Breaking down & building up

I’ve been quiet here the last months, as a lot happened in my life. It felt to me as if my whole life was falling apart…

After the intense time of lockdown in Ibiza, I split up with my boyfriend, I left our beautiful campo house, work for my own business got quiet, my other work became a lot less, money got low and on top of that I started doubting my guides, my intuition, myself. As if I had lost my compass.

So here I was, nearly 36 years old, again without a man by my side, without a house, almost without work and money, no more trust in the future and no clue how to guide myself through it. I broke down… I didn’t know anymore who I was, what I wanted, let alone how to move in the right direction.

Talking with my friends and family sometimes only seemed to make it worse – more opinions, more ideas, more advice on what I could or should do. And one moment I could be sure I knew what I wanted, but then the next moment I would feel the opposite. I could make a strong, clear decision and doubt it the next minute.

Not being able to truly connect to my intuition or my guides made me feel lost. How could I make a decision if I didn’t feel or know what’s right? And after making my decisions based on my intuition and guidance for so many years and then ending up here, with nothing, was this really the way to go?!

The only thing I felt was that I needed time and space for myself. I needed to reconnect to ME, to feel and to know what it was that I truly wanted. I needed to rest, to be quiet, to be in nature, to go within, to nurture myself.

And now, slowly slowly, I start to feel something is building up again. After a few days of just not knowing and not wanting anything, I started to feel like cooking for myself again. Cooking is like a meditation for me, I really enjoy the process and putting the healthy food into my body afterwards makes me feel even better! (see picture)

With the cooking and healthy eating I could feel my energy coming back to life again as well. In the mean time synchronicities started to happen again, things that would come back to me through different events, conversations or something I read.

Slowly it becomes clear that I’ll be working in a different way, more connected with the Earth, the Universe, Source energy and my own Higher self – both in my personal life as in my work.

I’m not there yet, I’m just at the beginning of building up again, but I now know, feel and trust that things will work out again! And for that I’m grateful.

Everything might have fallen apart, but now I can see that was needed to re-arrange my ‘building blocks’ to create something new. I might be left with ‘nothing’ (at least in the physical sense), but I certainly learned a LOT and this will help me to create an even better version of my life!!

A massive thanks to everyone who supported me during these times, by coming over to Ibiza, by calling me, by listening to me, by asking me questions, by suggesting which options I could make, by allowing me to cry, to not know, to be indecisive, by giving me fresh veggies from the garden, by taking me out for dinner, by offering me your free online program, by just being there for me! You know who you are: THANK YOU, I LOVE YOU!!!

For now I’m still going to take it easy with myself, but soon I’ll be fully back on track, better than ever! Then I’ll also be sharing more about my new way of working, but first I’ll be taking care of myself. See you soon.

My first time in Ibiza…

4 years ago around this time of the Summer Solstice I was in Ibiza for the first time (with a dive into the sea at sunrise! – see pic). A good friend of mine was hosting a retreat and she needed help. At first I wasn’t sure if I should do it, as my budget was tight and it felt weird to take days off from work in Holland to work in Ibiza (instead of using them for having a holiday). But it turned out to be more like holiday than feeling like work! And even though I didn’t see much of the island in that week, as we mostly stayed at the villa where the retreat was – except for a few quick beach visits – but when I went back to Holland I knew it wasn’t the last time I visited the island. Never had I imagined to have quit my job and sublet my house 1,5 months later to follow my heart and try to work & live here on this magical island!! But I did…

Being back at work I realised I wasn’t happy and for a long time already I had this dream of living abroad. Having travelled much of the world, I knew I didn’t want to be too far away from my friends and family back home, so I had decided it would probably be Spain. And Ibiza just seemed like the perfect start.

The perfect start turned out to be quite a difficult start, as I wasn’t the only one trying my luck here in Ibiza. Many people are drawn to the island because of its special energy and especially people in the same workfield (healing) as me. Upon arrival I bought a tent, a mat and a sleeping bag at Decathlon and for €75 I had my ‘house’ for the coming weeks. I thought it would be only a matter of a few days before finding a job with my experience in restaurants, childcare and healing work, but I didn’t have much luck. I did work somewhere as a volunteer in exchange for living for a week, but the amount of work wasn’t worth the exchange. So I was quickly back at the campsite.

