The Artist of Everyday Life (extract)

I dedicate ‚The Artist of Everyday Life’ to my beloved
brothers and sisters who supported each step of this
unfolding journey. My teachers who inspired me to
see and follow the light of my heart.
I am blessed to share my inspiration with all of you.
A Kaleidoscope of Inspiration.

contents
How To Read This Book
Preface
Introduction
About Jules
Me Time
Happiness
Balance Is The Key
Expansion
Follow Your Heart
Game of Awareness
Life is the Master Teacher
Your Life is Your Artwork
Go With the Flow
10
60
12
64
16
78
18
88
26
92
30
94
32
98
38
102
42
104
48
106
52
110
54
120
58
Lost Time, Meet You In Space
Yoga is Not a Lifestyle – It Makes Up Your Life
Open Your Heart
Yin Yoga and the Art of Still Listening
Wherever You Are Is Where You Need to Be
Gratitude
Reflections and Wounds of Time
Dreams
Playfulness and Childlike Nature
Traveling
India
Thailand

California Revival
From Berlin to the World
Break-Ups or Break-Throughs
Speak Your Truth
Lifestyle
Teaching of My Soul
Process Meets Progress
Self-healing Boomerang
Self-doubt
The Road Not Taken Is Not Taken For A Reason
This Is a Journey – So What’s the Rush About?
Let Go Of Expectations But Keep Your Focus
Healing Hands
Breath and Universal Prana
Sound Healing
Get Out Of Your Radiohead
Communication
124
180
128
182
130
184
134
186
136
190
140
194
144
196
148
200
152
202
156
206
158
208
160
212
162
214
164
216
168
218
170
222
174
The Teaching Starts Within You
Uniqueness
Nourish Yourself
Infinite Love
Love & Forgiveness Can Heal Everything
Morning Mantra
Sequencing And The Parallelism To Life
Sankalpa
Self-Expression
Materialistic Demon
Patterns and Reflections
Trust
Constant Reality Check
Inner Alert System and Bodyscan
The 8 Limbs of Yoga
Love Your Inner Child

Performance and Perfection
Being
Journaling & Writing Art
Everyday Life Lives Every Day
The Smile You Send Into The World
Grounding
Giving and Receiving
Laziness and Non-Doing
Handstand Journey and Splits Dedication
The Dance Of Life
226
264
230
270
234
272
238
278
242
282
244
285
248
289
252
292
256
296
262
300
AcroYoga
Cacao CeremonyLunar Cycles
Lunar Cycles
Healing Ocean and Nature’s Dream
Emotional Circus Of Thoughts
Relationship Chaos
Spiritual Sex
The People We Almost Fall In Love With
Emotional Yoga
Closing Ceremony
Epilogue
302

How To Read This Book
The beginning of this text is an introduction of me and my everyday life. The chapters
are meant to inspire you in certain topics of your life. I am really happy to share the love
with you through these little episodes written in the forms of texts, stories, and poetry.
All parts are mutually dependent but are also independent in and of themselves.
One by one or from beginning to end – you choose what you need. Each chapter may
differ in its way and form of expression. As everyday life is a process, so is this book, too.
Take what you need to make your own special recipe, or just use these texts as references.
I wrote these chapters throughout the past years as an ongoing process. Pauses were
needed to reflect and understand the higher purpose of this writing. This book is a
sharing from the bottom of my heart. In my classes I love to inspire my students with
the depth of our human being, offering a holding hand in the ever changing phases
of life. I have always said that it is the biggest gift for me to offer a glimmer of light in
whatever situation they are in. All these little chapters are stories and ideas that helped
me to unfold my natural state of being. There are many stories that made us come this
way - stories that formed us into exactly who we are right now.
I am pleased to share this inspiration with you, captured by many unique moments of
random aliveness. Enjoy the journey of unfolding your raw nature of being!
With much love and gratitude,
10

Preface
There is something magical about our everyday life. Some might think it is just a daily
rhythm of our intentions, but I think it is much more than this. At times, we are lost in
cycles - running and running for no reason, caught in our activities but disconnected
from our being. We’ve already lost our focus. There is almost no more room left for
receptiveness. I encourage you to step out of that cycle, in whatever cycle you are.
Make your everyday life more open-hearted. Experience the miracles within and
around you. The intensity is just one step away. Don’t hold yourself back with excuses
and explanations.
Life is fucking amazing - so free yourself to experience every moment fully.
I always knew that I have a tendency to enjoy dark matter or dark energies. Often I
told myself that this feeling is not okay, or that I should not have feelings like that at all.
One day, during a sound healing yoga class, these deep feelings were arising again. For
the first time in my life, I gave myself permission to let them be as they are. Out of this
permission arose something bigger: I was able to free myself from the negative self-talk
and punishment about my own personality. Everyone has dark corners within their
whole. The trick is to channel this energy into something bigger. As you know, without
darkness we would not see the night sky. I found that channel for myself in inspiring
people with my view of everyday life and by being a powerful initiator for expressing
themselves to their fullest - mostly by just reminding them of what they already know.
By creating space for switching perspective, we unfold our potential for growth. Each
human being has a universe inside. Even if we cannot feel it from time to time, we can
always reconnect with ourselves. The people you meet and the experiences you make
along your way are meant to help you find more aliveness in your daily learning and
the process of life. All these encounters may push you out of your comfort zone so they
can be in service of your growth. Expansion happens through our constant openness
to learning and growing. In the beginning you might not know how you feel about
this unknown state, but after trying to go through the experience as it is, you have the
12 / 13

