Category Archives: Uncategorized

by | February 17, 2025 · 10:13 am

This too shall pass

“Like river tides and autumn leaves,
All things must drift, all things must weave.
No hand can hold the fleeting dawn,
For what is here will soon be gone.” — Unknown

External events, such as elections and economic cycles, can easily consume all your attention, pulling you away from your true purpose and inner joy. You may perceive the world as chaotic, making it harder to focus on the person you are meant to become.

If recent political events have left you feeling disheartened, powerless, or overwhelmed, know that you are not alone. Take comfort in the timeless wisdom: “This too shall pass.” Challenges are temporary, and no moment—good or bad—lasts forever. Stay grounded, keep perspective, and trust in your resilience.

The origins of the expression are unclear. According to Jewish folklore, King Solomon is said to have asked his advisors for something that would keep him grounded. They presented him with a ring inscribed with “Gam zeh ya’avor” (גם זה יעבור), which translates as “This too shall pass.”

The phrase has also been linked to several other traditions and later gained popularity in Western culture, and was famously quoted by Abraham Lincoln in a speech in 1859.

Lincoln made his remarks at the Wisconsin State Fair in Milwaukee, at a time of looming civil war, and rising political divisions over the slavery issue. He referenced an Eastern monarch who sought a phrase from advisors that would always be true in both good and bad times.

The answer he received was “This too shall pass away.” Lincoln used this phrase to highlight the idea that all circumstances—whether good or bad—are temporary.

The phrase serves as a powerful reminder to the wealthy, the powerful, and the arrogant that humility is essential, and success can be fleeting.

Just as nature moves through its cycles, life is impermanent, with good and bad times constantly shifting. Those who remain attached to power and wealth are especially vulnerable to these unpredictable forces, much like the changing seasons. They cannot be controlled.

Seizing back control when life becomes challenging

In the winter season of life, external events can at times be very challenging. But there are ways of how you can seize back control by focusing on those things that you can control:

  • Accepting a reality does not mean that you approve of it
  • You can control your response and your emotions to external events
  • Remind yourself that nothing lasts forever including challenging times

You can reframe your perspective into a question:

What can I learn from this and what opportunity may arise from this situation?

This is a time to build resilience by strengthening body, mind, and spirit. Falling into despondency and negativity will not serve you well. Try limiting your exposure to negativity such as negative social media and news events. Surround yourself with positive people and do things that boost your vibrational energy.

Practicing Gratitude

Being grateful for those things that are going well in your life can be a powerful tool of reframing emotions and feelings. Write down every day three things you can be truly grateful for.

Letting go of attachments to beliefs, perspectives, and emotions is a journey. Realigning with the rhythms of nature—listening to the wind, the rustling leaves, birds singing or the gentle flow of water—can be profoundly healing.

A deep walking meditation in nature allows for a reset, grounding yourself in the present moment. Whenever you feel weighed down, shift your focus to your breath. With each inhale, reconnect to your true self; with each exhale, release what no longer serves you.

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. If you enjoyed this article you will be interested in my books available where all good books are sold.

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by | January 21, 2025 · 10:08 am

Spiritual Resilience and Life’s Challenges

Throughout my life, I have grappled with the tension between religion and spirituality. Organized belief systems can so easily devolve into intolerance, hypocrisy, and hatred of those who look, think, or act differently. Ideology in all its forms fractures societies, breeding division and animosity.

Yet, creation thrives in diversity. God’s garden is a vibrant spectrum of colors and forms, each plant and flower enhancing the other in a harmonious beauty that can only be fully appreciated when seen in its entirety.

At its best, religion provides meaning and purpose to life. It offers solace and sanctuary during life’s most challenging moments—times of grief, loss, despair, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Religion at its best and at its worst

Religion can unify communities, fostering a spirit of collective goodwill that transcends individual needs. Throughout history, faith-based inspiration has unleashed humanity’s most profound creativity in art, music, philosophy, and architecture. The masterpieces of Michelangelo, the compositions of Bach and Beethoven, and the enduring grandeur of centuries-old cathedrals and temples stand as testaments to the power of faith to inspire and elevate. At their core, all major religions share a universal message of love, compassion, kindness, and peace.