I remember one moment when I was laying in my tent somewhere in those first few weeks and feeling completely lost. I didn’t know what to do, I felt completely alone and missed the people I loved. Most of all I missed the feeling of being surrounded by a warm family, sharing food, feeling at home. I cried out to my angels that I couldn’t do this any longer… I believe the next day I started chatting with a few guys that were living on the campsite for a while as well and only a few days later we were cooking and eating together. I really had to laugh when one of the guys said that we were like ‘a family’. A little sign from the Universe that I was supported.

Those first weeks went with lots of up and downs, enjoying the beauty of the island, but also having difficulties finding a job and home. Until the moment I ran out of money, I had a fight with the guy I was seeing and I still didn’t have a job or a normal home (and I was DONE sleeping in my very small tent!). I called my parents that evening, feeling completely empty, I hadn’t succeeded to manifest my dream. There was 1 last thing I needed to finish on the island and then I would go to mainland Spain if I could be a volunteer there or I would simply just come home. I had tried and I had failed.

The next day I went to see someone I worked for a few days, to say goodbye and finish what I had promised her. While being there she received a text message and immediately said it was for me. I had a look and I knew she was right. A Dutch girl was leaving the island and needed replacement for her job in taking care of an elderly Dutch lady. The work was part time and came with a house, a car and some money… I contacted the girl and got the job! So that was the end of my time at the campsite and the start of my – now almost 4 years – Ibiza adventure.

It hasn’t always been easy, but I’m SO grateful that I’ve listened to my heart to come to Ibiza that first time 4 years ago and that I’m still here. Life has been a pretty interesting journey ever since, but I wouldn’t want to have missed one second of it! (or maybe just a few haha)

I’m still in LOVE with this beautiful, magical island that I can call home. Thank you Izaja for asking me to help you at that retreat 4 years ago, thank you to all the wonderful people that made my life here even more interesting and thank you Ibiza for being my home. I’m ready for more!

PS: I love sharing my love for the island with you during my Reconnect & Recharge retreats. You can book now for end of July or end of August. For more info click here.

Spiritual & practical

As you might have noticed after seeing some of my previous posts, I am reading “A New Earth” from Eckhart Tolle currently. An amazing book, that’s giving me many insights about the way our ego functions and how we can be more ‘rooted into Being’.

The other day my eye fell on one of the books in our studio, called “Results – think less, achieve more” (author: Jamie Smart). We recently found this book in a pile of books that was left at the trash bins (this is one of the .. in Ibiza, people leave good stuff outside of the trash containers for other people to be picked up) and decided to take it home with us, along with some other books with interesting titles. We didn’t read any of them so far, but now this book caught my attention. I started reading the back and the first few pages and I couldn’t help but notice how much this book was similar to “A New Earth”. It talks about a lot of the same principles, but instead of a ‘spiritual’ book, it’s a very practical book.

For me it’s no coincidence that I picked up this book now and started reading it next to A New Earth. As I come from a very practical background, not believing in ‘all this spiritual stuff’, I love to be able to understand (and explain) things not only on a spiritual level, but also the practical level. These two books are doing just that for me in this moment!

It feels as if I’m in some sort of pressure cooker, taking in all this knowledge on a high speed, both on a spiritual level as on a practical level. I can see that what I’m learning is assisting me to get a deeper understanding of myself, my thoughts, my feelings and my behaviour and I know that this is exactly what I can assist others with as well.

As I’ve started to put my coaching more ‘out there’ (with a free webinar among other things) I’m learning so many new tools and ways of looking at things, understanding it from different perspectives. What I’m learning now is so useful in all areas of my life: for my business, as well as my relationship with my boyfriend, the way I experience life and how I can change this experience to feel even more connected to myself, to my passion and the excitement it brings to me. It seems as if in just a couple of days my experience of life has made a huge shift and I can’t wait to help more people to experience the same!

So I can highly recommend reading both of these books! Or if you prefer, I can teach you… Just watch my free webinar to start learning.

Living with uncertainty

(Quote by Eckhart Tolle in ‘A New Earth’)

Are you capable of living with uncertainty? Or are you always trying to have everything ‘under control’? As you might know – even if you don’t want to admit it to yourself – nothing is ever really ‘under control’. Each day, each moment something unexpected can happen and the whole world can be turned upside down. Just look at what is happening with the world right now, with this Corona virus. Something that no-one ever expected or anticipated upon in their planning, all of the sudden became our new reality. Everybody staying at home, not allowed to come close to others, lots of business having to close down.

