Love. Its an emotion and the kind of connection many of us desire, yet a large number of us struggle with really understanding love. Our newest Man Of The Week is a Raffaello Manacorda, an author, teacher and coach who helps people with understanding love and relationships. A strong believer of reflection and working on the self, Raffaello believes many of our sufferings are rooted in our struggle for internal harmony and once those are dealt with, individuals are able to make progress and truly love those around them. During his life experiences, Rafaello has learned that following your gut can sometimes be a risky endeavour, but as long as you are acting in line with your purpose, trust the outcome will be a positive one. Check out the full feature to see how this humble and gentle man is positively impacting the world around him!
Age: 38
What do you do? (Work)
I am an author, teacher and coach. I have just published my first book, Conscious Relationships. I am the creator of The Network of Love workshop.
Why do you do it?
Because I feel a strong calling to share my insights with men and women all over the world. It is my natural way of giving my contribution towards the development of consciousness on this planet.
How do you make a difference in the world? (Work, business, life, family, self)
The first way I make a difference is by working on myself through self inquiry, Yoga, spiritual practice, with the certainty that the root of all the suffering around me is reflected in myself. One of the main ways I make a difference is through coaching people. Coaching which gives me the possibility to deeply intervene in the lives of dozens of couples and individuals. Then, I work hard to share my evolution with as many as are willing to listen! I do this by writing with amazing publications such as ManTalks and bringing my Network of Love workshop all around the world, as well as by running a personal blog, Fragments of Evolution.
What are 3 defining moments in your life?
1 – When I was a teenager, I spent an entire month travelling by myself around Europe. I actually turned 16 during the journey! I visited more than 5 countries in one month, sleeping on trains. My mother was scared to death, but that was my rite of passage into adulthood. I learned to be self-sufficient, but also to trust the world. When you trust, good things happen to you—that’s what I discovered.
2 – When I was 24, moved from Rome, my hometown, to Barcelona, tossing my old life away and starting a new chapter. I packed everything I had on an old battered van and made the move without knowing what was going to happen, but following my gut instinct. That proved to be a life defining decision.
3 – During my trip to Thailand in 2010 I had my first deep spiritual experience, while looking at a giant Buddha statue. I realized the impermanence of life and and that insight has not left me ever since.
What is your life purpose?
To evolve. Which means, to continue developing a loving consciousness, integrating the shadow aspects of my personality and moving towards more internal harmony.
How did you tap into it?
As far as I can remember, the pull towards evolution has always been a part of my personality. But I think that the origin of it, is that as a child I was very sensitive to the suffering of others. This would sometimes go too far—I would feel overwhelmed by the pain of the people around me. But in a positive way, this planted the seed of a strong desire to find the roots of suffering and sever them, for me and for others.
Who is your Role-Model or Mentor?
I have many; from the awakened men that live in these amazing times (Sri Prem Baba, Sadhguru, Eckart Tolle to name a few) to people that are long since physically dead but continue to cast their light upon me, first among them Gautama Buddha. Basically whenever I come across someone that is clearly on a higher level of consciousness than I am, I turn them into my mentors! Much nearer to me, my mother and my father have taught me the basics of ethics and love, and their lessons continue to grow fruits in my hearts.
Do you have any daily habits? If so, what are they?
My most important daily habit is waking up early, ideally before 5am. That sets my day straight like nothing else! I also practice yoga in the morning, before breakfast. For me, the beginning of the day is very relevant. If I start the day with the right energy, then it is much easier to keep the ball rolling. If I start the day with laziness and confusion, then I have to make a lot of effort to bring myself back on track.
When do you know your work/life balance is off?
The clearest signals are: waking up late, skipping my yoga practice, and spending a few days in a row without cooking at home or tidying up my room. That usually means that I am either on a serious creative streak or, more likely, that I am going off balance.
Vulnerability is a challenge for most men – share a vulnerable moment from your life with us.
When I decided to leave my old job and step fully into spiritual work, I went through a phase of financial instability where I simply couldn’t find a way to support myself. I had to stop paying my mortgage for a while and borrow money from my family. That was a tough time, which showed me that there is a consequence for taking risky decisions.
What did you learn from it?
I learned I can take measures to prepare before taking a long jump. That courage doesn’t mean recklessness. And that the people I love may have to bear the consequences of my risky decisions. Next time, I will be more careful.
If you are or were going to be a mentor for another man, what is one piece of advice you would give him?
In the moments of darkness and confusion, retreat in solitude and silence, then listen to the voice of your heart.
How do you be the best partner (Boyfriend/Husband- past or present)
My way of being a partner is perhaps a bit unconventional. I have lived for several years in open relationships, where the basis of intimacy was more friendship than traditional romantic involvement. This may change in the future, but it is something I have chosen to experiment. I strongly believe in friendship and I think it forms a beautiful basis for society. Romantic relationships are also very important, but sometimes we forget that, on a deeper level, we are all friends, or brothers and sisters. I think it is important to restore friendship as the natural, spontaneous relationship between men and women—being all friends to each other would make this world a better place!
Do you support any Charities or Not-for-profits? (Which one(s) and why?)
I support Wikipedia (for obvious reasons, I visit it almost every day!) and Kiva, a micro-credits system that brings loans to developing countries. I think this is a great way to help people develop their businesses and make a difference in their life.
If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
It’s an interesting question! I’ve been influenced by many songs, and by a lot of music without lyrics as well. But if I really had to choose one, I would probably invent a new one. It would be called “Learn, Love & Evolve”.
Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
There is a couple of different possible scenarios: one of them involves being a father, while the other one involves running my own school of spirituality and human development. Or a combination of the two!
What legacy do you want to leave for future generations?
I want to contribute to the growth of consciousness, love and harmony on Earth. But more specifically, I want to foster the development of a healthier sexuality and more harmonious, beneficial love relationships.
What One book would you recommend for any Man?
Please do yourself a favor and read The Book of Secrets by Osho. It’s no walk in the park, with more than 1500 pages. But you’re a man and you can do it ☺
If you know a Man that is making a positive impact on the world, we would love to hear from you! Contact us at [email protected]
