In today’s fast-paced world, the key to transforming your life into one filled with peace and abundance may lie in following Taoist philosophy. That’s what our guest, Gerard Wouters, has discovered in his work as a Taoist therapist.
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Show Notes | Transcript“Success is that everything is going your way, that you hardly have any setback. And when you have a setback, you know what to do, you know what action you need to take to turn it around. That’s what success is all about.” – Gerard Wouters
Gerard shares his fascinating journey into Taoist philosophy, including a serendipitous encounter with his teacher that led to years of intensive study. We discuss how this 2,600-year-old life philosophy can be applied to modern challenges, especially for women entrepreneurs seeking balance and fulfillment.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
- How to interpret setbacks as valuable messages from the universe
- The surprising connection between physical and emotional healing
- Why fear is the biggest obstacle to personal growth and success
- The power of creating emptiness to manifest your desires
Key insights include:
- The importance of unlearning societal conditioning that no longer serves you
- How to recognize and decipher signs from the universe
- Why addressing physical issues is crucial for mental and emotional healing
- The true meaning of success from a Taoist perspective
Gerard also introduces his unique approach to therapy, combining physical techniques with profound psychological insights. He explains how this method has helped countless individuals, including those struggling with depression and long-standing emotional issues, achieve remarkable transformations in just a few sessions.
Whether you’re grappling with fear, seeking to simplify your life, or simply curious about alternative approaches to personal growth, this conversation offers valuable insights and practical strategies. Tune in to learn how embracing Taoist principles can help you create a life of simplicity, joy, and genuine success.
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Website: https://gerard-wouters.mykajabi.com/taoist-way-for-leaders-and-teams
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerardwouters/
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TRANSCRIPT
How Taoist Philosophy Can Turn Setbacks into Success Signals with Gerard Wouters
Introduction
Gloria Grace: Namaste. Today we’re going to be diving into ancient Taoist secrets that can transform your hectic life from… into… well, yeah, transform your life from being one that’s hectic into one that’s filled with simplicity, joy and success. And our guest today is going to explain how letting go of behaviors that no longer serve us can actually create space for the abundance and peace you’ve been searching for.
But first, if this is your first time here, I would like to welcome you. I am Gloria Grace, founder of Align to Shine Academy. And I empower women over 50 to love themselves and the life they’re living and to really be empowered with, to go forward with clarity and confidence.
And I am so delighted to have an international guest joining us in just a moment. His name is Gerard Wouters and he is a Taoist therapist from Holland. He’s an author, he’s written seven books and been interviewed frequently on Dutch national TV. And his mission in life is to help people heal from mental issues and show how they can embrace the Taoist way to be happy and successful.
So without further ado, I’m going to bring him up here and welcome you, Gerard, officially to Live Loving Age.
Gerard Wouters: Thanks for the invite.
Gerard’s Journey into Taoism
Gloria: Well, I’m glad to have you here because I think this topic is really interesting and I love exploring different spiritual philosophies. And so I’m really curious. I thought we could actually start off by asking, just finding out from you what actually first drew you to Taoist philosophy and maybe even also explain for those who are listening who may not know exactly what that is. I know we’ll get into it more, but what drew you to that and how did it change your life before you started sharing it with others?
Gerard: Taoism is a life philosophy and it’s already 2600 years old. And I met my teacher at a business meeting. He was staring at me, very annoying. And as soon as the business meeting ended, I walked up to him and to my big surprise, he told me who I was, what my problem was, where it came from, etc. etc.
That got me flabbergasted and very curious as to what this little man was. So I took him home and he stayed at my place for about five weeks or so. And of course he tested me like crazy because he wanted to know if I had the thing that he needed to absorb and implement this knowledge. Because like you said, it is very ancient and also very secret knowledge.
And after five weeks he asked me, “Well, you know, do you want to learn this?” And I said, “You know what? You better believe it. I’ve seen so many funny things, strange things that I just cannot grab. And I just want to get to the bottom of this. So, hell yeah, I want to know everything.”
And so he started to travel up and down to my country, had a big house at that moment, and he had his own room. And he stayed with me for months and then went back again and then gone back for months. And after about four and a half years, five years, I asked him, “You know what? This knowledge is so incredibly valuable. It shouldn’t stay in the monastery, it should be out there. So is it okay if I turn this into a professional treatment?”
And he says, “Okay, that’s good. And I’ll check on you and see how you do it, how you implement this. But on one condition. I don’t want to be a tourist attraction, so you do it without me and don’t ever mention anybody where I am, who I am, because I want my peace.”
