Spirit Warrior – Dirk Terpstra

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Welcome to the latest post in the Spirit Warrior Series in which I am featuring Spirit Warriors I know. These are men who have made the transition from very ‘normal’ careers to a more spiritual calling. Many men are making this shift from the physical to the meta-physical, and they have allowed me to share their stories with you, in the hopes it will inspire and uplift you, especially if you are thinking of doing the same thing.

The Spirit Warrior I would like to introduce you to is Dirk Terpstra. I was fortunate to meet Dirk in Vancouver, BC, whilst travelling this summer.

MG: Dirk, can you tell everyone what it was you used to do?

Spirit Warrior: Thank you Michelle, for inviting me to your inspiring Spirit Warrior Series. I feel blessed to have met you in Vancouver.
I grew up in a small town in The Netherlands, not far from Amsterdam. I worked for American Express and was responsible for the corporate divisions in The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. It was fun work to do, but also quite demanding and stressful.

MG: What is it you currently do?

SL-logoSpirit Warrior: In the winter of 2001, I left the company and moved with my wife and two young boys to a rural area in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada. I currently host an online platform called ‘Soul Love’ for which I interview people who inspire me – authors, spiritual teachers and scientists. I am trained at the scientific Institute of HeartMath in California and I coach individuals and organizations to live a more heart-based life. I explain the amazing science of our hearts and help them understand how we can regulate our personal stress levels, which has an immediate impact on our relationships, performance and outlook on life. 

MG: What inspired the shift?

Spirit Warrior: During my corporate career, I didn’t find the fulfilment in my work that I was hoping for. I needed a new adventure and a new challenge in order to make a deeper connection with my deepest wishes and desires. 

MG: Were there financial implications?

Spirit Warrior: There were definitely financial implications since I was making a lot of money. I voluntarily left this career behind me and chose for living a more adventurous and meaningful life without any idea what I wanted to do. I had no work, no income and a lot of fun. It took me a few years in nature and losing three dear family members (my dad, brother and mum) to find my true purpose. What a spiritual journey!

Dirk_white_bgMG: Did you get support from your friends and family?

Spirit Warrior: Our friends and family were not too happy that we left the country. They didn’t ask for this change. But fortunately, there are always people who keep loving you and supporting you, no matter what happens. 

MG: Have you ever been judged, criticised or ridiculed for your decision to transition from the physical to meta-physical?

Spirit Warrior: You know Michelle, there are always people who judge or criticize us, but to be honest, those people don’t interest me. I strongly feel that when my decisions and actions are coming from my heart, I am unstoppable and nothing else bothers me. 

MG: Have you ever considered returning to your old career?

Spirit Warrior: No! I am actually surprised that I have never really looked back. I must have found my purpose. 

MG: What gets you through the tough moments?

Spirit Warrior: Gratitude. I have so much to be grateful for and that brings everything in perspective. I have also learned that the moments we don’t like, are the moments we learn and grow the most. I now also work with people who suffer from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). But did you know that most people have never heard of PTG? It stands for: Post Traumatic Growth. Look at the most inspiring teachers in the world and notice what they’ve often been going through.

MG: Do you have any advice for other Spirit Warriors who are making the same transition, or are thinking of doing so?

Spirit Warrior: Picture yourself, being 80 or so and sitting on your front porch looking back on life. Did you do everything you wanted to do? Do you feel completely fulfilled or do you have some regrets? Write down these regrets and do them now! No matter what it takes!

MG: Can you share you favourite spiritual practice with us?

Spirit Warrior: Spending time in nature. Just being. We often forget that we ARE nature, and we need to connect with who we are, at the most fundamental level, in order to stay balanced and whole.

MG: Are you more in tune with your inner self? With your intuition?

Spirit Warrior: Yes, very much so. I used to be that when I was a young child but over the years I lost that. I slowly drifted away from that little child inside, because I listened too much to others and what they thought was important (for me). By slowing down, going through some difficult times, and following my passion, I feel restored and whole again.

MG: Do you express your feelings and emotions more easily?

Spirit Warrior: Yes, I believe that I am more present now and easily recognize what I feel. With my new circle of friends it’s easier to express these feelings. I usually don’t pay much attention to my emotions. They come and go. 

Wayne-DirkMG: What has been the best and worst parts of making this shift?

