Episode #5
Leadership, Energy, and the Shamanic Path: Juan Es Alzate
Born in Medellín, Colombia, and raised in Chicago listening to hip hop, ISTA facilitator Juan Es Alzate never imagined he would become a shaman. In his early adult years, he ran a successful club-night promotions company, immersed in a scene that didn’t seem to require traversing subtle worlds in the way that only shamans can. Or so he thought. A first awakening through Reiki, followed by a dramatic second encounter with the plant medicine ayahuasca, sparked Juan Es’s discovery of his gifts as a healer. He found that he could clearly hear his inner guidance and finely attune to the needs of others. These were powerful moments—strikes of lightning, as he describes them—but they marked only the beginning of his training. What he has discovered in the decades since, and what he shares with us in this episode, is an approach to leadership grounded in the energetic and environmental awareness he has developed along his path. For Juan Es, leadership is very different from “being the boss.” It requires a wider vision, an orientation towards synergy, and a willingness to take responsibility for the change you want to see in the world. Any leader might align with these values. Bringing a shamanic perspective to them, however, means learning to trust your capacity to perceive and engage with subtle energy. That can require a leap of faith—and, for Juan Es, one place to begin is by turning inward and working with the seemingly unsolvable problems within yourself. Juan Es speaks about his own journey from nightlife promoter to healer, shaman and facilitator, and about the importance of following the path that genuinely calls you. It may look very different from the paths others are taking. But, as his story suggests, much of our difficulty can arise when we ignore or resist that calling. Find out more about Juan Es: https://www.luminoushealer.com/ @juan.es.alzate And find out more about ISTA: https://ista.life/ @ista.community Support the show
