~ A text by Irma ten Brink inspired by the work of Yoginâm ~

How to Unlock Your Inner Essence:

A Practical Guide to Self-Analysis for Spiritual Transformation

Discover, Heal, and Transform Your World

Yes, those trying to live a spiritual life need introspection and self-analysis. But how do you do self-analysis? How does it work in a way that really matters? A way that truly brings deeper meaning into life? A way by which both you and the world around you transform? A way that can transform your entire life and bring true meaning and purpose?

I have been exploring this for about twenty-five years, and my tools have grown with me. I want to share some insights.

If you are stuck… or feel a longing

If you are stuck in your way of self-analysis, or stuck in life—feeling like you are standing still, feeling alone, sensing no movement, thinking there should be more to life... or you are curious about other ways of living, have life questions, you feel a certain longing within—then this blog is for you.

LivingNâm

Although I will share my personal approach, my teachings come mostly from Yoginâm, and I try to live what he brought to the world: pure wisdom, perspectives, and powerful tools which he called LivingNâm.

He wrote many books and gave interviews that are which are very helpful for reflecting on what it means to be human and to live in continuous transformation toward wholeness or completeness.

Self-analysis from an ego-only perspective

When most people think about self-analysis they think about questions like: “What are my qualities? What is my horoscope? What do I like or dislike? What are my needs? Where are my boundaries and how do I protect them? How can I get what I want?” These questions concern the persona or the ego (or as we we like to call it, the I?World).

This is natural and to some part beneficial, however it is good to realise this is only the beginning, and there is much much more!

There is a phase in life when this first focus is natural —it is a starting point and part of growing up. But it is good to realise this is a young phase, and it has not much to do with spirituality. It is important you learn to know yourself this way but from a spiritual perspective it is meant to be transcended as well, as you grow into adulthood in a deeper sense than age alone.

After you found out what this 'more' is about, when you have embraced and lived it, then this first face of questions also matures. Working on transforming your 'ego'  never stops, but it gains a different depth once it is seen within a wider perspective. You will naturally start asking similar questions learning to know yourself, but the questions will change with a different quality and depth taking into account something wider, beyond yourself.

If you want to explore what more there is you have to look into another direction. It is this 'more' I want to dive into with you in this blog.

Know Thyself

Inscribed on the temple of Apollo in Delphi is the injunction: “Know Thyself.”

Mystics across traditions—Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib among them and one of the first—say,

“To know thyself is to know thy Lord.”

This ancient wisdom remains essential for living a spiritual life.

In time I began to realize this is not about my horoscope, becoming more assertive, or merely training skills to protect myself or achieve goals. While these can be related, there is much more behind that wisdom.

I discovered that self-analysis is really about “What am I beyond myself?” What does it mean to be a human being? What is life’s task, meaning and purpose?

There is an Essence you can discover—in silence only

This Essence, the “beyond myself,” the transcendence, this Unknowable Yoginâm refers to with the sound Abbah, is what mystics and sages across ages address. It cannot be described; you must begin looking for it yourself. LivingNâm gave me tools to search for it, and ultimately to become mindful and to remember constantly.

But what happens in the process?

While searching for this Essence—or, as in Arthurian myth, the Holy Grail—you encounter what are often called “your veils”: everything that grabs your attention and prevents attunement with your Essence. It is easy to get lost there.

We can become so preoccupied with the veil itself that we forget we are trying to transcend it to find our Essence. Self-analysis without the aim of attuning to your Essence becomes egocentric entertainment.

You need a practice that guides you: one that helps you transcend the veils through transformation rather than getting trapped in them. A practice that helps you remember—a state of mindfulness.

Yoginâm writes:

“All living is transcendental
Expressing infinite potentiality
In an infinite variety
Of which human living is a distinct range
A human living has an inherent urge
To transcend its range and widen itself
Human living expresses what is beyond that living
And has an inherent longing for beyond living
This is carried by imagination
That in human living gives direction”

(The Book of Nâm, pp. 9–10)

He continues:

“Human living searches for its transcendence in beyond
But is hampered by its natural inclination of being human
It consequently searches it where it cannot be found
It clothed the objective in rational and conceptional wrappings
That obscure it and cause it to remain hidden”

(The Book of Nâm, p. 10)

Although these quotes address more than self-analysis, they are relevant here.

