A Spiritual Journey...

Dear friend

It is likely that you haven't heard from me for a long time and that is why I write this blogpost. First of all I hope that this message finds you in good health and that you and those around you are doing well.

Maybe you know that I have left the Zen Centre Noorder Poort where I used to live since October 2019. Maybe you don't know. I left this place on the 6th of January, and the reasons for me leaving are multiple. There is not only one reason actually. I will not go into detail but whenever we meet again I will be able to tell you more about this. If you want to know of course.

Ever since I left Noorder Poort I have been travelling. That was also my wish, because I did not want to settle again right away. And I do not have a home at this moment, so that is a good opportunity to go and see other places and fulfill some wishes that I have.

During January I stayed at a small place called "Zinnowitz". It is located at the shore of the Baltic Sea, close to the border with Poland. It was of course off season, so I had the beach almost for myself.

Here are some pictures of the beach:

I very much enjoyed the time there, it was really a solitary retreat.

By the end of January I left Zinnowitz and went back to the Netherlands, to Emmeloord, where I stayed with my friends Lori and Robert and their kids. I have been staying there for three weeks.

During this time I have been finishing off my homework for the certification of Lama Tsultrim Alliones proces of "Feeding Your Demons". In 2021 I started this online course, after having read the book.

At this point I want to take the opportunity to thank Lori and Robert for their hospitality and help.

The weather has been very nice in February and so I took some pictures of my former hometown.

In February I also had the opportunity to meet a few friends of mine, I went to Utrecht for example in order to see Nicole. There I took a picture of a beautiful poem which was in Dutch, but I translated it for you as well as I could:

sometimes you reach the highest spot and there

is no desire left except for not being a

human being but just being an

empty space in the form of

a human being and

being allowed to

stay like this

without "I "

forever just

a here and

a now.

And this poem actually catches very well what my journey is about... :)

On the 27th of February I packed my backpack and left Emmeloord by bus and went to Kampen where I stepped on the train to Hamburg in order to stay at my parents place for the next two weeks.

During these two weeks I attended the last online retreat of the Feeding Your Demons Certification Program and it has been a quite exciting time because I was able to meet Lama Tsultrim via zoom. Also I had to give a talk, which was my very first dharma talk in that sense.

So, after 1 1/2 years and more than 108 demon feedings, uncountable hours of studies and meditation I finally received my certificate, stating that I am a certified FYD facilitator. This was on the 6th of March. I was very happy!

And I already had to prepare for the next stage. But first it was my birthday and on that day it had been snowing... see the pics below for proof!

My next stage would lead me to an ashram of Yoga Vidya, located close to the North Sea just outside a town called "Horumersiel". I would be staying there as Karma Yogi.

The day before I left I became sick. And for the first time in years I did not recover as quickly as I am used to. So I arrived at the ashram and really became ill. They even put me into a single room, because being Karma Yogi you stay in a dormitory.

After a couple of days I slowly recovered but I left a few days earlier due to a lack of energy. And, to be honest, I did not really like the atmosphere of the ashram. The people were nice and kind but there was a lack of ... hmmm. Something. :) I still cannot say what it was exactly.

Then, on the 8th of April I went back to the Netherlands, to Zen River Temple for a different zen experience. And that was what I got, really different from what I had experienced so far in regard to zen. I liked it a lot there. It is a beautiful location and the people there are very friendly and helpful. I really can recommend going there.

Just a few more shots:

This is by the way what happens if you leave a can of PUR foam unattended... but it turned out to be a nice statue. (They were having an insulation project at Zen River Temple during the time of my stay)

After leaving Zen River Temple I have been staying with friends again due to several obligations. I want to thank Ciska, Harrie and Stephan for hosting me. :)

My next stage led me to Arhanta Yoga Ashram in the Netherlands for a Hatha Yoga Teacher Training. We were 14 students in the beginning, but 1 person left on the second day. The schedule was really tight, but luckily I had been living a monastic life earlier, so I adapted quite quickly.

Unfortunately I did not take any pictures of the location. I don't know why I didn't. Maybe it is because I am so sure to return there one day for another training. :)

But als the ashram was located some 10 k from the border to Germany I took the bus on a free day (those days were really scarce by the way...) and visited Dinxperlo, which shares the main street with a German village, called Suderwick. So, you crossed the street and went from the Netherlands to Germany. I really felt home, because I am a sortlike split personality :)

Just two pictures, but maybe you can see the German street names and the Dutch street names.

As I said, the schedule was intense and everybody was almost freaking out because we had to pass two exams. Well, I was not exactly freaking out, but the tension also hit me at some point. But we all passed!

Proof is below:

Yeah, I still have to put the two dots on the "O", I told them that I would do that myself. ;)

On the very last day a few of our group went to a hotel nearby to have some coffee and lunch as some sort of last farewell. Then the group split up and I was being taken by a fellow German student to the train station in Bocholt. She dropped me there as she had to go that direction anyway.

From there I took the train to Hamburg, and further to my parents place, where I had been exactly three months ago. Look at the difference:

I hope it was not too much text and that you enjoyed the nice pictures. I am thinking you often but it is quite hard to stay in touch all the time when travelling, especially when you do not have a lot of privacy and spare time. I hope I could make up with you by writing this blog post. And I will try to write on a more regular base. Would also mean shorter articles. :)

My next stop will be in the Black Forest, I will leave on the 19th of June with a stopover at Dharmahaus Euskirchen, and at the 21st of June I will hopefully arrive at the Zen Buddhistisches Zentrum Schwarzwald. I will stay there until the 12th of June and then travel further to France! I am very much looking forward to the next stages.

I hope that you are and stay well. And if you want to react to my post, via e-mail or whatever, please feel free to do so!

All the best and thank you all for your support!

Love, Sandra Agetsu

"The world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles... only by a spiritual journey, by which we arrive at the ground of our feet and learn to be home."