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joanne de fretes

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There was only one race left to run, the one from my head to my heart.

FROM ILLUSION TO ILLUMINATION - Why I practice yog

FROM ILLUSION TO ILLUMINATION - Why I practice yoga nidra & lucid dreaming and combine these practices in my unique coaching ✨

90% of all our behavior comes from our unconscious mind. And here we are thinking that we are such rational beings, believing that we can control most of our lives, while the paradox is that the non-rational dimension is more powerful, more in control and in charge most of the time.

No wonder we are having such a hard time recognizing and understanding our habitual patterns that keep us asleep - because we simply aren’t aware of them. Let alone change them, limited by the egoic mind that is externally focused - preventing us to look deep within, avoiding any form of discomfort.

Who looks outside, dreams; Who looks inside, awakes. - Carl Jung

It’s like moving through a dark room with no light. Navigating through the dark can be quite challenging but when we turn on the light - when we develop awareness - we begin to notice the contents of the room. We begin to get a sense of what is actually there - seeing things for what they really are. Suddenly the mystery is removed and we can move through the room with more clarity and ease. If this sounds like Alice in Wonderland, it should 🐇

Both yoga nidra & lucid dreaming are practices that expand our awareness. They keep inviting me to see through the illusions of my mind, to shine light in dark corners, revieling blind spots that give me a deeper understanding of myself - dissolving old patterns and beliefs of the egoic mind. And most of all, they illuminate all the possibilities of the room - awakening my infinite potential. Last and certainly not least, the practices give me a better sense of humor - showing me how brilliant the mind is in creating and sustaining illusion, inspiring me to playfully navigate through life with more perspective and humor. And that makes me feel so much lighter ✨

Curious about these practices? Join my next dream workshop ‘Wake up to Life’ or contact me for my unique coaching where I combine these practices with my psychology background & coaching experience.

Ready to wake up to life?

Image from the Lucid Dreaming tea ceremony @essenza_retreats

ESSENZA 💛 - What sparks joy for you? This pic

ESSENZA 💛 - What sparks joy for you?

This picture pretty much embodies my @essenza_retreats journey: taking a BIG leap of faith. Organizing my dream retreat in bella Italia, trusting the process, even though it was new and sometimes a bit scary, lovingly supported by the people around me, and most importantly - having so much fun with it! This magical first edition was everything I dreamt of and more!

Now I realize more than ever that it is part of my ‘essence’ to support others to do the same - to follow your heart and step, or jump, into your dream life. I know this isn’t alway easy and it can be quite daunting from time to time, and guess what, it takes time and practice (and a shitload of courage) to burn through the limitations of the mind that usually hold us back. Holding on for life, afraid of losing control, afraid to fail, afraid to fall.

‘What if I fall? Oh but my darling, what if you fly?’ - Erin Hanson

That’s why I use techniques to relax the mind and awaken the heart - clearing out the noise so you can actually listen to your heart and feel, instead of thinking about it, what it is that you really need to start doing the things that bring you joy and plant that seed in your unconscious mind where more than 90% of all behavior comes from. From there it is so much easier to take that leap of faith and start creating the life of your dreams.

I am so grateful for the practices that guided me back to my heart, back to my essence, and gave me the courage to see beyond the limitations of my mind to start doing the things that bring me so much joy and I would love to support you to do the same.

If this sparks your interest, you are more than welcome to contact me for more information, in both Dutch and English. And don’t forget to sign up for our @essenza_retreats newsletter to be the first to know about 2022 dates & more!

Are you ready to step into your dream life?

WORKSHOP - WAKE UP TO LIFE 🤍 When did you last

WORKSHOP - WAKE UP TO LIFE 🤍

When did you last remember your dreams? What were they about? Any idea what they are trying to tell you? And what you can learn from your dreams?

During this workshop, I will combine my passion for yoga nidra & (lucid) dreams in an unique way that will teach you how to decode your dreams (without using Google!) so you can start to connect & communicate with your inner dreamer, aka: your unconscious mind - which is trying to give you clues throughout the night on how to best navigate your life. Imagine what insights and inner wisdoms can be unlocked when you learn how to understand the language of your dreams!

