Day 40, at home in Studio Sat Kirtan, Amsterdam

In the end it is the last day of the tour and it is nice to do it in my own house, as I had been on the road for 40days and the 40days before I'd lived in the Golden Temple Restaurant. So the energy needs to be build again, therfore I'm just listening continously to Ra Ma Da Sa. Through this experience, I've really started to love my own place, it's nice and cosy. I'll start teaching here again. 

Harmien, Guru Baba is her to join me and we have a nice sadhana. It's been a wonderful, inspirering spiritual journey and it gave me so much more then I could ever expect. I'm very grateful for all the people who have opened their hearts and houses and it was a great way to reconnect to my brothers and sisters and know that I'm loved and have a home no matter where I go. The home is with me, within me and by opening my heart, my brothers and sisters will do the same. Lots and lots of love to all!

wahe guru ji ka khalsa, wahe guru ji ki fateh!

Now i'll take 10 days to finish the 'sadhanatour' dvd, so it will be available at the yogafestival in France, maybe already the one in Terschelling, but then I've to work hard on my timemanagement skills. It is a good challenge and I like to be challenged, life is a game, full of challenges to make it more attrective, more exciting. One day, I will not need that kick anymore, but now, I like it that I need it, as it will support me in getting things done.

love & peace, 

Sat Kirtan   

Day 39, Svaha yoga centre Amsterdam

I woke up in the Ambrosial hours, at 3.03, took my ishnaan in the swimmingpool of my sisters house, where I spent the night. Then took the car and drove from Roermond to Amsterdam, with the full moon on my left side all the way. Powerful green energy! 

It was so peaceful to wake up like this, chanting mantra's in the car. I was totally relaxed when I entered Amsterdam, where I would lead the sadhana in Svaha yoga centre. 14 people showed up and it was great to do it together with them.  A new experience and as many people there are, almost as many different types of yoga there are. It all comes from one source and it goes to one source. Ek ong kar... So, I appreciate the open mind of Patrick very much to give the students a chance to experience something else. 

The 2,5 hours went quickly and what I experienced here, was that my body was very flexible, as a lot of hatha yoga is being tought in this room. It is really a great experience for me to feel how much my body adjust itself to the environment and that the energy build in a certain room has such an impact on how I feel. Amazing!

Day 38, Black Forest with Santh Singh

The journey took me to the Black Forrest, to Freundenstadt. A little detour, as I actually planned to go to do sadhana with Sat Kirin in her new yogacentre in Karlsruhe. But it was so nice to drive through the forrest and be in the nature, I decided to take some healthy energy and enjoyed the clean air and the total stillness, not even a highway far away. Great!

The sadhana was nice, peaceful, clean and innocent. Ready to prepare me for the long journey back to Amsterdam, as I will do the sadhana in Svaha yogacentre tomorrow. On my way, I stopped to take an ishnaan in the river which runs through the black forest and flow in the water. After that I went to the studio of Sat Kirin, very nice and even without a tom tom, I found it directly using my yogic radar. Yes, I'm doing this whole journey without a tom tom... to give myself some extra challenges. And asking the way is a very nice way of getting in contact with people.

Day 37, Basel in Yoga centre with Hari Prem and students

A new challenge, today we played life music during the mantra's as Hari Prem and I both have a harmonium. During our training we spoke about playing together and today we did, at least a first attempt. It does need some more practice though...

It was nice to do the sadhana in this beautiful Swiss yogaschool in Basel, everything is so lean and punktlig. It is nice to feel all the different energies in all the different countries, and of course the different houses I've been to so far.

Thank you for this opportunity and again the yogacards the participants of this yogatour pick are amazing, always exercises which fit the person. It is said that sadhana increases ones intuition and is one of the signs that showes that.

Day 36 Lyon avec Sat Siri, Sahib and Jai Kartar

After the week at Karta's, which was one very long day, I continued my journey together with Sahib from Austria and Jai Kartar from England. We went to Lyon, to meet with Sat Siri. When we had found his place and asked for a parkingplace, it was right in front of his door. Perfect.

To see the teachings from the last week prosperity in the real life was a great experience. I found a 2 euro coin in the toilet of a place we decided not to eat, we had a fabulous dinner in great company and with live music, Sahib thanks for showing your gift!

In the morning after the sadhana, which was a mixture of 31 minutes Chodarshan chakra kriya, as I got up one hour to early (3,30 in stead of 4.30)... gazing at the sun, who was unfortunately hiding in the clouds, the green energy set, a meditation to be in the now, the pavan meditation and the balancing of the prana and apana exercise, we had learnt last week, the breakfast was a sign of abundance.

Day 29 - 35 Le Martinet, Teacher Training by Karta Singh Prosperity week Level II

Day 29 is a very long day, the longest one in my entier life, as it started on Saterday the 7th and ended on Saterday the 14th. Time is flexible;-) Why, well, this week is my fourth of the six week training Kundalini Yoga Level II teacher training... Well, I realized, thanks to Akal, that also this is a trick of my mind, no extra long day at Karta's. Every day is a new day, so every day location is different and I'm different. Actually, I didn't have to do the whole journey, looked at it from this prespective, isn't that also the conclusion of the Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo. 

