Susanne 6. You had an accident some time ago and sailing helped you in the recovery process. Please tell us about that experience.
I had an accident on the boat many years ago. I suffered with a disorder called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy and a spinal injury. I was unable to walk properly and lived in pain for many years. I found that sailing really assisted me to gain balance both physically and mentally. Single-hand sailing forced me to have to shift my body and way of thinking from the right to left side of my body and brain…constantly finding a balance between the two. This helped me gain the muscle strength in my legs, my hands and my thinking patterns. Being on the water helped me be in touch with my inner self, being present to each experience and having gratitude for my BEING helped me let go of resistance I had about shifting old belief systems. I gained back my confidence and took the Helm of my Life.
7. You commented on the “magic of the ocean” and that sailing is a really good sport to promote what you call “whole-brained thinking”. Please tell us about the self-development aspects of your sailing programs.
One of my driving needs is magical adventure and freedom. I find that being on the ocean is amazingly freeing. The open expansiveness, the changes each moment in the water, the sky, the wind, the clouds. All of my senses are heightened and tested. My physical and mental balance is shifted constantly with the movement the sail boat makes from side to side. Sailing is like a circle. One side of the boat is the right side of the brain and the other side is the left. A sailboat is always moving from one side to the next…tacking constantly. In sailing we utilize the left brain for skills, analyzing, understanding and we also need to use the right side of our brain for the creative, artist and intuitive connection to sail with the wind and keep our sails full. We constantly shift between both sides to keep the boat balanced. Whole Brain thinking.
I am a balanced person using my whole brain.
HERIZEN™ programs provide training in meditation, yoga, breathing techniques, skill development, mindfulness, how to create confidence and maintain it. I find many women say they are right handed but use their left hands to do the work. They get confused and believe that they are not very good at developing some of the skill sets…like tying knots for example. Once they understand what is going on for them and we show them how to burn a pathway to make it easier for them they are relieved and then do believe that they can be good at developing the skill.
8. In your courses you also use techniques such as yoga and meditation. Furthermore, you are trained in a field of energy medicine called “consegrity”. Please tell us about the wellness aspect of your programs.
My belief is that everything is energy. I also believe in the law of attraction. If I am clear about what I want and focus on that as opposed to what I do not want…I can create anything including wellness.
I also believe that I am not alone and that we are not separate. Each of us has the ability through our DNA in each cell of the body to heal and repair ourselves. As a consegritist I am not the healer, I am just holding a mirror and if I am open and do not have a specific outcome and listen closely I can connect with someone’s inherent wisdom or all knowing part of who they are. I can mirror back to a person what their inherent wisdom says it needs to do the healing. By being totally present for my clients I can assist them in expanding their awareness. If they can expand their awareness, boxes, and perspectives around what they think they know. This will then allow them more choices. If we have more choice, there is more opportunity, life is healthier and filled with more abundance.
9. Please tell us about the people that take your sailing courses. Where are they from, what age range do they fall into, why do they take your programs?
Women from around the world have been taking HERIZEN™ Sailing for Women programs since 1989. The average age group is between 40 and 65. We have had clients as young as 16 and old as 79 years. Women are attracted to our unique programs for a number of reasons. Some want to become more fun and skilled sailing partners, others want to take the helm confidently, get over the fear of the water or being yelled at, women like to sail and learn from women, many women have always wanted to learn to sail…it was a dream and now they have the time, the money to learn and they also want to have a fun adventure.
10. You use the term “inner sailing” to refer to an awareness process, please explain. We encourage mindfulness. Being in an awakened state or a state of aliveness which requires conscious participation.
We each have a whole brain. Most of us have been conditioned to believe the we are predominant as either left or right brained. Much of our society has been utilizing the left brain rather than the creative, all knowing and intuitive right brain. Sailing is like a whole circle. If you slice it down the middle you get two sides that mirror each other. To stay balanced the boat moves from one side of the circle to the other. This is like our brain….we are more of a whole person if we are moving in and out of both sides of the brain both physically and mentally. The inner sailing refers to the self-awareness of my body, my mind and my spirit. How I am part of my environment and the Universe. Sailing has a technical aspect and also an artistic or intuitive part. I note that once women learn the technical aspect. especially in a way they can understand…for example the why of how things work they naturally can connect at the intuitive level and make good sailors. They just need to get in touch with the all knowing part of who they are. I teach many of the processes that assist a person to get in touch with this part of who they are. Ideally, their higher self. Believe in themselves and their dreams will come true.
11. How do your sailing programs help women build self-confidence and gain a greater sense of awareness and empowerment?
We encourage mindfulness. Being in an awakened state or a state of aliveness which requires conscious participation. We have practices which have the client take time at the beginning of each day to come fully into the present moment, they create a solid framework for a mindfulness practice. The HERIZEN™ Way is unique in how it supports women to get in touch with their all knowing part of who they are. Sailing again is an excellent vehicle both physically and mentally to assist in this process. Understanding how a woman uses her male and female aspect of who she is, breathing techniques and ways to learn to stand in her power. We utilize meditation and teach women to clear the mind chatter and utilize success building techniques to help them reach their objectives. Often it really comes down to confidence. I find many women have the skills they just do not have the confidence on how to use and apply them. What I focus on expands. Where my attention goes, energy flows and results show.
12. How do your sailing courses help couples improve their relationships?
We offer a couples course that introduces them to “inner sailing where awareness of body, mind and spirit” together with respect, appreciation and understanding of the difference between men and women’s ways of learning, promotes more effective communication, teamwork and makes sailing together more fun. The confidence gained in each other can enrich their relationship far beyond the sailing experience. We each have a male and female aspect of who we are. I find that if my clients have a better understanding of these differences and when each are coming from which aspect they can more effectively communicate. Making for a more fun, carefree and understanding relationship. The intention is to assist each of them to recognize these differences and use them to their greatest advantage rather than working against them.
For example: a male or yang aspect can be outcome oriented where as the female or ying aspect will be more process oriented. Another example is a male or yang aspect can figure out something by doing it whereas the female or ying aspect would figure it out and then do it.
13. You have a vision for the future. Where do you see your business going in the next few years?
As we connect HERIZEN™ is expanding. The operating company is now changing and the new name and programs will be announced shortly.
My vision or destination is:
– HERIZEN™ presents dynamic self-awareness adventures around the world for women, promoting growth and a strengthened faith in self.
– HERIZEN™ adventures are designed to show women circumstances of seeing themselves being confident, successful, vibrant and creating their own miracles.
– Our goal is to champion women through this unique transformational experience to allow for the personal experience of a higher self.
– HERIZEN Tm is the fastest growing personal success and wellness through self awareness Adventure Company in North America.
– My personal mission is to travel and create an enlightened world by spreading the light of consciousness.
Thank you, Valma, for taking your time to share your philosophies and experiences with us. We wish you all the best for your upcoming endeavours.