Nâm Living is not something you do—you become

Nâm Living is a way of living. If you want to find what the “Beyond” refers to, you need to explore—and that exploration is itself the transformation.

So change how and where you search, Nâm Living gives the directions for that.

This requires for most a completely different perspective on life; even if it appears subtle, it is profound! Once you change your view, you begin to live differently, and life changes naturally. This is unavoidable ánd beautiful.

Self-analysis becomes an attitude by affirming

Once you found the right direction to look at, the direction of what Yoginâm refers to with the sound Abbah, you can start to affirm. Then self-analysis truly becomes an attitude.

Yoginâm writes:

Affirmation is an attitude, it is not just a rational affirming. Rationally affirming automatically generates doubt. The true Affirmation of Nâm involves the entire richness of life. Indeed we say ‘yes’ also when at times saying ‘yes’ is difficult.

Do not confuse Affirmation with positive thinking. Affirmation is much deeper than that. Affirmation is an attitude that colours each instant of living. Affirmation is an inner movement that is strongly linked to attitudes of Gratefulness and of Patience. Abbah is not a deity. Abbah is not the essence within. All that is, is in and of Abbah. We are not units that are of Abbah. The very amalgamation of resonance that we are is of Abbah. Each dimensions of living, like Body, Mind, Soul and Spirit is of Abbah in its own way. Each dimension shares in a wider field, that both as ultimate width and ultimate nearness is in Abbah.

In the Attitude of Affirmation and generated by Gratitude or Patience each dimension of the living of ‘I/World' steps beyond the natural limitations that are imposed by Ignorance. The Ignorance as there would be nothing else than 'I/World'.

In the Awareness that opens gradually with the attitude of Affirmation there is no longer any differentiation, like the good and bad, the like and dislike. Then there is truly ‘What is’ is ‘What is’.

Mindfull Re-membering, 9 May 2026

 

When life becomes challenging, this attitude helps. If you have learned only to look at the “I,” you get stuck and miserable. Because only from a wider perspective things can move, transform, and become meaningful.

When you embrace that you yourself are—with all your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, desires, and actions—resonance. And that ás resonance you participate in a wider field of resonance, then you are making progress.

Consider what this implies......!

The world around you, as you see it, is also resonance

Resonance within resonance—think of it as energy. Your energy and the energy of the world flow together like the smoke of two incense sticks: the smoke intertwines and cannot be separated. They influence one another.

Your resonance—created with every thought, dream, and desire, conscious and unconscious—intertwines with the resonance of your world and influences it.

This gives you a powerful key:

You may not be able to directly change the world or the people who influence you, but you can become conscious and choose which resonance you create and allow to blend with the world’s resonance (and, for that matter, with the Whole in which everything shares).

Make a conscious decision to create positive resonance through your attitude to life,

for example attitudes of gratefulness or patience, time and again in the present moment.

Of course, yesterday’s resonance is already blended and cannot be changed. But you can observe the consequence of it in your day-to-day life and draw conclusions which gives a second key.

 

And a second key:

First, start with consciously creating beneficial resonance through your life attitudes, anew - each moment in the Now.

Second, learn to see your daily life symbolically as a mirror. It reflects what you have been creating unconsciously. The more you see life as your mirror and as part of you, the more you recognise subtle signs that point to causes within yourself—how your habitual programs and inner attitudes have co-created your life to this point.

Asha - the Face of the Beloved

These signs can guide you. Poetically this is expressed as seeing life as the Face of the Beloved; in LivingNâm we call this 'living in Asha'.

This approach lets you address unconscious layers that create reality. Your mirror shows how you have unconsciously created your world—because most creation is done with unconscious programmes.

Here is also where the famous synchronisations appear.

Do you see how self-analysis becomes essential and gains ethical meaning? Through self-analysis you can become a co-creator of your world.

Again I want to stress: transforming the veils from the perspective of resonance needs guidance—powerful tools to support you, guide you, and help you avoid getting lost.

Co-creator

You may have noticed I referred to a co-creator. If you wonder, “If I am a co-creator of my life, who or what is the other part?”—you touch the mystical.

