Discovery Call
Artifact info
Title:

Initial Kick-off

Engagement:

New Dawn Institute Website Creation

Client:

New Dawn Institute

Meeting Date:
November 5, 2025
Next Meeting Date:
November 19, 2025
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James Redenbaugh
Brian Russo
Nando Austin
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Meeting Summary

Overview:

🎯 Vision & Mission

A Movement for Global Transformation

The team aligned around launching the New Dawn Institute on December 20, 2025 as a transformative campaign merging indigenous wisdom with scientific insights. This isn't just another retreat center—it's a movement designed to influence a global cultural shift and help humanity navigate into a new era.

Bridging Two Worlds

Nando and Brian emphasized the unique positioning: bringing together indigenous elders' teachings (particularly from WixĂĄrika and Toltec traditions) with scientific perspectives from advisors like Susan Manowicz (PhD candidate at MIT studying solar flares) and Professor Rudy Shield. The goal? Create a credible, compelling narrative that bridges ancient wisdom with cutting-edge astrophysics.

The Long Game: 2025-2031

The initiative targets a significant window ending around 2030-2031 to align with the start of a new 26,000-year cycle as described by the elders. Elder Mindahi identifies May 3, 2026 as the beginning of this cosmic shift, while other elders suggest it could extend to 2030—making this a time-sensitive but spacious endeavor.

From Digital to Physical

The strategy flows beautifully: start with online courses to generate funding for elder communities, then funnel participants into immersive in-person retreats at the physical center (to be managed by Nando in places like Wirikuta). It's a hybrid model that honors both accessibility and the irreplaceable value of direct transmission.

đŸ› ïž Technical Architecture & Platform Strategy

The Perfect Stack

James outlined a sophisticated yet flexible tech foundation built on Webflow + Airtable + Whale Sync. This isn't your typical website setup—it's a dynamic, living platform that can evolve as the vision expands.

Key Components:

  • Webflow as the versatile front-end: rapid development, fully customizable, rich media support, robust CMS for courses and events
  • Airtable as the intelligent backend: easy-to-manage database for content, contacts, courses, and resources
  • Whale Sync for real-time synchronization: update in Airtable, see it live on the site instantly
  • Advanced possibilities: Interactive maps (Mapbox), 3D visualizations, sacred geometry animations
Beyond Basic Online Courses

The architecture supports next-generation learning experiences through N8N automations and AI integration:

  • Interactive, call-and-response experiences
  • Personalized learning pathways using AI agents
  • Smart matching systems for participants and groups
  • Digital "blessings" and engagement tools (imagine: email capture with a traditional water blessing from Mindahi)
Keep It Simple, Build Powerfully

James emphasized starting with a solid foundation and iterating creatively—no need to overcomplicate initially, but build with future expansion in mind. The tools are there to grow into advanced features as needs emerge.

📅 Launch Timeline & Immediate Next Steps

December 20th Target 🎯

The team committed to launching a functional landing page by December 20, 2025—aligned with the beginning of the new cycle for 2026. This creates a digital presence to attract funders, participants, and collaborators right as the cosmic timing aligns.

The Landing Page Vision

Not just informational—it needs to be a "work of art" and a genuine portal. The team wants to avoid generic retreat website vibes or overly New Age aesthetics. Instead, they're aiming for something that:

  • Resonates deeply with visitors, funders, AND the elders themselves
  • Uses vector equilibrium geometry and indigenous art motifs to symbolize the science-tradition fusion
  • Feels immersive and multidimensional from first click
  • Clearly communicates the mission with visible placeholders for future content expansion
Proposal & Examples

James offered to create a proposal outlining costs and scope tiers, plus share examples from similar consciousness-focused projects:

  • Consciousness and Healing Institute (CHI): $32,000-68,000 budget range (larger reference project) Proposal
  • Flourish Project: Ecological wellbeing framework (smaller reference project) Proposal

These will give context for what's possible at different investment levels.

📚 Content Development & Collaboration

Sharing Resources

Brian committed to sharing key materials with James:

  • The pitch deck for the New Dawn Institute ✅
  • Course materials from Elder Mindahi (already completed course)
  • New Dawn overview folder with foundational content
  • Video guidelines from collaborations with organizations like Humanity Institute
Smart Integrations, Not Reinvention

Nando expressed openness to linking courses hosted on other platforms rather than rebuilding everything from scratch. If quality content already exists elsewhere, why not connect to it? This interoperability mindset sets up future synergies.

Cross-Project Synergy

The team discussed potential collaboration with the Consciousness and Healing Hub (where James is also working) to create shared backend infrastructure. Imagine: taking a course on New Dawn Institute but accessing a unified learning ecosystem that includes multiple aligned organizations. More efficient, more coherent, stronger network effects.

