00:00:06 Shreya: What if the signals your body sends, like, fatigue, pain, restlessness are not problems to fix, but messages to listen to. In a world where wellness is often split into physical or spiritual. Today we are exploring what happens when we stop separating the two.

00:00:25 Shreya: Welcome to the Wellness Reimagined, where we questioned old frameworks and explore health through a more integrated human lens. I'm your host, Shreya, and today I'm joined by Carolyn Kreiger and we are talking about the link between physical health and spirituality, and why treating them as separate might be the very thing holding many people back from the true well-being. By the end of this conversation, you will have a clearer sense of how your body and inner life are in a constant dialogue and how to start listening more closely. Welcome, Carolyn. I'm honored to have you on my show.

00:01:03 Carlijn Krijger: Thank you, thank you.

00:01:04 Shreya: before we start curling, can you just share a bit about yourself for our listeners?

00:01:09 Carlijn Krijger: Yeah for sure. So my name is Colleen. I'm from the Netherlands and I've been into health for my whole life. Always been an obsession since I was a child. And, um, but that was not enough, unfortunately. So the past, um, like five years ago or something like that, I lost my period. I had super bad anxiety, I was tired, my skin was flaring up, and I had all of these vague symptoms constantly bloated. And, uh, I didn't really know what to do with that. I had all of these, like, spiritual self-help books, of course, and all of the mainstream media, but nothing could really, um, explain to me why I was feeling that way. And so I spent a lot of money, spent a lot of time over the years and a lot of learning and trial and error ERA. And eventually I healed myself. And I now have, um, a simple framework and. Something more simple, something more applicable, and something, um, really different. I'd say that most wellness influencers. So that's why I'm helping women right now to, to actually solve, uh, these kind of problems where no one can really help them.

00:02:27 Shreya: That's really amazing. And what first made you notice that physical health and spirituality were not actually separate experiences in your life?

00:02:39 Carlijn Krijger: Um, so I think the first really tangible and obvious thing, like I always knew that there was some connection, right? Um, because when you're happy, you suddenly have more energy and all these things. Right. So but I think the first really obvious, um, experience was for me when I did a parasite cleanse. So, um, that opened up a whole new world for me in terms of spirituality and physically wise as well. It was really, uh, special.

00:03:15 Shreya: That's really interesting. And I think that moment of noticing when something personal cracks open a bigger truth. It's like often the doorway into deeper integration.

00:03:27 Carlijn Krijger: For sure, for sure, for sure. And, you know, with parasites, it's it's just so, um, so intertwined with spirituality because you have other beings in your body, right? Other spirits. So, um, there's just less of you. There's just more noise over it. And so when I did a parasite cleanse, and I see with a lot of people that I work with, uh, they feel more like themselves. Like, genuinely. It's really amazing.

00:03:58 Shreya: Yes. And like many people still see spirituality as something abstract, like beliefs, practices, maybe a meditation, while physical health feels more concrete and miserable. What do you think we misunderstand when we keep these two in two separate boxes?

00:04:19 Carlijn Krijger: So, uh, they are separate, first of all. Uh, so. But you have to I think that many people misunderstand the word spirituality in the first place. Uh, and so they cannot actually separate between words, because when you separate between things, you can see what's one and what's the other. Right. You can work with that. So I would say it's a good thing to separate them. Uh, and it's really amazing to experience how they influence each other. Right. So, um, if I from from my point of view, We are spirits, so. And we have a body and we have a mind. Uh, and we as a spirit, we can create things. So what does creation mean? It means to take something out of nothing. To make something out of nothing. So you as a spirit, you're nothing. And so in terms of potential and you bring about, uh, an energy or you bring about a physical thing. Energy in my point of view, is also physical. So it's just it's a very big conversation, right? Spirituality. Um, I don't want to tap on that too much, but I think that many people misunderstand the the topic and they therefore do not understand how it influences the body. Uh, and they think that the things that they feel in the body, that that's the spirit or they think that, um, there are thoughts that that is them or they get they get it all confused. So I think for for these people, the first step is to, um, realize in the first place what, what each thing is. And from there you can, uh, you can work with it.

00:06:10 Shreya: Yeah, that's absolutely true. And like, so when people say I'm spiritual but my body is failing me, what tends to be missing in that perspective?

00:06:21 Carlijn Krijger: Um, so it's true that everyone's spiritual, right? It's the truth. Um, and when the body is failing, it usually is because the body is a machine. Right? It's just, um, a whole organization of all sorts of entities, of all sorts of, uh, parts communicating together. It's like a huge business, but then like times thirty seven trillion or something like that. It's an incredible organism. Um, and if you do not know how to manage that organism, how to manage that organization, your body is going to fail. Be it through communication with your body spiritually, be it through knowing what the body actually needs to function properly. Most people know about diet. Most people know about, um, let's say exercise about, um, that's only ten percent of the puzzle. So you have to really know, especially in today's environment where, uh, these things are so upside down, like ninety percent of the stuff that you buy in supermarkets is, is processed garbage. Uh, we are assaulted with, um, radio magnetic frequencies, for example. So there's a lot going on that people don't know about. And that is actually influencing them for sure. Their bodies. Right. Yeah.

