MY PATH
"Only when we feel whole inside will we stop searching outside."
My vision is a world in which we live with love and open hearts, compassionately and peacefully with ourselves, with other people, all living beings, and nature.
I am convinced that this begins with ourselves, within.
My Journey, how it began...
MY WORK as a manager
I had actually already achieved a lot: high school diploma, a degree in business administration, a traineeship, and a management career at a renowned company. I had a wonderful partner, a great apartment in Hamburg, many friends, could afford special vacations and nice clothes…
Why did I still often feel so lonely, empty, and sad?
Why was I so tired and stressed?
The job and the ego
My marketing career progressed rapidly and smoothly. Job offers often came sooner than I felt ready for them. Even during my traineeship and in my first management position, I repeatedly questioned whether this path was truly the right one for me. I worried a lot about whether I could live up to expectations.
The internal pressure began to mount. Whenever I was offered a new position, I felt more stress than joy. Looking back, I realize I was simply drifting through life instead of making conscious, heartfelt decisions.
Recognizing own perspectives
Despite my doubts about the direction I had taken, I was very successful professionally and became part of the management team at Unilever in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. As the youngest member of the team, this was an honor and an important recognition of my performance. However, a voice inside me reacted with uncertainty and wondered whether this was really what I wanted. Another part of me longed for recognition and worked obsessively for attention and praise. If my business area had problems, I worked even harder and showed even more commitment.
Of course, this had consequences. I was often tired and exhausted, had less energy for friendships, and used the weekend only to recover somewhat.
At 35, I was extremely successful in my job and could afford everything that was important to me. And yet, something was missing. More and more often, I asked myself whether the world really needed another shower gel. At the same time, I doubted that further staff cuts would necessarily lead to greater corporate success. I felt more and more strongly that the price of doing this job well was becoming too high. My inner resistance grew, as did my urge for change and my search for a deeper meaning.
Meditation. The beginning.
During a ten-day silent retreat in Thailand, I learned Vipassana meditation according to Goenka.
This profound experience of silence and the resulting daily meditation practice gave my life its first rays of light for greater contentment and peace.
Not suddenly and explosively with a bang, but slowly and steadily, always a little bit more. Like gentle raindrops falling from the sky.
Through my additional work as a volunteer in a Thai school for children from very poor backgrounds, I realized what values are really important. I realized how mentally focused and materially abundant our Western world is—and how little room there is for belief in something greater and more holistic.
I also became aware of how much stress and anxiety a rationally oriented, growth-focused society creates in us. And that it is precisely those people who supposedly have “everything” who are not a bit happier or more satisfied as a result.
Material excess
In fact, in my perception, the accumulation of things and the constant consumption with which we spend our lives have become overwhelming for many people. The constant pursuit of “more” and the inner pressure to “have to achieve” in order to belong drive us into a modern form of self-exploitation. In my opinion, this unconscious way of treating ourselves and others stems from rational thinking.
Unlike in the Eastern hemisphere, we “Westerners” are significantly less connected to our hearts. Unfortunately, this sometimes causes values such as compassion or respect for life itself to fall by the wayside. Numerous one-on-one conversations with friends, teachers, and people I've met spontaneously over the last twenty years have shown me that we often make decisions out of fear rather than inner clarity.
We simply haven't learned to do otherwise.
NOT ALIGNED WITH WHAT IS
Many people are dissatisfied with their current life situation. They long for emotional fulfillment and a higher purpose—but the change that this entails frightens them. They feel overwhelmed, empty, and exhausted, often accompanied by increasing sadness and physical complaints. At the same time, they don't know how to change their situation.
In recent years, more and more people have sought out conversations with me. In my sessions, they open up about deep-seated issues, find clarity, and gain the strength to realign themselves. I have often seen how, after our exchanges, they have found the courage to make healing changes in their lives.
Empathy as the essence of my work
Even as a child, I had a high level of empathy and the ability to recognize different perspectives without judgment. It was always important to me to mediate between people and create a genuine understanding between them.
Today, I know that this—along with my professional skills—was the key to my career success, which enabled me to rise to the executive level. I understood how to combine different desires and perspectives in the best possible way and create a good working relationship in order to achieve more together.
In my mid-thirties, there was a break in my life—I separated from my long-term partner. Even before that, I had begun to question my inner world and explore why I felt so unhappy. Two years after the separation, I finally left the company and delved deeper into the topics of spirituality and self-care. At that point, I was not in good physical or mental shape. Joint and muscle pain, migraine attacks, poor eating habits, and deep sadness accompanied my everyday life and drained my energy for my fellow human beings, contact with my friends—my whole life.
My guides, supporters
At that time, I found the most support in some very special books. You can find some recommendations that profoundly changed my outlook here under the heading “Inspiration.” At that time, I also took part in my first consciousness seminar with Cerstin Meisen, which made a lasting impression on me.
Quote: “The migraine, Anika, you're creating it yourself.”
I couldn't believe what I was hearing! Part of me was angry and indignant. But gradually, the certainty crept in that it was the truth and that my own lifestyle was contributing to my not feeling particularly well.
That was the start of my journey to a more peaceful and contented life. I allowed myself time off, attended multi-day retreats with wonderful teachers such as Eckhart Tolle, and practiced meditation and yoga every day. At the same time, I completed my training as a mindfulness teacher at one of Jon Kabat-Zinn's institutes. Thanks to wonderful supporters and teachers, I have since been able to bring more awareness and warmth to my life and work.
In this context, I particularly appreciate my walks with people from Latin America, who give me insight into their perspective on our planet, love, and the cosmos. For example, the wisdom traditions of the Incas (Peru) and Amawtism (Bolivia) have inspired positive changes in me with regard to living a “good life.” Even now, I am blessed with two wonderful teachers with whom I am able to further refine the qualities of my heart, and for whom I am deeply grateful.
LOVE INSTEAD OF WITHDRAWING OUT OF FEAR
Today, I feel more deeply connected to us humans, animals, nature, and the cosmos as a whole. Through my being and my way of life, I want to contribute to bringing more love, peace, and joy into the world. I am convinced that real change can only begin within ourselves—and that every change requires crystal-clear focus (sancalpa) paired with the power to implement it, as well as radical honesty with ourselves. For me, however, the greatest power in the universe is love. We just need to find the courage to follow it.
Since I have been practicing this and making conscious decisions from the heart, I have become much happier and more content overall. I start my day in a better mood, appreciate the people and things in my life more, and pay attention to myself and my balance. Do I always succeed? No. But that's exactly why I'm here, to continuously develop myself further. On my journey through life, I can unlearn, try new things, and adjust at my own pace. Anything is possible.
I will offer my hand to people if they wish.
My desire is to pass on these experiences to others. To support people in creating a life in which they feel comfortable and can be completely themselves. To help them become more compassionate toward themselves and others. To step out of resistance to current aspects of life and find their way back into the flow of effortlessness. To develop the strength to change something in order to achieve greater satisfaction. Whether as a leader, a husband, a mother, or simply as a human being — there is plenty to do when I look around our world.
And at the same time, there are so many wonderful and precious things to discover when we learn to look closely.