Yet, at its worst, religion has been wielded as a tool for manipulation and abuse. It has perpetuated discrimination, financial exploitation, fraud, and instilled fear and shame in innocent victims, leaving lifelong scars.

Over centuries, countless lives have been lost in wars waged over dogma, with individuals persecuted or executed for deviating from “the true gospel.” Such hypocrisy has driven millions to turn away from institutionalized and denominational religion, creating a vacuum often filled by a trash culture of alternate ideologies, political extremism, or addictions to external gratification. The consequences of this disconnection are evident in the growing epidemic of depression and spiritual emptiness.

How spirituality creates resilience against life’s challenges

Recent research highlights a significant link between spiritual belief and resilience to depression. Those who believe in a higher power are often better equipped to navigate life’s challenges, finding balance and purpose more easily than those disconnected from spiritual practice.

Experiential spirituality, unlike externally imposed beliefs, emerges as a deeply personal “knowing.” As Carl Gustav Jung famously stated when asked if he believed in God: “I don’t believe. I know.” This kind of spirituality arises intuitively, often in moments of awe—walking in nature, contemplating a masterpiece, listening to music, or engaging in creative flow.

This prompts profound questions: Is religion merely a pathway to spirituality, or is it an end in itself? Are we transitioning into a post-religious era? How can we bridge the divide between organized religion and personal spirituality to cultivate deeper, more authentic connections with the divine?

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. If you enjoyed this article you will be interested in my books available where all good books are sold.

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by | December 16, 2024 · 5:53 pm

Minds captured by Fanaticism

A right-wing media ecosystem fueled by resentment and anger is capturing millions of minds with a steady stream of alternate realities, stoking division, and delivering a daily narrative designed to reinforce grievance and distrust.

Social media is becoming an even more integral part of daily life, particularly for younger generations, as highlighted by Pew Research. While extremist platforms like Rumble remain smaller than giants like YouTube, they still attract millions of followers, spreading a wide array of conspiracy theories and disinformation.

Driven by a core message of fear and anxiety, these “hate entrepreneurs” pin blame for personal and collective challenges on a shifting cast of internal and external enemies, further exacerbating divisions.

Doom prophecies have long been a typical playbook of cults and populist political leaders.

It appears that once a person has invested huge time and energy resources in a particular belief, it becomes part of their identity. Even the best argument or scientific study will not dissuade the person from adopting a different perspective. They become locked in a particular mindset. Different perspectives or beliefs are radically rejected and some even turn to violent behavior to defend their mindset.

During medieval times when the black plague decimated much of the European population, rumor and superstition spread just as fast. A rumor that the Jews were responsible for the plague by poisoning water wells led to a mass pogrom in the French city of Strasbourg. About 2,000 Jews were burned alive on a platform constructed in a Jewish cemetery on Valentine’s Day in 1349.

Leon Festinger, a social psychologist, made groundbreaking contributions in the 1950s to understanding belief systems. He based much of his findings on studying a cult led by Dorothy Martin (alias Marian Keech), who claimed to receive messages from extraterrestrial beings about a catastrophic flood that would destroy the Earth on a specific date.

In some of his key findings he found that members of the cult were so committed to their belief that they abandoned jobs, loved ones and possessions in preparation for the flood. When the prophecy failed, instead of abandoning their belief, the cult members rationalized the failure by claiming that their prayers had “saved the world.”


Festinger found that cognitive dissonance was highest among those who had made the most significant personal sacrifices for the cult, doubling down on their belief and reinforcing their fanaticism.