And I said, “Okay, if that’s the only condition, there’s no problem there.” So from that moment, I started treating people this way. And I’ve been doing it for 28 years now. And this treatment is so incredibly effective that I can help people recover and cure in four two-hour sessions or a two-day workshop, which I would love to do in your country because I found out that 54 million people in your country suffer from depression. And that’s incredible.
The Power of Reading Body Language and Facial Expressions
Gloria: Well, it is. I want to ask because I’m going to follow up with this in a second, but you mentioned something that intrigued me because you said that when you were first having him stay with you, that there were some things that were surprising. Could you maybe share another example?
Gerard: Well, like him, I can say I’m specialized in facial expressions and body language and trust me, it goes a lot further than you think. So I had one situation with him. We were in a hotel, in a bar hotel, and at one moment there was an old couple passing by and he addressed her and told her, “I see you have cancer.” And I said, “What?” And she immediately confirmed this. And he gave her some suggestions, some food suggestions. And then he said goodbye again.
And I almost fell off my chair. I said, “You can’t do this. What the hell are you doing out here?” He says, “You know, there’s so many things that you don’t know yet, but it’s visible. Everything is visible in body language, in facial expressions.” And he says, “I know you’ve got it too, but it needs to be fine-tuned.”
Gloria: Wow. Amazing. Oh my goodness.
Gerard: And now when people come into my practice, I put them on the couch, give them a drink, and I immediately tell them what I see. I see you’re a warrior, you’ve been abused, you have relationship issues. Everything is visible. And I surprise everybody with that.
Gloria: Wow. Yeah, that’s amazing.
Gerard: And that’s it. I don’t have to give them a diagnosis. I just know. I see this, that’s that and 99% accurate.
Understanding Setbacks as Messages from the Universe
Gerard: We all go through all kinds of processes, life processes. But the problem is a lot of people don’t learn from it. And there’s one very important thing. We all get setbacks. That’s part of life. But you know what? A setback is nothing more than a clue or a sign that you are doing something that’s not in order with your path. And I deciphered that. I learned people how to decipher setbacks. So it becomes a message that you can work with.
You know, for example, when you’ve had an argument with somebody months ago, and at one moment you think, “You know what, let’s have a talk and let’s meet.” So you call this person up, make an appointment, and a few days afterwards you drive up to him and on your way to him, you get a flat tire. There’s your sign.
Now there’s two things you can do. Either you repair the flat and go to your friend, and I can assure you that you will not have a fine day because there are always new things happening. But what I learned people, is to turn around and walk away. So what you can do, and that’s the Taoism philosophy, what you can do is you call your friends and you say, “You know what? I’ve got a flat tire and an incredible bad mood. So maybe you can understand that I don’t want to come anymore, but maybe you can call me coming week and then we make a new appointment.” So you leave it at him. You give him the choice and you leave it at him.
When he doesn’t call you after five weeks, you know that this is not a friend. Call you the next week. And this way, walking, turning around and walking away creates respect with the other person. And you will get clarity immediately. Clarity as to if he is a real friend or not.
Gloria: Yeah, I love it. That’s one of the processes that I explain during sessions and workshops. When something happens, it happens for a reason. Everything in life happens for a reason only. Thinking, we start worrying, we start overthinking, and then we become blind.
Gerard: I explain to people how to decipher them because then it becomes a message you can work with, but most people don’t understand how to decipher it. There’s a lot of people who see signs, but they don’t have no clue what to do with it. They start thinking, start worrying, and then the message is not clear and you can’t do anything with it. And you keep going that way, keep getting more setbacks, setbacks. And at the end you get sick.
Because that’s how far it goes. And that’s why I explained during sessions and workshops too. If you don’t learn your lesson, you get again, again, again and again. And it’s harder every time. Get sick and, etc, etc, etc. So that’s what you need to understand what the setback means. So you can work with it. You can turn your life around. Understand the message. Very important.
Overcoming Fear: The Biggest Modern Challenge
Gloria: What are some maybe other common behaviors or thought patterns that you see that no longer serve, let’s say women in business in particular. And how can we begin to unlearn those?
Gerard: The biggest problem at this time is fear. And your last guest, Tara, beautiful woman, she understood when you fear, you give the power to somebody else. And that’s not okay. And when you fear, you become blind to things that are really happening out there. When you take the power back, your vision opens up and you see a lot more.
Because you know what? Fear. We learned fear once when we were in the jungle ages ago, and there was a reality there, and it’s called animals. And there were huge animals that would love to have us for lunch. But you know what? I don’t meet them anymore at the streets these days. So fear is something that is learned every day by people who are trying to control us, and it’s not serving us anymore. And when people learn fear, they lose their privacy. They lose everything. And that’s not okay because you are the one who should be in control of your life and not some government or whatever, you know?
