Soulful Sadhak

They say that it in the bush the seeds only sprout after a bush fire Look closely Today's storm is carrying in it the seeds of tomorrow Listen to the thunder The rumbling of the old falling apart is the birth cry for the arrival of what we have been carrying inside of us for so long We may be alone and isolated now the land lies barren and fallow But when this wind blows over we will be together again Let it be the moment to step out of our separateness into a new plain of existence Where we reap the fruits of these seeds that have been waiting in the depths of our consciousness Look deep inside before you go outside Listen closely attune yourself The time is ripening Prepare the soil Don't spoil this opportunity Prepare your soul Be ready to embrace the new as a whole

The spirituality of a sustainable lifestyle The environment. It is a big issue these days. Our society lags behind in coming up with the right answers. Even in our own lives it is not easy to become aware of all the problems involved and live a life that is wholly sustainable. These issues are so deeply rooted in our society and it would take such a radical change to break away from all of them. It is easy to be acquiescent and just settle for second best. It can be even easier to just lose hope and settle with resentment. However, I think it is worth the effort to try and live a life the is integrally sustainable, for I belief that is not only good for our planet, but it is also a deeply mindful life, one where every action we take connects us with all living beings on our planet. The restoration work of Sadhana Forest I will share with you my story of how I try to live a life that is fully sustainable. It made me quit my job back home in Belgium and move to India to go and live in a ...

Today is an auspicious day, I am turning thirty. Thirty years I have walked this planet, and I am still alive (and kicking!). What an achievement! Society tells me I should celebrate with lots of alcohol to forget all the worries and doubts about my slowly decaying body and the direction my life is going, but rather than that, I would like to take some time to sit down and reflect. Thirty, and feeling younger than ever! I have the impression many people around me dread the day they turn thirty, as if somehow now they are ‘old’ and there life will be over. There seems to be an aversion towards ageing in our society that keeps proclaiming in movies and advertisements the possibility of an eternal youth if we just use the right hair lotion and buy the right fancy car. For me however, it is nothing like this. I have actually been looking forward to the day I am leaving my twenties and the illusion of this so called ‘eternal youth’. I feel I am ready for it, bring it on, being a thirty...

May there be many more forests to grow people - Sadhana Forest I am the forest I am the trees I am every single leaf I am the birds and the bees Nesting on each branch Humming in each flower All thirst I quench Shade and shadow I shower I am a thousand years old Yet born this very day More precious than gold Made of earth and clay I will always be there I am sky and space Here there is fresh air And everyone has a place Breathing out, you breathe in Breathing in, you breathe out We are the same kin Without any doubt As our roots intertwine Here I set you free Put your little hand in mine Come now, come grow with me

Do not fail your New Year's resolutions, rather make a resolution to fail, and to learn from it and grow. It is New Year today. All over the world people are making resolutions for the new year. And soon all over the world, people will be failing to keep them as well. Why? Why do we go through the effort of making these resolutions every year, and why do we so often give up on them? What is so enjoyable about this game of trying to force ourselves into doing things we probably know we will never do anyway? I think most people make resolutions because they feel they have to. They are unhappy with themselves about something and feel pressured by their peers or society, or just by themselves, to change. There is no joy in their resolutions, rather, they try to push themselves into doing things which they actually dislike doing – such as eating less, watching less Netflix – just because they feel guilty about doing them. These kinds of guilt feelings however, are rarely a good foundati...

I have been studying and practicing many different kinds of religion and spiritual practices for some years now, and I recently discovered there is a big scam going on. I saw it in many people, in how they behaved, talked and walked, but I mostly saw it in my own approach to spiritual practice. What does religion really teach? The thing is, what often happens when people turn to a certain religion or practice – whether it be radical Islamism or seemly harmless meditation practice – is they think they have found ‘The Way’. They think their old ways were wrong and that they have to change and become a different person. They might even start proselytizing feverously – much to the annoyance of others – or – in the worst case scenario – become violent or aggressive towards people who think differently. The primary violence however is in our own heads, the primary violence we direct towards ourselves. You see, the moment people give themselves to a particular path, they go a bit crazy. Somet...

When one gets involved in spiritual practice, one often comes across people who seem to be full of love. They seem to bask in some sort of divine light. They are full of smiles and hugs, continuously wish everyone the most beautiful things and never let a moment go by to express how wonderful everything and everyone they meet is. The longer I practice, the more – forgive me for being frank – these people start to bother me. Why all this talk about love? Why all these flowery words filled with rainbows, unicorns and sunshine? Are they trying to make up for something? Or maybe trying to hide something? If you are full of joy, just feel joy, why this urgent need to put it into words? Isn’t the feeling of joy in itself enough of a blessing? And if you really love someone, he or she can just tell by the look on your face, by a simple smile or the touch of a hand. When you really love other people, you feel it, and they will feel it too. If you are confident enough, they will be able to tell...