Clare Bronfman

Me

Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each of us individually. Peace, for example, starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us.

– His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

For almost nine years I lived like a Gypsy, traveling the world with a small community of people. As a professional show-jumper (equestrian), I had the good fortune to represent the United States many times with my teammates. Together we would travel from country to country to compete, sharing wonderful experiences along the way. We came to rely on each other for success, advice and the sharing of resources. During the course of competition, we succeeded together and failed together; however, the sense of “together” always ended there. At the end of the day, we would go our separate ways—often I wouldn’t even recognize riders if they weren’t wearing their riding attire.

Just over four years ago, I made a decision that drastically changed the course of my life: I retired from the sport of show jumping. I distinctly remember the choice: after the first EM Tech Training™ I was doing drills and practicing my newly learned skills; I had worked with four people and was on my way to the fifth. As I was driving in my car that day, I felt more fulfilled than I had after the most successful victory of my riding career—I realized I had earned the privilege of connecting deeply with other humans, and was able to help change their lives profoundly. In that moment I decided it was time to join a new community.

As I write this, VWeek 2009 is coming to an end. What has been so remarkable to me over the past ten days is our community: we are a group of people from all different walks of life—different cultures, careers, ages—who have come together not because of a common profession or a common activity, but because of a common ideology. We’ve created our community because of a common way we want to be in the world, with each other and with ourselves.

For me, the beauty of our community is how we support one another. We come together based on a mutual value of evolving into a more noble humanity, and through our willingness to show up for ourselves and one another, and utilizing the remarkable tools of Rational Inquiry™, we’re able to help each other blossom.

As I walked out of my room this morning, I encountered a person I have only known for a few days and I experienced a feeling of love. Never in my life did I think I would be able to look at people I barely know and feel a deep sense of love.

This week I’ve pushed through fears to uphold myself, and as I watched others push through their fears, I felt profoundly moved by the beauty of the human spirit; I was in awe of the human struggle. I never thought I would be able to experience such compassion.

I believe the greatest gift one human can give to another is the gift of humanity—the opportunity to see oneself and others as human. What Keith Raniere brings to the world is such a gift.

Never Under-estimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.”

- Wilma Rudolph

As I walked into the arena with 50,000 pairs of eyes watching me I felt a sense of awe. For years I had trained, failed and succeeded and every moment had prepared me for this one. As I looked around the course I turned my focus to my horse and the course lying before me. I was competing at the most renowned competition in the field of Show Jumping: The Grand Prix of Aachen, in Germany.

Athletes often speak of “the zone” – a state of pure focus; optimal for peak performance. On the day of competition you have done all the preparation – the training is behind you – now it is up to you to rise to the occasion and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Over the past year I have had the privilege of working with a group of women, who have been training consistently towards their running goals. Their improvement, through utilizing Keith Raniere’s patent pending technology R-Tech, has been remarkable.
Tomorrow will be a benchmark for them as they race a 5km! It is a stop along the way – in their journeys towards their own “four minute mile”. Tomorrow the crowds will turn their eyes towards them and cheer them on – and I feel as though a part of me will be running with them.