The whole program takes two years and I can tell you, it is a life changing and soul healing week. During this week, I came to the insight that this whole sadhanatour was one of the tricks of my mind to run away from my fear for success based on this deep, deep feeling inside me, based on the life of my anchestors, that I don't deserve a prosperous life!

This week I surrendered my ego and conquered my fear. I wanted to run away so badly, hide from prosperity, run from responsibilities, the whole week, but I did not, I surrendered and stayed... I was even one of the last ones to leave, as it is such a beautiful place in the French Alpes with the river and the mountains...

I had read before that it is possible to change ones destiny and that every day you wake up, you have a change to do that... Reading about it is one thing, doing it is something else. Doing sadhana, waking up every day in the ambrosial hours in full consciousness, takes me closer to taking that step and change my destiny and free my soul of the pain from my anchestors. As I write this, it really feels big and I wonder, did I really do that, is that possible, just in one week? During some meditations I did this week, I felt that deep inside me this feeling is changed and the seed of my believe that I do deserve a prosperous, a pro - spirit life, has been planted in very rich ground. Now all I can do, is nourish it and let it grow within me. So I will reduce the space for doubt little by little and just thinking about that, wauw.. that will give me a lot of spare time.

Day 28, with Eric La Faurie

After Harbhajan and Guru Jagat my next destination is Eric, his wife Marita and their two children. I have a place so it is time for some relaxation and be a tourist and enjoy some of the beauty of France. I drive through the Gorges d`Ardeche and I decide I want to ride the water. So I hire a canoe and go for 6 km on the river. The water is high, which means the stream is very strong and going with it, it opens the way, even to go through the quick rapids, no problem. When I try to go against the stream, it is not possible and that is a very nice metafor, I feel sometimes I go against the stream in daily life and that costs me a lot of energy and it does not bring me anywhere...

To find the way, again this is my topic, i was going to log onto someone`s internet on the road, so i did not ask Guru Jagat to print the route... Everywhere I tried to connect, i could not get connection, so I drove and drove just with the knowledge that they live on the otherside of the hill from Karta`s place. I stop many times to ask the way, but La Faurie is such a small village, it is not on the map. I just listen to aad such, djugaad such, he bhee such, nanak hosee bhee such, the mantra for the masters touch and there is La Faurie and the sign to St Andre and Eric, so i am there without any detour... a miracle, and it is very nice to meet with Eric and Marita, as Eric has done the training with Peter, Akal, Truus and Gabor... still, i feel somuch fear to go to Karta;; never have that before, i am trying all kinds of excuses, it is very clouded and i forgot my rain coat for example...

The sadhana is very nice, Eric wakes me and just a quick cold shower, a foot massage of the road, as i walk bearfeet on it to collect my harmonium, to play during the relaxation. During the wahe guru, Anton and Louisa are awake and they come and sit on Eric`s lap. When I see that, my motherly feeling are very present and I tell myself I go change my destiny and get myself a baby too, now, in stead of when I`m almost 40, as it is written in the stars...

Day 27 at Guru Jagat and Harbhajan, Uzès

I arrive in time at Guru Jagats place, who is another person then the person I had in mind, I join Harbhajans class and while i am in the class, i wonder why have i not taken more classes during this trip? Well, it is as it is... It is very nice, warm loving energy and i feel a bit pitty for my beginner students? i make them do the exercises the complete times? i will take this experience with me and the new beginner students will be happy i have had this experience?

The sadhana is very nice, a mixture of english, french, cd and live music as we play wahe guru together. I feel the power of making music together, it really bonds. Beautiful, my heart is filled with green energy and i am open for the oppurtunities live brings me, during the day i even have this tought that i am going to sent a message on the internet, everything is possible in my life this moment, so do you want someone to add some action, love, happinezz and power, as i am a kundalini yoga teacher and work with this powerful energy, into your life and are you ready and powerful enough to be my man, do contact me.

Day 26 Livingroom of Philippe, Carcassonne

Having my ishnaan in the pool, which is a good preparation of the river at Karta his place. Philippe, who is in the training with Karta, has welcomed me very warmly. Carcassonne is a beautiful city and i am tested again, as David, the hitchhiker who drives with me to Carcassonne is going to Perignal (where Haribhajan is living) and afterwards to Barcelona and then on to Marrocco. I am thinking by myself, why have I decided to go to Karta? what is it that brings me there and what is it i?m taking from there.. why do i have this doubt, is it that i want to run away? When David leaves the car, to put his tent somewhere in the bush, I am so happy I am on this path and when I arrive at Philippe, I am welcomed with a nice meal and warm people around me. I feel blessed and I know again why I am on this way? The only thing i don?t understand of myself is, why do I doubt so much? Everytime i doubt this way, something beautiful is happening to me and I feel happy?. So stop doubting!

Day 25 On my way to Lourdes

After such a long drive yesterday, our busy schedule.. doing sadhana, have breakfast, play some music, enjoy the time together, do rope yoga and have dinner and that combined with heavy rains and sunny periods.. it is hard to leave!