Spirit Warrior: The best thing is that I DID it, despite my initial doubts. I fell in love, why would I stop that feeling? There’s nothing bad really about making this move. There’s nothing bad in life. All events are perfect lessons that make me more experienced, wiser and more resilient.

MG: If you could go back in time and change the past, would you choose to do it all over again?

Spirit Warrior: I would never change anything of my past. And YES, I would make this decision again tomorrow. I can’t tell you enough how much it made me feel come alive. This aliveness is crucial in life. That’s why we’re here.

MG: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Spirit Warrior: Follow your aliveness, no matter what others might think or say. When something feels good in your heart, trust it and go for it. Your heart is always right. It’s who you are.

MG: Thank you so much for sharing your story with me, and with my readers!

If you would like to check out what Dirk is doing his links are below. Thank you for reading, there will be another Spirit Warrior featured very soon!
Interviews: SoulLove.com

Website: DirkTerpstra.com

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Spirit Warrior Interview – Tim Brister

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Welcome to the latest post in the Spirit Warrior Series in which I am featuring Spirit Warriors I know. These are men who have made the transition from very ‘normal’ careers, some quite masculine in their nature, to a more spiritual calling. Many men are making this shift from the physical to the meta-physical, and they have allowed me to share their stories with you, in the hopes it will inspire and uplift you, especially if you are thinking of doing the same thing.

The Spirit Warrior I would like to introduce you to is Tim Brister, he is a life coach and the author of With Love.

MG: Tim, can you tell everyone what it was you used to do?

Spirit Warrior:  For thirty years I worked in Financial Services.  In a number of banks, insurance companies and a European stock exchange.  Organisations that were largely male dominated, testosterone overloaded and taking themselves far too seriously.

DSC01572MG: What is it you currently do?

Spirit Warrior:  I am a transformational life coach and a published author.

MG: What inspired the shift?

Spirit Warrior:  Over time, I felt less and less at home in Financial Services, but I didn’t really understand what that really meant.  Meditation unlocked something inside of me which released the flow of love and heartfelt wisdom that led to the creation of my first book.

MG: Were there financial implications? What was it like to go from a regular paycheck to being self-employed?

Spirit Warrior:  Most of my corporate life was as an independent consultant so being self-employed was not new to me but there was a substantial difference between consulting fees and the income I received from coaching and my book.  Over the past years, we’ve been working on a number of other income sources which means that the impact is not so severe.

MG: Did you get support from your friends and family?

Spirit Warrior:  My family’s support continues to be unwavering, for which I’m grateful beyond measure.  My friends are in two camps; firstly, the group that understand what I’m doing and secondly, those that don’t get it at all.  None of my friends are negative, however the group that understand what I’m doing are more supportive than those that don’t get it.

MG: Have you ever been judged, criticised or ridiculed for your decision to transition from the physical to meta-physical?

Spirit Warrior:  Not yet.  Probably because I tend to share less with those that don’t get it, or those that I expect won’t get it.

MG: Have you ever considered returning to your old career?

Spirit Warrior:  I do still provide consulting services in Financial Services but only when I feel that I have something to offer, because that’s when I’m really effective and I really enjoy consulting.  Consulting is no longer on a “need to” basis but on a “choose to” basis.

MG: What gets you through the tough moments?

Spirit Warrior:  Time to meditate and/or exercise to enable me to re-connect with my heart which is the truth of who we all are.

MG: Do you have any advice for other Spirit Warriors who are making the same transition, or are thinking of doing so?

Spirit Warrior:  When the time feels right for you, the transition will begin, you probably won’t notice the transition beginning but you’ll notice after a few days/weeks/months that you’re in a different spiritual place.

MG: Can you share you favourite spiritual practice with us?

Spirit Warrior:  Meditation.  The transformational effect of daily meditation has, for me, been life changing.

MG: Are you more in tune with your inner self? With your intuition?

Spirit Warrior:  Yes.  It’s like night and day, if I look back even as short a time as 3 years, I am so much more intuitive and trusting of myself now.  What’s more it feels like every moment that increases further.

IMG_1885MG: Do you express your feelings and emotions more easily?

Spirit Warrior:  I do.  I find I’m much more open both physically and emotionally, and I feel comfortable sharing me.

MG: What has been the best and worst parts of making this shift?