possibility to grow with it, and in the end, you might be thankful for its lessons. In
that way, the best advice I can give you is to be open to whatever crosses your way. The
limitations start in our mind and transmit to our doing. How can you break through
the limitations?
I want to show you how you can let everything be the inspiration you need at this
moment. Are the birds singing a specific melody that you enjoy? Is a child smiling in
a way that lifts your heart up? This smiling child is like a recurring dream that wants
to be seen by the world. The child opens its arms to the world and is the expression of
infinity. This child is you and always lives within you. It wants to play and be happy. It
needs your fullest attention and love to come back to its fullest expression. Help your
inner child smile and feel the beauty in every moment. Let it be free. How much can
you give with just a simple smile, a heartfelt hug, or a soft kiss, no matter if you have
known each other for years, days, or a few seconds? Ask yourself if it really matters
how long you know each other. They say that the first impression matters the most.
That brings me to an understanding that our inner feelings lead us the way. Does
it make a difference if we give our fullest love to the world, or restrict ourselves by
making certain choices? I found for myself that the most important thing is sharing
wholeheartedly. If you feel deep love and connection to other beings, express it in
the best way possible. Trick yourself and especially your bogged down mindset by
playing with different scenery. What if you meet a wonderful animal on the streets or
in the park? Let’s say it’s a cat. Would you not pet it just because you saw it for the first
time? Would you do the same if it was a person you’ve never met? What this example
explains is that we have built artificial boundaries and limitations for ourselves. We’ve
built borders within our own human nature. We tell ourselves that there are rules with
which we must interact with people. But there are none, especially when we act from
our true being. Connection is built on mutual consent. You are the creator of your own
mindset. So why shouldn’t we actively build the wonderful play we live in? Travel every
day a bit deeper to your heart, play, and be excited about every experience. Breathe
deep until your chest starts to feel light. Trust and let yourself fall. See the wonderful
world within you. Connect with the soul‘s journey unfolding inside of yourself to
explore all individual phases and different expressions. Feel it with your whole spirit.
We are part of the universe and our heart is the master of our inner world. Being true

to yourself is a prerequisite of living the art of everyday life. When you are true to
yourself, the mask of the outer world slowly disappears. This will allow you to sink
deeper into spiritual worlds. There, critical comments do not affect you anymore. From
that foundation we can grow like a tree and never lose our roots. It’s quintessential
that you do what you love, without overthinking or determining yourself in a certain
direction. Let the moment decide; leave all opportunities open. If you live your passion
and true being, there is nothing that holds you back. Dream, visualize and never
doubt. You can earn it because everyday life gives you tons of opportunities. Go do
your art. You deserve it.
Art of Everyday Life.
Form of creation lies in the instant that you live.
Hold me tight, so I have the courage to go beyond myself.
14

Introduction
Like little fragments in a kaleidoscope, the chapters of the book form a work of art.
I’m holding the pages of the draft in my hands, making the last final touches to this
version, and trying to see it for what it is today. This book means the world to me and
the world longs for meaning that is seen through you. Some things take time, like
publishing a book or becoming an artist of everyday life.
So here you are holding the final version; you are next to discover your art. So what is
this book actually about?
I want to invite you to transform your everyday life into an expression of the artist
that you are, your own unique way of being. I like to see it as a workbook. You can find
pieces of inspiration, like poetry, memories, techniques, and stepping stones of my
practice that allow you to dive deeper into your art of everyday life. The things I write
about should give you some clues for expanding your perspective and opening up to
new ways of experience. By including a lot of letters from my past to my future self, I
can see the whole book as an encouragement to myself to transform my life into the art
that I’ve always felt but never allowed myself to express. Now it’s time to acknowledge
the hurt parts inside of me, use them as a catalyst, and move into playfulness so I
can express myself freely in any way I can imagine. What does it mean to be an artist
of everyday life? How would it look like seeing yourself through this lens? Do you
think your life is less artistic than mine? And if so why? The lessons learned through
receiving the teachings of everyday life are an impulse to implement creative learning
into your daily living. By interpreting the happenings in your own way you will find
your way of turning your world upside down. My words are here to give you guidance.
Think of them like cues in yoga. They might lead you to new ways of thinking, but
you are the artist, applying them into your daily life as you choose. This is the process
of going through stereotypes and turning the connections into reality. I believe the
structure of the chapters is symbolic of what the reality of life is about. Which is to say,
perhaps it does not always seem logical, but it has been a journey, and each step has led
16 / 17

to the next in an organic way. Being in flow means being in sync with the changes that
we undergo daily. Everyday life fluctuates and has different ways of expressing itself.
There might be routines and structures, but sometimes we learn the most when we lose
them. Living the art of everyday life is not a thread of monotony going from beginning
to the end; it is ordered chaos, destruction, and beauty combined. This path is down to
earth, as I like to keep it real wholeheartedly. Guided by different techniques, mostly
inspired by my practice of yoga, you will get practical hints that you can integrate into
your life. This is not just for yogis or spiritual people. Not all stories we experience are
beautiful, but as we go through destruction, we can move beyond our own knowing. I
share this work with you because I believe that the topics mentioned here can support
you in exploring yourself on a deeper level. I think there is a lot of value in sharing my
path with you. We can all learn so much from each other just by sharing and listening.
I invite you to see life unfolding by diving deeper into your own art. Look through
your kaleidoscope and witness how every piece becomes art somehow, reflected in an
endless variety of patterns.
And life keeps writing stories,
day in, day out,
to remind us that every moment has to be lived,
that our soul needs to spread their wings,
when we need it the most.

About
Jules
Hey, I’m Jules. I want to share my journey and essential understanding of everyday
life with you. I am a yoga and acro teacher, lifestyle coach, as well as bodyworker and
world traveler. I’m based in Berlin and I enjoy traveling and exploring the world. I
believe in the world as my home.
I am at home wherever I am and in the room of lovers.
I can see with closed eyes the beauty that dances.
– Rumi
Passions of my life include movement and playing with different dynamics, guided by
intuition. My movement practice is influenced by my drive to create space in the mind
and heart through the practice of yoga, handstands, and acrobatics. The playfulness
aspect has a huge impact on the way I use movement in creative ways. Yoga is not
just yoga when we invite energy to flow freely. The unfiltered motion comes from a
deeper place of our soul. My practice is an invitation, that asks you to move to meet
your restrictions and dance your way out of it. I like to work with different forms of
connection, for example, through bodywork and acro. Learning more about these
techniques led me to an exploration of the moving energy within our bodies, which
I call energized motion. It is fascinating to observe how we relate to one another as
we merge our energies and explore a space of co-creation. Aside from that, I love to
inspire people by pulling them out of their routine. I enjoy creating healthy foods
and desserts, and on top of that sharing my philosophy of everyday life. Another big
part of me is my community and my family. The circle we gather around us holds
us in any phase of our life. Furthermore, I think that the quality of our relationships
impacts the quality of our life. Through my teaching I am able to share the love for this
practice and my joy of life. I believe that the world is our playground and that life is a
wonderful art each moment. Positive vibrations ought to be in sync with your way of
living. Allow your heart to open to the universe and its infinite possibilities. My wish is
for us to create a love affair with our unique spirits and raise the vibration to union.
18 / 19