If you are always trying to be in control and are afraid of losing control, you’re not capable of living at ease, of living in peace. As Eckhart Tolle puts it: “If uncertainty is unacceptable to you, it turns into fear. If it is perfectly acceptable, it turns into increased aliveness, alertness and creativity.”

How can you live with uncertainty? By realizing nothing is ever certain! By realizing nothing is ever under control, nothing will ever stay the same. “The only thing constant in life is change”. Learn how to live with that and you’ve got the key to happiness!

Interested in learning how to do that? Book your FREE discovery call with me.

Changes (channeled)

Changes, changes, changes! Lots and lots of changes. On many different levels.
Don’t be afraid, Dear One, for what is happening in the world right now.

You can see it as a global ‘update’. We are assisting people to grow, to expand, to change! To get out of their comfort zone, out of their comfort life – where they were hardly LIVING anymore – to start BEING present again, to start thinking, to start FEELING!

Becoming aware… of themselves, of their beliefs, of their ‘securities’. Nothing in life is secure, Dear One, nothing is sure, only death. And it seems most people have forgotten just that. They are afraid of death, so they don’t want to think about it. Forget it, as much as possible. But the fear of death – for themselves or their loved ones – is never far away. It’s always lingering inside. And when there’s danger it shows up, and they will try anything possible to avoid it, while knowing it is inevitable.

We are assisting, Dear One, in helping people remember that death is not their enemy! That death is nothing to fear about, rather just a part of the cycle of human life on Earth. No-one truly dies, Dear One, only their body is left behind.

We are assisting, Dear One, to help people work through their fears, to realise the 1 sure thing in their lives and that knowing that, accepting that will help them to truly LIVE again. To make different decisions, to change their lives into something more meaningful, more joyful, more ALIVE.

Be aware of these shifts, Dear One, and see how you can help. Spread your Light, BE there for the ones who need it. The world is waking up!

We are with you,
helping, assisting, supporting, awakening.

We love you.

– Channeled by Ankhana Sofia 29-4-2020

This too shall pass

“Nonresistance, nonjudgement and nonattachment are the three aspects of true freedom and enlightened living” – This touched me deeply when I read it last night in “A New Earth” (by Ekhart Tolle), as I could feel the Truth in it on such a deep level. I could also see that everything I’m struggling with in my own life, is because I am resisting, judging or attaching to something. Especially during this lockdown!

If you can live without resistance, without judgement and without attachment, you can BE with what is, no matter how it is. You don’t feel bad when a situation is difficult (in other words you’re not resisting or judging), because you know “This too shall pass”. You don’t feel worried something good might end (in other words you’re not attaching), because you know “This too shall pass”.

Living by the words “This too shall pass” (or “anicca” as they use in Vipassana) might sound at first as if you give up any bad AND good feelings about a situation. Which might make seem life useless… As everything will pass, either bad or good, what’s the point?!

That’s what I struggled with during and long after my Vipassana. I came out pretty depressed, not understanding why I should continue with my life as I didn’t understand the reason of it. If everything passes, what’s there to do?

Thanks to Ekhart Tolle’s words I found the deeper meaning, the deeper understanding and I hope I can bring that realisation to you as well. Or maybe just the start of it, the first opening…

Knowing that everything passes, doesn’t mean you’re not to enjoy everything! You can enjoy it even more, being completely in the moment, while you know it will pass, but for NOW you can take it in as much as you can. Right NOW you get to experience the beauty, the fun, the joy, the love, the excitement or whatever it is and you can take it in with all your senses. Without any attachment, without any resistance (i.e. feelings of unworthiness) and without any judgement (once you label it as “good”, you’ll most probably start to attach to it as well).

Knowing that everything passes, can help you through difficult times. You can accept them more easily, without resistance, without judgement and without attachment. And without all of that, it’s a lot easier to get through it. You can observe all that’s happening without getting caught up in it, without loosing yourself in it, without relating with it.

Knowing “This too shall pass” can help you in any situation, “good” or “bad” (try not to use those judgements!). It will make you more aware, more present and more grateful. Quite amazing I would say!

Where do you put your focus?