Yoginâm hints at this in the above quote: "Human living expresses what is beyond that living and has an inherent longing for beyond living. This is carried by imagination that in human living gives direction”.

In Poetry this 'Beyond Living' is often named “The Beloved.” In LivingNâm we use the sound "Abbah". Because it cannot be named, we hint at it and use imagination to relate to it and find direction.

Now let’s get practical

Begin by becoming conscious of your thoughts, how you speak about yourself and others, how ethical your desires are, and how judgemental you may be—explore your general attitudes.

When you see the outer world as resonance reflecting your inner world—rather than a world simply happening to you—you can relate to it as your mirror, part of you.

Then start to see how this 'I' and 'the World' with which it is intertwined are together sharing in a wider Whole. Then you can start communicating.

You can ask questions such as: “Show me what I need to see” and variants:

- A recurring issue or conflict: close your eyes, bring the situation to mind, and ask, “Show me what I need to see?”
- A physical problem, such as a digestive problem: “What is it that I find so hard to digest?”
- An intense dream: “Teach me what I need to understand.”
- A person you have difficulties with: “Help me with what I need to transform.”

Sit with the question; allow what comes. Don’t overthink—just sit and breathe and trust that answers arrive when they are ready. Often not as words or thoughts, but as a sudden knowing or an image with a sense of certainty. Sometimes the answer comes later through an overheard remark or a randomly opened book will provide it. Frequently the answers are surprising and unexpected—sometimes not what you wished for—but you sense they are true.

Practice

By practicing this bit by bit, you dive deeper; what is hidden in the subconscious will surface. Why? Because you have set your intent. You want it to happen—even if what comes is not always beautiful—driven by an inherent longing to find what is beyond living.

Take notes

Over time you will see patterns that repeat across situations. When life repeats itself in different forms, it is trying to demonstrate something to you.

Approach life this way and life becomes your guidance. Ignoring the signs life offers can cause problems and illness because you miss what is meant for you to see.

This is why spiritual life is often described as Listening.

As Ibn Arabi said:

“The heart does not speak; the heart listens.”

Are you inspired?

I invite you to join this search with me for a couple of days—a truly joyful endeavor. A powerful retreat on “Meaningful Living” begins this year 2026 on April 8 - August 12 and October 14—less explanation, more exploration through imagination, reflection, and contemplation.

Looking forward to diving in deep together.

Irma
Asharum Amonines

 

 

Living in Asha: A continuous letting go and creating

Slowly the signs of autumn begin to show themselves. The light is dim, mist hangs over the forest, the trees shed their leaves and fruits, and mushrooms sprout from the ground. Life retreats to its roots. The old becomes a source of nourishment for the new that is yet to come. The air is crisp, and the whole spectacle reminds us that everything passes. It is the movement of life itself, as Yoginâm puts it:

‘I/World’ is Asha, a continuous spectacle of phenomena in situations.

The movement of life - an example from daily living

As summer draws to a close, life in Asha takes on a more tranquil pace. We were expecting only one guest, and despite the delay in maintenance work, we were assured that our sewage system would be ready and functional by 3 p.m., so we were confident that we would be able to welcome our guest without any issues.

As the day progressed, however, we discovered that the toilets would be out of service until 6 p.m. Imagine how awkward it is to tell a guest who has just driven for three hours that they cannot use the facilities upon arrival. The idea was a bit uncomfortable, but the guest was probably already on his way. While we were pondering this, we received a phone call: the guest had fallen ill and decided not to come. The situation resolved itself.

At ten to six in the evening, the doorbell rang. There was a new guest at the door, asking if he could stay the night. Now that the toilet problem had been solved and a delicious soup was already waiting for our original guest, we welcomed him with open arms.

Adding to the day's unexpected turns, our cleaning lady, who would normally have come that morning, informed us that she couldn't come because her car had broken down. Normally her absence would have been missed, but given the circumstances, it now seemed perfectly logical.

At such moments, we are reminded of the beauty of Asha—filled with awe and wonder, and grateful for the unexpected twists and turns that life brings. We realise once again that we cannot control life, we can only trust that life will take care of itself!