Where I am Coming From?
There was a time in my life when I was stuck in depression. The external influences
were too strong to resist. It felt like I could not escape the tunnel of darkness. I was
walking through the days without realizing that I am alive. I had a longing for not
waking up anymore. I could not see the purpose of being alive. My family and friends
were left overwhelmed because no word that they would say mattered, as I was not
able to hear it in the state of my depressed being.
...The doctors tried to save me with medication and therapy. All I felt was
silent suffering and empty words. Each morning the questions shouted in
my head: why am I still here? The end of the tunnel was a night with an
unpredictable ending. Out of love for a close friend I went out to celebrate
her birthday. By this time I had to take drugs on a regular basis. We went
out to go dancing. Having a drink was part of the game. Half an hour later
there was no return. Stuck in the restroom in a state of transcendence.
Gone and there at the same time. Caught up in a state that I call half alive.
Twilight of realities. I couldn’t feel my body anymore, I couldn‘t move or
say anything to express what happened. I tried to speak as I could hear
them, but no words could leave my mouth. Still in the room. My soul was
floating. Realizing the destruction from above. My inner being wanted to
hold on to the strings of life somehow. The final call for the emergency
room. Caught up in a dramatic movie scene without having any access
to change direction. The doctors kept asking me if I wanted to kill myself.
Hidden underneath the desire to destroy myself completely… I was still
here and trying to see my way out.

The trip felt like it took hours, and within it I saw two figures surrounding me. One
came along with a message of just giving up, falling fully into darkness. The other
figure pointed the finger towards a little light, showing the ladder which I could climb.
In these hours of walking the edge between life and death, I knew it was time for me to
choose a side.
I have made a secret but a radical commitment to myself: I decided to be fully alive.
I knew that the way to do this is not just to step out of the hospital and be reborn.
The ladder is a symbol for a way I can choose to move upward. I should not have
unrealistic expectations either because climbing up takes effort. I started by liberating
myself from the chains of the emergency room and the hospital. The first thing I did
after arriving home was throwing away all the pills. Going through cold turkey within
the next week, I felt that luckily my heart supported the change.
With drastic experiences like that it takes some time to realize what really happened.
This experience was the peak of a period of drama throughout my everyday life.
Meeting our edge in situations like this one, we have the opportunity to re-center
ourselves and come back to the right track. In the end, I am really thankful for this
incident since it allowed me to change my life and to move from darkness to light with
the intention of my heart.
When we see our life almost disappearing through our hands, we are more likely to
open our eyes to the truth within.
For me, revolution simply means radical change.
– Aung San Suu Kyi
20 / 21

Liaison With My Yoga Journey, or How Yoga Found Me
Yoga is a big part of this book and of my life. Maybe you have wondered already
- why? After my studies in business administration and international marketing I
decided to get the experience needed to work worldwide in these fields.
At first I started off with being really determined to do something professional in my
field of business management and marketing. Yet, soon that plan has changed into a
newfound goal of sharing my passion for movement with the world. Once I discovered
yoga, my plan transitioned from being in a professional field into the passion I feel for
movement. That sudden career change was a bigger surprise than anything I could
have imagined to have happened. Yet the business world never felt appropriate to me.
I could not understand how people could sacrifice themselves to it every day. Society
makes you believe that you have to do something decent with your life and that being
in an office all day is it. Los Angeles was my first step into this journey of liberation
Stepping out of my comfort zone and into a secret place with open space. Trying
something new became my life from there. I wanted to take it all in. I went to yoga
before work and again directly after. On the weekends I enjoyed my first flights by
doing acro yoga. It was all about the balance between the magic triangle of body, mind,
and spirit. I started trusting the unfolding movement and change to allow myself to
flow. In one of the first yoga classes I could feel the higher calling inside my chest. I
woke up from Savasana crying, feeling my body shaking, and knew where to go from
there.

Buddha is the teacher showing the way, the awakened one,
living source of understanding and passion.
Dharma is the clear path leading us out of ignorance.
Bringing us back to an awakened life.
Sangha is a beautiful community.
The practice of joy and realizing liberation.
Bringing peace and happiness to life
– Buddhism, Buddhas Teachings

My teacher in Los Angeles gave me the best advice:
If you truly feel the wish in your heart just meditate on
it and allow life to manifest.
- Kumi Yogini
I invite you to grant yourself your life, no matter what you feel that it is like.
Movement and change is like a rainbow - the interaction between sunlight and rain
takes it to its fullest expression. The outstanding factors keep changing constantly,
so the question for us is what is the deeper meaning that arises inside of us. The
feeling within can manifest into fullest happiness or sadness at the same time. You
know that the sadness is just a feeling, but you let it be as it is appearing. Happiness
is overwhelming sometimes. The art is to cry with a wonderful smile feeling deep
gratitude for every moment and reconnection with the power of now.
Mirror reflector.
Relegated in familiar dimensions.
Stillness as key.
Observing and observant.
Learning process and random stories.
Human beings and the dramatic which is interwoven.
The life that we are living and expressing is our message for existence, for life itself.
trust in the Self, trust in love, trust in the divine,
trust in the power of your own awareness,
trust in the stability of your own center.
- Lao Tzu
24

Jules.
The name means hidden jewel, as its origin lies in the hidden island of the black
seaIt was given to wild women that still needed to transform their destructive energy
into light. The name should keep reminding them of their potential. Oftentimes
people with this name would find themselves in the midst of chaos and destruction.
But somehow a jewel would appear into their life, showing them how to rise from
the ashes. Hidden
potential can only be perceived if we shine light on
it and play with
the reflection.