Finally at 19.00 i do some last handstands and then i leave, with a route description to Libourne, where Marie Louise lives. Libourne is not so far away from Chapdeuil. I call Marie-Louise, reach her husband and notice that my french is not as bad as I tought it was. We have a nice conversation, and in the end I have the mobile number of Marie Louise, leave her a message and continue my route towards Lourdes. I saw that on the map and it was not that far away, compared to the distance I drove yesterday, so i know, that is my next destination. I leave a message on the answering machine of a teacher in the Hautes Pyrenees. No aswer. I continue driving over the small roads, the night is beautiful, the sky is pink and the nature is beautiful. I enjoy driving. Then, again the guru takes care of me, i get tired and go of the road towards, Livenue, Life now! and there i see a sign towards the castle Mothes and all this on my act now, live now tour, onwards to mother mary? I drive towards the castle, it is a private castle, light is burning, and after a little while, the landlady arrives home. When I ask her if it is possible if i spend the night on her proporty, i get a no. Ok, I continu my route, and Lourdes is too far to reach tonight. So I take a little road park my car, get out, enjoy the stars, wait until i see one falling and as soon as i see one, i know this is a good sign, a good place to spend the night, which will not be long, as i have the intention to do sadhana really early, to see the sun rise. But, having a intention is not enough, i knew that already, and again, I am being confirmed in this. Just do it, or not.. but intentions? are like air castles. I do wake up at 2.12, which is a beautiful number, just a bit too early it is a bit cold, so i take my sleepingbag, make it convertable for myself and go back to sleep, forgetting to set my alarm! So i wake up at 6, and then at 8.30!! I get up, do some strechings and take a little walk, no sadhana today!

Day 24 Lapouze, a little village in the Dordogne with Yannick

It was a great journey to find Yannick! Even leaving Paris took me the whole morning, i was just turning in big circles around Bois Colombes, la Defense, which made me think of my former job at ING. Just as I had decided to call the yogi?s who i know in Paris, Yannick sents me an sms asking when I am coming. As I only get answering machines, I decide to leave to the Dordogne. It is already 14.30 and i have 500 km to drive. Listening to the Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coelho, made this trip very pleasant and it does not bother me a bit that i get lost in space and have to drive such a long distance, the surroundings are beautifull, the people who try to help me are very nice, I even have 3 police agents escort me to help me find the road again.

The last part is the hardest, i have to laugh about myself and also get a bit irritated, as i did not prepare myself completly... I have everything to make it easy for myself, in potential, a map, but Lapouze is not on it, I have a N95, but I have not yet downloaded the maps, I have a location of google maps, but i did not print it, and did not put it on my screen, the battery of my laptop is empty, my telephone does not have any connecion.. so i am just driving around and asking the sweet people to help me?. In the end, i calm down, put the car aside and do my best to get connection to the network with my phone, call yannick and have him pick me up! in the end i made it! we have a beautiful dinner, made by his 80 year old French neighbour. I drink wine, since a long time and allthough i have been awake since 4.44 this morning, drove almost all day, i am still not tired! Green energy is flowing trough me...

It is lovely to be outside, smelling the grass, the flowers, listening to the animals, again a kookoo, the third one this trip. As we go to bed so late, i put my alarm a bit later then usual, but my intention is straight this time, i am going to do the sadhana, no doubt about it, this makes it so much easier in the morning.. i am happy!

Day 23 Paris at Ram, Guru Ravi and their 6 week old Shauvina place

Another night in the room with the guru. It is so special to sleep in this energy. I am inspired and impressed by the devotion of Ram Singh as i see his seva work for the guru, the sikhnet. It inspired me to learn gurmuki. So i put that on the list of things which has inspired me during this trip? a long list? start to take dance classes, learn the harmonium, take some more nia classes or biodanza, pick up the non violant communication, practice more?

The sadhana is great, the private concert by Ram Singh really touches my heart, so soft, so sweet, so much love i feel. I will not forget this and it made me realise that i want to be accompanied by this energy of love and kindness, of serving, selfless serving. It made some pieces of the puzzle of live, of my live, fall together, and I?m very gratefull for that. I felt the power of love and softness and that is very worthfull to me, as I am a very soft person and this experience showed me the power of the sweetness. Thank you!

Day 22 Amsterdam Oost at Amardev and Liv Avtars ashram

What I experienced yesterday, that it is hard for couples to get up, is something Amardev and liv Avtar are experiencing daily. They have done the teacher training together and i have always romantisited that. Would not it be great if you and you are partner, or to keep it close to me, me and my partner, share the same lifestyle. That would be so supporting, and I realize that marriage is the highest form of yoga. To live together as two individuals and to unite as one, is beautiful, i have done it twice in my life.

Taking this journey makes me think about my past, my choices, my chances and the love I have had. I feel very grateful for every experience i have had, there is no good and bad and i know that the guru never gives me things i really hang on to. I remember the words of Sat Hari Singh, he said if you want something, use the power of the prayer and ask guru ram das. The universe is there to take care of you, all you have to do is be open and ask. And be clear about what you ask, so that the universe is able to respond. About the subject of man, relationships, my picture is getting clearer and clearer day by day and i promise myself to do my request on my last day, so i have some time to prepare. This is somewhat against the rules of this tour, as I want to live in the now and be spontaneous and not postpone anything. Is preparing myself for something the same as postponing? No, ok?

