Why I chose to live a "conscious life".
"From a young age I was already quite philosophical. I was always reflecting on my own personal-development and gaining more knowledge about the World. But this striving to become a better version of myself, was very much ego driven. When I look back I was continuously in competition with the people around me. Who is better than me, who can I out-perform?
It is the summer of 2007 when there came a radical stop to the egoic-construction I had built in the past 22 years. I was in Thailand for the final days of the best journey of my life till then. I had been doing an internship in Beijing for half a year and after that went backpacking with two friends through China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. That night I was with my two friends in the Lumpinee Boxing stadion in Bangkok to watch a Thai-boxing match. From out of nowhere I was overwhelmed by an enormous feeling of desperation. I had no idea what happened to me and in the believe that it would pass I continued the night, without trying to pay further attention to it.
But the next day the feeling of desperation was still there and so my search for a remedy began. The feelings of anxiety force me to turn inwards and start to feel into my supressed emotions which now came to the surface (f.e. the passing away of my adoption-mother in 2001).
Although I feel completely lost at that moment and have no idea what to do about it at all, there is also "something" which seems to guide me and show me the way. There are books which I "coincidentally" receive which give me insights and I remember that when I was young and I was lying very still in my bed, like a dead body ("Shavasana") I felt some kind of energy-waves through my body in which I could totally sink into. This ("Yoga nidra") relaxed me very deeply and from that moment I practice this every night to calm the feelings of anxiety, before sleeping.
This is the start of my search for spiritual enlightenment.
The start of living a "conscious life".
Read more about how my spiritual journey continued in the next 10 years...
Newest blogposts
Blog: "Once what you are doing has for you meaning."
The Bushmen in the Kalahari Desert talk about the two "hungers". There is the Great Hunger and there is the Little Hunger. The Little Hunger wants food for the belly; but the Great Hunger, the greatest hunger of all, is the hunger for meaning.
Blog: "Move beyond the thinking mind"
Since I was young I was always looking for knowledge. The more knowledge I would get the better I would understand. To get this knowledge I would read books, books and books and finally study philosophy at the university.
Vlog: "What is knowledge versus Truth?"
Gaining knowledge has been very important in my life till recently, but during my quest for knowledge I did find out the difference between knowledge and truth. I found out knowledge, which is based on thinking or in other words mental concepts is limited and never able to fully meet what is called truth.
"You and Life are One."
"Conscious life" does not mean that you live your life in a conscious way. It means that you are conscious yourself. Someone who is conscious, lives a conscious life. Life and who you are, are not separate, but One. You are life in your deepest essence.
"Practical Spirituality"
Besides that I would like to characterize my vision on spirituality as "practical". For me spiritual teachings are especially worthy, when they are possible to be integrated in our daily lives. I try to teach as much as possible from my own personal experience, whereby everything I publish is verified before educated. For that reason I would also like to call the form of spirituality I teach "Practical Spirituality".
This is what others say about me:
Roelof is always genuine, honest and has always in mind what is best for you.
Roelof and I have been friends for a while and besides good company, he is also the motivator I needed sometimes at important moments in my life. His direct way of communicating can be confronting on the moment itself, but he does make sure that you hear what you needed to hear and that you will move into action. Roelof is always genuine, honest and has always in mind what is best for you. That is what I truly believe.
Close friend
Roelof combines high-intelligence with high-sensitivity what gives him the special ability to understand people on a very deep-level (intuitive).
I have been coaching Roelof already for 10 years. Roelof combines high-intelligence with high-sensitivity what gives him the special ability to understand people on a very deep-level (intuitive). He can then also make very specific connections and can explain these connections in a clear and structural way. His advice is always focused on practicality and to make you independent. So you can move on with your life by yourself.
Personal coach / Life-coach
Roelof has turned on the proverbial light in me.
I have worked together with Roelof for a year, he as my manager: Roelof has turned on the proverbial light in me and assisted me on my spiritual path from there. Before that I was already living quite a conscious life, but Roelof has the ability to make spirituality very concrete and understanding, so it becomes very easy to integrate it into your practical daily life. For that I am very thankful to Roelof!
Former-colleague / Team-member