00:07:43 Shreya: Yeah, Like the separation itself. almost as if we are trying to listen and we are only listening the half of the conversation. also, at a deeper level. Why do you think so many of us disconnect from the body when we start exploring spirituality?

00:08:02 Carlijn Krijger: yes, that's a good question. I think for sure, with spirituality, a modern spirituality, for sure, it has become very popular and it has become almost an escape mechanism or a way to avoid their, uh, the reality. Right. And so, um, Really, the upside happens when we are not willing to experience something negative. For example, in the body there's something going on and it's negative. So we tend to not be wanting to look at it. And so it becomes worse. Uh, so that's that's where it goes wrong. But it happens so subtly subtlety. And it happens uh, over lifetimes as well. So yeah, it's not that people did something wrong with that or so, but it's something that has been going on for a long time spiritually and especially in, uh, in the physical thing with the emfs, with the processed foods and all these things for the past, let's say, two hundred years. So, um, it's something new and old, and it can be just so confusing for so many people because there's just so many conflicting information and, uh, also wrong information. There's so many voices, um, screaming and we fail to actually hear our own voice. Yeah. Or trust it. Right? Maybe we hear it and we don't trust it or whatever. Yes. It's really sad, honestly. Um.

00:09:40 Shreya: And also like in everyday life, how does this disconnection actually show up for people? Like what patterns do you see? Physically or emotionally when the body and the spirit are not in sync? Um.

00:09:58 Carlijn Krijger: I feel like it's with actually with most people that they're not really there. Like, you see a body, but they are not fully there. And, uh, you see them, you see them maybe, um, passed out in some, like half passed out or just, uh, off guard, you know? I think it's like that. But, um, yes, that's what I see often. And I have to be honest, like, I'm not one hundred percent, uh, spiritually enlightened or present myself all the time. Of course not. Um, but you can see it in people's eyes who are really there, right? You can really see it. You can see it in the way that they move their body. The body is way more enthusiastic. If you look at kids, that's a great example, right? Kids are usually pretty healthy, right? They usually inhibit the body a lot. They use the body. They they speak out their emotions. They're very honest about things. They don't they don't hide that much. So I'd say the less childlike that you become, the worse you get and the more disconnected you get from from the body for sure.

00:11:20 Shreya: Yeah. And also, like, are there subtle signs that people often overlook before the body really starts speaking louder through the like, through illness or through chronic stress?

00:11:33 Carlijn Krijger: Uh, yeah. Yeah for sure. Uh, in my experience, it always happens with, um, the first thing that really goes south is that it can become obvious is your reproductive system. Maybe you've experienced that for yourself as well as a woman, right? Uh, your period becomes weird or irregular or more painful, or you get these hormonal acne or like, these, like, vague symptoms that people tell you, oh, that's just the hormones or that's just your age or that's just blah. It's bullshit. Right? It's just the first sign that, um, that the body is asking for, for, for some help or having some upset about what what you chose to do. Have you experienced, uh, symptoms like that that you just are like, huh? That's not what it used to be, but I don't really know. Yeah, like, it's kind of great, right?

00:12:33 Shreya: Yes. I really have experienced in my life. Like whenever I. Yeah like whenever my like my normal period is delayed or like it's not like before. There are some more problem. There are actually are very spiritually or very mentally, uh, discomfort that is connected with it that I, uh, discovered later. But at first I thought it's maybe a physical problem, but then I found out, no, it's actually a mental or like a spiritual problem. I was struggling with something else.

00:13:06 Carlijn Krijger: Aha.

00:13:08 Shreya: And like, if someone wants to begin, like, reconnecting their physical health with their spirituality and without overhauling their entire life, where would you suggest they start?

00:13:23 Carlijn Krijger: Um, yeah, for sure. So I do not recommend anyone to step out of their life in any way. First of all, um, if you if your spirituality, quote unquote Spirituality asks you to step out of life. Your, um. That's not the way to go. Okay, you'll get worse because you're isolating yourself, and it's just from a place of fear, right? Uh, I did that, and I do not recommend because it's really hard to come back. It takes a lot of work and a lot of courage. but, uh, for for anyone that would be like, oh, my God, I feel so disconnected. Um, obviously work with me. I'm joking. I'm actually not. Um, but, uh, it's a step by step process, okay? It's a process through realizing who is you and what is not right. Um, it's about a daily choice to, um, to to trust yourself, to start trusting yourself on different things, to do something that's not in your habit routine, to do something that's maybe not logical. It it's really a step by step thing. Just as with a business, you don't start at a thirty million dollar business when you've never run a business before. You start with, um, with your own one man army, right? It's step by step. And I'd say for sure, when you're looking to come back to yourself, you cannot forget your body. It's not just spiritual. Whoo-Hoo! Not just the Reiki or not just all of these energetic influences that you're opening yourself up to, which cannot be always with the best intentions, of course, as well. So it's really about identifying what is you, what is not working with someone who can see your blind spot, who can point out where you need to go next, your next step, who can encourage you? Who can validate your wins? So that's a big part. Uh, having a coach or having a mentor, Having a friend, someone around you and, um, detox. Like removing shit from your from your body. What doesn't belong there? Removing, um, other spirits that don't belong there like parasites. Um, really healing yourself. And it will be way easier to communicate with your body. Way easier to communicate with other people because you are more there.