In a digital world it becomes far easier for cults and extremist groups to maintain cohesion by withdrawing into information silos that cement beliefs such as:

  • Climate change denial
  • Vaccines are a conspiracy by the pharmaceutical industry
  • The “chemtrails” conspiracy theory posits that the condensation trails left by aircraft—are chemicals intentionally sprayed into the atmosphere for nefarious purposes. The rumor has persisted since the early 1990s despite the lack of clear scientific evidence.

Fixed belief and fanaticism ultimately creates a toxic emotional state, blending fear, anxiety, and anger. It fosters dehumanization, deepens political polarization, and fractures social cohesion.

On a personal level, it becomes a significant barrier to self-growth and spiritual evolution. In a rapidly changing world, adapting is essential for survival. Clinging to rigid beliefs not only limits personal transformation but also blinds you to the new opportunities and possibilities the universe continually offers.

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. If you enjoyed this article you will be interested in my books available where all good books are sold.

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by | December 9, 2024 · 9:11 am

When Faith Turns Toxic: The Spiritual Journey

The rebirth of Paris’s Notre-Dame Cathedral, five years after a devastating fire, serves as a striking beacon of hope during a time marked by division, uncertainty, and fear. It is a powerful testament to what humanity can achieve when united in a shared purpose.

Europe’s great cathedrals, such as Chartres and Notre-Dame, were more than architectural marvels. They were profound expressions of faith, creativity, and communal spirit. These towering structures, built to reflect heavenly glory, continue to inspire awe and remind us of the enduring power of collective endeavor.

What unites people around a common purpose fosters trust and transcends individual interests. For millennia, religious rituals and practices have served this unifying function, binding communities to shared values, goals, and principles. Religion has also provided a framework for understanding suffering and adversity, offering solace and resilience in times of need.

Religion and the sense of belonging

As inherently social beings, humans find strength in connection. Participating in religious ceremonies has historically reinforced a sense of belonging and strengthened the social fabric of communities. Modern studies affirm this, linking faith and religious involvement to lower levels of depression and anxiety, underscoring the vital role of shared spirituality in nurturing mental and emotional well-being.

Hill and Pargament (2003) concluded that spirituality fosters resilience by enhancing hope and optimism, even in highly stressful situations.

But paradoxically the affiliation to a specific religion, community or faith often strengthens the divide between “them and us”. Religion can bring out the best and the worst in humanity. Friendships, humanity and service may be restricted to the “in group” while those outside the group were often villified and dehumanized.

In my recent podcast on LivingtoBE, I discussed with psychologist Katie Turner, on when spirituality or religion becomes toxic and in some cases cause long-lasting trauma.

  • When clergy, therapists or spiritual teachers have not done the the self-work by transmuting their own shadows they will project these on their followers.
  • Some religious beliefs discourage seeking professional help, claiming that prayer or faith alone should suffice.
  • Religion is then abused as a tool of manipulation, coercion, control and exclusion. Overemphasis on sin, punishment, or unachievable standards of moral purity can lead to chronic guilt and shame.
  • Toxic religion often revolves around charismatic leaders who demand absolute loyalty and discourage critical thinking or questioning.

When members of a religious community feel compelled to suppress their individuality, religion can even alienate them from their authentic spiritual path and soul purpose.

Religious platitudes may hinder personal growth and self-discovery, with fixed beliefs locking individuals into a singular worldview obstructing the evolution of spiritual awareness and consciousness.

What Can Help?

  • Set Boundaries: Establish clear limits on how much influence religion exerts over your life and well-being.
  • Seek Broader Perspectives: Explore spiritual practices and belief systems that prioritize love, tolerance, acceptance, and personal growth.
  • Consider Professional Support: Therapy or counseling can provide a safe space for healing from spiritual abuse or the effects of toxic religious experiences.

At its best, religion offers sanctuary, love, and compassion during times of need. At its worst, it can inflict profound physical and emotional harm. Cultivating a grounded connection to your own intuitive senses and spiritual needs will help you discern and navigate the difference, empowering you to recognize and avoid toxic expressions of faith.

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. If you enjoyed this article you will be interested in my books available where all good books are sold.