This is going to be such a fun and mind-blowing workshop and I cannot wait to share it with you!
Ready to wake up to the life of your dreams?

Sunday 14th November
14.00 - 16.30u @balanzs Rotterdam Kleiweg
Sign up 💌 hallo@balanzs.nl

Photo @viviennemagaliephotography

BACK AT THE OFFICE ♥️ I’m back from hosting

OUT OF OFFICE ♥️ Thank you for your message.

OUT OF OFFICE ♥️

Thank you for your message. I’m currently fully enjoying hosting my dream retreat @essenza_retreats in bella Italia and after that practicing dolce far niente - the art of doing nothing - like a pro myself :-).

A presto!

ANDIAMO ♥️ I can’t even begin to describe h

ANDIAMO ♥️

I can’t even begin to describe how excited I am right now, and I might need multiple reality checks throughout the week, but the day is finally here, we’re flying off to Italy to realize my big dream - organizing a retreat in bella Italia to guide others back home to the heart, back to their essence 🤍.

I am beyond grateful to share my dream with these incredible, amazing & heartwarming women @unfoldyouryoga & @ahimsawellnessco who created the program together with me with so much love and intention.

It has been quite a journey already…. working with my besties is such a profound experience and that doesn’t mean that it’s always easy, honestly it is also quite challenging for me from time to time, learning to play-fully embrace & express everything that is, which ultimately not only deepens the connection we have with each other but more importantly, the one I have with myself. Yup, still human and practicing what I preach ;-).

Most of the time though it was exactly like this picture. Laughing so hard during our sessions that we barely had time to move through our classes and workshops anymore.

And now, after half a year of brainstorming, flying through the air, building sequences, creating workshops and ceremonies, straight from the heart & with our unique and combined essences, we cannot wait to share it with our lovely group of participants in the dreamiest of locations @maraviglia_tuscany.

Follow @essenza_retreats to follow our journey and sign up for the Essenza newsletter through the link in our bio to be the first to know about future retreats.

A presto ♥️

Pic @viviennemagaliephotography

THE POWER OF REST - NAPS I absolutely love naps.

THE POWER OF REST - NAPS

I absolutely love naps. They help restore my energy levels during busy times and rebalance my hormones during my moon cycle 🌚. I’m a big fan! And that’s why I’m more than happy to bust that oldskool sleep myth that naps are bad for you, because they are not. They are actually really good for you.

As long as you keep your naps under 90min (we all know that groggy feeling) and don’t nap 6 hours before your intended bed time, they can be a life saver. Literally, because sleep deprivation can be seriously dangerous. Luckily recent napping studies show that a 60-90min nap after a 4h night of sleep restores the neurological functions of the brain to the same level as 8h of sleep. Bye bye brain fog 😶‍🌫️!

Still in need of a little reboot to relax and restore within those 6 hours? Or don’t have enough time to take a nap? Yoga nidra to the rescue! It’s the perfect alternative to recharge yourself without messing with your circadian rhythm. You can try one of my 30min daytime nidra’s through the link in bio.

Also know that recent research shows that you need 7-9 hours of sleep per 24h. So if you don’t sleep that many hours in one go, and believe me you’re not the only one, try to squeeze in a nap during the daytime. Not only relaxing for yourself but definitely also a lot more relaxed for the people around you since it will also help regulate your emotional response and lengthen that short temper after a short night 🧨. Yup, we’ve all been there too, right!

So let’s normalize naps, drop the shame around them so we can wake up to life together💡! Feel free to tag me in all you nap- & nidra stories and start a #restrevolution :-)

Happy napping 💤

THE ART OF LETTING GO Another week, another them

THE ART OF LETTING GO

Another week, another theme.
This week’s inspiration is @thisisfiamusic beautiful song ‘The Art of Letting Go’. I have it on repeat after my second intuitive coach training last week since the lyrics resonated so much and touched me deeply.

