Your Elephant Path

17/05/2024

15/05/2024

Growing out of egocentricity

When we are born it is all about us. We need someone to feed and nurture us so we start our life by believing it is all about us.

Even though, at a certain point, we will start receiving a clear ‘NO’ and should learn to understand the world does not evolve around you, many people stay in that space.

Growing older might get you into ethnocentricity where you find people ‘like you’, with whom you share your values and believes. It will make it easier to get out of that ego perspective and also think about others. But there is a risk of staying stuck to the idea that these values and believes are the only right perspective.

We are one is a phrase that has always stuck with me. Being world centric you become aware of every person being like you. Your don’t see the differences between people as a shortcoming but as an opportunity.

Last week our local Turkish community opened up their mosque and shared different delicious treats. What was supposed to be a short visit with curiosity of seeing the inside of a mosque turned into an afternoon of enrichment, sharing and learning. So grateful for the times spent with new and old friends.

14/05/2024

Be mindful when you start to exercise.

What happens almost every time I start a new exercise habit:
1. I am fully committed and will prove I am able to do this
2. I take a bit of time to get into it (read I try to understand it from an intellectual level)
3. I go for it 100%, no restrictions

The result is always a pulled muscle, a sudden dizziness, shortness of breath. And if none of those happen, the universe will find another way to tell me this is not the way to go, like suddenly getting a cold that holds me down for 2 weeks. Not the ideal time to exercise.

So take it from me. Take it slow. Everything that is new is something your body has to adjust to. Even if you already exercise, starting a new exercise might be one that uses different muscles, asks more flexibility or twists your body into different angles.

Take it one step at a time so you can build the momentum and continue without the risk of your body deciding it is moving to fast.

03/05/2024

01/05/2024

You can NOT not play these games.

Life has 4 games we need to play: Health, Wealth, Relationships and Meaning.
If you don’t play these games, meaning you place your intention here and consciously decide what you want, these games will play you.

Health is essential, if you don’t make time for health you will have to make time for disease.

Wealth is essential, without fulfilment in life you will feel empty, but with fulfilment you will discover abundance and love.

Relationship is essential, starting with the relationship with ourselves which we need to understand truly why we are here.

Meaning is essential, finding your identity, purpose and a true understanding of life gives JOY meaning.

30/04/2024

Sprouts are power houses!

When I learned how easy it is to grow sprouts I started implementing them more and more into my healthy meals.

Although vegetables give us many vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants. Sprouts are specifically nutrient dens. Meaning you get a lot out of a little.

Looking into ways to absorb more vegetables but always feeling full after a salad this was my solution. I now mix them in my salad, put them in between my wraps or just mix some different types together with some flavoured vinegar.

They have very outspoken flavours so just try different types to find one you like!

24/04/2024

Connection is essential.

There are different types of connection.
Often we search for all of them in one single person.
But when different people connect to you in a different way you become richer than you could have ever imagined.

This past year I’ve connected to so many people.
Some have become friends, some even family.
And others connected to my soul.

Last week I heard this story about a woman who connected to someone on a soul level that wasn’t her partner. And that is just okay because she was perfectly happy with her partner and family. And she now has this amazing space for another person to connect on another level.

My soul sister has always had my back throughout my life even though she is not part of this physical reality. However this night she led me to another soul who is.
Looking forward to exploring that connection.

23/04/2024

Why do you voluntarily deprive yourself from sleep?

This past week I have heard different reasons.
The end of a 3-week vacation with a long flight homewards.
A late-evening, interesting, online conversation which kept on going.
A party with dancing and drinking deep into the night.

All options I think you wouldn’t think twice of doing.
The result however is that your body lacks the sleep it needs to restore.
It is unable to conserve the energy it needs to function optimally.
Your thinking, processing, learning and problem-solving is influenced.
And you’re more perceptive to illness due to a reduced immune system.

Simply said. You need your sleep!
But to experience life we also need to enjoy it.
So choose wisely!
Experience life to the fullest, just maybe not every night.

19/04/2024

17/04/2024

Everything I need is within me.

I remember the moment I truly experienced the realisation of the meaning of this phrase. It was last year when we did this powerful exercise at an event I attended. The exercise helped us realise that often what we search, is what we give to others. Meaning we already have it with us or we wouldn’t be able to share.

Realising this I thought about the years I’ve spend searching for certain things I felt were missing from my life. Now that I realised I already had them a weight was lifted from my shoulders. I felt this immense relieve. I no longer had to spend my energy searching for things that at times felt like they were impossible to find. I only needed to look within to know they had always been with me.

16/04/2024

A reptilian brain…

I have always been a huge lover of reptiles. So to learn there was one living within me was astonishing to me! But I soon found out it isn’t always that helpful. It is a part of our brain designed to govern instinctual behaviours necessary for our survival.

When a thread is perceived it will cause a reaction in our heart rate, breathing and muscles. Causing us to either react or become stagnant. When you see a tiger coming towards you, you’re going to love this part of your brain as it helps you escape the situation. When I see people panicking to a certain event I often ask them if they see any tigers, just to put things into perspective.

You wouldn’t easily find yourself in a situation where you need to run from a tiger. However in todays world, when we panic or stress about an event we often create this doom-like scenario in our minds and our reptilian brain tends to respond to these thoughts just the same as if the tiger would be standing in front of you.

Remember this next time you find yourself in a situation where you’re not sure how to act, or with which energy to engage. Be aware of the thoughts you have. Because this little reptilian might cause you to react in a way that isn’t exactly beneficial for you.