Acceptance of what is

Instead of limiting potential to meet our expectations while protecting our needs, it is possible to be present in the moment and open to whatever comes. When guests come to the Asharum, they bring their own history, their own life experiences, their own desires and needs to find peace and let go. Sometimes people come for a Private Meditation Retreat, but are not yet ready to stay in silence; other times, people participate in the activities and find themselves entering into a deep silence. Being able to trust that everything that is needed will present itself is perhaps the key to fully accepting what is. The same applies to living in a community:

The Nâm Community is primarily sharing in an Ethics. In that Ethics it is recognised that people who are rooted in this same endeavour behave towards each other as a family.

...

Nobody is ever judged, because from the perspective of the community everything and everybody’s behaviour is Asha, and as such a teacher for finding Abbah for those who witness it.

From: Nâm Community by Yoginâm, September 2025

Thanks to the community

We were very and pleasantly surprised by the news that Yoginâm was planning to contribute his birthday present to help pay for the maintenance work that urgently needs to be done in Amonines. Thank you for this wonderful gift!

Thanks to everyone who donated -whether for Yoginâm’s birthday or in response to our earlier appeal- an incredible sum of over €9,000 has been raised! This amount will enable Amonines to cover all essential expenses.

All this support – financial or otherwise – nurtures a deep sense of community and belonging and is greatly appreciated. Indeed together, we keep this place alive as a beacon of silence and beauty. Thank you very much!

Events

What Came Before and….

In terms of events, September was a relatively quiet month, marked by a Yoga Retreat and the Weekend of Silence. During the yoga retreat, one participant –who turned out to be a photography student– took photographs of the garden; green and vibrant, a testament to a summer of rainy nights and sunny days.

Garden-Impressions by Sarah Rodriguez

… What Lies Ahead

The Essence of Meditation

This course explores different ways to enter a meditative state, including the unique practice of "breathing through the skin". Often seen as the boundary between self and world, the skin becomes a gateway—opening us to greater spaciousness and connecting us to a state beyond boundaries.

Meaningful Living

Held several times a year, the value of this programme becomes more apparent with each time. It’s both moving and inspiring to see participants step out of their comfort zones and into the unknown. While it’s natural to interpret new experiences through familiar lenses, this event gently challenges you to let go of that tendency—and open fully to something truly new.

Nâm Retreat of Silence

For those seeking to reconnect with the essence of being and embrace inner quiet during the transition into the new year, we offer the Nâm Retreat of Silence.

Through a daily rhythm of meditation, silence, and shared meals, this retreat creates space for stillness and inner discovery. As thoughts settle, the gentle rhythm of the breath anchors you in the present.

A daily online HarpMood with Yoginâm in Spain significantly deepens the experience, gently dissolving inner barriers and guiding transformation.This retreat brings lightness to daily life and opens the way to a sense of unconditional wellbeing, the inherent potential of all living.

Returning to Letting Go and Creation

Letting go makes room for something new. This can happen on many levels—especially in how we think and what we believe. Often, we’re not aware of how these ideas shape the way we see ourselves and the world.

One question that often comes up in this context is: “How can I stop myself from overstepping my boundaries?”

Irma wrote a blog about this, showing how your perception can change the flow of Asha. To read the blog, click here

There is nothing in life that is not Asha

Everything that is stressed in NâmLiving tries to activate Awareness.
Living in Awareness, which is the same as Attunement in Abbah, is called Optimal Living.
Asha is as Abbah appears in 'I/World'.

Yoginâm, 2023

It is also Abbah that is remembered in Asha
Whereby every aspect of life as it appears
In the phenomena and circumstances of daily living
Is demonstrating Abbah as Asha is its face
There is nothing in life that is not Asha
It is in Asha that Peaceful Acknowledgement
Awe, Wonder and Guidance are optimally realised

Yoginâm, The Book of Nâm

Nâm Retreat of Silence and how it was experienced

This retreat is an instrument to open the door to awareness and the deeper layers of who we are. The five daily meditations—known as Attunements—follow a rhythm of chants, recitations, drumming, and silence. Participants do not actively engage but are invited to be present with an open attitude. This is a challenging invitation, as being truly open and present necessitates the "self" stepping aside. Often, mechanisms such as fear and resistance come into play, obstructing trust and surrender.

