Inspiring conferences in Belgium for a better tomorrow!

I’ve read a lot of books, (still do, will soon get the list out from after Nassrine Reza - La Nutri-émotion) and watched a lot of movies, now no message sinks into me so strong, as a real life conference that I attend.

The energy in the place, the energy of the speaker and everything around, are magical things that YouTube, Facebook live... will never be able to replace for me.

I always feel privileged when I’m able to attend such a conference and especially when they happen in Belgium. I’ve never really attended a lot of them in the past and it's only last year, in 2017 that a I went to a few of them.

Like I explained here, I had seen Iréne Grosjean’s video on YouTube, now it is only when I went to her premises that things changed, and seeing her again last year live in April in Belgium, was really a very blissful moment for me.



A bit later during the year at Veggieworld in Brussels, I saw 2 amazingly inspiring conferences as well.

Seen my raw food preference, the great 2 books we already have from them, it was great to see the raw chefs Julie and Simon, and witness all the love and energy set in what they do!

https://www.youtube.com/user/julieslifestyle

And of course, I had to witness a presentation from Tobias. Since I had read the book very carefully and it had been very inspiring to me, I did not expect anything at all. Now I was very surprised that his presentation was similar, different, complementary... with the book and I appreciated it very heavily!

This was 2017, so with 3 inspiring conferences, the last week was quite amazing in Belgium for me.

For 2018, it all started, last Saturday, 21 April 2018 at Tomorrow Now at Liège, where I attended the conference of Pablo Servigne, ‘L’entraide, l’autre loi de la jungle’. I found the conference, inspiring, definitely for a better tomorrow, the view was quite scientifically and I just missed some concrete directions at the end.

On Tuesday 24 April I went to ‘H) éérlijk plant-aardig’ hosted by Groen Groot-Aarschot. It was pretty unique for me to see wonderful movement like Groen Aarschot organizing such a great event and make it accessible for everybody for free. I’ve to admit that I was slightly jealous of those who live in Aarschot. It is only afterwards that I realized who were the great people from Groen Aarschot unfortunately, otherwise I would have definitely had a talk with them to get some inspiration out of their wonderful work.

During the event they proposed 2 wonderful conferences.

The one from Siobhan Dolezal from Plantseeds, was I’m pretty sure, one that everybody could find himself in. Everyone can feel connected to it, we all struggle and the help of food in healing, is a vision I share as well. I appreciated the link at the end with the references to Rich Roll and athlete I appreciate a lot as well.

The second one was from Dr. Annelies Moons, a general practitioner, that has the certificate of succeeded the Colin Cambell’s Plant Based Nutrition course. The discovery of Annelies Moons via her article ‘Tegen de stroom in (opinie huisarts)’ provided me a lot of hope. Yes, finally, doktors, and not only very specialized ones, yes also general practitioner, start to learn about nutrition. For the moment she is the only one I know as a general practitioner, I sincerely hope her example will be widely followed and that we’ll soon, apply Hippocrates wise words; 'Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.'. Her conference was pretty technical and medically explained. It contained a lot of information and it included almost everything I’ve learned since beginning of 2014. Very interesting and I know where I will do my yearly checkup to get my sport certificate in the future.

On Saturday 28 April 2018 I went to Conférence Guillaume Corpard hosted by le Rêve d'Aby, Happy Earth Now and Guillaume Corpard. Thanks to le Rêve d'Aby for proposing everybody this opportunity as well.

Guillaume Corpard guided us on a wave from animal cruelty, to a planet in need of help, towards each individual future health. A conference I really recommend for all French speakings, it covers it all, heart opening and game changer.

If a conference sounds like too early, or not accessible, start with his book.

I’ve personally been very touched by his message on the lobbying and marketing, which I try to explain here as well and it’s the first time I heard someone so openly on that subject.

It has been an overwhelming week for me, 4 excellent conferences from amazing people, providing a lot of hope for the future, wonderful work and please continue to do such a great work!



#peace #goodfood #nature #fruitsandvegetables #lovelynature #nature #IréneGrosjean #VeggieworldBrussels #julieslifestyle #theveganstrategist #TomorrowNowLiège #PabloServigne #Héérlijkplantaardig #GroenAarschot #SiobhanDolezal #Plantseeds #RichRoll #DrAnneliesMoons #ColinCambell #PlantBasedNutrition #tegendestroominopiniehuisarts #vegangeneralpractitioner #Hippocrates #RêvedAby #HappyEarthNow #GuillaumeCorpard

What about spirituality!