‘The more I struggle and fight, trying to get it all right,
I push away the very thing I want…

But sometimes the egoic mind, is strong and making me blind
Oh I run around believing all the lies…

So I forgive myself, over again,
‘cause I’m doing the best I can

And there are no mistakes, I learn everyday, and the Universe is showing me the way

And I’m giving up the need to know it all before, I am mastering the art of letting go…’

Even before class I was struggling to get the intro of the class all right, leaving no space for my intuition to create or let the class unfold on its own. Realizing this, zooming out and laughing at myself, I found my intro and inspiration for the sequence - to practice the art of letting go in challenging positions, where we, or our minds, so often manoeuvre ourselves/us in.

Curious about this weeks class? Come join me this week @balanzs, @justflowyoga.nl or @we_onair. Check my schedule highlight for allll the details. See you on the mat!

Photo @viviennemagaliephotography

MO(O)NDAY - Tu(r)ning in 🤍 When my Vedic astro

MO(O)NDAY - Tu(r)ning in 🤍

When my Vedic astrology teacher explained how every day relates to the energy of their ruling planet my mind was blown. Never before had I made the connection that Sun-day is ruled by the Sun and that Mo(on)-day is ruled by the Moon. I could write an entire book about it (actually - work in progress, stay tuned) but for today I want to share a bit more about Moon-day since it’s the theme of today’s class.

The Moon signifies our mind, emotions, mother, friends, creativity and so much more. She is connected with the element of water. Therefore, today’s yin class will focus on the water element which is linked to our urinary bladder and kidney meridians which filter and cleanse anything from our system that we no longer need, not only physically but also emotionally and mentally.

M(o)ondays are perfect for exploring and nourishing your deeper waters to reach out to whatever might feel stuck. What is it telling you? What does it need in order to release and let go?

For me, this Mo(o)nday inspired me to dive into my feelings and thoughts around my fear of being too ‘woo-woo’. The fact is that I would have found myself way too ‘woo-woo’ a few years ago and that ‘old’ belief does not only create stiffness and less fluidity in my inner world, but also in my outer world. My projections dim my enthusiasm which results in ‘hiding’ my passion and interest for things such as Vedic Astrology, but more importantly, it makes me less enthusiastic about myself…

Sharing this makes me feel vulnerable and strong at the same time, like a waning Moon, losing light on her way to darkness, while at the same time knowing that no matter what phase, her light is always shining, we just can’t always see it from our (limited) perspective.

After my deep dive, I resurfaced with the realization that I no longer want to drown myself in self-created limiting thought patterns. I’m done hiding my light, it dims my energy and distracts me from following my own unique path. I am ready to shine my light, in every phase and every form, just like the Moon, even though not everyone might see it 🌚

ESSENZA - A retreat to come home to the heart ♥️

Three years ago, I was lost. I primarily lived in my head, was totally disconnected from my body and was experiencing a lot of anxiety. I so badly wanted to come home to myself, but I didn’t really know who I was anymore, which was not the easiest road to travel, to say the least.

My cousin invited me to his retreat in order to wind down and relax. I was scared, didn’t know what to expect but at that point it felt like I had nothing left to lose. Never could I have imagined that in that week, I would find myself again. It was during a moment of deep relaxation that I could finally surrender and listen to the softness of my own heart, which gracefully showed me the way back to my true self, back to my essence. Suddenly, I found all the answers I had been looking for. They arrived from a place far beyond the intelligence, and limitations, of my mind, from a place of wisdom deep within that was there all along, waiting for me to arrive back home…..home to my heart.

Ever since that moment I dreamt of organizing my own retreat to let others experience the same. To be of guidance in the journey back home, back to the heart, for anyone who’s feeling (a bit) lost. I envisioned it in bella Italia, to relax the mind and awaken the heart while enjoying everything that (Italian) life has to offer. And yes, that includes a glass of wine if you fancy one ;-).

And this year it is finally happening! Essenza will take place at the dreamiest of locations (swipe to enter the dream) and will be hosted by nothing less than a dream team ;-). Let me introduce to you the beautiful Kim and Lynn with whom I carefully crafted this retreat to guide you back to your heart, back to your essence. I am so proud of, and excited, about the program we created together. Essenza truly is the embodiment of our unique and combined ‘essences’ and we cannot wait to share it with you.

We have 4 more spots left for this year. Visit our website for more information and registration and follow @essenza_retreats to get a pre-taste of everything that Essenza has to offer.

