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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.

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 - Turning in 🤍 When my Vedic astrolo

MO(O)NDAY - Turning 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

THE POWER OF REST - Rest your mind. Awaken your he

THE POWER OF REST - Rest your mind. Awaken your heart ♥️

Recent studies have shown over and over again that learning how to rest and relax is one of the most important keys to long term health, vitality and happiness. And yet it is often the first thing we forget to prioritize on our to-do list, if it’s on there at all.

So why is that?

Well, first of all, although we learn how to read and do math in school, we do not learn how to relax our body & mind. On top of that we live in a goal orientated society where we are rewarded for grinding and crushing it all the time. No one ever gave me a bonus for taking enough rest. Which paradoxically would have made me a far better manager and even more important, a much kinder person.

Because rest is vital to thriving, on all levels. It balances the stress response (which is very helpful and useful from time to time) and gives the body time and space to restore and heal itself. Not just physically, but also emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

I’m very passionate about this subject because life taught me the hard way what happens if you deprive yourself of deep rest and relaxation. I’m still not a natural when it comes to taking enough rest and that is probably why I love teaching it. So I keep learning, teaching and reminding myself too.

But learning how to relax my own body & mind did not only help me to live a more balanced life. More importantly it helped me to awaken my heart and unlock the most powerful parts of myself. And that is far more golden than any grinding could ever give me.

And so it is my mission to normalize rest. To inspire you to integrate it into your daily routine. So you can fully wake up to life💡

In the next weeks I will share more about my favorite practices regarding rest. Breathing techniques, naps, sleep, dreams and of course my all time favorite, yoga nidra. To rest your mind and awaken your heart ♥️.

Want to experience the power of rest live with me? On Saturday July 17th I will teach a Masterclass ‘The Power of Rest’ with a special yoga nidra session @balanzs in Rotterdam. Hope to see you there!

ESSENZA PRE-TREAT ♥️ Online Special Wednesda

ESSENZA PRE-TREAT ♥️

Online Special Wednesday 21st of April

Ciao a tutti! Mark your calendar! @essenza_retreats is coming to your home with a pre-treat special.

Next Wednesday we would like to introduce ourselves to you and share more information about the retreat. Because Essenza is truly the sum of our unique individual qualities together with our beautiful friendship, we could think of no better way to share the energy of our retreat with you than to craft an introductory teaser class to “taste-test” your retreat experience with us. A little pre-treat to all that the Essenza Retreat in Italy has to offer. Feel free to add some Italian food to this evening as well ;-). We know we will!

During this 90-minute special, you’ll experience a beautiful grounding meditation with Kim from @unfoldyouryoga to arrive in the present moment, you’ll breathe through a mini flow with Lynn from @ahimsawellnessco to connect with your own energy and I will conclude with a super relaxing nidra-infused savasana.

After the class, you’ll have time to share your experiences, ask a few questions during a little Q & A, and just enjoy the end of a beautiful evening together.

We are very much looking forward to meeting you next Wednesday! We start at 7.30pm. Investment for this special is 15 euro. Sign up through the link in our bio.

With love,
Joanne, Kim & Lynn

Photo @viviennemagaliephotography

YOGA NIDRA, SLAAP & LUCIDE DROMEN PODCAST 🎙 I

YOGA NIDRA, SLAAP & LUCIDE DROMEN PODCAST 🎙

I said it before and I will say it again: Yoga Nidra is geen slaap 🙅🏻‍♀️. Ja, Yoga Nidra betekent letterlijk ‘slaap van de yogi’ maar dit is dus een bewuste vorm van slaap. Niet je hoofd op een kussen leggen en knock out gaan ;-).

Yoga Nidra kan trouwens wel voelen als vier uur slaap maar het is zoveel meer dan een powernap. Het is een beetje alsof je boodschappen gaat doen met een helikopter. Ja, het kan maar je benut het volledige potentieel niet. Maar wat is het dan wel? En wat kan je er dan nog meer mee? Dat leg ik je uit in de laatste podcast van @rockyourworld.ryw.

We praten over mijn unieke nidra coaching, mijn bedroutines (klink spannend maar echt sexy is het niet 🙈) en ik geef de gouden tip voor slapeloze nachten.

Overigens kan Yoga Nidra wel helpen bij slaapproblemen. In mijn Yoga Nidra dossier leg ik je uit hoe dit precies werkt.

Verder praten we over iets waar ik de laatste tijd heel enthousiast over ben en mij steeds verder in het verdiepen ben: lucide dromen ☁️. Ik zal hier de komende periode ook meer over delen.

Op verzoek van Rock Your World schreef ik een speciale slaap nidra om lucide dromen te stimuleren. Dit audiobestand kan je voor het slapen gaan aanzetten en heerlijk mee in slaap vallen. Het enige wat je hoeft te doen is te luisteren naar mijn stem. En wie weet heb je dan vannacht wel je eerste lucide droom! Laat je het mij dan weten? Dat zou echt te gek zijn!