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by | December 4, 2024 · 10:29 am

Home: Reflections on Place and Belonging

The landscape that you inhabit shapes you in profound ways, prompting the question: Where is home, and what environment truly nurtures your joy, energy, and zest for life?

Recently, I returned to South Africa, revisiting the places that defined my childhood. The journey was deeply reflective, stirring memories and a realization: home is no longer where it once was.

While timeless landmarks like the mountains and rivers of the Drakensberg endure, everything shaped by human hands changes—and often, tragically, deteriorates.

In rural South Africa, essential infrastructure like roads, sanitation, water, and electricity has largely collapsed or is on the brink of failure. Political corruption has turned state institutions into feeding troughs for party loyalists, leaving what was once the pride of Africa’s railways and roads in disrepair.

The place of home can shift

Circumstances led me to leave my birthplace at a young age. For years, I lived and worked in Germany—a land tied to my ancestral roots but one I could never truly call home. The long, cold, and wet winters left me battling colds and flu for weeks, an unmistakable signal that my well-being needed a different environment.

At times I was terribly homesick, longing for the blue skies, expansive landscapes, sounds and smells of my African homeland. It is easy to fall into the trap of melancholy sadness of what once was and is no more, the past becoming an idealized and distorted image.

Finding the place in the sun

Seven years ago, I found my place under the sun in Mallorca, Spain. It wasn’t until then that I fully understood how deeply geography, culture, and community impacts not just physical health but mental vibrancy and energy.

Sometimes, choosing to live someplace else does change everything for the better, notwithstanding that you always take yourself with you. Home is ultimately within. Home is what creates a sense of belonging and purpose.

Feeling at home sometimes shifts as you grow, adapt, and explore the world. At times, it’s where you were born or raised, rooted in childhood memories and traditions. At other times, it’s where you feel most alive, inspired, and at peace—a place or state of mind that aligns with your values, dreams, and well-being.

Recently the most renowned South African writer and poet Breyten Breytenbach passed away in his home in Paris. In his prose, Breytenbach frequently explored how the home one remembers rarely aligns with the home one finds upon return. The landscapes may remain familiar, but the social, political, and personal contexts often shift dramatically.

Returning home can evoke a profound sense of loss—of the self that once belonged fully to that place and the home that no longer exists as it was. Returning to childhood landscapes can be a complex, bittersweet experience, marked by both longing and alienation.

In a poignant in his book “Return to Paradise”, Breytenbach reflects:

We carry our homes within us,
shaped by the stories of our scars.
The land may hold its silence,
but the roads remember our footsteps.

Where is the place where you can truly breathe and thrive?

What does home mean to you?

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. If you enjoyed this article you will be interested in my books available where all good books are sold.

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by | November 19, 2024 · 1:11 pm

You are the master of your destiny

“The great cease to rule when the small cease to grovel.” (Friedrich Schiller 1759-1805)

Dictators, demagogues, and cult leaders excel at convincing decent, ordinary people that blind obedience and unwavering loyalty will miraculously transform their lives. The rude awakening inevitably comes.

Once in power autocrats and dictators inevitably exploit the weak and vulnerable for their own selfish needs. Russian leader Vladimir Putin is a typical example. He is purported to be one of the wealthiest people on earth. Meanwhile, his country’s infra-structure, health, and education system are collapsing while state resources are spent on imperialist wars.

In the recent U.S. Elections the power grab by wealthy oligarchs has been more subtle. Elon Musk, probably the world’s second wealthiest man, together with other billionaires (Peter Thiel, David Sachs, Rupert Murdoch etc.) control a large part of the nation’s tech and media industry (Twitter/X, Fox News). They injected more than two billion dollars into the Trump election campaign and now have a major influence on the country’s political agenda.

We are seeing an unprecedented symbiosis of politics, power and capital in the United States, German Professor Bernhard Pörksen, a media analyst, said in an interview with ZDF television. These libertarian ideologues “who despise the weak” are “pursuing their agenda on their own media platforms with extreme aggression, despising classic journalism and clearly threatening their enemies.”

