Thomas Motmans
A short glimpse into
what brought me here
My Journey
Chapter 1: Early Life and Learning New Cultures
Key Events & Transformations:
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Moved across Belgium, France, and Switzerland
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Learned new local languages with each move
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Developed resilience and social skills through overcoming exclusion
My Story:
From a young age, I was constantly adapting to new environments. Moving between Belgium, Switzerland, and France meant learning a new local language every time. These experiences sometimes brought challenges like exclusion or bullying, but they also built my resilience and sharpened my social skills. I learned how to integrate into new environments and navigate diverse social landscapes.
Chapter 2: Brazil, Chile, and Expanding Horizons
Key Events & Transformations:
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Moved to São Paulo, Brazil, for a university exchange program
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Immersed in underground culture and taught French in favelas
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Traveled through Chile without money or a phone, relying on human connection
My Story:
At 20, I moved to São Paulo, Brazil, as part of my mechanical engineering studies. This marked a pivotal chapter in my life. Immersing myself in the underground rave scene and living in Portuguese, I felt like I was stepping into an entirely new world. During this time, I also taught French to kids in a favela, which opened my mind to different realities and expanded my sense of independence and purpose.
In the same period, I spent a month traveling through Chile, hitchhiking without money or a phone. I relied entirely on the kindness of strangers for food and shelter. This experience taught me invaluable lessons about human connection, trust, and the power of letting go of control.
"When I left behind everything familiar and turned inward, possibilities opened that I could never have imagined."
Thomas Motmans
Chapter 3: Into the Heart of Laos
Key Events & Transformations:
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Moved to Laos for a year, working on renewable energy projects
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Lived with locals, teaching English in exchange for food and shelter
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Gained a deep appreciation for simple living and cultural exchange
My Story:
After Brazil, I moved to Laos to work in renewable energy in a local NGO. I also adventured on my motorbike to remote villages, where I would ask the head of the village if I could stay the night in exchange for teaching English. This was a humbling experience that connected me deeply with the local way of life. I learned that joy often comes from the simplest interactions, and the power of giving and receiving without expectation.
Chapter 4: Colombia and Social Impact
Key Events & Transformations:
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Lived in Medellin, Colombia, working on rural electrification projects
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Created environmental sustainability projects in schools
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Strengthened my ability to inspire change through grassroots initiatives
My Story:
In Medellin, Colombia, I continued working in renewable energy, this time to bring electricity to rural areas. I also launched a project focused on teaching recycling and environmental sustainability in schools, with the goal of empowering children to educate their families. Living and working in Spanish, I saw firsthand how grassroots efforts could ignite real change in communities, and I felt deeply fulfilled by the impact of these initiatives.
Chapter 5: Leading Global Climate Finance Projects
Key Events & Transformations:
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Rose to a senior position at a Swiss NGO, specializing in climate finance
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Led projects in Rwanda, the Caribbean, Nigeria, and India
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Collaborated with the United Nations Environment and spoke at global conferences
My Story:
I returned to Europe and took on a senior position with a Swiss NGO specializing in climate finance. Leading projects around the world in countries and regions like the Caribbean, Rwanda, Nigeria, South Africa and India, I worked closely with organizations like the United Nations Environment to create sustainable solutions in renewable energy. I negotiated with government officials, CEOs, and interacted with rural farmers, striving to create meaningful change. Public speaking at events like COP and for organizations such as the Rockefeller Foundation allowed me to share my expertise with global leaders.
"Now, I'm passionate about guiding others to go beyond the masks, embrace their true selves, and create a life that feels deeply fulfilling."
Thomas Motmans
Chapter 6: Kaleido and Personal Growth Through Conscious Events
Key Events & Transformations:
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Co-created Kaleido, a multi-day residential conference bridging science, arts, and spirituality
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Deepened my personal growth through conscious events like Burning Man
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Explored new forms of self-expression through dance and movement arts
My Story:
Alongside my corporate work, I co-created Kaleido, a multi-day residential conference bringing together scientists, artists, and spiritual leaders for deep cross-pollination across disciplines. The retreat-style gatherings helps participants explore the these disciplines through talks and workshops, and also meet deeper as human beings. Around this time, I began attending conscious events like Burning Man, diving deeper into dance and movement arts. These experiences helped me discover new layers of authentic self-expression and personal growth.
Chapter 7: The Leap – India, Dance, and Yoga
Key Events & Transformations:
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Left my job, home, and material possessions to pursue a new path
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Completed a three-month dance and movement training in India
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Pilgrimaged through the Himalayas in Nepal, meditated with Buddhist monks, and completed a three-month traditional Hatha yoga training in India
My Story:
At 29, I undertook a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago and later that year took a major leap: I left behind my job, my home, and most of my material possessions to embark on a new journey of self-discovery. I moved to India for a three-month contemporary dance training alongside professional dancers, where I reconnected with my body and movement. Afterwards, I spent two months hiking through the Himalayas, immersed in the vastness of the mountains, the stillness, and the sound of monks’ chants.
Returning to India, I immersed myself in a rigorous three-month traditional Hatha yoga training, with daily asana and meditation. It became the foundation of the daily spiritual practice I have maintained with discipline ever since, bringing me back to my teacher several times to deepen it further. I also went offline for almost a year and during the following years devoted extended periods to intensive inner work, guided by mentors and within intensive full-time residential immersions. My path later brought me to train with the Shaolin in China for two months, where I deepened my relationship with discipline, embodiment, and mental strength. Together, these experiences reshaped my perspective on life, my relationship with myself, and my sense of purpose.
Chapter 8: Relationship, Commitment, and Co-Creation
Key Events & Transformations:
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Met my life partner, Lila, through dance and began creating together
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Discovered relationship as a mirror and a path of deep transformation
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Chose marriage and life partnership, discovering how commitment can support freedom and open a shared field of creation
My Story:
It was during those first months in India, through a partner exercise in the dance training, that I met my life partner, Lila. We began creating our first duet within days and performed it in front of a 100-people audience. Our relationship became one of the deepest paths of transformation in my life — a mirror asking me to look more closely at myself and how I met another person.
Over time, I discovered the relationship between commitment and freedom, and how choosing another person fully could gather and direct my energy toward creation. We chose marriage and life partnership, while dance and our shared inquiry gradually opened a new field of co-creation that would eventually become Steps to Soul.
Chapter 9: Bringing the Work Into the World
Key Events & Transformations
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Stepped into individual mentorship and group facilitation
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Created The Field of Possibilities
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Co-founded Steps to Soul with Lila
My Story
As my own journey deepened, people increasingly came to me with questions about their lives, purpose, and the possibilities they could sense but had not yet brought into reality. I began mentoring individuals and facilitating intimate group journeys, bringing together self-awareness, spiritual practice, authentic relating, and meaningful action.
This work developed into The Field of Possibilities, a six-month group journey exploring how inner transformation can open new possibilities and be translated into reality.
Alongside this, Lila and I created Steps to Soul, the shared home for the work emerging through our relationship and artistic collaboration. Through movement, art, relationship, and conscious conversation, we explore the connection between inner transformation and how we live, relate, create, and contribute to the world.
Follow my journey
This page gave you a glimpse of my path so far. But the journey continues to unfold, and I’d love to share the reflections, insights, and moments that emerge along the way.
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