Me Time
Having “me time” should be an important part of your day’s routine. I didn’t realize
this for a while. I always thought that I don’t need “me time” because I enjoy being
surrounded by others. The underlying pattern leads back to self-distraction. Having
company is a tempting and welcoming distraction from fully listening to ourselves,
as we flee from pointing our whole attention towards ourselves. However, these are
the moments where creativity can fly to you because you opened the possibility of
spaciousness. Give yourself some room to rest and be. Reconnect with your values and
forget your surroundings. Overthinking takes too much energy and steals from the
present moment. Sail in the wind and observe your being. Our spirit needs freedom
instead of cover layers. If you lose your deep foundation established by experiencing
room for yourself, you will feel restricted by the outside world that interferes with
your space. Emotions and reactions become easily triggered in a state of unawareness
and detachment from ourselves. Sometimes pushing yourself is good, but don’t use it
to run away. Nothing has to be extreme, yet it is so hard for us to move towards being
balanced. Leave criticism and doubt behind and learn to trust.
Create some space for stillness and turn the volume of your heart up
I dedicate this time - right now - to myself. Writing a book was a lifetime dream.
I thought about it a million times. I wrote hundreds of pages in my mind. Now is
the chance to fulfill this dream, putting all of the thoughts into action. As we move
through our lives, we come across many opportunities of meeting people, starting
something new, or else continuing on our path uninterrupted. Most of the time we
are too busy to see these opportunities. In everyday life lies a chance to break habitual
cycles, however we have to be aware of the steps we take and stay open to see all the
possibilities in front of us. Each time we make a choice, we close one chapter and open
another one. The direction determines the path we go on. Me time was a challenging
task to learn for me. It’s a commitment that you have to set with yourself so you don’t
skip it easily. When you’re in a challenging situation, you have two options: either
26 / 27

face it, or leave it. In this case, I made a promise to myself by making commitments I
would stick to instead of postponing them over and over again. It seemed stupid in the
beginning to add sections of me-time to my own calendar, but it really worked out for
me and was worth it. The doubts I felt while going through this process taught me how
to look deeper at the roots of my inner resistance. In my experience, we grow the most
when we go the way of least comfort and meet the resistance.
I wish you to feel the spirit of the world in your wings so you can share my excitement
for everyday life with the world and trust the law of attraction.
This is the intensity of aliveness that allows me to be fully with myself.
Truth be told, I had to learn the lesson of consciously choosing ‘Me Time’ for a while
- I have done everything else that I wanted to do instead. I felt more responsible for
everybody around me instead of serving my own needs. I could do that for a while.
As humans we are able to go for quite some time without nourishment. At some point
I had to realize that I gave all my energy away and that I had nothing left for myself.
When I started to bring this aspect back to balance, I had a hard time to allow myself
to give to myself. Learning in that case is the journey towards yourself.
If you have one of those personalities where the opposite is the case, it will be the
same journey, but backwards. Our essence is based on exchange: exchanges of energy,
inhaling and exhaling, giving and receiving. As much as we need time for ourselves,
we also need to share our light in the sense of connection with those around us. As you
will see later in this book, there are never-ending options to create connections. You
put your unique meaning in everything. Even if I sometimes don’t know how to return
the things that I’ve received, I know that it always comes back. The opposing forces in
the universe will always level themselves out. I like to say, karma will take care of it. We
take, we give, and we share. If we find a way of giving from our hearts, we don’t need to
think about the way it will return to us. Let go of the duty that you created for yourself

and plunge into the flow of life. Let go of any desired value and spread your wings for
the free fall. Remove the chaos within, remain true to yourself, and be fully there, just
for yourself. From that place, inspire your community. By doing this for yourself, you
automatically create space for others around you to follow the same principles.
Block a day, or some hours during the week, for your “me time” and date yourself.
Make no plans on what to do during that time. Be with yourself and be open to
whatever comes along. In the beginning, you might feel awkward or lost. Trust the
process of getting to know yourself.
Peace is every step.
The shining red sun in my heart.
Each flower smiles with me.
How green, how fresh all that grows.
How cool the window blows.
Peace in every step.
It turns the endless path to joy.
- Thich Nhat Hanh
28

Happiness
Happiness is there if you know how to breathe and smile. Happiness can always be
found in the present moment. Our world is our dream and we are both its actor and
its creator, all within one. Dance and enjoy the dance around you. The sound of music
comes from the heart. It is always a choice to choose happiness in each moment. Allow
your breath to take you through it. A smile creates more than a resonance - it resonates
and creates a vibration for the world. There are many of these moments where you
want to express yourself in millions of words, but at the same time silence expresses
everything. We are telling stories with the energies we send into the world. A lot of
times we try to find satisfaction from outer forms or values. We are creating our own
suffering by that.
Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.
- Buddha
It is a lifelong journey to learn Buddha’s lesson, and there will be many opportunities
to see the deeper sense behind it. Although it is true that we need the outside world;
from my experience, it’s not an option to hide in meditation, in your inner state of
being. There is a balance between interaction and solitude. Never forget that happiness
may arrive akin to the domino effect. Share the smile of your heart. Inspire the dance
around you. It might be just a little spark, but at this moment, it’s life-changing, for you
or for somebody else. The freedom and happiness we live can free others from their
chains. Life is only magic if you share the sparkles.
Ask yourself right now: What is happiness for me?
Wait and give space for receiving your answer. I love to ask myself questions, reflect
on them, and write my thoughts and feelings down. In my opinion, happiness can be
30 / 31

found in everything. Yet if our eyes can’t be open for receiving, we can’t find happiness
anywhere. If you know what generates happiness for you, you are able to navigate your
daily life towards it. Where you put your focus is what you perceive. Each thought and
feeling is the capture of a moment on its own. Treat each moment like one of a kind.
A lot of times when we suffer, we are trying to hold on to a negative experience or
emotion. But what exactly makes you struggle at that moment? What are you trying to
create an attachment to? Seeing that fact is a process of being really honest to yourself.
It takes a lot of courage to take a step back to see yourself going through emotions that
hold you back from enjoying happiness in each moment. Don’t get me wrong, there is
nothing bad about being triggered and feeling the underlying emotions: feeling what
you feel and allowing it to pass through you instead of restricting the energy flow. Sit
with it. Try it just once. The release will blow your mind.
And last but not least some inspiration from the Dalai Lama:
Who am I to be happy?
Our modern world neglects the inner dimension of
our human being. People overemphasize on material
gain that underlies the assumption that what we can
buy can by itself alone provide us with all the
satisfaction that we need. In this context we miss
out on the fact that gaining material satisfaction
is limited to the level of the senses. Our problems
- internally and externally experienced, cannot be
solved until we address the underlying neglect.
Reflection will guide us to spiritual revolution.
I believe that the very purpose of life
is to seek happiness.
- Dalai Lama