First of all what is spirituality?

For me, before I changed my food habits, it seemed like some kind of a Buddhist monk, sitting down peacefully in a condition or state only available for a few on this earth. I could also not understand how they could be happy that way. It looked for me not excited at all and I could not understand the purpose.

After changing my food habits, spirituality quite fast became a much larger spectrum for me with many different perspectives. Today I see the reason for that, that my changed food habits made me feel all things of life much better and opened me up for such an understanding, by feeling the benefits of it. Before I was aware that there might be some benefit in it for me, now I didn’t feel it at all and thus it made no sense to me.

I today much better understand the “connection to something bigger than ourselves”, “unity” as well as a “search for meaning in life” and realize that probably everybody has his own personal definition of spirituality. I don’t talk much about or use the word spirituality, since I found it so generic with different meanings for different people.

Now it does involves for me; love, yoga, meditation, relaxation, mindfulness … all subjects I’ve already mentioned in some previous posts.

There are things I discover that I could have never imagined discovering. On how does it comes, the only dramatic change I made is the food, so it’s my only explanation today.

I feel better, I set myself way more in question than before, I can see everything as constructive and progress…all benefits for me that I’m extremely grateful for.

‘The quieter you become, the more you can hear’ - Ram Dass

#peace #goodfood #nature #fruitsandvegetables #wholefood #spirituality #Buddhistmonk #peacefully #connection #unity #meaninginlife #love #yoga #meditation #relaxation #mindfulness #grateful #RamDass

Tomorrow Now - Liège - Construire Demain Aujourd'hui

https://www.tomorrow-now.be/

http://cestboncatraiteur.com/ / http://greenburger.be/

http://cestboncatraiteur.com/ / http://greenburger.be/

https://www.lenvolducolibri.be/

https://www.lenvolducolibri.be/

http://www.vegetik.org/

http://www.vegetik.org/

https://www.facebook.com/lartisanpresse/

https://www.facebook.com/lartisanpresse/

http://www.greenpeace.org

http://srpa.net/

https://pabloservigne.com/

#tomorrownow #cestboncatraiteur #greenburger #lenvolducolibri #vegetik #lartisanpresse #greenpeace #srpa #pabloservigne

I sport a lot and don’t lose weight, why?

For 35 years I believed that if I wanted to lose weight, I had to sport.

That's what I had been told, it should be a linear curve, the more I sport, the more weight I’ll lose.

Since my 16 years till my 35 years I used to weight around 80 kg.

I could feel some fat around my body and wasn’t feeling very well in general.

By doing a lot of sport (almost every day, running, swimming, fitness…) in that period I used to go till 78 kg, best of the best 77 kg, creating some frustration that I could not lose more, made me also go till 83 kg, worst of the worst 84 kg.

When during this sport activity I used to get injured, I would even be more frustrate since I gain my weight again and will have to start all over.

Till my 35 years I really believed that the 80 kg was my weight, there is nothing I can do about that and will always weight that, it was like my predefined biological weight, it’s in my genes.

The only thing that had probably not changed during that period, was the way I eat.

When in 2014 I changed my food habits, I after some time realized that my weight at changed, I was at 72kg (basically get rid of a lot of rubbish that I used to carry in my body, even till 69kg in extreme detox). When explaining my changed life style to the doctor, all behaviours were more than normal. Now this has gone completely against my belief of my predefined biological weight. I have to admit that I needed some time to accept and believe that.

Today I know that, I will always weight the same, if I always eat the same, nevertheless of how much activity I do. The activity made me fitter, more dynamic, more muscles… now never made me really lose weight. Today of the food that makes me overall feel good based on whole food, fruits and vegetables, what is nice, is that I can eat as much as I want, don't feel bad afterwards and don’t gain any weight. On top of that, since the emotionally overeating I'm doing is too much for my body, it doesn't really absorb it, I feel that I'm not really hungry, I clearly understand the emotional side of it and can in parallel address the root cause of it via different techniques I discovered via this new eat lifestyle as well.

Since my weight is what I guess today my ideal natural weight, I’ve also way less injuries or problems of overload that I used to have before.

Today I clearly understand that I lose weight in the kitchen and get fit via practicing sport.

If I eat what I’ve always eaten, I’ll weight, what I’ve always weighted. The change is in my hands!