And the problem is when you fear something, it comes to you. You immediately, unconsciously attract it.
Gloria: Absolutely.
Gerard: When you have fear of spiders, you will find your house full of spiders. Until you understand and realize that a spider is only this big. It is completely useless, harmless. Cannot hurt you. Whatever it does, it cannot hurt you. And the moment you realize that, you unconsciously stop fearing them and they disappear. They’re gone. Not one in your house anymore. When you lose the fear, and this is with a lot of things, it’s always the same people who get scammed, get robbed, who get abused. It’s fear.
And when they unlearn fear, and that’s what I do, I unlearn fear, they immediately attract other things because like you said, the universe shows you and brings everything to you that you deserve. But first you have to unlearn worrying. Trust. Trust in yourself. Trust in the universe. And when you trust, everything will come to you.
Powerful Client Transformations
Gloria: You know, you’ve mentioned that you’ve been teaching for 28 years now. What’s the most powerful transformation you’ve witnessed with one of your clients who’s embraced these Taoist principles?
Gerard: Well, on my website, there’s a lot of reviews. I think about two or 300. And there’s one woman that traveled about 170 kilometers for my treatment, who’s been… who’s had treatment for about seven years in the regular mental health section branch. But nevertheless, she was still very depressed and suicidal. And after four sessions, it was completely gone. Now she enjoys life incredibly. And you know what? She sent her daughter and son too. And they made a terrible change too.
Gloria: That’s awesome. Yeah. And I think that does happen because I know I’ve witnessed this in my own life, that when you start changing, making positive changes in your own life, then it does have a ripple effect.
Gerard: I’ve had a guy with me, and after three sessions, in the third session, he told me, “You know what? To my big surprise, I received an email from my brother,” and I said, “You know, what’s so special about it?” Well, he says, “You know, I haven’t talked to him for 25 years.”
Gloria: Oh, my. Wow.
Gerard: And he says, “I don’t understand.” I said, “You know, I do. Because when you change, everything around you changes.” And he spent the day with him, and at the end of the day, his brother dared to tell him, “You know what? In our youth, I thought you were a real ass.” And my client said, “You know what? I was a real ass.” He finally took responsibility for his actions, and that made him come closer.
Taoist Approach: Body First, Then Mind
Gloria: How does the Taoist perspective differ from, I don’t know, even like Buddhism or something like that?
Gerard: We all go through all kinds of life processes, and I explain these processes so that you understand why you are doing something, why you will end up in some situations. So basically, I give answers instead of questions. And a lot of people out there who call themselves holistic, well, I’m afraid I don’t agree. Holistic means that you treat the body and the mind. And that’s exactly what I do. I start with a physical treatment.
Because the problem is when you’re physically closed, your mind is too. And if you don’t open up the body first, the mind is closed, and you talk to the wall. And that’s what a lot of psychologists who have been under my treatment for the past 28 years have to admit. They don’t come in, their clients don’t open up. And because they don’t open up is because their bodies are shut down.
You know, people who have mental issues always have physical issues. Back pains, hip complaints, neck, shoulders, they’re all cramped up. And I can explain them why. Because your body, you can separate your body and call all kinds of things, because up here, there stays anger, and it’s not from yesterday, I can assure you. I have people who’ve been angry for about 20, 40 years and it shows up here, it’s completely cramped. Up between the shoulder blades is grief. When you’ve been hurt, lost somebody, whatever, and you don’t process that, you don’t get over it, it’ll stay in your body.
Gloria: Well, I’m curious though, because it seems like you’re saying that you will address the body first and help it to heal, but you do say that there are underlying emotional causes for that. So it seems to me, wouldn’t you want to address the mind first and then have the body respond to it?
Gerard: No, no, it’s always the other way around. You have to clear the body first so that your energy flows again and it’s free. A lot of people don’t breathe very properly. So when I open up this, they breathe a lot more and they start to relax like they should. So it’s always first the body and then the mind.
Let me give you an example. I’ve had a lot of people, a lot of women who were sexually abused and then they get hip problems and they see physiotherapists for years, sometimes even decades. And with me, in two sessions, it’s gone. Because of the physical. It’s comparable to manual therapy and chiropractic. That’s what I do. Only a lot of these things I do are unknown in the West. Eastern is a lot further at this point.
Simple Taoist Practices for Daily Life
Gloria: For someone listening, though, if they’re not necessarily able to see you in person in Holland, since that’s where you live, is there some simple Taoist practice that someone could start using today to bring more peace into their life?