Historian Timothy Snyder in his book On Tyranny, describes how democracies often erode not through sudden collapse but through gradual undermining of norms, laws, and institutions.

“The mistake is to assume that rulers who came to power through institutions cannot change or destroy those very institutions—leaving democracy in ruins.”

Spreading disinformation on their media platforms is part of the agenda. When the truth is turned into a lie and the lie into the truth the ordinary citizen, confused by conflicting information overload, switches off from politics, ultimately surrendering his basic freedoms and liberty.

In the short-term autocracies create the impression of stability through strong control of dissent and internal conflict. The reality is that without the checks and balances of a democracy power is inevitably abused, leading to inefficiency, corruption, and exploitation. Suppression of dissent and free thought stifles creativity, critical feedback, and innovation.

When the powerful become too powerful and economic promises don’t materialize, frustration can reach a tipping point. A single, galvanizing event can ignite existing frustrations and unify disparate groups against the regime, such as blatant corruption or fraudulent elections. Rebellion becomes possible when the population collectively believes change is achievable such as in the peaceful revolutions in communist East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Poland.

Nothing is more powerful than when individuals arise collectively in the realization that they can be masters of their own destiny. The pain becomes so powerful that people overcome their apathy, fear, and disempowerment, embracing a collective cause.

Mahatma Gandhi’s peaceful struggle of collective civil disobedience against imperialist British rule remains a shining example of collective power that built momentum through incremental successes with strikes, protests, and legal rulings.

You as an individual collectively will hold enormous power in shaping your destiny when overcoming fear, and believe in the possibility of change.

The poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley, remains a powerful declaration of resilience and self-mastery, speaking of the indomitable human spirit in the face of adversity and the ability to control one’s fate:

“Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.”

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. If you enjoyed this article you will be interested in my books available where all good books are sold.

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by | November 12, 2024 · 10:49 am

Bridging Religion and Spirituality

“God is at home. It is we who have gone out for a walk.” – Meister Eckart

I have always struggled with taking the teachings of the Bible literally. Once, when I voiced my doubts to a pastor, he replied, “You just have to believe.” This answer left me unsatisfied, deepening my questions and nudging me further from conventional faith. Today, I see myself more as a spiritual seeker than a believer.

After much soul-searching, including walking many pilgrimage paths in northwestern Spain, I’ve come to feel and experience something profoundly vast and mysterious, far beyond the simplified image or concept of a personal “God.”

I find it hard to reconcile the notion of an all-powerful, loving God with the existence of suffering and a deity who punishes or abandons those who disobey or fail to believe. The God of the Old Testament is often portrayed as a father figure, demanding absolute obedience to doctrines meant to provide stability, certainty, and structure. Within this framework, dissenting interpretations and questioning of these truths were rarely tolerated and brutally suppressed.

Diversity as a core principle of creation

In my time spent contemplating nature, I have come to see diversity as a core principle of creation itself. In nature, every being continuously changes, adapts, and evolves. Those that resist adaptation ultimately fade, making space for species better suited to survive. To me, this endless process of growth and refinement mirrors experiential spiritual growth, which, unlike fixed belief, is fluid. Here, understanding is shaped by direct experience, reflection, and openness to change.

Different religions, like different races, and cultures are like a garden meant to complement and enrich each other. South Africa’s Archbishop Desmond Tutu pointedly once described it as:

“God’s dream is that you and I and all of us will realize that we are family, that we are made for togetherness, for goodness, and for compassion. God’s garden is diverse, with many colors and cultures, and all are precious in His sight.”

Creating peace through mutual respect and compassion

Embracing and accepting the diversity of cultures, faiths, and perspectives as a divine gift is the essential foundation for lasting peace in our world. When we see this diversity not as a source of division but as a beautiful, intentional expression of creation, we open ourselves to mutual respect, compassion, and understanding.