#peace #goodfood #nature #fruitsandvegetables #wholefood #loseweight #running #swimming #fitness #getoverfrustration #changedfoodhabits #detox #neweatlifestyle #lessinjuries #loseweightinthekitchen #getfitviapracticingsport

Hello Clarice, are you afraid ?

For those who have seen the movie, probably know what I talk about in the title and might already have a fear of reading it. Some who have never seen the movie and have no clue, might probably look into it like, what is that all about in that old movie?

I really underestimated the power that fear had on my life.

Regularly I realize today, that sometimes I hear that people don’t want have anything to do with food change, because of the fear of the unknown for themselves. I was at such a moment's, very grateful that at least in that direction I made the changes step by step and that fear was not able to take over for me.

By looking back to things today, I realize that fear is almost involved in everything.

From fear of being;

• Abandoned.
• Not part of a group.
• Not loved.
• Without friends.
• Not like others.
• Not seen as I’m.
• ...

All things that at some part or another, played a big importance in my life.

I had the feeling that our normal society is really focusing on all these fears, exaggerating them, having me only feeling worse and being completely eye blinded by that, not seeing anything else anymore.

What I realized, is that the less I know, the better I feel.

A bit like with the title here, that might create some feeling because I know.

Since the year 2000, so for more than 18 years now, I haven’t watched any regular TV anymore. When in 2014 I changed my food habits, I stopped listening to the regular radio as well, and unsubscribed me from any kind of newsletters that I found had no real contribution, to me, living a lovely life.

I have to admit that I’ve since then lived in a way better life than I used to before, which makes me conclude, that the less I know, the better I feel.

Typical conversation arising out of this;

Yeah, now I need to know things to not be completely asocial, right?
[me] What things?

Well the actual things, like saying in the news.
[me] These subjects on which we speak like we are experts from what we heard on the news? And which everybody heard exactly the same and has the same conclusions?

Well, yeah it keeps me talking right.
[me] If I would talk about those subjects, I would be much more interesting on understanding how I felt when I heard that news? What was my reaction? What was my inner feeling and why do I think that is? What did I do to get over it if I’m already? These conversations I can have with everybody, without having heard the news myself.

...

Sometimes I hear that, I know, so I can avoid and thus I have less fear.

Now when listening to the subject, I see that with my knowledge, I can quite often not change anything about the situation. It is just that before arriving to that situation, I was less stressed, had no fear, since I imagined, I had everything under control.

What I want to highlight here, is that there is definitely some interesting information to get out there from each other.

• How to get over a difficult situation?
• What helps, if I’m stressed out for something?
• What can I do when I feel anxious?
• How do I feel for the moment?
• How is my ego having an influence on me?
• ...

Quite often great subjects to talk about, that really help in life and not having me feeling alone with that feeling.

I personally think, women talk faster about all that, as being a man, I realize there are only a little few I can talk about all that very openly, without being judged, just seen as who I am.

Why aren’t we talking about these great subjects that would help us in life, because I’m afraid, fear is all in there. So if I talk about the news, or things I heard, there is nothing I have to be afraid of, in the worst case I say that I understood wrong…

What I realised with fear, is that fear is there to protect us in the 0,001% that we will really need it in our life. Now with modern life as I grow up in, I realize that, that has been inverted, that since we don’t come often across the 0,001%, and for those who do, it is quite often too late. What I do in modern life, is think that, if I can be aware of the 99,999%, I will escape the 0,001%. So I worry about all kinds of things, create tons of fear, ending up having not really lived and in any case not escape the 0,001%.

I loved the quote here below on that subject,

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered "Man.... Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived." - The Dalai Lama

Let the fear go, let it only help me when I really need it and let’s have lovely open non judgmental conversations!


#peace #goodfood #nature #fruitsandvegetables #wholefood #freedom #giveupfear #helloclarice #letgofear #communication #DalaiLama #Letfeargo

Weekend (2 day) vegan trip to Berlin

In this post, I’ll describe my 2 day vegan trip to Berlin.

I arrived on Friday evening, had a shopping day on Saturday (which can be read here), had a visiting day on Sunday and flew back early morning on Monday.

The to cover distance showed to be too much on Saturday and Sunday to walk, so I decided to use the public transportation to move around.

I bought at the reception in my hotel a ticket called ‘Berlin WelcomeCard’, which was for 2 days @ 19,90€ and valid on all transportation in the AB zone (I mainly used U & S lines - it is very similar to London public transportation, now I found it slightly more complex).