After the sadhana it is time to go and it is my plan to go to France as i feel i need a bit more adventure and i would love to meet Harbhajan again, and singh with him the song he made on the poem i wrote;-) and enjoy the beautifull green energy of France. I had sent out some emails to my friends who I met last year at the yogafestival, to the teachers of my training at Kartas and to Ram Singh. No response yet, so i take my time to say goodbye of my friends, Amsterdam and then it is time to move on. I drive towards Paris. At the Dutch border, I make a pitstop, do my afternoon meditation in the sun and since the sun is shining so lovely, i add another 11 min. Just when I came out of the relaxation, my phone rings, it?s Ram Singh.. Wahe guru, the sign I had been waiting for. I have a place to stay tonight and a beautiful sadhana concert waiting for me. I feel blessed, as Ram Singh is a great musician, i love to listen to his music and use it very often during my classes.

day 21 Amsterdam Osdorp at Amars place

Getting up while being with someone I love is hard for me, especially since I know he is getting up with me for my sake and not for himself. That does not feel right, but anyway, I am here and we are getting up. We manage the struggle and that feels good. I already made a compromise in my mind about the mantra?s, we would listen to them while lying in the bed? So that means, reading japji and doing the yogaset and have a long, long relaxation.

Doing conscessions never makes me feel good and also now, I think to myself, why did I do this. Why is it so hard to do 40 days sadhana, just these 40 days and after that i can do something else again? I remember from the 40 days at the Golden Temple, that the middle period is the hardest. My mind is asking all this questions. So to make it easy on myself, I should contact some yogis and tell my story to them and I will be recharged again, I know that, but I do not do that, I will wait fort hat untill tonite, when we have our studygroup meeting, since I want to feel how much comes from within and how much and which part comes from outside of me.

Wht i feel is that i really need people around me who are on the same path to walk this path and i am like a cameleon, if i like the people and i like the path there walking on, i feel i can go on that road to. While writing this, i do doubt if that is still true. It defenitly used to bet hat way but while writing it down, making it concrete, i feel that the roles have changed, only not yet consciously in my head. Whyle writing this, i really feel i?d love to be a journalist, travelling the world, writing stories. This fits with my astrology, as i am a libra. So, another thing again which is important to me, is travelling. And it is time to move on, to make sure i have a place to stay tonight and a partner to do sadhana with tomorow morning.

Day 20 Studio Diemen met Sjereb Shakti

Rise up, it's the time of the lord and remember love is here! Today, no problem to rise up, I went to bed early after some beautiful meditations and slept in the yogastudio, which is always special, as the energy is very powerful.

Also the shower is fine, í'm the first one to use it... Having my period means a hot shower, in stead of a cold one, so besides the cleansing effect, having my period is a gift.

I realize more and more that doing yoga is also work, it's my new work, but it doesn't feel as work has felt before. Yeah, I know, I'm getting up at 4.30 in the morning and do the sadhana, which takes 2,5 hours.. that's hard work... thinking about it.. but doing it.. it's the best thing to do.. i even miss an after sadhana meditation...;-) which i used to do the 40 previous days, as a triangle meditation, which means that at the moment I was doing this meditation, 2 of my studymates from the level II training were doing the same meditation.

Being with Sjereb Shakti, who is the fundament of the kundalini Yoga association in the Netherlands, gives me a deep connection to the earthly things, which is good after losing first my laptop and after that my bike keys (in a way it is funny, the police has checked all the bikes and they put a sign on my bike, 'bravo, you locked your bike very well', well i know that... I hope Ton, my bike repair man, can open it...), my jacket and maybe more...

I just bought myself some new gadgets, the newest macbook air and also an Imac, for my office. The macbook air is really a gift, so nice, so light, beautiful. I love beautiful stuff, as a libra. I've always had a hard time admitting that, but I do feel great surrounded by natural beauty. Really, that is something which is very interesting of this trip, to feel the different energies on the different locations and how the affect my mood.

What else did I learn so far... I experienced that love is everywhere. I already knew that, but to experience it, that is something different and I'm very grateful for that. Realizing that, means also to me that I don't need to go somewhere to get. It really makes me long for home and I had not had that in live before, so that is very special.

Day 19, Blijburg beach with Celine

No wind in Blijburg, the beach of Amsterdam and the place to plant my roots, as I saw during a meditation earlier this trip. The sunset is beautiful while we do the evening meditations. 11 minutes Har, the prosperity meditation given by Yogi Bhajan for 2008, reminded by Siri Sahib. The water turned into gold, the muskitos where there, but they didn't bite us, as they knew we were sending out good vibes and love energy.