Each unique tradition, belief, and background can contribute its own wisdom, enriching the broader human experience. True peace arises from recognizing that our differences are not obstacles but opportunities to grow, connect, and celebrate a shared humanity within the wholeness of creation. .

Bridging science and religion

Albert Einstein, in his efforts to bridge science and spirituality, described a “cosmic religious feeling”—a deep awe at the order, beauty, and mystery of the universe. For him, this feeling didn’t arise from belief in a personal God but from reverence for something grand and beyond human comprehension. He didn’t see God as a being who intervenes, rewards, or punishes but as a metaphor for the universe’s profound mysteries. While he respected religion’s role in human ethics, he believed morality is a human endeavor rather than a divine dictate.

Spiritual understanding, I feel, is something that grows and adapts with experience, often diverging from the intended path to reveal unexpected landscapes. Such growth may not even be a choice. Sometimes we are forced onto the path of spiritual awakening by profound loss, pain or hardship.

Fixed beliefs can offer a foundation, while experiential spirituality allows expansion, reinterpretation, and deepening of understanding. The former might be expressed in ritual, prayer, and sacrament, while the latter can be found in meditation, contemplation, deep communion with nature, or service to others. Yet, the two need not be in opposition; instead, they can enrich each other.

As the 13-century Mystic Meister Eckart once reflected: “The most powerful prayer, one well-nigh omnipotent and the worthiest of all, is the outcome of a quiet mind. The quieter it is, the more powerful, the worthier, the deeper, the more telling, and more perfect the prayer is.”

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. If you enjoyed this article you will be interested in my books available where all good books are sold.

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by | November 5, 2024 · 11:21 am

What makes you happy?

“Gratitude is the antidote to the weight of regret”

In an uncertain and sometimes chaotic world, the constant stream of negative news can feel overwhelming, often overshadowing the positive moments. Unfortunately, the mind tends to focus more on negativity, making it essential to intentionally cultivate a mindset that embraces joy and positivity.

Throughout each day, we all face both positive and negative experiences. But have you ever wondered why the negative ones linger in your mind longer and why the negative message is more powerful than the positive?

Conditioning the mind to joy involves rewiring the brain to focus more on positive experiences, feelings, and thoughts while managing stress and challenges more effectively. Here are several practices that can help with this:

Gratitude

  • Daily Reflection: Spend a few minutes each day reflecting on things you’re grateful for, even small things. Writing them down can amplify the effect, as it reinforces positive neural pathways.
  • Reframe Challenges: When facing difficulties, try to focus on any lessons or positives that can come from them. What do I need to learn from this experience? I there a positive side to this?

Meditation and Deep Walking

  • Stay Present: Mindfulness teaches you to focus on the present, reducing tendencies to dwell on the past or worry about the future, both of which can detract from joy.
  • Deep Walking in nature is a great way of reconnecting and alignment. Spending time in the green and blue spaces of nature and opening the senses to sound, smell and feeling will noticeable reduce your stress levels. If you want to find out more, check out my book: Deep Walking for Body, Mind and Soul.

Positive Visualization

  • Imagine Joyful Outcomes: Regularly visualizing positive experiences can help the brain become more attuned to them. Picture moments that bring you happiness and success, even small ones, and try to evoke the emotions you’d feel in those scenarios.
  • Future Gratitude: Think about things you’re looking forward to or would like to happen, and imagine how grateful you’ll feel when they do.

Self-Love

  • Speak Kindly to Yourself: The way you talk to yourself affects how you feel about yourself. Practicing self-compassion means addressing your thoughts with kindness and patience, which fosters a more joyful and supportive inner world.
  • Forgive Yourself: Mistakes happen, and letting go of self-criticism can bring immediate relief and joy.

Acts of Kindness

  • Give to Others: Helping others releases oxytocin and other “feel-good” hormones, creating a sense of connection and joy.
  • Practice Appreciation: Show gratitude to those around you, which can increase your own sense of happiness and fulfillment.