(Quote by Roy T. Bennett)

This quote came up on my phone this morning… Funnily nearly the same message as I shared yesterday on Facebook:

“Even if blame seems more than justified, as long as you blame others, you keep feeding the pain-body with your thoughts and remain trapped in your ego. There is only one perpetrator of evil on the planet: human unconsciousness. That realization is true forgiveness. With forgiveness, your victim identity dissolves, and your true power emerges – the power of Presence. Instead of blaming the darkness, you bring in the light.” – Eckhart Tolle in A New Earth

Where you put your focus, your energy flows… So focus on the light, focus on what you want to create, focus on a New Earth, focus on love, focus on joy, focus on happiness.

Which doesn’t mean you have to suppress your ‘negative’ emotions or feelings, become aware of them, let them be there. But be aware that you ARE not your thoughts or emotions. Observe them, let them be and when you’re ready, shift your focus again to the things you DO want.

You can do it!

Out of my comfort zone

Really going out of my comfort zone here… Far out!

Recently my Guides started to tell me that I needed to start sharing my channelings in a video (with me visible in it while channeling), which I didn’t want to do. So I didn’t act upon it.

Showing myself while channeling is still something that makes me feel uncomfortable, even when I channel after a Healing or in my weekly meditation circle. So to show it to “the whole world” is something that really scares me!

“What if people think I’m crazy? What if people will make fun of me? What if…?” – I could think of a million reasons why not to do it! But my Guides told me even though there will most certainly be people that don’t understand and that they might make fun of me, there will me much more people who will benefit from it. That this is my gift to the world and that I had to start sharing it NOW, especially now…

So here it goes, me going way out of my comfort zone, sharing a channeled message in a video recording. The first one of many – according to my Guides – so I better get used to it. And if I can be of service in this way, I am happy to do it.

This one is especially to assist you with integrating the New Earth energies. You can find it here (don’t forget to subscribe to my channel when you’re there!).

Enjoy!

Sprouts

It’s so easy to make your own sprouts! You just have to have a few days patience, but you can make as much as you like, whenever you like. In this way you know exactly what happens to your sprouts (no additives of any kind), they’re full of life force and it’s much cheaper than the ones you buy at a shop, as well that it’s fun to watch them grow!

I’ve used a large jar with kitchen paper and an elastic band as a ‘lid’.

Day 1: Soak the beans for 24 hours in water. Don’t use too much beans, as said, they will get MUCH bigger! After you’ve made them a few times, you’ll know what’s the right amount for you. I suggest to start with just a small layer of beans.

Day 2 & 3: Rinse the beans and keep them 2 days in darkness (I rolled a tea towel around the jar) in a warm place. Rinse the beans once or twice a day.

Day 4: Put the beans out into the (sun)light & warmth.

Day 5: They’re ready to eat!

Tip: Place them somewhere visible in your kitchen, so you don’t forget about them…

Lovely on top of salads, on bread or as a little bite in between. Enjoy!!

Go back to vegan recipes.

 

Homemade bread

I never knew baking bread could be so easy!! Inspired by Jamie Oliver’s YouTube video I decided to try making this ‘soda bread’ myself and since then I’ve made it more often, in all kinds of variations. It’s super easy and quick, all done within 30 minutes!

What you need:

  • flour
  • plantbased milk (or even water if you don’t have milk!)
  • baking soda
  • salt
  • agave (if you want – can be left out)

Jamie uses an empty tin to measure the amounts (no weighing – I love that!), I just use something from about the same size. Jamie also uses 2 types of flour (plain white and wholegrain), I just use 1 and the same (wholegrain) to make it even easier.

You mix 2 amounts of flour with 1 amount of milk (or water), 2 teaspoons of baking soda, a pinch of salt and if you want 1 teaspoon of agave (or some other sweetner). Mix it well, it needs to be still a bit sticky, but not too much.

You can make it into any shape you like:

  • A big loaf of bread (as in the picture): make a round ball and flatten it, cut it twice in the middle (in a cross), almost untill the bottom. I also added some oatmeal on top.
  • Little buns: just make small balls and flatten them a little when you put them on the baking tray.
  • Little rolls with filling: flatten the dough on your counter, put in any filling you like (nuts, chocolate, vegan cheese…), roll it up and cut it into pieces. Put the pieces flat on the baking tray.

Put some flour on a baking tray, place your bread on top, bake for 20 minutes – done! Enjoy!!

Go back to vegan recipes.