The Journal

Stories of becoming

Training, nutrition, Colombia and the 1% philosophy — editorial notes from the Phoenix Initiative.

Top-down view of rows of young native tree saplings in black nursery bags on deep red volcanic soil, with a watering can and trowel at the edge of frame.

The Reforestation Plan for the Estate's Degraded Slopes

Planting trees is the easy part. Here is how the Phoenix Initiative intends to restore the worn slopes of a 30-hectare estate in Huila, and why the first step is not planting.

July 7, 20265 min read

A young woman's hands from above holding an open blank notebook and a pencil on her lap, sunlight through a rustic wooden window frame, face out of frame.

Foundation

Designing a Scholarship Programme for Women in Huila

The Phoenix Initiative is drafting a scholarship scheme for women in Huila. Here is the thinking behind it, the barriers it has to solve, and what it deliberately will not do.

July 4, 20265 min read

Colombia & Surroundings

Rivera, Land of Thermal Springs: Inside the Garden of Huila

A small town in Colombia's Huila where hot mineral water rises out of green hills. Discover Rivera's thermal culture, its rituals, and why we chose it as home for Phoenix Oasis.

July 3, 20264 min read

Seven smooth grey river stones in a row on a weathered hardwood plank beside a clear stream, warm golden backlight and shallow focus.

The Oasis

What a Week Will Look Like: An Honest Projected Sketch

This is a projection, not a timetable. A day-by-day sketch of how a seven-day stay is currently designed to unfold, with the caveats stated plainly up front.

July 2, 20265 min read

Wide view of the Huila valley, layered green ridges under a dark rain cloud on one side and warm low sunlight breaking through on the other, mist along the valley floor.

The Oasis

Why the Programmes Will Change With the Huila Seasons

Close to the equator there is no summer and no winter, but there is a calendar. Here is how the year in Huila is expected to shape training, food and the rhythm of a stay.

June 30, 20265 min read

Overhead view on volcanic stone of a worn leather notebook, a pencil, a coiled rope, a folded linen towel and a green tropical leaf in warm afternoon light.

The Oasis

How the Oasis Team Will Be Trained Before Anyone Arrives

A retreat is only as good as the people holding it. Here is the training philosophy being written for the Phoenix Oasis team, and the standards it intends to set before opening day.

June 28, 20265 min read

Transformation

The 1% Philosophy: Why Tiny Daily Gains Beat Big Resolutions

Grand resolutions collapse; tiny daily gains compound. Discover the math and science behind the 1% philosophy, and how getting slightly better every day transforms everything.

June 27, 20265 min read

Two hands cradling a small handmade ceramic cup of steaming aguapanela on a weathered wooden table, blurred tropical foliage behind.

The Oasis

The First Hour: How the Arrival Ritual Is Being Designed

The Oasis opens in June 2028, yet its first sixty minutes are already drafted. Here is what the welcome ritual is designed to do, and why an arrival deserves that much care.

June 26, 20266 min read

Overhead flat lay of building material samples on a weathered workbench: guadua bamboo, volcanic stone, timber, raw clay, palm fibre and rope.

The Oasis

Four Questions Asked of Every Material Before It Is Used

Choosing a material is not about how it looks in a photograph. Climate, local skill, embodied carbon and reversibility — the four tests a building material has to pass, and where they break down.

June 24, 20265 min read