Loes gives free meditation class at community center Het Claverhuis: "Especially when life is tough, meditation can do a lot for you"
."I myself have benefited greatly from practicing meditation and yoga nidra for years. Every day I feel the positive effects of it, both physically and mentally. I wish this for everyone. Especially people who are facing great challenges in their lives and might not immediately get the idea to start meditating. As well as people who want to try it, but don't get around to it because of financial, physical or psychological barriers.
.Finally sleeping well
.Everyone has trouble falling asleep from time to time. That seemed like a great starting point for me to introduce people to what meditation can do for them. So during the first lockdown, I started making sleep meditations for on Spotify and YouTube.
.Now about 10,000 people listen to Sleep Time every night. I enjoy the responses immensely. All these different people, each with their own story, telling how by having started meditating they finally sleep well and also feel better during the day. An 84-year-old lady, but also a 9-year-old boy nervous about a test. People living with autism. People who struggle with addiction, panic attacks, grief, chronic pain.
Relaxed at the Claver House
.De Regenboog Groep appealed to me because everyone is welcome, whatever your story. I approached Mirjam, who coordinates the activities, and soon I was able to start in the Claverhuis. I now teach there with great pleasure. It gives me satisfaction to give the participants of De Regenboog Groep, even those who may think it's not for them, an easy entry point to just give meditation a try, alone, or with a friend, or with their buddy.
I teach yoga nidra: a reclining, guided meditation in which your body and brain go into deep relaxation. At worst, as a participant, you were able to relax and rest for an hour, and you were able to let go of all your worries for a while. That's already a great result. In the best case, participating leads to meditating more often, which in turn can contribute to feeling fitter and more comfortable in your own skin and more optimistic in life."
Text: Sander Kersten and Jola Gosen | Image: Tessa Posthuma de Boer
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