About us

Jonas Afonso

Born in 1990 in Amsterdam, I had a diverse upbringing filled with various activities like capoeira which I learned from my father at a young age, drawing, skateboarding, aikido and shinkendo. It was at the age of 13 that I was introduced to the world of spirituality at De Voorde (Pulsar Academie). There, I met my first guide, Michael Derkse, who had a vision of connecting spirituality to everyday life through ones talents. His work was rooted in the Sufism of the 13th century Mevlana Rumi. Even though I was far from ready to truly grasp the significance of what was going on at the time, something at a soul level resonated. This meeting with Michael Derkse (then named Marcel Derkse) set me on a lifelong journey of self-discovery.

After completing high school, I attended the Vrije Hogeschool, where I decided to study psychology. I had a brief encounter and opportunity to meet Carl Bigheart, a teacher from the Native American tradition, who encouraged me on my path. I worked for 2 years as a psychologist in the field of addiction recovery. However, I felt that something essential was missing from my experiences within the field of psychology and my search for deeper knowledge continued. In my mid-twenties, I discovered an esoteric school where I learned about the deeper teachings of the tarot, symbology, the world of energy and aura healings and the teachings of the Fourth Way of G.I. Gurdjieff, which provided me with profound truths for my spiritual quest. It was during these meetings that my inner quest was truly activated and many mind blowing experiences changed my views on life and myself.

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On the side I started dancing salsa about 8 years ago and have been teaching it with great pleasure at Salsa te Gusta. Salsa has been a way for me to connect to my body, other people and the joy of play and spontaneity.

Later on, in my late twenties, I immersed myself in the work of Angelo Vassalos in his group called Heart of Awakening. I delved into Eastern wisdom traditions like Advaita Vedanta, Tibetan buddhism and learned much about group dynamics, personal relating and modern psychology. This period of my life was incredibly transformative and I also got introduced to the teachings of Hameed Ali, also known under the pen name A.H. Almaas, deepening my understanding of spirituality and the human soul. During the covid pandemic Femke and I met and did a 5 month course on the lataif (subtle qualities) Femke and myself have recently completed a year long training on the Enneagram thought by none less then Sandra Maitri and Russ Hudson and a week long tantra group at the Centrum voor Tantra under the supervision of Kyo Verberk en Gem Buur.

Last but not least are the teachings of Christianity that in a simple but profound way opened my heart to love.

To this day, I continue my journey through bi-weekly one-on-one sessions with, Bregytta Rooney. I feel very grateful that I have been able to learn from her over the last three years. Together, we explore my current experiences, struggles and insights.

In 2022, I felt a calling to pursue a new path. It was my wish to make available to others what I had received myself. Teaching others humbles me and challenges me to keep opening my heart more and more. It gives me great joy to see people embark on their own inner development journeys. I can't imagine anything more valuable then doing this. 

Femke de Winter

I was born in the province of Groningen and my story of personal growth and self-discovery began around the age of 16. When I was young, anxiety and panic attacks influenced my life between the age of 15 and 18. Unfortunately, traditional support and methods couldn't help me at that time, leading me to explore alternative approaches. 

During this time I started practicing yoga. The physical exercises, combined with the connection to my breath and body, brought me a sense of calm and inner safety. Later, I learned more about mindfulness, pranayama and embodied wellbeing from the age of 20 until 30.

In the year 2020, I met Jonas through our mutual passion for salsa dancing. Quite soon after, we started our journey of self-realization and inner growth together by joining the Diamond Approach, a spiritual path founded by A.H. Almaas and Karen Johnson. Only a few months later we also joined Heart of Awakening, an ongoing group focused on self-realization led by Angelo Vasalos in Amsterdam. This has been an incredible time where I have learned so much about being true in relation to others. Weekly meetings and retreats became, and still are, an integral part of my life.

Continuing to expand my knowledge, I became a NLP Master Practitioner in 2022, I engaged in extensive breathwork courses and worked with Radical Honesty. At the end of 2022 I was very inspired by the teachings of the Diamond Approach and decided to become a student of the Ridhwan School, a contemporary spiritual path engaged in inner development committed to long term inquiry. I love to engage for long term commitment as it deepens my experience and knowledge on this path. 

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In 2023, Jonas and I completed a comprehensive one-year course on the Enneagram from Sandra Maitri and Russ Hudson, a powerful tool for self-understanding that shows how to open up the true capacities of our being. Also, we completed a week long tantra group at the Centrum voor Tantra under supervision of Kyo Verberk and Gem Buur. 

Years of these dedicated practices and having monthly sessions with my private teacher from the Ridhwan School (Conny ten Klooster), laid the foundation for our greatest gift, we wanted to create a vibrant community for these practices! I am delighted to host more open evenings and courses over the coming time. A safe and open environment are essential aspects for me, as well as lots of laughter and friendly curiosity to our experience. I am looking forward to meet you!