Balance Is The key
Physical activities and adrenaline associated with them have always been a big part
of my life. Yet for other people, pure stillness may give them the aliveness they desire.
The balance equation works the same way from either side: if we have too much of one
quality, we have to even it out. It’s your turn to make a move.
The Chinese believe in the concept of yin and yang. The yogis believe in union. Every
belief system comes back to finding a balance between the two forces. Essentially,
balance is about finding your own steadiness and ease. By moving from one edge to the
other, we find peace in between.
Life is like riding a bicycle.
To keep your balance, you must keep moving.
- Albert Einstein
Einstein’s quote sounds so random and yet so obvious. Do you remember when you
learned how to ride a bike? Do you remember how many times you tried? How much
did you struggle until you found the sweet spot?
I was always super curious about learning new things as a child. Most of the time,
I couldn’t even wait until I was old enough to try them out. I loved the challenge of
finding the point of ease within things. I bet all of us needed some time before we
could ride the bike effortlessly. The first steps are more like the first handshake. You
make the first connection. You see how it feels and what you will do first. You may shift
your weight from side to side. The critical point starts when you lift your feet from
the ground and try to ride. As Einstein said - you need to move, otherwise you lose
your balance. You try to find stability on wheels. This progression very well mirrors
the same process throughout our lifetimes. We have to learn and explore our points
32 / 33

of ease. We play the extremes to see how far we can go. At the end we find out that
what we seek is a small balance point, no matter what we are doing. We tumble to
come back to our line, but when we find it, we
just feel at ease. Past and future will never be
here, as balance lies within the now. All
of the past experiences have made us
come to this point. Appreciate these
pictures with love and laughter.
Meet yourself, then let go to free
yourself. Observe to overcome
judgement. The roots are
always hidden within. Guide
your attention to light.
A simple balancing check for
everyday life: tree pose.

Stand tall on both of your feet. Feel the ground underneath. Connect to your roots
through your feet. Focus your attention on a point that doesn’t move. Choose your
standing leg and lift the other leg up, placing its foot on the thigh or below the knee
joint. Bring your hands towards your heart center and take a breath here. If you feel
steady, move your arms up. If you feel okay, start moving your branches and explore. If
you want to work on your trust, close your eyes. If you want to challenge your balance
even more, stand on your toes. The same way you came in, come out of the posture
and repeat on the other side. Then, widen your comfort zone.
How can you move in and out of this position? Where can you transition to? This
simple technique is one of my favorite ways to check my overall balance. How rooted
do I feel? What brings me out of balance? Am I focused or wobbly?
In connection with this symbol of the tree, I want to make the link to our day-today
life. Holding the imagination in our mind, we can learn a lot from it. The tree
embodies steadiness, tolerance and connection. The question arises: how can you be
as tolerant as a tree? The tree always stays rooted in being, even though everything
around it is moving and changing. Each time of the year may give it a different color,
but the essence of the tree stays the same.
One of my favorite poems about trees that I would like to share with you is from
Hermann Hesse:
For me, trees have always been the most penetrating
preachers. I revere them when they live in tribes
and families, in forests and groves. And even more
I revere them when they stand alone. They are like
lonely persons. Not like hermits who have stolen away
out of some weakness, but like great, solitary men,
like Beethoven and Nietzsche. In their highest boughs
the world rustles, their roots rest in infinity; but
they do not lose themselves there, they struggle with
all the force of their lives for one thing only:
34 / 35

to fulfil themselves according to their own laws, to
build up their own form, to represent themselves.
Nothing is holier, nothing is more exemplary than a
beautiful, strong tree.
When a tree is cut down and reveals its naked deathwound
to the sun, one can read its whole history in
the luminous, inscribed disk of its trunk:
in the rings of its years, its scars, all the
struggle, all the suffering, all the sickness, all
the happiness and prosperity stand truly written, the
narrow years and the luxurious years, the attacks
withstood, the storms endured.
And every young farm boy knows that the hardest and
noblest wood has the narrowest rings, that high on
the mountains and in continuing danger the most
indestructible, the strongest, the ideal trees grow.
Trees are sanctuaries.
Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how
to listen to them, can learn the truth.
They do not preach learning and precepts, they
preach, undeterred by particulars, the ancient law
of life.
A tree says: A kernel is hidden in me, a spark, a
thought, I am life from eternal life.
The attempt and the risk that the eternal mother
took with me is unique, unique the form and veins of
my skin, unique the smallest play of leaves in my
branches and the smallest scar on my bark. I was made
to form and reveal the eternal in my smallest special
detail.
A tree says: My strength is trust

I know nothing about my fathers, I know nothing about
the thousand children that every year spring out of
me. I live out the secret of my seed to the very end,
and I care for nothing else. I trust that God is in
me. I trust that my labor is holy. Out of this trust
I live.
When we are stricken and cannot bear our lives any
longer, then a tree has something to say to us:
Be still! Be still! Look at me! Life is not easy,
life is not difficult.
Those are childish thoughts. Let God speak within
you, and your thoughts will grow silent.
You are anxious because your path leads away from
mother and home.
But every step and every day leads you back again to
the mother.
Home is neither here nor there. Home is within you,
or home is nowhere at all.
A longing to wander tears my heart when I hear trees
rustling in the wind in the evening.
If one listens to them silently for a long time, this
longing reveals its kernel, its meaning.
It is not so much a matter of escaping from one‘s
suffering, though it may seem to be so.
It is a longing for home, for a memory of the mother,
for new metaphors for life. It leads home.
Every path leads homeward, every step is birth, every
step is death, every grave is mother.
So the tree rustles in the evening, when we stand
uneasy before our own childish thoughts:
Trees have long thoughts, long-breathing and restful,
just as they have longer lives than ours.
36 / 37

They are wiser than we are, as long as we do not
listen to them. But when we have learned how to
listen to trees, then the brevity and the quickness
and the childlike hastiness of our thoughts achieve
an incomparable joy. Whoever has learned how to
listen to trees no longer wants to be a tree.
He wants to be nothing except what he is. That is
home. That is happiness.
- Hermann Hesse

Expansion
Expansion means to me that our horizon should be brighter than the sky we can see.
Is there any reason why we limit anything? We create this idea of measurement.
An idea that keeps us back from experiencing the widest range of possibilities. As
children, we see expansion in everything. We want to burst limits. There is this drive
to go beyond - beyond the barriers that we create ourselves, or that were created by
others. If someone would tell me that there is an edge, as a kid I would go there and
find out for myself.
My mum told this sweet little story about me:
Trying the maximum and walking edges. See how high you
can go.When there was a mountain, you climbed it and let
yourself roll all the way down. A street has an ending on
the map but not in your imagination.
You tried to break through.
Taking your bike and running all the way up to have the
most speed
and see where you go after the street ends.
Or you just took your brand new rollerblades on the
highest peak
to find a way to drive at the maximum speed.
Are there any rules for life?
Your drive to expansion made me afraid sometimes.
The power seemed like a never ending bubble machine.
- Beate Kühner
38 / 39

