Tag: kickstarter

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.

Expect Miracles.

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