Gerard: Well, yeah, it’s especially unlearning things, realizing that a lot of things that we learn every day is not helping us anymore. You know, we get taught fear every day. If it’s not terrorism, then it’s climate. It’s always something. But when you look at it the right way, without fear, you see that there’s something else going on.
When you see, when you don’t fear, you see a lot more and you see why they teach us fear. And it’s all about control. When you fear, you don’t see it because they use a lot of silly excuses making it look like wonderful, great invention. Well, until you stop fearing and seeing what is really going to happen.
Defining Success Through the Taoist Lens
Gloria: Your work focuses on making life simple, happy and successful. So what does success look like through the Taoist lens?
Gerard: Well, success is that everything is going your way, that you hardly have any setback. And when you have a setback, you know what to do, you know what action you need to take to turn it around. That’s what success is all about.
And success is something else for everybody. You know, somebody can be very successful in a happy relationship and somebody could be a multimillionaire and have a huge company. But you know what? Not everybody wants to be a millionaire and not everybody wants to be a CEO. And yeah, unfortunately, not everybody wants to have a relationship either.
So success is something for everybody, something else for everybody. But success in Taoism is everything going your way. They call it the flow. When you’re in flow, that’s success. And that can be at every level.
The Power of Being Yourself
Gloria: You’ve written seven books. Is there a particular teaching or concept that you find yourself returning to most often when you’re working with clients?
Gerard: Well, let me tell you a little secret first. I’m dyslexic. So it’s very uncommon for a dyslexic to write books. And let me even surprise you more. I write books in a few days. It takes me a few days to write a book. Don’t ask me how, but that’s probably some of the talents.
But what… the most thing I can tell your audience: unlearn, be yourself and not what your surrounding wants you to be because you don’t get happy from that. Discover yourself. A lot of people out there have the feeling they’re not good enough and they’re unworthy. But you know, the problem is you get that signal from the people who feel the same way and realize that and unlearn that.
Because when you unlearn that, you will see that all the people who give you the feeling you’re not good enough will completely turn around and give you all kinds of compliments, stimulate you and admire you. Because there’s a very strange thing out there in this world. We admire people who are themselves, but that means that we find it normal that you’re not. And that should be the other way around.
Creating from Emptiness: The Taoist Principle
Gerard: The funny thing is when you change and you really value yourself, you will attract these people and you will lose a few, too. But they’re not okay for you. People who are too kind always attract the opposite. And that’s not okay because they will abuse you in any way. But when you really become yourself and find out your value, you will see that you will attract other kinds of people on a much higher level mentally.
That’s the purpose of life. Grow. We have to grow every day. But what a lot of people do is think, think, think, think, think, think. Well, in Taoism, we say you can only create from emptiness. A building has four walls. But what happens inside the walls gives the building its function. When you put beds in there and equipment, we have a hospital. But when you put desks in it with computers, then we have an office. When you put a couch in it and a television and a table, you have a house. But these are all the same walls. And you can only create from the emptiness in the building and inside you.
I’ve had a doctor under my treatment, and after his treatment, he kept contacting me. During lunch he complained to me that he felt such an emptiness inside. And I said, “Do you really hear what you are saying?” He says, “What do you mean?” I said, “Do you realize that there are thousands of monks meditating 24/7 to achieve what you are saying now?” And he says, “What? I never thought of it that way.” I said, “Yeah, but that’s the way you should. You created the emptiness inside you, and I helped you with it. Now deal with it, enjoy it. Because this is what monks are meditating 24/7 to achieve. And I gave it to you as a present. So be happy with it because this is how it should be.”
Understanding Life’s Transitions
Gerard: Taoism is a lifestyle and it makes life a lot simpler and it gives you the possibilities to see a lot more out there, see the patterns and see all the things that happening in the world and understand why it’s happening. In my two-day workshop and in sessions I explain about a kitchen being demolished and being replaced by a new one. And that’s exactly what is happening in this world. We are tearing down the kitchen and we’re making room for a new world. And that’s what I teach people. Understand that all the bad things you see happening in the world all have a reason too. And most of the time the reason is wake them up.
Gloria: And I do want to thank all of you for joining us today. And I hope, as I said, that you receive some value out of this conversation. And check out Gerard’s website. I will have all of that information in the show notes, so you can go check that out. And of course, I’d love to encourage you to, if you are new, to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platform so you’ll know when our next episode comes out. They come out every week or you can subscribe if I can speak subscribe on YouTube as well. So until next time, I encourage you to go out and live fully, love deeply and engage authentically.
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