Limits are good in some cases, but if you love adrenaline and intense aliveness as
much as I do, go play with the edges. I guess this is not everyone‘s preference. To
be honest, I couldn’t imagine being stuck in my own limitations. If I hadn‘t tried, I
wouldn’t know. To have boundaries is valuable, to overcome them is mind-blowing.
Adrenaline is an addiction, so you must be careful with that. As long as you don’t lose
yourself in the rush, keep going. Start small and take gentle steps outside your box.
Start something new, something that you’ve never tried before, and see how you react
to it.
Ask yourself: what is holding you back? Really reflect on it.
India loves to tell stories to deliver a certain message to the world. The mythology of
asanas describes the child’s pose “Balasana” as follows:
When Krishna was a child he was playing with his brother
Balaram in the courtyard near his home. He took a scoop of
earth in his hand and ate it. Balaram went running home to
tell his mother, Yashoda.
He told her “Krishna is eating dirt. He may choke on it.”
Yashoda wasn’t surprised as Krishna was always getting
into trouble. She grabbed Krishna and asked him if he’d
been eating dirt. Krishna, his mouth and face covered in
mud, replied that no he hadn’t eaten dirt. “Balaram is
lying”, he told his mother.
Of course Yashoda didn’t believe him. She told him to open
his mouth. He did so but Yashoda didn’t see mud, instead
she saw the entire universe and all of the galaxies.
- Alanna Kaivalya and Arunja van der Kooij

Unfolding freedom.
Release requires internal satisfaction.
Seeing clearly what I missed, and what I needed instead.
Never ending learning progress.
I don‘t feel overwhelmed, I just enjoy.
This part is about expansion, restructuring my reality of life.
Connection is a deeper level with space to explore.
We learn the lessons.
We only move into letting go from here.
I am that without rejecting the past.
Guidance happens from a state in being.
Pressure formed by pressuring ourselves.
Forcing to go to a place where we cannot breathe.
Morning touch.
Free heart space.
Diving without expectations.

F ollow Your Heart
Following the calling that you feel by heart is something we hear quite often when we
struggle with making a big decision. From my own experience I know that if I truly
follow my heart, my mind is lost because the heart cannot be logically understood.
The heart has the strongest energy field that drives our actions. Sometimes we even
feel like there is nothing we can resist when our heart is calling up on us. The strong
vibration keeps us on track, but if we radiate these wonderful vibes, our environment
will resonate with us in union. First, we need to become soft and still.
The following meditation from Drunvalo invites us to reconnect to our heart and to
be able to be guided by it. Entering the sacred space of the heart is really powerful.
Prepare a space to meditate. Begin to breathe
rhythmically. Forget the outside world, it will be there
when you return. Begin by seeing or sensing a place in
nature that you see as beautiful. It could be by the sea,
the dessert, the mountains.
Feel this place and let your heart open. Feel the love you
have for this place.
Let your love grow and feel love for all of nature.
And let your love grow that you feel love for mother
nature, the living spirit of the earth.
She is your mother and she loves you so much. She is
giving you everything you have.
When you feel this love strong in your heart, place this
love in a small sphere
and with your intention send it down to the center of the
earth.
So that mother earth can feel your love and then you wait.
Wait until mother earth sends her love back to you and she
always will.
42 / 43

She has loved you forever, for you are her child.
When you feel her love return to you, let this
love move throughout your body and all of your
cells and into your light body.
Wherever it wants to go. Simply feel the beautiful
love of your mother filling your being.
When the time feels right and without breaking the
connection with your mother, turn your attention
to a night sky.
See the milky way, the planets and the moon. Feel
the depth of the space.
And feel the beauty in your heart. Open your heart
for the love you feel for your divine father.
Your divine father is all of creation other than
the earth.
And when this love you have for your divine father
grows a strong place this love in a sphere and
with your intention, send it to the sun or to the
grids if you understand them.
Either way it reaches the divine father and he
feels your love.
And then you wait. Again you wait until you feel
your father‘s love coming into your body.
Your father has always loved you. And he does now
no matter what.
You are his son or daughter. You are the one he
created this universe for even if you probably
don’t understand.
When your father‘s love enters your body let it
move anywhere it wants. Let it enter all that
you are. At this moment you are living the whole
eternity. For you are in a holy triangle of love.
Your divine mother and father are in love with
each other and with you, their divine child.

Within this triangle of love simply open your heart
to the presence of god and know that all is whole,
complete and perfect.
Now the journey in the body begins.
Feel yourself feel and leave your head. Travel down
to your throat chakra.
Wait there for a moment. Feel the softness all around
you. Turn and move towards your heart.
When you can feel or sense the heart in front of you,
continue on and pass through the membrane of your
heart. Once inside, simply trust yourself and let
your female know to guide you. Trust your intuition.
Begin to move.
Knowing that your intuition will guide you into the
secret space in your heart. In a moment or two you
will stop.
You are know in the secret space of your heart. You
are there. It’s so easy. It is usually dark and warm.
The first thing you do is ask for light. This light
may come in different ways.
Whether you are in darkness or light become aware of
the vibration that is everywhere.
Listen to it for a moment and then hum. Remember this
vibration to use it to find your way back.
Make the sound of vibration and look around,
discover, see. Hidden in this space is your purpose
why you came to earth.
When the time is right to return to your throat
chakra and then back to your head.
In the secret space of your heart love is the light.
- Drunvalo
44 / 45