🌐 The Bigger Picture: HALOS Framework

Beyond Siloed Websites

Brian introduced the HALOS framework as a meta-structure for interoperability—a "universal operating system for humanity" that enables different projects, organizations, and learning platforms to function as one coherent ecosystem rather than isolated islands.

The Vision: Internet of Beings

HALOS aims to create what Brian calls an "Internet of Beings"—a system that mimics natural telepathic and heart-based connections, enabling deep alignment across global communities. Key principles:

  • AI-driven personalization integrated from the ground up (working with Jesse Grace and Grace Intelligence)
  • Reciprocal learning: individuals learn from the universal OS, and their insights feed back into the collective
  • Post-money economy infrastructure: supporting eco-villages and aligned networks through coherent collective intelligence
  • 12-around-1 architecture: reflecting the genius and light in everyone, not owned by any one person or org
Cosmic Geometry Meets Indigenous Wisdom

Brian emphasized using vector equilibrium as both a design element and a structural principle—connecting it to patterns he's seen in Berber and Islamic architecture, in medicine journeys, and in the 12-loop lotus of life creating an isotropic matrix. This isn't decoration; it's core to the system's logic.

The Invitation

Brian formally invited both James and Nando to co-found and co-steward HALOS, with flexibility around levels of engagement based on capacity and resonance.

💎 Cultural Positioning & Authenticity

Not Woo, Not Cosplay—Real

The team was clear: this needs to feel substantive and credible, not New Age window dressing. The science component (solar flares, astrophysics, traditional ecological knowledge) isn't decoration—it's fundamental to the legitimacy and power of the message.

Why This Matters Now

Nando shared he's transitioning from his previous NGO work to focus fully on New Dawn, sensing the civilizational importance of this moment. His friend with cancer, his teaching engagement in France—all reinforcing that people are struggling and need this message of hope and possibility.

Susan Manowicz (MIT PhD candidate) told Nando they need to get their conversations about what's happening cosmically out to the public ASAP—people are confused about the solar activity, Schumann resonance changes, and larger shifts underway.

Driven by Compassion

Brian articulated the core motivation beautifully: "We literally have the know-how and the motivation and the ability to expedite the alleviation of suffering." This is all driven by the deepest compassion imaginable, not just cool concepts or clever tech.

✅ Action Items

James Redenbaugh
  • Generate and share a proposal for the New Dawn Institute website including base costs and possible tiers
  • Share sample proposals from CHI and Flourish Project for reference and context
  • Create and mock up an initial landing page targeting completion before December 20, 2025
  • Review and integrate pitch deck and course materials from Nando and Brian
  • Establish collaborative workflow for iterative content development and design
Nando Ausin
  • Share the pitch deck and New Dawn overview folder documents with James
  • Coordinate with Brian to forward video guidelines and course content materials for potential integration
  • Continue fundraising outreach using the pitch deck to attract funders and investors
Brian Russo
  • Provide James access to the New Dawn overview folder and related course content, including the completed course with Elder Mindahi
  • Formally document the HALOS framework invitation to James and Nando as co-founders
  • Continue managing community outreach and integration with related projects like Consciousness and Healing Institute
  • Connect relevant collaborators (Angel, Michael, Shamini) into the New Dawn ecosystem

đŸ”„ Key Quotes & Moments

"If you can't go to the portal, bring the portal to the people." — Brian

"The eagle and the condor need to be flying in the digital spheres as well. That's what I'm here for—happy to be digital shaman." — James

"I just feel really honored and privileged to be on this path with you guys. I'm so grateful and so excited for everything that's to come." — Nando

"We're not doing cosplay here. I'm talking real." — Brian on HALOS

"This is like my raison d'ĂȘtre for existing right now." — Brian on the HALOS framework

🌟 The Resonance Factor

All three participants expressed deep personal commitment to this mission—recognizing the unique alignment of their skills, timing, and shared values. There's a palpable sense that this isn't just another project, but a calling aligned with both cosmic and cultural necessity.

Nando bringing his lived experience with caregiving and witnessing suffering. Brian channeling insights from medicine work and years of synthesis. James offering his "extraordinary spatial and geometric cognition" (as noted in your context) paired with technical mastery.

The conversation ended with mutual recognition: "I only want to really work with people that are in that vibe and holding that high degree of resonance."

This is the beginning of something significant. 🌅✹

‍

Relevant Initiatives

Website Creation

Priority: 
Very High
Size: 
M
Planning Stage

Brand Refresh

Priority: 
Very High
Size: 
S
Planning Stage

Online Learning Platform Development

Priority: 
High
Size: 
L
Planning Stage

HALOS Framework Integration Research

Priority: 
Medium
Size: 
M
Idea Stage
Transcript