At the reception, I also took the city map, like you can see on the pictures here below and that allowed me to get around.

The first time I use the ‘Berlin WelcomeCard’, I had to stamp it in the machine like on the picture, now you can find the stamp machine inside the Metro, Tram, Bus… as well. This validates the ticket and is the start of, for me, 48-hours.

The stations of the public transportation, have all their own styles, which is really providing a nice touch of personality to it.

After the shopping on Saturday, on Sunday, I decided more to visit the city, since quite a lot of shops tend to be closed on Sunday. It surprised me for a big city like Berlin, of course people have at some point to rest and it was Easter as well.

The breakfast in the hotel wasn’t really great, so I decided to skip that and have brunch at Kopps, for which I went off at ‘Weinmeisterstr.’ station.

I did not take a reservation and was lucky to have a spot, now best here is to reserve in advance.

Review:
https://www.happycow.net/reviews/kopps-berlin-28313

This was a great way to start the day, now, I had tendencies, since it is a buffet, of eating way too much.

From the restaurant I walked to the Neue Synagoge Berlin (Oranienburger Str. 28-30, 10117 Berlin, Germany)

Postfuhramt (Oranienburger Str. 35, 10117 Berlin, Germany)

Bode Museum (Am Kupfergraben, 10117 Berlin, Germany)

Altes Museum (Bodestraße 1-3, 10178 Berlin, Germany)

Dom van Berlijn (Am Lustgarten, 10178 Berlin, Germany)

St. Marienkirche (Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 8, 10178 Berlin, Germany)

Fernsehturm (Panoramastraße 1A, 10178 Berlin, Germany)

At ‘Alexanderplatz’ Station I went to the public transport and went off at 'Mierendorffplatz' Station.

Here I visited the Slot Charlottenburg (Spandauer Damm 20-24, 14059 Berlin, Germany) which was not bad, now it was quite a trip to get there, for what it is.

Afterwards, I walked the road in front of the Slot Charlottenburg towards 'Sophie-Charlotte-Platz' station.

I went off at 'Berlin Hauptbahnhof' station, since the weather was not very nice. It was actually snowing, otherwise I would have gotten off earlier at 'Hansaplatz' station and walk via Siegessäule (Großer Stern, 10557 Berlin, Germany).

From 'Berlin Hauptbahnhof' station I walked till

Bundeskanzleramt (Willy-Brandt-Straße 1, 10557 Berlin, Germany)

Reichstag (Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin, Germany)

Soviet War Memorial Tiergarten (Str. des 17. Juni 4, 10557 Berlin, Germany)

Brandenburg Gate (Pariser Platz, 10117 Berlin, Germany)

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (Cora-Berliner-Straße 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany)

Vegan restaurant sign in the middle of the city!

Potsdamer Platz (Potsdamer Platz, 10785 Berlin, Germany)

Mall of Berlin (Potsdamer Platz, 10785 Berlin, Germany)

I took the public transport at 'Potsdamer Platz' station and went off at 'Eberswalder Straße' station to have dinner at Rawtastic.

Rawtastic.

Review:
https://www.happycow.net/reviews/rawtastic-berlin-63601

I don't know if it was because I had eaten too much at Kopps, now the food at Rawtastic was really heavy for me and I had a very hard time digesting it, of which normally a raw experience should be the opposite.

It was overall a great experience and I would say that Berlin is a nice city, especially for all the vegan food around!

There is some nice street art around, and make sure to check out my post ‘The East Side gallery - street art’.

I was a bit surprised to see all kinds of graffiti and spray can tags on every building. I did like the legal street art like on the ‘wall’, now to have it illegal on even private buildings, as well as shops (you can very well see it in the pictures I took from the shops here below) provided me a strange feeling and was disappointing.

Of course the fact that on Saturday it was close to 0°C and raining, and Sunday it actually was snowing, probably did not help in my judgment.

As a summary, it was a great trip (the company I was with, helped a lot in this of course), nice place and amazing vegan food all around!

#peace #goodfood #nature #fruitsandvegetables #vegan #veganberlin #vegantrip #Kopps #NeueSynagogeBerlin #BodeMuseum #AltesMuseum #DomvanBerlijn #Fernsehturm #SlotCharlottenburg #Siegessäule #Reichstag #SovietWarMemorialTiergarten #BrandenburgGate #MemorialtotheMurderedJewsofEurope #PotsdamerPlatz #Rawtastic #TheEastSidegallery #MallofBerlin