Hello beautiful souls,
May has arrived not just as a change of season, but as a profound evolution. Lately, I have been calling into my life a deeper sense of connection—and as always happens when we clear the space for it, the universe delivered in abundance.
From the sacred, physical labor of raising a yurt with a brotherhood of men, to a transformative journey back to Calgary, a few dates, and pushing my body to its absolute limits on the mountain bike trails—I feel vibrantly alive. I feel ready to step fully into the vision of an awakened humanity.
When I first booked my trip back to Calgary—the first visit since my mothers funaral a year and a half ago—I’ll admit I was dreading it. I was focusing on the old projections: the heavy traffic, the fluorinated city water, and the subtle gravity of old patterns and habits that reminded me of a past life.
Then I sat down with Leni, the Chinese medicine doctor who has been a steady anchor for my wellness journey over the last few years. She looked at me and gently shifted the mirror. She reminded me that I am the author of my own experience. “What are your intentions in taking this trip?” she asked.
In that moment, it dawned on me. We always have a choice. We are not passive passengers in our lives; we are the creators of our reality. Because my compass this year is dialed toward deep connection, I consciously set the intention to be entirely, vibrantly present with friends and family (while enjoying a few of Alberta’s tax breaks along the way).
The result? Absolute magic.
I reconnected with friends I hadn’t seen in years. My uncle opened his home to me, and I spent invaluable time with my cousin, who is truly one of the most solid men I know. By simply showing up fully and vulnerably, the universe met me there. I found myself in deep, spiritual dialogues with people I had never previously considered “spiritual”. Everyone I encountered offered their own beautiful flavor of belief. I learned so much, and for the first time in a long time, I didn’t just write about oneness in a notebook—I felt it in my bones.
I also had the joy of connecting with my friends Andrea and Cory and their beautiful toddler. Witnessing their life took me right back to those early days of fatherhood—that beautiful, exhausting, miraculous collision of pure joy and total depletion that each new morning brings. Spending time with big-hearted humans is food for the soul. Cory is doing incredible work preparing to facilitate individuals transitioning through the end of life, and Andrea is a gifted artist and published author (Check her our here). Andrea reminded me of the true superpower of asking beautiful, incisive questions. I walked away from their home feeling a profound wave of love for humanity.
And yes, as I mentioned, I went on a couple of dates. Dating in this modern landscape is a strange dance, yet at its core, it’s just another sacred opportunity to connect with a beautiful human soul. I am grateful to be at a place in my life where I know exactly who I am and what I want. I no longer bend or distort my shape to fit someone else’s mold. I am simply looking for new friends, planting seeds that might someday blossom into something deeper. Approaching connection with zero expectations is a radical game-changer.
Then, there was the yurt.
Talk about a different kind of technology. In a world obsessed with digital architecture, we built a structure completely devoid of screws or metal. But far more resilient than the physical wood canvas we raised were the invisible bonds forged among the men who gathered to build it.
We anchored our days in spirit, starting each morning with deep breathwork and a plunge into the frigid, awakening waters of the Columbia River. Sharing meals and trading our raw stories, we bonded ourselves to a shared vision held by our dear brother Jeff Sorenson of Breath Army. This is a man who has walked through the fires of life, yet shows up every single day fully and completely, dedicated to helping humanity heal. I am deeply honored to have been called to help bring his divine vision into physical reality.
There is a distinct medicine that comes from giving when it is perfectly aligned with your own internal compass.
In the book ‘Give and Take’ by Adam Grant, he notes that givers generally fall into two categories. Some give indiscriminately to everyone until they empty their own cup, and then there are the strategic givers. These individuals selectively pour their energy into people and causes that genuinely light them up. They understand that their impact is multiplied exponentially when their giving is in alignment with their nature. Even though this yurt build was the most physically demanding work I have done in years, I left feeling like I received far more than I gave.
Instead of rigid metal fasteners, traditional Mongolian yurts rely on strong horsehair ropes and intricate knots. It turns out that a structure tied together can be infinitely stronger and more resilient than one held together by rigidity.
The friendships we built that weekend are exactly like that horsehair rope. Every interaction, every shared breath, every heavy lift was like tying a knot, weaving us all into a tapestry of shared purpose. I know down to my core that I could call on any one of these men to help me fulfill my dreams, and they know I would answer the call for them in an instant.
The truth is simple: You cannot fulfill your grandest dreams alone.
Now, I am back in Kaslo, settling deeply into my new space. For the first time in a very long time, a space is truly starting to feel like my own. The days are stretching out, growing longer and brighter.
Surrounding and supporting me here is the pure medicine of clean spring water, mountain air with the fragrance of spring, and the warm embrace of my local community. I’ve been back out on the mountain bike, and am excited to share to shoot and share a new video for one of my absolute favorite local trails, “High Commander.”
I am so incredibly appreciative of each and every one of you who lands on this page, reads my words, and shares this space with me. I am still learning, still stumbling, and still growing with every single post.
I’d love to hear how this lands with you. What intentions are you setting as we head into the high sun of summer? What knots are you tying in your own community? Let me know in the comments below.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my soaljack substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support this journey.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you,
Jeffrey Stewart
For fun, I thought I would list all the things I have posted lately:
Last Substack post:
3 YouTube videos:
9 Original Songs:
Thank you again for all the support!
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