The sadhana is beautiful, peaceful, the sun is rising, the birds are singing together with us as we chant the mantra's a capella, since my ipod is empty, but actually i like it very much. When we return from the sadhana, the energy in the house is very tensed. Celine's son had been outside at 6.30 in the morning in his pyjama's, looking for us but he couldn't find us... Luckely her friends were there to open the door for him. Back to reality within a sec.

Day 18 Harmien and Jos Amsterdam

Woke up in the arms of Amar, my Indian friend and it was a bit hard to leave... Why am I doing this tour, why do I have to get up so early, can't I skip one day... I was asking myself, just for a second (and another one...)

Today I'm going to the home of Harmien, with whom I've done the teacher training and her husband Jos. It is a very know place for me, I've been doing many times the sadhana here and what makes it special is that by coming to there place, also Jos joins us and that gives them an oppurtunity to share this beautiful experience and deepen their relationship. It's a blessing to be able to give them this present.

Day 17 Siri Sahib, Amersfoort

power.. master touch.. time flies.. wauw.. I ended up at Siri Sahib's place. Again I was at the right place at the right moment, as he always does on Monday evenings one hour of meditation, and you know what, he does the same meditation, I got from Guru Dev to do the rest of my live, to have the things come to you (and not run after them... hihi, this is why no teacher has given me the assignment of doing 40 days sadhana on a different location.. I gave this assignment to myself...), Ajai Alai.

The hour flies, we do three different mudra's and it is great. Also the sadhana is very powerful, watching Siri Sahib use his lips during Wahe guru reminds me of the little details, which really make a difference. A spiritual warrior, full of trust and a true teacher. It recalls on the teacher within myself and I'm glad we did an early sadhana again, starting at 4.30. It does make a difference...

Day 16 Guru Preet Kaur Hengelo

Today the ambrosial hours are extented... I woke up at my dad's place, just before the alarmclock, as every day... but I snoozed just a little bit... waking up at 5.25... so a quick shower and i jump in my car, to drive for an hour from Hardenberg to Hengelo to do sadhana.. It might sounds crazy, well compared to the distance I drove the day before (all the way from Berlin to Hardenberg), I'm there in notime. Guru Preet just finished the level II week, prosperity and I really liked to b in her energy... So we do the whole thing, take our time, and I go very deep into the meditation. I get the answers where I've waited for and realize again that meditation is work... I've never been able to see it that way before, but it's all you need...

Day 15 near the pont of Uwe and Karo

I wake up and see the light shining trough the window, the sun has already risen a little bit... Time for the cold shower and the meditation. Uwe and Karo are still sleaping, so today I'm going to do the meditation with the trees, the deer and the kookoo near the pont with all the little frogs. I've met Uwe and Karo yesterday when Uwe was walking alongside the road and needed a ride. I was just on the point that I didn't like this whole tour anymore and wanted to go home... So when I saw a bold man walking in the sun alongside the road, I realized why I was driving there, in the middle of nowhere, an hour away from Berlin, where I didn't go, eventually... The green energy set kept me away from the big city, I guess...

I do the yoga quickly and the mantra's I sing in the car, as it is cold outside and I really want to go home. So I take all my stuff, my clean clothes and leave this beautiful place on earth, realizing that if I want to be on such a beautiful place, I have all the oppurtunities to establish it myself, so no more running away, the time to take responsibilities has come and the time, the desire to plant my roots, from deep inside, has come and I allow it to be there and I enjoy that it is there. The butterfly, the aniimal with whom I very much relay to, is going to find itself a place to be.

Day 14 in the field outside Blessendorf

I left hamburg with mixed feelings. I had a great time and tomorrow their is the posture workshop of guru prem and this big sadhana at ardas is also very tempting to attent, during this tour i feel it is important to stick to the rules, every another location and i already was not as strikt to that rule i also want to move on and go to berlin.

In the car listening to sat hari singh the japji i again have to cry, well. i don't know if it is crying, but tears are just running down my cheeks, although the vision is very clear. It feels like these are healing tears. I take a rest at a beautiful location, near a slot, which is used for offices at the moment.. nice place to work?? I do the afternoon meditation, Aadays, tisai aadays and enjoy the sun. Time to continue, still doubt in my mind, shall I go to Hamburg or to Berlin... Then I realize that my plan was to go to Berlin, so I'm going to Berlin. All these other oppurtunities are there, and it is ok that they are there... there just not on my way. It gives peace to realize this. I drive on these small roads, enjoy the nature, the green grasses, the fields, the trees and after a while I'm tired. Berlin is still 140 km away and I realize that I'm not going to make it. So I remember the talk I had with Justwant this morning, about sleeping in the tree and I know that that is the way I'm going to spend my night, outside in the fields, close to the deer, the birds and all the other animals, underneath the stars. I find a little road, just outside Blessendorf, I follow it and feel blessed. To come to Blessendorf, I first passed Heilgeist, or something, so this is the right place for me to spend the night and have my little adventure. I'll tell my grandma later...

The viewtower is a great place to spend the night, and the moment I enter, I allready see a deer running on the field... Ajai Alai, good night!