“Living in the Heart” by Drunvalo is one of the most inspiring books to me. He guides
the reader through meditation into experiencing one’s heart fully, opening up to
Mother Nature and Father Sky. It’s a journey towards your heart, passing through the
layers one needs to pass through, asking for light, and letting the intuition guide us to
enter the vibration of our heart.
Just follow your heart. Trust that love is our essence.
We are born of love; Love is our mother.
- Rumi
Today, I follow the guidance of my heart unconditionally, so I feel much more
connected to my own life from within. I can put my heart into my daily life and create
a way of wholehearted living. If we live in sync with our hearts, the rest of our lives
will follow because the energy that we put into our daily doings resonates with the
longing in our hearts. There were many times where I heard this gentle voice inside of
me trying to pull me towards the right direction. Usually we listen to the loud voices
of our minds instead, maybe because it seems more reasonable. Each time I tried to
avoid the calling of my heart, life would teach me a lesson. Like my heart would tell me
“Hey, if you don’t listen, you will have to feel.” If we are really aligned with our hearts,
we trust the resonance of this connection. A lot of times when I get into unknown
experiences or meet people I’ve never met, my heart already knows whether this
connection is aligned with my intention.
Think back to any of your heart’s decisions: did you ever feel trapped?
I think the guidance in our heart is like a master key. It‘s a bond with the universe‘s
highest manifestation. It’s the reason we keep going even when we think there is no
way. We find ourselves in situations that we could not have imagined just because we

trusted in the highest force that is always love. By following our heart we might feel
scared of losing control over our minds and stopping the search for logic. Our hearts
just want to feel - feel the intensity of life, each heartbeat a reminder to listen more.
It always works out somehow. I don’t know how and I am still surprised each time
it happens. It feels like receiving a gift. Each time I leave my home to go out into the
world, there is a feeling of excitement and sadness. Parts of me are afraid of the new
and unknown, but the pull of my heart is stronger than the fear. I feel when it’s time to
go to certain places or see certain people and I know it’s always for the better.
I think one of the most far-reaching moments when I followed the pull in my heart
was the decision to become a yoga teacher. If I had thought about it, this idea would
have never appeared in my mind. I am so grateful that this practice found me and
changed my life into what it is today. Recently, I found a little wish box with the paper
which said that I want to become a yoga teacher. Looking back on that dream, I didn’t
know how I would get there, but I knew I would find my way. If our dedication is
strong enough, we can reach all the things we desire.
Regarding my path as a teacher, I want to share a little story about my approach
to teaching a class. I used to be so attached to creating a certain image or flow that
people would expect. It took me a long time to realize that it is not about the flow and
not about the sequence. It is about the unique experience and light that we share by
expressing our hearts. The pure essence shining through shows the heart we put into
the things we do. The difference in how it feels is tremendous. Releasing that pressure
of perfection and trusting the wisdom of my heart led me to the style of my current
teachings. I feel much more natural with this approach. I can speak my truth.
May you always be guided by your heart.
46 / 47

Chain drive.
Humans, stories, colorful rollercoasters.
After the crash you got a free ride.
Something cracked open, something stayed.
Authentic hearts will always be loved.
Chaos and waves, embracing intensity that I live.
In softness lies a hidden dream,
When we surrender to our soul’s path.
Unexpected moments, random adventures,
I trust my heart.

Game of Awareness
Awareness starts inside. Play a game with awareness and show it the edges of your
comfort zone. Awareness doesn’t have to be about being afraid of losing the grip. The
aim is to just play. Everyday life is offering you endless chances. The main question is:
How well are you in touch with your awareness?
The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions
of consciousness into our awareness.
- Lao Tzu
When I started implementing this game in my daily routine, I needed a trigger - that
of my breath. How conscious was each action I was taking? When I feel my breathing
completely, I know I am aware of what I am right now. Self-awareness starts with each
new cycle of breath. The more awareness we live as a present being, the more we can
dive into the flow of life. The moments are unfolding before us, and we are able to
catch them if we like.
How to play this ‘game of awareness’?
Define the rules you want to play by. Maybe set some timers throughout the day
to help you get into the habit of consciously observing yourself. It can be as easy as
checking the status of your current awareness, each time when you drink a sip. Life is
random - but can we use all that to play and to evolve?
Step one: become aware of your thinking mind. Look for the traps you fall into
when you constantly think you have to figure something out. We have endless
discussions about ourselves and others in our heads, like a never-ending talk. Most of
the time this talk keeps repeating itself. Start to become aware of the endless chatter.
Find the gaps in-between to smile about this self-created hustle. If you need to label
and categorize, do so. Put all the thought patterns in a box and keep them stored there.
48 / 49

Step two: check in with how your body’s posture is right now. How is your posture
describing your current state of being? Are there any patterns that are stuck in your
daily life? Like tensing your shoulders, crunching your teeth, or biting your nails?
Step three: can you focus your eyes? Can you stay there without hesitation? Play a
game with a mirror and do a solo eye gazing meditation.
Step four: pause more often than you think you can, and start all over again.
While going through our daily routines, we tend to have tunnel vision. We are just
working through tasks that we’ve established in our life. There is nothing wrong with
the routines, but the way that we approach them can use some mindfulness. Shine
the warm light of awareness on your thoughts and feelings, says Thich Naht Hahn. As
we go through our day, we can make a conscious choice to do the things we do with
focused attention. I am used to rushing through my tasks so I can be super efficient
and get it all done in no time. Not only am I stressed by working that way, I also don’t
realise that I am doing it. I love cooking and preparing delicious meals, but in my daily
routine I often skip meals or just snack on the way out. Taking the time to prepare
food can be like meditation. Choosing the ingredients, preparing them for cooking,
touching and smelling them, selecting the proper seasoning, and so on. Each step can
be quickly done, or you can participate and connect. Filling your meal with love and
awareness is also a healthier choice for your body. It pays to eat your homemade food
by sitting down and tasting all the different flavours nature gave to us.
This morning I took the time to prepare my food for the day. I enjoy the process of
creating a meal with whole foods and lots of nourishment for my active lifestyle. It
helps to do one thing at a time instead of being in the hurry of getting it done. The
outcome is a meal that makes me happy, that my body likes, and an act of caring for
myself so I can have good food when I am striving through my day. A lot of times
we make choices based on comfort. We want life to be easy and fast, but by that we

compromise ourselves, creating an environment and lifestyle that makes us worse off.
Breaking the cycle of a habit takes time and constant awareness. Pick one routine that
you can fill with your full attention. Maybe it’s just brushing your teeth, making your
coffee, or driving to work. Make an effort to raise your awareness in the little things.
To meditate does not mean to fight with a problem.
To meditate means to observe.
Your smile proves it.
It proves that you are being gentle with yourself, that
the sun of awareness is shining in you,
that you have control of your situation.
You are yourself, and you have acquired some peace.
It is this peace that makes a child love to be near you.
- Thich Nhat Hanh
50