Flow Activities

  • Find a Passion or Hobby: Activities that fully absorb your attention—like art, sports, or music—can create “flow” states, which are deeply satisfying and joyful.
  • Focus on Progress: Rather than aiming for perfection, celebrate small wins and improvements, which can help you appreciate your journey.

Cultivate Optimism

  • Challenge Negative Thoughts: When you notice negative thoughts, ask yourself if they’re realistic or if there’s a more positive perspective you could consider.
  • Practice Positive Affirmations: Regularly affirming positive beliefs about yourself and your future can build a mindset that gravitates toward joy.

Physical Exercise

  • Exercise Regularly: Physical activity releases endorphins, boosts mood, and reduces stress, all of which contribute to a happier space.
  • Smile Often: Even forcing a smile can trigger a small release of dopamine, making the brain associate smiling with joy.

Building positive habits and cultivating a resilient mindset takes time, especially if you’ve spent years dwelling in negativity. It’s a gradual process, but starting small can make a big impact. Begin with simple actions, like writing down three things you’re grateful for each day. Or take a few minutes each day to walk in nature or meditate. Over time, these small steps add up, creating a powerful, lasting effect.

In my village, there’s a Moroccan fruit and vegetable vendor who greets each customer with a big smile and a warm, friendly remark. Recently, I told him how his kindness radiates positivity to everyone he meets. Just think of the hundreds of people he uplifts, day after day, week after week, year after year. For me he is a reminder of how just one person can have a profoundly positive effect.

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. If you enjoyed this article you will be interested in my books available where all good books are sold.

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by | October 28, 2024 · 7:39 am

Leadership matters: The Strong vs the Wise

Whether it’s the captain of a ship, a school principal, a company manager, or the president of a nation, leadership makes a difference. The character and values a leader demonstrates through words and actions can have a profound impact.

For more than a decade, I’ve had the opportunity to work with hundreds of companies, gaining much insight into the challenges and success stories when it comes to people management, motivation, creativity and well-being.

Ultimately, leadership plays a huge role. It determines how a family, a company, an institution, or even a country adapts and navigates tumultuous times.

Brute strength and fear never work

It’s not brute strength that counts, but wisdom. A “strong” leader, is often authoritarian and surrounded by sycophants, refuses to take good advice and relies on fear-based tactics.

This approach is often seen in leaders driven by ego or even malignant narcissism. It can lead to immense, lasting harm. Such leaders tend to belittle others to mask their own insecurities and deficiencies.

The wise leader, by contrast, has a bigger vision, grounded in social intelligence and deep listening. They pick up early signals before issues escalate into crises, navigating with a calm, compassionate demeanor. Wise leadership is marked by patience, thoughtfulness, and humility, creating an atmosphere where people feel valued and respected.

Mandela exemplified compassionate leadership

Nelson Mandela exemplified this. After being unjustly imprisoned for 27 years, he had every reason to harbor bitterness. Yet, when I met Mandela shortly after his release from prison in 1990, he showed a profound sense of forgiveness. He realized that hate and retribution would only hinder a peaceful, democratic future for South Africa. He recognized that his true strength lay in bringing together opposite sides in building one nation.

Body language tells the truth

To grasp the distinction between effective and ineffective leadership, we should pay attention not just to words but to body language. Wise leaders convey a natural authority through measured movements, creating an environment of stability and composure even in high-stress scenarios. Their expressions are often accompanied by a gentle smile that signals warmth and approachability. They nod or offer affirmations while others speak, embodying active listening and respect.

In contrast, ego-driven leaders tend to use body language to assert control. They may invade personal space, exhibit forceful gestures like pointing or chopping the air, and maintain scowling or emotionless expressions, creating an atmosphere of intimidation and tension rather than collaboration and respect.

This distinction is crucial because effective leadership directly shapes workplace culture, employee engagement, and job satisfaction—all key factors influencing absenteeism and work-related stress.