When I wake up, I get what I had dreamed of, two deer playing with eachother.. Just a little to far away to film, but I could see with my eyes.. so this was especially for me and I loved it. Reading Japji, the meditation of the soul, out in the nature, is a special experience. The set is quick, green energy is all around me and inside me... Mantra's I sing in the car, as it is cold outside and the farmers are starting there day.

Day 13 Ardas yoga centre hamburg

all night kirtan in the ardas centre on the 31st of May...so they allready expected me to be there as my spiritual name is sat kirtan. I'm just a bit early but very welcome. The teachers from the ardas centre all have done their training with karta singh in france. It's where i'm doing my teacher training at the moment and when we meet within 5 sec we are as close as sisters and brothers. It feels like coming home.

My heart is so open and when i return to the centre to participate in a class just before going to sleep i run into students who follow a class of nia. I end up experiencing this and i love moving and working with the body, i'm greatful for this experience, edgar thank you for having me in your class.

In the ardas centre they have sadhana every day nd on saterdays they have a special one with breakfast and a yogi bhajan movie afterwards. Alltough we, justwant and me, do the sadhana in the small room for me it is time to move on and head for berlin.

During breakfast we shared our experiences nd talked about the wish to live in an ashram with everday sadhana healthty food nd it is great to feel the power of this groupconsciousness.

Day 12, Nanak Niwis yogaroom instead of gurdwara... Hamburg

today I'm doing the yoga on a different location, as this centre has a gurdwara (where i did sadhana yesterday) and a yogaroom... It feels ok, not to be to hard on myself and although there are many places in Hamburg to do sadhana, I do it another time with Sat Hari singh and Sat Dharm, from Amsterdam, is also there. He tought me how to play, dhan, dhan guru ram das on the harmonium.. which fulfilled one of my wishes during this trip... I do want to learn to play the aquarian sadhana mantra's by harmonium, so if anyone can play them, please let me know or sent me the notes, that would be great... What else is on my list of things I'd love to do during these 40 days?
- experience breathwalk
- join a kids yoga class
- join a shakti dance class
- learn more about the guru, the gurbani and japji (that wish is also filled in, as Sat Hari is very devoted and i love the hukam after sadhana, that's on of the reasons I accepted to be not that strict on myself and do the meditation in the same room for 2 days...) This connection with guru is very strong. I listen to the daily hukam almost every day and I really feel guided by it. Here is the link to it, if you're interested... http://hukam.sikhnet.com/

well, time to move on again...

Day 11, Gurdwara Nanak Niwas Hamburg

Sleeping in a holy place as a gurdwara is something special. I had a very deep experience during sadhana this morning as the music of Sat Hari sing went deep into my heart. It opened a door and it gave my love a change to run freely, so many tears came out... The tears had already been with me, since the moment I left Amsterdam yesterday... I had tears coming and there was nothing I could do, or wanted to do to make them stop. Even though I was crying, my sight was very clear and I know what it means to me... it means that i already have everything my heart and spirit need, all i have to do is open my eyes, open my heart and accept this gift and take my place, take my responsibility... really plant my roots deep into mother earth and establish my place.

Karta Singh told me during the last week of the level II teacher training that I'm the one to set up an ashram in Amsterdam, as the ashram in Amsterdam was the first Kundalini ashram in the 70's... And I'm willing, but also struggeling to accept that task... of course my negative mnd is telling me, that I'm not the person to do this job, someone else could do it much better than me and things like that... but the tears didn't come for no reason.. so let's do some more Aadays tisai aadays meditations and just be open for whatever comes and needs to be done... I'm willing to bow, bow to the infinite...

Day 10, Guru Ram Das Ashram Amsterdam

sat nam, today I'm doing the sadhana in the Guru Ram Das ashram in Amsterdam, the place where I've done my teacher training. Again many things have happened to me since the last sadhana, of course. What I realize is that when doing sadhana and living in the now, I really have to be carefull of what I'm wishing for. I always have this image of traveling light, just a toothbrush and clean clothes for the next day.. but i laways end up carrying so much with me, moreover since I'm travelling by car, which makes it very easy to bring all kinds f things which might be usefull...

One of the things I always bring is my laptop.. a beautiful white yogic mac book. As I'm travelling, I tought it would be a good idea to buy an external hard disk, so in case anything happens to it, I'd still have a back-up. But... I postponed putting the things on the hard disk, as I didn't know how it worked... during my way from home to the Golden Temple I somehow lost my laptop, with all the documents, all the music... everything...

To get over the emotions i felt, i went to the beach, the Amsterdam beach, watched the almost full moon and just layed in the arms of Amar, my sweet friend. It probably goes with the process of starting all over, brand new...

The sadhana with Guru Prem was a welcome, new experience. I loved the music he used, the japji sahib and the jaap sahib and also the idea of doing 10 minutes these postures you feel you're body need, was a gift.

Day 9: Ada's place, Diemen

Thinking back of the sadhana with Ada, it really was an in and out experience. I arrived late (at 23.00) at her place, took a relaxing bath and went to bed, to get some sleep, as sadhana time is already at 5.oo. Sadhana gives me so much energy, that I don't need a lot of sleep and I've become an expert in sleeping deep. The long day was certainly worth it, after sadhana I helped Akal preparing the food in the kitchen of the Golden Temple. After my relaxation and the afternoon meditation, 22 min of Aadays tisai Aadays, to work on the leadership. The effect of it is that it will give you the ability to see beyond the surface, which will build trust and loyalty when used with respect for each person and with focus that moves everyone to reach a goal.