Life is the Master Teacher
Everyday life is your best teacher. There are millions of opportunities to learn to your
fullest about the innermost values of life. Trust your intuition to receive the teachings.
Welcome the distractions on your way and recognize them as tutors. They want to tell
you something that you are not aware of. Listen like a little child to all the details of the
story. The narrator of life makes a whole lot of effort. You never know if the distraction
could be one of your most wonderful moments in life. Learning is like an ocean
without shore. The meaning of life is to live. The world can be so big and at the same
time so small. The biggest changes happen in the inner world that is only perceived by
us. Keep asking yourself that question - what mzakes you feel really alive? Move from
moment to moment. As you follow the master, trust life blindly.
To master yourself, you have to become a master to yourself. As you live your truth in
everyday life, be an inspiration for yourself and all fellow human beings. From there,
the sharing can begin. Together with life you are able to create an uplifting energy field
that supports you in finding your own light.
Life is here for you. It wants to hold you. It wants you to learn as you go through it.
Each encounter can be seen as experience. We don’t have to judge it as good or bad - it
just is. Getting caught up in the ideas on how we would like our lives to be takes us
away from perceiving the teachings that occur.
Let me tell you a personal story about my little reminders.
I am used to having a busy daily life. I get so passionate about teaching and caring for
my circle that I forget to leave time for myself. These times go on until life sends me a
gentle reminder to stop. One of these mornings when I was riding to work with my bike,
planning the poses in my head, going as fast as I could, something broke down in my bike.
I couldn’t use the handle bar anymore and went straight into the curb.That’s the moment
52 / 53

where the world stopped. I was standing there on the side of the road, paralyzed, trying
to understand what happened and being grateful that nothing happened, even if it was
an accident. I tried to compose myself and started slowly driving my bike again. My life
was shaken by this little moment. I felt everything around me much more intensely. I
know that I have to take a deeper look into my life. I took the lesson into my class and
shared it with my students. We all have to go through these little lessons - I don’t think
that they can be avoided. After I was done teaching, I made my way home very slowly.
I looked at the busyness and stress level I created for myself in the past weeks and how
it was not serving me. Life asked me to slow down again. I didn’t get hurt, but as we all
know, if we keep going, life will send a more obvious reminder, until we learn. The bike
was broken. The handle bar couldn’t be moved right or left anymore. As we can only go
straight forward, we tend to have tunnel vision. We miss out on the beauty along the
way and the process. We almost forget ourselves in just moving and running forward.
Stop and look at your life. What is it teaching you right now?
The end of the story was not only slowing down, but also receiving a new bike as a gift
from a friend because I took the time to ask around. Everything is there if we are able to
look around and receive our environment. Luckily, I didn’t get hurt at all. I had a little
bruise on my arm from crashing into the barrier. The broken bike got exchanged with a
really good one and I could take the lessons learned to adjust my daily life again.
My personal understanding of life is that constant change and movement is one of its
biggest qualities. Being in the flow with life means you have to keep moving. Let go of
control and the aim of needing to control. As magical as our life’s beginnings are its
teachings.

Your Life is Your Artwork
If you see your life as a masterpiece of art, you might just wake up in the morning
with a wonderful smile on your face and excitement about every upcoming moment.
At the end of the day, you hold your heart and dive into your dream world with a
gorgeous smile as well. Our true nature wants to create and build, so life can unfold as
art.
A friend of mine once said, ‘I got hit by a rollercoaster that is your life’. Depending on
your personal experience, you may enjoy the kick of rollercoaster rides, or you may be
scared. As our life is going up and down, enjoy the highest peaks as much as the ride
down. Ride it for all its worth.
The art of life is to create and respect your own emotions instead of just ditching
them. Play every day with your own art of life and see the wonderful pictures you’ve
painted. Dance freely, feel your heartbeat, and love unconditionally.
Your life is your work of art:
I like to think of myself as an artist, and my life is my
greatest work of art.
Every moment is a moment of creation, and each moment of
creation contains infinite possibilities.
I can do things the way I’ve always done them, or I can
look at all the different alternatives,
and try something new and different and potentially more
rewarding.
Every moment presents a new opportunity and a new
decision.
What a wonderful game we are all playing, and what a
magnificent art form.
- Shakti Gawain
54 / 55

We are the artists. We shape each moment anew. We decide on material, color, size
- everything we can imagine. Would you hang up a picture you don’t like at all? Even
if nobody would try to manipulate your decision or convince you about the beauty? I
would only hang up an art I really love.
In my work I have the ability to express my art and creativity through movement. I
feel the playfulness moving through me when I practice. I am most creative when I
allow myself to have no expectations but I am curious to see where it leads me. In this
space of creation I am dedicated but also very soft. In the morning after waking up,
I take some time to feel my body through my own movement practice. I try to listen
to the needs of my body, but more so ever creating art with my body in this moment.
Capturing these unique moments and filling them with my words or intentions have
been my expression of sharing my art with the world. The way people look at my
viewpoint of life may be very different, but art is expressed through my soul and there
is no fear of being wrong. That’s easier said than done. In the beginning I had such a
hard time sharing these small pieces of myself. I was afraid of people judging me or
not liking my form of art. After some time I realised that this is my art, this is my life,
and that’s what I have to offer. If you take it or leave it, that’s up to you. That being said,
art is therapy, not only for the artists but also for the beholder. You see your truth in
the expression, and others see the things they want to see and perceive. My intention is
pure because I want to express myself and live to the fullest.
What does it mean to work or to live to you?
What is your form of art?
Is your heart part of it, or is it something you just do?
Can your soul unfold in your doing?
Mostly we are looking for the sense behind our doing. An artist is so driven by his
passion that he doesn’t think about the value of his art. The value is created if we truly
unfold the art of our heart.

Detachment exposure.
Dancing wild in my energetic high.
Expansion instead of withholding.
I don’t care if you like my art,
Because I impress myself with my words.
You ask for what life is
And how do we find meaning in it.
Take action, inspire people,
Start fucking doing something.
I hear you whining about all the things
You cannot do or change.
But you don’t want to do the fucking work.
Life is action, life is inspiration,
Life is unlimited creation.
I am not going to sacrifice my flow
To make you feel better in your victimhood.
And I know exactly what I am talking about
Because I rescued myself
And many others from that dark shitty hole.
Detachment as a symbol for release.
Unveiling who goes first.
Do I detach myself from you
Or do you detach yourself from your lethargic mood?
56