Stop the War Within: Inner Healing, Outer Impact | Gerard Powell @Rythmia

June 10
54 mins

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Episode Description

Can you truly change the world if you haven't first changed yourself? Gerard Powell was a CEO who took two companies public — and was quietly, persistently miserable. His journey from deep personal dissatisfaction and addiction to the discovery of plant medicine led to the founding of Rythmia Life Advancement Center in Costa Rica, the world's first medically licensed ayahuasca retreat. Nearly 24,000 guests later, with a 98.12% self-reported transformational success rate, Gerry joins Care More Be Better to make the case that the most powerful outward impact begins with the courageous work of inner transformation.

He and host Corinna Bellizzi explore the soul fracture that no amount of success can heal, the arms dealers and billionaires who left Rythmia wanting to give their lives to helping others, and the message the medicine gave Gerry when he went to her crying about the state of the world: stop the war within yourself and the other wars will go away.

Chapter Markers
  • 00:47 — Gerard Powell's Journey: From Corporate Success to Founding the World's First Medically Licensed Ayahuasca Retreat
  • 02:55 — The Soul Fracture: The Core Problem That Conventional Success Cannot Heal
  • 04:30 — High-Performing Leaders and Rythmia's 98.12% Transformational Success Rate
  • 06:53 — Why 90% of Guests Leave Wanting to Become a Beneficial Presence on the Planet
  • 10:45 — The Seven-Day Program: Workshops, Plant Medicine, and Medical Oversight
  • 13:44 — Long-Term Effectiveness: 90.22% Report Lasting Change Six Months Later
  • 15:19 — Facing the Self: Addressing Fear and the Three-Step Program
  • 25:45 — Safety First: Why a Medically Licensed Setting Changes Everything
  • 28:43 — From "What Can the World Do For Me?" to "What Can I Do For the World?"
  • 31:41 — Tangible Impact: The Stories of Arms Dealers, Billionaires, and Boxing Champions
  • 34:59 — Stop the War Within Yourself — and the Outer Wars Will Go Away
  • 41:16 — The Screening Process: Why 40% of Guests Need 30 Days to Prepare
  • 43:48 — The Ceremony Setting: 60-90 People in the Colombian Tradition
  • 45:46 — The Full Retreat: Plant Integration, Coaching, Cleansing, and Amenities
  • 50:25 — Don't Give Up Hope: Gerry's Final Message to Anyone in Pain
  • 53:33 — The Cost: A Week at Rythmia vs. a Week at a Resort
Important Note Ayahuasca contains DMT, a Schedule I substance in the United States. Rythmia Life Advancement Center operates legally in Costa Rica, where it holds the world's first medical license for ayahuasca retreats. Always consult a qualified medical professional before pursuing any plant medicine program, and disclose all medications and health conditions. Resources Cause partner: If you value open dialogue, sustainability, and social equity, I invite you to support our new cause partner — Prescott College. To learn more about this effort and to support the show, visit: https://caremorebebetter.com/support/

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