Namaste, you beautiful beings! My name is Giverny. Welcome to my little hub in Blogland.
The Girl With the Lotus Tattoo was born on a tropical rainy Tuesday in a sweet little cabin amidst the peaceful, lush green hills of Kerala, in the south of India. This blog is about yoga, meditation, mental health and wellbeing – as well as an online journal about my own spiritual development and my journey towards real happiness. The Girl With the Lotus Tattoo is meant to entertain and inspire everyone that feels drawn to the Yogic lifestyle, or simply wants to feel good physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
The Girl before
Before discovering the Yogic lifestyle, I was kind of an awkward mess. I lived a turbulent and unstable life in Amsterdam for about 6 years where I drank a lot, partied a lot, spent/consumed a lot and, as a result, cried a lot. Sure, my life looked pretty awesome on the Gram and I was good at keeping up appearances. But I was lost and always searching for happiness in the external, which ultimately left me feeling unfulfilled, insecure and depressed. I needed a drastic change in my life. A tipping point, so to say.
In December 2018 I moved to Melbourne for the classic Working Holiday experience. It was supposed to be one of the most amazing and unforgettable times of my life, but it turned out to be quite the contrary. I felt lonely, isolated, purposeless, homesick and miserable. It got so bad that I had panic attacks almost every day.
Cue the world’s smallest violin.
However, during my time in Melbourne I rediscovered my love for practicing yoga. I would go to class almost every day (sometimes twice a day) and leave the studio afterwards feeling peaceful and fulfilled, making it the only highlight of my day. I noticed the positive effect of yoga on my mind and body, and wanted to immerge myself fully in the practice. So, without knowing what to expect, I decided to do a Yoga Teacher Training in Thailand. And there it was: my tipping point.
The Girl today
Now, I’m delighted and grateful to say that I’ve chosen to live a life fully aligned with my body, mind and spirit. I’ve let go of everything that no longer served me and fully embraced the benefits of yoga and meditation in my life. No more depression naps, no more wasted days of doing nothing and feeling sorry for myself, no more mindless indulgence in the external for temporary happiness, wayyyy less alcohol, no more unhealthy relationships. And instead: maintaining a daily spiritual practice, waking up early, ROUTINE(!), practicing equanimity, cultivating loving kindness towards every being without exceptions and feeling grateful for every single moment life throws at me. And I dare to say it: I feel happier and healthier than ever. Physically, mentally and spiritually.
“The lotus flower blooms most beautifully from the deepest and thickest mud.”
The Girl with the Lotus Tattoo 