It was remarkable how, on the first day, I had to overcome strong resistance when you began singing. I felt trapped, anxious, and drawn into something I didn’t want. However, I allowed it to pass… everything within me—through my body, spirit, mind, and soul. It turned out to be the exact opposite: a liberation. I felt freer than ever.

I am grateful for what Yoginâm brings to the world. What he conveys through words and energy feels so unconditional and open-hearted. Life is joy and celebration!

Sofie

Once in surrender and trust, one may experience a sense of being lifted up, especially through the recitations, another participant shared. Whether one is aware of it or not, the attunements, recitations, and HarpMoods possess a transformative quality that bypasses the mind and understanding, initiating a process that is not restricted to the moments when one sits down for meditation:

I noticed that the peace, a kind of thoughtlessness I experienced increasingly during the attunements, at some point continued in the moments between the meditations. That way I moved very pleasantly throughout the day.

Marketa

In particular the presence of Yoginâm with the online HarpMood at the end of each day is invaluable, guiding the retreat in such a way that hidden barriers can surface and dissolve:

Yoginâm is not just playing the harp; It really comes to you.

Mike

To read the feedback of all the participants click here or book a retreat below, you are most welcome!

If taking part in the Nâm Retreat feels like too big a step you might consider one of our Weekends of Silence first.

The longer Personal Meditation Retreat

I wish I had discovered the Nâm Retreat of Silence much earlier. Can I also attend for a longer retreat?

Emerging from silence after five days, one participant remarked that she would have liked the retreat to continue. And indeed, longer retreats are available.

The programme is called the Personal Meditation Retreat and, as the name suggests, it can be tailored to individual needs. It offers the opportunity to withdraw from everyday life and live according to one’s own rhythm; to recover from a challenging period or burnout; or to stay in an environment that supports a creative process that requires focus and clarity.

Depending on individual needs, the retreat may include two to four meditations per day, silence throughout the entire retreat, or only during certain parts of the day. For those wishing to engage in contemplation and reflection, a guiding text is also available.

The programme is normally offered for a maximum of five days. However, there are two occasions in the coming year when a longer stay is possible: from 19 to 31 May, and from 14 to 26 July.

If you are interested, please find more information and book your stay below

The Feast of Lesser Light and its significance

December 21 is celebrated across cultures as the day of the solstice. From this day onwards, the sun will gradually ascend, remaining above the horizon a little longer each day until it reaches its highest point. The Feast of Lesser Light is celebrated on this day, but what is the significance of this celebration within Living Nâm?

The Feast of the Lesser Light is a celebration in which people come together in order to celebrate that in this togetherness Asha is realised as the Way in which we aspire Attunement in Abbah. It is the Feast of darkness that searches for the Light. In Asha we recognise that this Light is not coming from somewhere, but that we are the wick that needs to be lit.

Yoginâm, 2023

The celebration itself is a ritual that includes songs, dance, and recitation. The recitation provides continuous support for Attunement throughout the day. The songs and dance are a celebration in joy, not for amusement as Yoginâm says, but with the purpose to open the participants for a certain reality.

How one of the participants experienced the Feast:

It was chilly outside, and daylight faded early. In the Ardennes, clouds hung low between the hills. Silence enveloped Asharum Amonines. But inside, a lovely wood fire crackled as we enjoyed warm tea and reunited with old friends while meeting new faces. The winter solstice was approaching, the shortest day of the year. From then on, the days grow longer, and a little more light will surround us each day. In Asharum Amonines, we were able to experience the entire feast in Nijár with Yoginâm. Online, indeed, but we were there above all in our hearts. It was a celebration to remember. With fourteen participants in Amonines, it was pleasantly busy and lively, yet quiet and subdued at the same time. Every moment possessed its own intensity.

We recited Yoginâm's texts in unison, we listened, touched to our very cores by the beautiful singing, and we danced as one, united by the compelling sounds of live music and, of course, the HarpMood. Time ceased to matter; the celebration felt endless and, before I knew it, it was over. Next year again, at the same time, in the same place.

Marjolein

Events calendar:

To view all inspiring events in 2026, click below!