After that I went to the birthdayparty of Osiris. I had a good time, still wearing my new green tulband, which fits perfectly with the yogaset Im doing these 40 days, remember, it is a set for oppurtunities and green energy... It's one of the first times I felt I needed the tulband, as I felt I needed the protection of it after being in the nature for a week as it helps me to stay close to myself.

But back to my experience during the sadhana at Ada's place. I feel blessed that I brought my energy to her place. Ada is a busy Israelian business women, who owns a travel agenc and kundalini yoga helps her to stay focused.

Day 8: Golden Temple Amsterdam

I had to bring my little friend, Adi Shakti, the Tibetan Golden Temple dog, home. So I stayed in Amsterdam and did sadhana in the Golden Temple, on the yogaspot we had created during my 40 days stay. It was very nice to see all my friends and it felt like being at home again.

There had been a workshop by Guru Prem, for Los Angelos, USA and everyone was getting together in the temple, to chat. I met Guru Prem that night and as he was given a workshop in Hamburg the coming wknd, that was a sign for my next destination, Hamburg...

Day 7: centre Oostraven, Epe

Today I share the yoga and meditation experience with Devi, whom I‘ve met at the first day of the tour at Amrita's place and Marina. And so, time is something, a system made by mankind, Marina and also Devi where surprised that I'm already there. To not plan

We start outside under the trees, with a great concert by the Epeese birds. Beautiful but not only the birds are there, also some very small flies, whose presence distracts so much, that we decide to finish the sadhana in the meditation room of the centre Oostraven.

What makes it special today, is that we chant the aquarian mantra's acapella, our voices becoming one, realizing that there is one creator who created all.

Day 6: Ikenhiem Wijnjewoude

Day 6, as I couldn't find the Stichting Kirtan on the Harksewei in Wijnjewoude, I ended up on the Natuurkampeerterrein Ikenhiem. And I'm impressed by the beautiful concert of the birds... there are so many... So today I do sadhana together with the birds, Adi and Bert, Tini and Pieter, who are looking at me from a distance, through their camper... Just wondering what I'm doing... 

I realize how beautiful the environment here is and how much I love being in the nature, and is it true that I need the yoga to be able to live in the city. I don't know the answer to that question, I feel that yoga brings me closer to myself and in the nature it is way easier to do that, as there is not so many distraction, but still, I happy I walk my path the way I walk my path... so time to move on again... 

Day 5: Sadhana with Adi at the Tibetan Temple

Today I do sadhana with the most important person this trip, me myself and I and Adi Shakti is laying in my lap. The tibetan monk is doing his own sadhana, he walks across the 'gebedsmolens'. It is a special place, it touches my heart in a way I cannot describe. All I know is that it touches me on a deep level. 

I don't believe in co-incidences any more, the Tibetan monk who guided me through the temple, used to work in the Golden Temple restaurant in Amsterdam, long, long time ago. He used to work with Satya Singh and he remembered his Tai Chi lessons. I listened to his prayer and after that I go play football with Adi and find myself a place in the old boerderij. 

I have to laugh about the sign in the toilet. There are two mantra you've to recite, one for the little and one for the big work, that goes just one step further then the Kundalini Yoga, at least, I've not found a kundalini yoga mantra or meditation which you could recite to help the elimination process, but knowing Yogi Bhajan, there is probably one. The structure, the peace and quietness touches me. 

spreading love and coming back home, that's what i'll take from this visit

day 4: Froskepolle with Jiwan Shakti

Day 4 is again a sadhana outside, in the beautiful nature of Fryslan, lots of birds, water and trees. Today we do in stead of the Aquarian mantra's the love = love meditation by Yogi Bhajan and afterwards I join Jiwan in her meditation for focus, as I feel I'm all over the place. 

We end our sadhana with yoghurt and honey. I really feel at ease when we're together. It was a great experience to teach her students yesterdaynight, meditation on location ;-) and it is hard to leave this great energy. After a massage I do leave her, in the jeep, with the old radio. I don't yet know where the journey ends today. I call centrum Mannaz, there they are not prepared for the sponteneous visit, so I end up driving to Dokkum, to the tibetan centre, as I have Adi Shakti, a tibetan temple dog with me. Arriving there was a whole adventure, first of all the jeep, of which I was so fond, left me almost standing with an empty battery.. I feel left alone by it, the jeep smells, uses way to much gaz and it feels that this the way for me to really let go of the past... 

so go on and live now...

day 3: In my sisters backyard Leeuwarden

The location for meditation is the backyard of my sisters house. It is nice and sunny and the cat of the neighbours is observing us closely. Marijse, the girlfriend of my sis, is joining me, after our talk yesterday. She knows what yoga can do for her soul and in one way she longs for that but it also is very frighting, the unknown... I feel grateful to share this experience with her and I give her 15 minutes extra sleep, as we don't start at 5 but 5.15, because for me still the hardest part of the sadhana is to get out of bed when I wake up, as I do wake up at 4 o'oclock. The other hard part is to stay awake during the chanting of the mantra's.