Trouwens best wel spannend zo’n podcast debuut maar ik had nog uren door kunnen praten over al deze onderwerpen met @peetershanneke. Ik ben heel erg benieuwd wat jullie ervan vinden. Laat je het mij weten in de comments 🙏🏻?

Je vindt zowel de link naar de podcast als de nidra in mijn bio.

Alvast sweet dreams 💙🤍 !

Liefs,
Joanne

Foto @viviennemagaliephotography

Stepping into my dream ✨. Two years ago I drea

Stepping into my dream ✨.

Two years ago I dreamt of hosting a retreat in Italy. I started taking Italian classes and last year I went location hunting in Bella Italia. And now I am beyond excited that it is finally happening!

Head to Hearts proudly presents:

ESSENZA - A retreat to come home to the heart ❤️

Toscana, Italia @maraviglia_tuscany
Sat 28 aug - 4 sept

In collaboration with the beautiful @unfoldyouryoga & @ahimsawellnessco

Our registration opens this week 🙏🏻!
Sign up for our Essenza newsletter through the link in bio so you don’t miss it!

Questions? Drop them in the comments! We are more than happy to answer them!

Photo @thetravellinglight

Internationale Vrouwendag 💗. ‘I choose to mo

Internationale Vrouwendag 💗.

‘I choose to move into my undefended and fearless heart’ – Sarah Blondin

Ik heb jarenlang in de corporate wereld gewerkt. Een prachtige ervaring maar niet een waar mijn vrouwelijke kwaliteiten floreerden. Ik kreeg namelijk vaak alleen een schouderklopje of een promotie als ik mijn mannelijke energie in de wedstrijd gooide. Ik ‘won’ er ook flink wat wedstrijden mee maar ik verloor wel steeds meer mijn vrouwelijke kracht.

Mijn vrouwelijke energie werd namelijk niet altijd gezien en al zeker niet beloond. Dus wat deed ik? Ik zette haar op het reservebankje. Zonde, want zij is toch echt een van de beste spelers. Vooral zonde omdat ik volledig uit balans raakte en uiteindelijk al mijn energie verloor. Hallo burn-out.

Helaas zie ik dit steeds vaker om mij heen. Vrouwen, vooral in het zakenleven, die enkel gebruik maken van hun mannelijke energie. Again, zonde want ik geloof dat juist nu onze vrouwelijke energie harder dan ooit nodig is om onze ‘overly’ yang maatschappij wat meer in balans te brengen.

Begrijp me niet verkeerd. We hebben zeker ook mannelijke energie nodig. Soms moeten er nu eenmaal dingen gebeuren :-). Maar het mag inmiddels wel een tandje minder. We mogen wel iets verzachten. Iets meer loslaten. Iets meer toelaten en vertrouwen. Niet alleen naar elkaar maar vooral ook naar onszelf. Om iets meer te genieten van het leven in plaats van alleen maar te focussen op resultaat. Om wat meer in balans te komen. Ik weet zeker dat we tot veel mooiere en betere resultaten komen als we beide energieën goed weten en durven te gebruiken.

Dus laten we allemaal - vrouwen én mannen - onze zachtheid, onze gevoelens, onze kwetsbaarheid wat meer omarmen. Iets meer vanuit ons hart leven dan vanuit ons hoofd. Om zowel de vrouwen én mannen om ons heen te laten ervaren hoe ontwapenend en krachtig het kan zijn om meer vanuit je hart te leven.

Laten we elkaar inspireren om wat meer in balans te leven met onze vrouwelijke en mannelijke energie. Om bij te kunnen dragen aan een maatschappij die meer in balans is. Stel je eens voor wat voor prachtige resultaten we dan kunnen bereiken ✨.

Liefs,
Joanne

Foto @viviennemagaliephotography

Hoe gaat het op dit moment met je werk privé bal

Hoe gaat het op dit moment met je werk privé balans? Hoe slaap je? Hoeveel focus heb je? En hoeveel energie heb je?

Met mijn unieke ontspanningstechnieken, onder andere nidra, help ik mensen en organisaties om meer in balans te zijn. Gun jij jezelf én je collega’s een lager stressniveau, meer energie en een betere werk privé balans? En daarmee ook een betere werksfeer met elkaar? Neem dan contact met mij op! Ik kom graag in gesprek om te kijken wat ik voor jou en je collega’s kan betekenen!
Meer info via de link in bio.

Foto @viviennemagaliephotography

LOVE LETTERS TO MYSELF Give yourself Time and sp

LOVE LETTERS TO MYSELF

Give yourself
Time and space
To wonder
With an open mind
And an open heart

🤍X🖤

📷 @kimvdende

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