Are you ready to embark on this beautiful journey with us?

♥️♥️♥️

SUMMER ☀️ De Nederlandse zomer is op dit mome

SUMMER ☀️

De Nederlandse zomer is op dit moment ver te zoeken… De Sunday yoga & breakfast special bij @studiounfolded is daarom verplaatst naar zondag 18 juli. Wil je meedoen? Stuur mij een DM om een plekje te reserveren.

In de tussentijd kunnen we wel onze eigen zon wat meer laten schijnen en dat is precies het thema van mijn yoga lessen deze week: Channel your inner sun ☀️. Volgens de Chinese leer gaat de zomer gepaard met het vuur element wat samenhangt met de hart- en dunne darm meridianen welke zich in de armen en bovenrug bevinden. Deze week ligt de focus dus op de armen en schouders om ons innerlijk vuur een beetje aan te wakkeren 💛. En ik heb een mooie nidra geschreven met inspiratie vanuit de chakra leer om dit nog meer te ondersteunen ✨. Check mijn schedule highlight om te zien waar ik deze week les geef.

Wil je meer weten over yin & yoga nidra, de chakra’s en de meridianen? En dit in je eigen lichaam voelen en ervaren? Deze zondag organiseer ik een chakra workshop samen met Kim van @unfoldyouryoga. Een heerlijke ontspannen middag met mediatie, een yin flow en yoga nidra. We sluiten af met verse smoothies en home made vegan bananenbrood. Doe je gezellig mee? Link in bio voor meer info & tickets!

Foto @un_fold_ed

EVENTS & MORE this Summer 💛 So happy we can do

EVENTS & MORE this Summer 💛

So happy we can do things ‘live’ again and very excited for all these beautiful events & workshops throughout the Summer ☀️. You can find allll the details in my Events & more highlight. Hope to see you soon!

Sunday 27th June
Yin & Nidra - free event
@yogaoptschouwburgplein

Sunday 4th July
Chakra workshop with @unfoldyouryoga

Sunday 11th July
Gentle flow - free event!
Iedereen in @balanzs

Saturday 17th July
Masterclass Yoga Nidra: The Power of Rest @balanzs

Sunday 18th July
Yoga & Breakfast @studiounfolded

And don’t miss our beautiful Essenza Retreat in bella Italia. A retreat to come home to the heart ♥️
28th August - 4th September
@essenza_retreats

Want to join one of my classes? Check my schedule highlight.

Questions? Feel free to drop me a DM!
See you on the mat!

Pic @viviennemagaliephotography

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY I hardly post any yo

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY

I hardly post any yoga posture pictures because yoga to me is not about the shape of my body, or the shape of a pose, it’s about the shape of my life.

For me this picture is so much more than an acro backbend. It embodies something far more beautiful: a moment of pure joy where I was able to trust my own strength, show my vulnerability and communicate my needs while having lots of fun with my friend @lynnedmee, who by the way is the most fun and empowering acro yoga teacher!

Because yoga is so much more than a pose. Did you know the postures are only a tiny aspect of the practice? Traditionally, the poses were only used to prepare the body for stillness to connect and unite with your truest self; your essence. And to me that is what yoga is really about and exactly the reason why I’m organizing @essenza_retreats in bella Italia. A beautiful journey designed for you to experience the true meaning of yoga. A retreat to come home to your heart, back to your essence.

So, THANK YOU yoga. Thank you for helping me connect with myself over and over again and connecting me with so many beautiful people around the globe. Thank you for teaching me how to relax my mind and awaken my heart to unlock the most powerful parts of myself. Thank you for helping me find the courage and inspiration to start Head to Hearts to let others experience the same. And above all, thank you for showing me how to play-fully embrace life, in all its shapes and forms ♥️🙏🏻.

In honor of all the masters and all the teachers. Namasté.

CHAKRA WORKSHOP Wil jij ook meer in balans, dichte

CHAKRA WORKSHOP
Wil jij ook meer in balans, dichter bij jezelf en gezonder leven? Deze workshop is speciaal voor jou!