Spirit Warrior:  The best and worst parts are the same.  There is no going back, which is fabulous because I know that even if there are challenges along the way, these challenges are on the way, they are not sending me back.  However, there have been occasions over the past 15 years when I’ve wondered what it would be like to not know what I have come to know, because life might be easier that way, but I know that there’s no going back!

MG: If you could go back in time and change the past, would you choose to do it all over again?

Spirit Warrior:  Absolutely.

MG: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Spirit Warrior:  Thank you for the opportunity to share my experiences and transition.  To all the readers, I wish you a healthy life, filled with love, a life that you feel is an authentic reflection of you and your heart’s wisdom.

MG: Thank you so much for sharing your story with me, and with my readers!

If you would like to check out what Tim is doing his links are below. Thank you for reading, there will be another Spirit Warrior featured very soon!

www.timbrister.co.uk

www.withlovebooks.com

Facebook page: withlovebooks

Twitter: @withlovebooks

tim@timbrister.co.uk

Spirit Warrior – Adrian Incledon-Webber

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Welcome to the first post in the Spirit Warrior Series in which I am featuring Spirit Warriors I know. These are men who have made the transition from very ‘normal’ careers, some quite masculine in their nature, to a more spiritual calling. Many men are making this shift from the physical to the meta-physical, and they have allowed me to share their stories with you, in the hopes it will inspire and uplift you, especially if you are thinking of doing the same thing.

The Spirit Warrior I would like to introduce you to is Adrian. I have known Adrian for three years now, and he was already following his spiritual path when we met.

MG: Adrian, can you tell everyone what it was you used to do?

Spirit Warrior: I owned and ran a busy Estate Agency practice in South West Surrey

MG: What is it you currently do?

3d-heal-your-home-angle-2Spirit Warrior: Good question. I am many things, I am the author of ‘Heal Your Home’, I am a Geomancer (Earth Healer), a film-maker of a documentary called ‘Intuition’ and a House Healer.  There are many things in between including dowser, lecturer on many spiritual subjects, and I teach courses on how people can heal their own homes as well as modern healing methods, nature spirits, looking at Sacred Spaces and Holy Sites… never a dull moment!

MG: What inspired the shift from the physical to the meta-physical?

Spirit Warrior: It started with a visit to a medium, as my company was facing difficulties towards the end of 1988 when the double tax relief on mortgages ended. To say that my business partner and I were naïve at that time would have been an understatement – the bank was not being helpful and the pressure was on us both to find a way of keeping the business going. A friend suggested visiting a medium to see if she could help with advice from spirit. I hadn’t got a clue what I was letting myself in for as I was very business driven in those days, and ‘spirituality’ was not a word in my vocabulary. However, the visit did start me looking at my life in a very different way and in fact it did help the business in the long run, as it gave me the confidence to carry on. We very quickly changed accountants and bank then things started to fall into place. We grew the company from there to five offices. It wasn’t always plain sailing but we made it. If the business hadn’t gone through those problems I certainly would not have visited the medium, and the seed perhaps would not have been sown.

MG: Were there financial implications of the shift? What was it like to go from a regular pay cheque to being self-employed?

Spirit Warrior: I have been self-employed most of my adult life as I am probably unemployable! Pay cheques have never been guaranteed, as the business did go through some major recessions, a real roller-coaster ride at times. Money was either flowing well or the tap was suddenly turned off and we had to make hard cuts. I do feel more of a master of my own destiny now, less vulnerable to the vagaries of the country and the meddling of the politicians!

MG: Did you get support from your friends and family?

Spirit Warrior: In short, no. In fact, the change from a very commercial life to a spiritual one saw most of the people who I would have called friends disappear, almost overnight. Few could understand how or why I made the change.

MG: Were you judged, criticised or ridiculed for your decision to transition from the physical to meta-physical?

Spirit Warrior: Oh yes, and to a certain point I still am by certain people. My partner at the time enjoyed a good lifestyle, we had a big house with 3 acres of land, two nice cars etc., she could never understand how I could leave all that behind for a more simple, spiritual and truthful lifestyle. I guess if the boot was on the other foot I may well have felt the same. I remember a time when I was laying on the floor practising my Reiki hand positions – one hand was over my heart and the other over my third eye, when she came into my study, took one look and said something like ‘That’s disgusting.’ then turned around and slammed the door. I promise that I was fully clothed at the time! Looking back, I can see how she felt, life was changing and she was obviously fearful for the future.

