RADICAL HONESTY

Yesterday was a day of emotional extremes. I experienced a high and a low that beat a lot of previous highs and lows I ever experienced in my life before. We are in Covid-19 lock down. 

The low

…was related to several things that had happened and the story my mind immediately created in response to it: Lock down til 1 June because of the Covid-19 threat. Big question marks with regards to how we’re going to continue, if we survive, with our businesses. A no-show of a client. Another client cancelling. Chris receiving an official note that he’s not allowed to continue his work in his practice “De Gouden Handen” according to the regulations and measures being taken. And 1 June is just an estimated date.

The high

…was after a long Skype session with my clear-headed friend and soul-mate Karen Seelmann-Eggebert. The clarity and perspective she spoke with today was contagious (a word that you wouldn’t want to hear in relation to Covid-19 and yet, sometimes its application is for the good) and eye-opening. It made me realize that love and softening up and allowing my self-centering to sink into the depth of my body was all I needed to feel the ‘high’. Which makes so much sense! 

||

How could I get in contact with how I feel with so much stuff stuck in my brain? 

||

So many clouds hindering my vision? 

||

So many opinions (of others) blurring my intuition and spirit?

Astrology? Astrology!

Karen talked about the planets and the stars and signs based on her profound astrological interest and knowledge. I was in awe, listening to her comprehensive presentation. I was enjoying it lot. The recognition of all the other planets, the stars and the whole of the universe being present at the same time while I was in my living room having a conversation on Skype with her, took some weight of my shoulders. I’m just a particle of it all. It’s all around me, taking care of me. It is supporting me every second and it won’t stop doing that. If this is what it feels like, the Covid-19 virus must have a right to be here, too. Just like I do, you do, we all do. Everything is in the right place and at the right time, always has been.

She talked about Aquarius and its positive side that she interpreted into originality and creativity with regards to the challenges we are confronted with right now. Hearing her say this was so much in tune with what I had felt this morning: 

Online yoga classes

We were grateful for a couple of responses to a newsletter we had sent to our students and clients the day before yesterday. Some of them were inquiring about online classes now that we can’t teach in our beautiful studio for the time-being and referred to other studios that have already been doing it.

To be really honest here – every cel of my body resists the thought of investing time and money into the set-up of this endeavor. As its all being done by many others before, it doesn’t appear attractive to me. It’s nothing that is reflecting a sense of originality and an expression of creativity that gives me a feeling of satisfaction, joy and a sense of gratefulness. These are feelings that I find important to deliver a quality product and / or service. 

Of course we could try to do it better, or different, or more sustainable compared to what is available already. Nevertheless I don’t see it as a challenge for growth when considering the option. It rather gives me a feeling of running behind facts and that I already missed the boat. I’m not buying into those kind of concepts, translating into feelings, anymore. I’m too old for that – been there, done that. Life got more to offer, I only have to listen and feel and remain open to what’s unfolding right in front of me.

Interests, skills, gifts 

Besides myself, Yogashala has been my biggest project in life so far. A big project that evolved into a daily activity with a lot of good. I learned to accept the down-sides of it, knowing that every ‘system’ finds its balance. In the recent years I trained new skills, some of them to excellency. I discovered new interest of mine that I didn’t know I had and learned and explored everything in the field the interest led me to. I met many students to whom I taught yoga and clients who taught me about some of my gifts that I wasn’t aware of, yet. And that my gifts in return helped them to leave after each session happier in comparison to what they felt like before.

On the rise

Sessions with clients have slowly but gradually evolved into a synthesis of coaching & yoga with a holistic and a systemic approach. I wouldn’t do it for anything less anymore. I would feel ashamed to do it for anything less. It wouldn’t fulfill me if I’d do it for less than I got to offer.

A new project most obviously finds its place in our lives. It has a certain shape, size and dimensions. I offered to Chris that it’s going to be a project that will go beyond a scope of services and applications that the name ‘Yogashala’ can bridge. His reply was clear and simple and I know he’s right (as yoga shaped him in all aspects of his life, based on nearly 5 decennia of practicing it): What yoga really is about can bridge all that. Unfortunately the general idea and most Western minds can’t understand this as they are trained to to think in patterns of fragmentation. 

It’s a shame, but I do understand it. It goes beyond knowledge and is purely based on something that is an experience of the body and even more of the soul, reaching dimensions that mind has no other capacity for than registering it, remembering it, longing for it. As Chris and I are tired of swimming against the current of most of the yoga presentations and how yoga is perceived in general, we’ll simplify to amplify (which has become one of my mottos in life) what we got to offer. 

Happiness? Yes, please! 

We’ll bundle our individual strengths, qualities, skills, ideas and will present them to all of you in a new shape, size and dimension. If you like the idea of simply wanting to feel a bit happier than you feel right now, we most probably got something to offer for and share with you. As human beings, we can feel happiness in our bodies, with the help of our minds and most of all and deeply rooted with our spirit. No one and nothing can take that away from us.