There is much to say about my path. About who I thought I was, about what studies I did or about the successes I achieved ... but does this touch the essence of what I want to impart here? Not really. It mainly describes the image I wanted to put up for others.
I can now see sharply how I sought external validation to deal with my low self-esteem. Recurring negative thoughts and limiting core beliefs made it difficult to like myself and live in the Now. This low self-image was so defining for me that it reflected in all facets of my life. It became especially visible and palpable in intimate relationships. My desire to surrender to love resulted time and again in feeling broken, a sense of rejection and fear of true intimacy. Having no way to deal with the feelings of frustration, sadness and anger, I chose to numb myself. As much as I wanted to see changes in this, I seemed to lack motivation and decisiveness. As if I had little or no control over myself, to actually do what I knew deep down was right for me. There has always been a strong desire burning within me to have a deep connection with myself. To love myself for who I really am and to make connections with others from that place. Will power and self-love to guide my life.
In the search for 'better', I first walked the beaten path, visiting psychologists and therapists. They brought me the perspectives necessary to reframe some limiting beliefs, but in reality I felt little change in my life. It was only when I started practising yoga and thus paying attention to body and breath alongside the mind, that my efforts began to reflect positively in my life. Taking time every day to connect with myself, if only for a moment. Invigorated by these experiences, I took a deep dive into the literature on the topic, invested more and more time in my Sadhana (daily spiritual practice) and underwent an intense immersion of body- and breath-focused therapies and trainings. Slowly the discrepancy between who I thought I was and who I really am began to fade.
My story is not straightforward, and my experience in working with others tells me that no one's story is straightforward. Change does not occur suddenly. There is no quick fix. Change manifests as a result of a long process of confronting oneself and deconditioning the ego structure. Of gradually exploring deeper layers and releasing what no longer serves. Of getting more and more connected to the core. It’s a path of courage and perseverance, of falling and getting up again. I can call myself a hero by now, without being ashamed of it. And I can justifiably call all the people I work with heros too. Because the path of separation to unity is the hero's journey. This journey is not only seen in literature and movies, it is the journey we take when we decide to confront ourselves and face our inner demons.
With Vayu, I support people in reconnecting to their authentic self so they can establish secure connections with others and face the challenges that come their way in resilient and creative ways. I do so by offering body- and breathwork sessions for individuals and groups, holding space for the release of energetic blockages so that energy can flow freely again. Furthermore, I’m dedicated to empowering others by sharing knowledge and teaching the methods that had a big impact on my life. In order to realise my mission on a larger scale, I truly believe and invest in collaborations and co-creations. Experience has taught me that a combination of complementary personalities and methods often have a synergistic effect. By spreading the word and binding forces, I’m part of an emerging movement that challenges the current paradigms around health and healing. From symptoms to causes, from fragmented to holistic, from dependency to autonomy, from individualism to community, from cognitive to embodied, from externally to internally oriented.
In other words, from the mind to the heart. From separation to unity.
In other words, from the mind to the heart. From separation to unity.
Ashtanga Mysore style practitioner | Antwerp Yoga | Belgium
Healing Voice practitioner | International Association of Sound Therapy | Spain
Wùo Taï teacher | European Federation of Wùo Taï | Belgium, Slovenia
Biodynamic Breath & Trauma Release System ® practitioner | BBTRI | Poland
Vedic Art: teacher | Vedic Art International | Sweden
Intermittent Living Coach | KPNI | Belgium
Holistic Children’s Yoga | Arterre | Belgium, The Netherlands
Live the Connection: Core module | Live the Connection | Belgium
Rock and Water: basetraining | Gadaku Institute | Belgium
Master in Conflict & Development | Ghent University | Belgium
Master in Criminology | Ghent University | Belgium