Many family members thought that I was having a nervous breakdown, but to me I was totally convinced that I was making the right choice, a spiritual life was calling and nothing was going to hold me back.

MG: Have you ever considered returning to your old career?

Spirit Warrior: I miss the people I worked with, the office banter was always very lively. We all had an excellent working relationship in my office in Godalming, they were very special people and I still see them when I go down south. Otherwise I would say no.

MG: What gets you through the tough moments?

Spirit Warrior: My belief in me. I hope that it doesn’t sound egotistical, but I love who I am, faults and all and also that I have overcome many obstacles in life that might have broken other people, both physically and mentally. I have an inner knowing that whatever happens, I am protected by some amazing beings and that the tough moments in my life have purely been lessons that I need to overcome to enable me to empathise with and help others.

MG: Do you have any advice for other Spirit Warriors who are making the same transition, or are thinking of doing so?

adrianSpirit Warrior: I would say that leading a ‘spiritual life’ is probably one of the hardest things that you will ever do, but don’t let that put you off as there are so many rewards. One of the most difficult things to go through is actually trying to find out who you are. Once over that hurdle there will be many more lessons ahead. But there is no time like the present, as the 21st century energies are helping many people make the transition. Once you make the shift you will rarely look back.

MG: Can you share your favourite spiritual practice with us?

Spirit Warrior: I call it my ‘spiritual clocking-in’ time, when sit quietly in my study and connect to spirit. I leave the physical world behind me and tune in to the higher powers before I start my healing work. I connect with the Highest of the High, Mother Earth, our Life Giving Sun and Heavenly Moon, bringing their healing powers together within me to then send out to those in need.

MG: Are you more in tune with your inner self? With your intuition?

Spirit Warrior: Absolutely, you cannot fail to do so when carrying out any form of healing work or connecting to spirit. When I started working with spirit I hoped for an external voice telling me what I should be doing, this did not happen for quite some time, but now does. I get a great deal of guidance from ‘them upstairs’, but they made me work for it. There are some wonderfully gifted people who were born mediums for instance, and although I was a sensitive lad I feel that I have lived my life the other way around. I have worked through the many hardships that we call life, using this experience and combining it with a deep sense of spirituality that enables me to help others.

MG: Do you express your feelings and emotions more easily?

Spirit Warrior: Yes, but you do have to be careful. As you become more spiritual you undoubtedly become more sensitive, this can bring its own problems. You do need to protect yourself from other people’s feeling and emotions otherwise it can become overwhelming.

MG: What has been the best and worst parts of making this shift?

Spirit Warrior: The best part is how quickly you begin to appreciate life on Earth, the flora and fauna. The worst is realising how so many people are happy to take from others, but never give anything back.

MG: If you could go back in time and change the past, would you choose to do it all over again? 

Spirit Warrior: Yes, everything. It makes us unique as human beings, 100% individual and that is so special.

MG: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Spirit Warrior: Even though I live a very spiritual life I enjoy the physical side (other people would call it the real world) too, real ale is a passion, as is riding my motorbike. Both worlds can exist side by side, leading a spiritual life is not all about abstinence or hardships, life is for living and having fun. Very much about having fun!

MG: Thank you so much for sharing your story with me, and with my readers!

If you would like to check out what Adrian is doing his links are below. Thank you for reading, there will be another Spirit Warrior featured very soon!

 

Dowsing-Spirits-logoDOWSING SPIRITS

Website: www.dowsingspirits.co.uk

Here you will find out more on the topic of house healing, there is a description of what geopathic stress is and how it can adversely affect you and your family on a day-to-day basis.

I have been working to help alleviate the problems associated with geopathic stress over a ten-year period, I have worked with hundreds of people worldwide and regularly teach courses enabling people to work on their own homes.

My course and workshop dates are listed on my website and if you would like to receive a Newsletter just leave your name and email address.

My book entitled ‘Heal Your Home’ and ‘Intuition’ DVD are both available from the site too.

 


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Michelle is the author and publisher of 10 Visionary Fiction novels, all available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle. She spends her days helping Indie Authors to publish their books, taking photographs of mushrooms and making gluten-free cakes.

If you need any help with your publishing journey, please do get in touch with her by emailing theamethystangel@hotmail.co.uk. You can book a Skype session or a phone call with her, or ask questions via email. Please do follow her publishing blog to receive more posts on Indie Publishing.