Bad leadership destroys health and well-being

Research supports this, such as the Health and Well-being at Work report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in the UK. This 2019 study found that 37 percent of employees cited “management style” as a major source of workplace stress, a significant factor in absenteeism.

  • Organizations with supportive managers reported lower absenteeism rates, as employees felt valued and connected to their work.
  • Furthermore, the report highlighted how companies with inclusive, communicative, and supportive cultures see fewer absences.
  • When leadership invests in employee well-being, absenteeism rates can drop by nearly 25 percent, significantly reducing burnout and fostering resilience, health and satisfaction.

What does this mean for national leadership? Leaders at the helm of a country have an outsize influence. They can incite division, demean, and fragment society. Do they bring out the worst in the human being in emanating fear, intolerance, anger and retribution? Or, do they heal, unite, respect, and motivate a nation, elevating it to a higher state of consciousness.

The character and values of a nation are mirrored in its chosen leaders, as the philosopher and writer Joseph de Maistre, (1753–1821) once said:

“Every nation gets the government it deserves.”

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. If you enjoyed this article you will be interested in my books available where all good books are sold.

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by | September 16, 2024 · 3:38 pm

Pilgrimage, Mystery, and Healing

In London’s Westminster Cathedral stands a strikingly beautiful statue of Our Lady of Walsingham, emanating timeless grace, peace, and compassion.

The Marian shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, located in Norfolk, England, traces its origins back to the early 11th century. Known as “England’s Nazareth,” it became one of the most significant and ancient pilgrimage sites in the country.

Known as the „Walsingham Way,” countless pilgrims visited the Holy House with a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary as a focal point of contemplation. It was a time when monasteries and shrines connected medieval pathways in a powerful matrix throughout Europe.

But in 1538 Henry VIII ordered the Walsingham statue to be taken to London and destroyed. As part of his break from Catholicism, monasteries were dissolved, pillaged and pilgrimages prohibited.

Only in recent times, the Walsingham pilgrimage path has been revived now officially forming part of the network of pilgrimage paths to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

The shrine in Walsingham has regained its medieval significance, often referred to as the “English Lourdes” because of its central place in Catholic and Anglican devotion in England.

Pilgrims to Walsingham seek healing, spiritual guidance, and a deepened relationship with the Virgin Mary. It remains a place of great spiritual renewal for many, with visitors walking the Holy Mile, a traditional part of the pilgrimage route.

The beautiful statue of the Walsingham Lady in Westminster Cathedral was commissioned by Cardinal Griffin in 1954 and sculpted by Pius Dapre. For many years it remained hidden and almost unknown in the Cathedral Crypt until it was recovered.

Mystery still surrounds the original wooden shrine which may have never been burned and destroyed as ordered by Henry VIII.

An article recently published in The Catholic Herald quoted art historians as saying that The Langham Madonna, a battered 13th-century English statue in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, is in fact the original statue of Our Lady of Walsingham.

There were no eyewitness accounts that the statue was actually destroyed in London, according to the historians but hidden by Catholic loyalists until it reappeared centuries later in the museum.

Throughout history, countless myths, legends, and mysteries have surrounded the figure of the Goddess—whether Mary, Brigid, Kali, Isis or others—appearing and reappearing in various forms. At times, she has been revealed as a beautiful statue, carved from wood, stone, or marble, inspiring the creation of shrines, monasteries, or cathedrals at the place of her discovery.

Mary, in particular, has been known to appear in sacred apparitions at sites like Walsingham, Lourdes, and Fatima—places where the veil between worlds seems thin. Regardless of whether one is a believer, agnostic, or of another faith, her presence has been tied to stories of miracles that defy logic. Yet, time and again, she has brought comfort, solace, and peace to those facing pain and confusion.

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. If you enjoyed this article you will be interested in my books available where all good books are sold.

Check out also the recent episode on the Living to BE podcast and Youtube with our special guest Matt O’Neill. The topic: Happiness is a Choice.

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