What is the story of Auras?

It all began in Porto, Portugal, during a cacao ceremony at Espaço Compasso, a wonderful event space with old trees (abuelitos árboles) and a herb garden. The gathering was led by Mano Chico, a musician I admire not only for his talent but for the way he holds space for others. That night, we sat in a circle, drinking cacao, meditating, and sharing moments of deep presence. The energy in the room felt pure — a mix of love, connection, and stillness. In the middle of that experience, an idea came to me almost fully formed. It didn’t feel like I was inventing it. It felt like I was receiving it. I was channeling the existence of something new.

For the first time in my life, I felt what it meant to truly “channel” something. It wasn’t like thinking or brainstorming. It didn’t come from my mind, or from a chain of logic. It came from somewhere bigger — a deeper consciousness that I was simply listening to. The idea arrived whole, clear, and certain. I didn’t have to question it. I just knew it was meant to exist. And in that moment, I felt the responsibility to be up to the task.

That “something” was a vision for a different kind of social network. Over the years, I’ve used platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X. They can be entertaining and even useful at times, but I’ve also felt how heavy they have become. Their design is built around performance and comparison. They are engineered to keep you hooked, not fulfilled. You are constantly shown what the algorithm decides will keep you scrolling, not what will genuinely nourish you. The result, at least for me, has been a deep sense of energetic drain — as if every time I logged in, a little more presence was pulled out of me and scattered across an endless feed. It’s not just about wasting time. It’s about how these systems slowly chip away at your ability to stay connected to yourself.

In contrast, what I felt in that cacao ceremony was the opposite of draining. It was lightness. It was connection without competition. It was the kind of interaction where no one is trying to be “more” than anyone else. And I found myself thinking: why can’t this bubble of love and presence continue outside the room? Why can’t we have an online space that feels like this — where technology actually supports us, instead of feeding on us?

From that question, Auras began to take shape. I envisioned it as a conscious, love-based platform. A place where people share from the heart, not for likes or views. A space without follower counts or algorithmic manipulation. Instead, the focus would be on intention, resonance, and meaningful connection. Auras would also have “Tribes” — small, intentional communities where people can gather around shared values, interests, or purposes. These Tribes would be the heart of the platform, creating a sense of belonging that big, noisy feeds can never offer.

Because in the end, that’s what we are all looking for: belonging. Not in the shallow sense of being accepted by the largest number of strangers, but in the deeper sense of being truly seen and welcomed for who we are. I wanted Auras to be a space where you can find your people, your rhythm, your home — online and offline.

Of course, an idea like this is too big to build alone. I started looking for people who could share the vision and help bring it to life. The universe, as it often does when we are aligned, sent exactly who I needed. First came Jens, a colleague from the company I was working for at that time, whose skills and mindset fit perfectly with the project. Then came Melody, a dear friend who understood the heart of Auras from the moment I described it. Together, we began shaping the foundations of what this platform could be.

We’re building Auras as a place where your worth isn’t measured by numbers. Where you can join Tribes that actually feel like communities. Where events are about gathering in meaningful ways, both online and in person. And where your emotional state — your “Aura” — is part of how you connect with others. We want the experience of being on Auras to feel like entering a space where you can breathe deeper, slow down, and just be yourself.

What an exciting journey!