Zowel Kim als ik verdiepen ons al enige tijd in de wondere wereld van de Oosterse wijsheden. Wij kwamen er namelijk allebei al vroeg achter dat de Oosterse filosofie en methoden een verrijking zijn op de Westerse aanpak. Het helpt ons om meer in balans, dichter bij onszelf en gezonder te leven.

Een van die Oosterse wijsheden is het chakra systeem waar wij tijdens onze yoga teacher trainingen in opgeleid zijn. Vanuit onze interesse hebben we ons hier steeds verder in verdiept. Dit systeem helpt ons om makkelijker, beter en eerlijker naar onszelf te kijken. Het geeft ons inzichten in de oorzaak van lichamelijke klachten maar helpt ons soms ook om klachten te voorkomen. De chakra’s geven namelijk vaak aanwijzingen op welke vlakken we fysiek, emotioneel of mentaal wat meer aandacht mogen besteden. Zo weet ik inmiddels dat wanneer ik druk op mijn borst ervaar, ik liefdevoller mag handelen, vooral naar mijzelf. Iets wat bij de energie van het hartchakra hoort. Wanneer Kim klachten aan haar keel ervaart, is dat voor haar een subtiele hint dat ze zichzelf duidelijker mag uitspreken naar anderen. Een kenmerk wat bij het keelchakra hoort. En zo heeft ieder chakra specifieke kenmerken, kwaliteiten en zelfs een specifieke energie.

Verder helpt yoga en meditatie ons om bewust stil te staan bij de verschillende energieën in ons lichaam. Om beter te luisteren, voelen en ervaren waar mogelijke blokkades zich bevinden. Yin yoga helpt ons om blokkades op te heffen zodat we daarna met vloeiende bewegingen de energie weer makkelijker kunnen laten stromen. Dit creëert meer balans in het lichaam. En hoe meer in balans je bent en hoe beter je naar jezelf kan luisteren, hoe minder klachten je zal ervaren. Niet alleen fysiek, ook emotioneel en mentaal.

Tijdens onze workshop nemen we je mee op reis door de chakra’s voor meer balans, geluk & gezondheid. Ga je met ons mee?

We zien je graag op zondag 4 juli van 14.00 tot 17.00u @centrumdjoj in Rotterdam.

Meer info & tickets via de link in bio.

Foto @viviennemagaliephotography

THE POWER OF REST - YOGA NIDRA Let’s kick off t

THE POWER OF REST - YOGA NIDRA

Let’s kick off this series with my all time favorite resting practice: yoga nidra 🤍.

It was love at first sight. After living in my head for years, I was finally able to relax my mind. Mesmerized by its deep restful effects, I started practicing yoga nidra over and over again. For quite some time I thought it was some sort of hypnotizing power nap, resetting and recharging my energy levels in a very effective way, until one day I realized that the practice was so much more than a ‘yoga nap’.

Yoga nidra unlocked a road to a place of clarity where I found all the answers I was desperately searching for, beyond the limitations of the mind. It showed me the way back to my heart, back to my essence, traveling from a state of deep relaxation, far away from all daily distractions. By ‘simply’ doing nothing.

I finally understood where my patterns and behaviours were coming from, after years of fancy training, coaching and a psychology background (!). After ‘awakening’ from the practice I took a turn, in the right direction, and (almost) never looked back.

After completing my yoga teacher training I specialized in the gentler forms of yoga to bring more balance and softness into our overly productive, and often stressful, lives. To help people nurture the connection between their head and their heart. After falling in love with yoga nidra I took a deep dive into the practice through multiple trainings (and still learning) with my amazing teacher @cristinaguerra_heal_nidra. Because of my passion and gratitude for this powerful practice, it is my mission to also let others experience the transformative effects of yoga nidra.

Curious about the practice? Check out my schedule in the highlights for (online) classes, workshops and events to experience the beauty of nidra for yourself. Because no matter how we try to capture the essence of yoga nidra, no words can truly transmit the magic and mystery of the practice (@tracee_stanley).

Also this summer I’m organizing a beautiful retreat in bella Italia to come home to your heart, back to your essence. Visit @essenza_retreats for more info ♥️.

Pic @viviennemagaliephotography

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