a stroll and took Joe to Puerto del Sol, Plaza Mayor and Plaza Santa Ana with CervecerĆa Alemana where Hemmingway used to hang out.
We then stopped for lunch, and just as we were nearly done, Joe got a call from his local agent who said that it looked like he would be speaking after all. We took him back to the hotel, and there we learned that something amazing had happened.
When the Spanish crowd found out that the arena was closed because the security staff hadnāt been paid, they arranged a spontaneous fundraiser to pay the security so that the speakers could be heard! It was crowdfunding in its purest form!
So we all headed back to the event, and we arrived in time to hear Anita Moorjaniās speech, and the Q&A Session that followed. Then it was Joeās turnā¦ and he spoke from the heart, and said how moved he was by what this wonderful crowd had achieved. He said that they were change makers, they were manifesters, they had made this event happen in spite of the odds. He praised them for taking back their power! It was amazing, and he said that what had transpired was more miraculous than if the event had gone according to plan. And how true that was! Bravo to the Spanish people for taking inspired action and making it happen! What started out as a disaster ended in triumph for every person there!
And myself, Else Byskov, and Sebastian Scaramuzza, got to spend some golden moments with one of the biggest names in the Personal Development Industry! Joe expressed his gratitude to us several times, and even mentioned us in his speech. We saw him after the show and he said to me āThank you for making that call. I will never forget that.ā He was just lovely! Oh and yes, heās really looking forward to reading Else Byskovās book, Death is an Illusion! And coming up are the photos of these wonderful eventsā¦