I think of strategies to get out of bed more easealy, so I don't need to hurry at that time of the day, as it feels not good to worry about time at 4 or 5 in the morning, that can't be the goal... I remember the affirmations of the first day, act now, live now... they need some more practice ;-)

I feel grateful for her courage to go for the challange and be there and experience.

Today is a meditation on location day. This afternoon Jiwan Shakti (Saskia) and me will go and do a 'vergader met jezelf' session within Postbank and tonight I'll be given two classes and afterwards Adi and me will stay at Jiwan's place.

day 1, In 'het Bevermeerse bos', Angerlo, the Netherlands

My first day of the tour is at Amrita's place in the woods, where they've created a womanscircle. It's a very save and spiritual place. I was thinking about taking Ishnaan in the pool, but I did not transform my thinking into action. So waste of energy... too bad. I want to learn these 40 days to use my energy to the max and focus on the things that need to be done.

The set we do is to receive, to open the heart and for prosperity. I'm open to receive this gift as I was wondering in my mind about which set I was going to do these coming 40days and now I know, this is the one. As I'm traveling from one place to the other, the level II week at Karta's place doesn't fit in the schedule. This week is the prosperity week, and as I've just started my own company, Invest In Yoga, so prosperity is welcome in my live.

The birds in the woods really make it a special sadhana. I realize that in my heart, I'm a country girl and I get tears in my eyes thinking about myself living in the city. So that's one of the answers I got and during this trip, I'll look for a nice location for meditation ;-)

Many people ask why 40 days? Based on the kundalini yoga technics, it takes 40 days to change a habit, 90 days to confirm the habit, 120 days and the habit is who you are and 1.000 day to master the new habit. One habit I' to change is to postpone things. I want to learn to live and act now, that's why I'm going to be in a new place every day.

so act now, live now!

day 2, Kardingeberg Groningen, the Netherlands

The location for meditation is my mothers studyfield, the Kardingeberg in Groningen... We take at 5 o'clock our ishaan in the Kardingeplas, i feel freedom! This is something I really love doing together with my mom, it reminds me of our trip in Switzerland, when we were standing under these huge waterfalls. The sun is rising and the sky is so beautiful. As a warmup we climb up the Kardingeberg, where we find ourselves a beautiful spot. Behind us is the city Groningen, with the Martinitoren and in front all we see is nature.

The sadhana is peaceful and quiet. We've done the set for opportunities and green energy again, thank you so much Amrita to share this set with me, i'll do it for 40 days. We were both intune, as we were wearing green clothes and again, it is so much easier to connect to the earth and the cosmic conciousness.

It feels so special to share the Kundalini yoga technics with my mom. Adi Shakti, the one and only golden temple dog, is having a great time, she is exploring the surroundings and during the chants of the Aquarian mantra's she has found herself a very good spot right on my lap.

Have a beautiful day, full of love
love = love

Sat Kirtan

The 40 day tour: meditation on location

Every day another location for my meditation! 40 days sadhana tour throughout Europe!

Let me introduce myself, my name is Mirelle, my spiritual name is Sat Kirtan and I teach kundalini yoga. In the kundalini yoga we work a lot with the period of 40 days, as that is the time the body and mind need to adjust to a new system.

Until the 31st of March, besides teaching yoga, I was working at ING as a consultant database marketing and I was starting my company, Invest In Yoga, you deserve it. Within ING I was already combining both professions, the consultant and the yogateacher. I felt my contribution was way larger when I put my energy into the business yoga, that I in my heart there was no doubt to leave the bank and focus on the yoga complety, when I had the oppurtunity. Of course, taken that step, after 7 years, and jump into the unknown, was very exiting.

To give myself some structure, I started from the 1ste of April with 40 days sadhana in the Golden Temple in Amsterdam. Sadhana is something very special, it's the preparation for the chances the aquarian times brings. You wake up at 4 am, you take a cold shower and then you recite the japji, the meditation of the soul, after that you do 45 min of kundalini yoga, to sweat, and then you relax. After the relaxation, you chant mantra's for one hour and after that you start your day.

I do this togheter with yogi's from the studygroup in Amsterdam, Alkmaar, Leeuwarden, Angerloo and when people from Germany got to known of this initiative, they joined us.

After these 40 days, I'll go on tour for 40days, as a present for myself. First the idea was to go to relax in South Africa, but plans are there to change, when a better plan comes. The better plan is to go on a sadhana tour, as I really love it, it is amazing how i've developed my intuition in a short period, wauw.. it's really powerfull stuff.. i think something and an instant later it happens...

Last year I've bought a Suzuki jeep and I've not driven in it yet, so this is the perfect way for me to go through Europe.

My tour start on the 11th of May and will end 40 days later, which is the 19th of June. I don't have a schedule yet, I will follow my intuion and let it guide me.

sat nam

Sat Kirtan