00:15:54 Shreya: Yeah. I think that's really a very beautiful statement.

00:15:59 Carlijn Krijger: Yeah. Thank you. Thank you.

00:16:01 Shreya: And like, also, uh, integration is not always linear. Uh, when people feel really disconnected again, like, maybe through the illness, through burnout or through loss. How can they relate to their body and spirituality with more compassion?

00:16:20 Carlijn Krijger: Uh, yeah. So first of all, they have to understand that they lost the connection before and then the sickness came, not the other way around. So, um, and you can always communicate like, no matter, but it's really how willing you are to look and how willing you are to see the negatives and who willing, how willing you are to experience pain. Because the less willing that you are. This universe is a plus and minus universe. So, uh, with every plus comes a minus. And if you're not willing to experience the minus, you cannot get the plus. Yeah. So for people that are really sick, they're usually just unwilling to experience something. It's a huge upset against something spiritually. And then toxins in the environment. And the whole dysregulation in biology makes it worse. Right. So if someone would be really sick and would be recognizing that they created it in the first place, that's where to start.

00:17:24 Shreya: Yeah, I think that idea of that relationship and rather than controlling it, I think it seems really. Central to everything that you have shared. And also, like I have a reflection question for someone who is listening and who feels disconnected from their body right now. What is one question they could quietly ask themselves this week without needing an immediate answer?

00:17:53 Carlijn Krijger: Okay, interesting. What's the intention behind the question?

00:18:00 Shreya: Yes. Like what is one question they can ask that, uh, they really need to hear right now? Like they are disconnected with their body and they really need to hear that truth.

00:18:13 Carlijn Krijger: Aha, aha. Yes. A good question as well would be, um, what am I unwilling to experience?

00:18:23 Shreya: Hmm. That's a good question. That's a that's a really nice question. I think when also like when physical health and spirituality are not allowed to meet, the body really stops being a problem to fix. And I think it becomes a really partner that can heal. And this is a very this is like a very, very insightful, very powerful and a very warm, soothing conversation with you. And if after this, my listeners want to connect with you, then what's the best way?

00:18:56 Carlijn Krijger: Uh, the best way is to, uh, look for me on, uh, on social media, which is Colleen Krieger c o r l I g n k r I g e r something like that. Uh, or go to Superwoman. There you can find all of the information about me. Um, and, uh, I love the thing, the way that you put the, um, the last one. I forgot how you put it, but it was really amazing.

00:19:28 Shreya: Thank you so much. This is this is an honor for me, and I will definitely make sure to attach all these details and links below so that the listeners can find them easily and get in touch with you. And for my listeners, thank you for spending this time with us on the Wellness Reimagined. If today's conversation. Yeah, thank you so much. And if today's conversation start something in you, let it linger, perhaps even in your body. And until next time, stay curious, stay compassionate. And remember, wellness is not something you achieve. It's something you relate to. And do not forget to hit the follow button. Subscribe and feel free to share your thoughts because your ears deserve premium content. Thank you. Thank you so much Caroline. This is truly, truly a really amazing conversation and I just hope that I can have you back in my show very soon and listen more from you.

00:20:23 Carlijn Krijger: Yeah, that would be amazing. Thank you so much. Really beautifully put. Uh, that, um, wellness is not something you achieve but relate to. I really like that.

00:20:34 Shreya: Thank you so much. Thank you so much. I just I just tried my best to, um, give. Kind of, like, not a message, but that can help people. And, um, this will be like a small request. Like, if after this, you just can mark this conversation complete, then this will help me grow more and also give me the button to release this episode.

00:20:56 Carlijn Krijger: Sorry. Say that last one again.

00:20:57 Shreya: Yeah. Like if you just mark this conversation complete and also give us one review, it will really help me and also give me the button to release this episode for sure.

00:21:08 Carlijn Krijger: For sure.

00:21:09 Shreya: Thank you so much. This is truly an honor. Take care of yourself. Have a great day and we'll meet soon.

00:21:15 Carlijn Krijger: Yes, likewise.

00:21:17 Shreya: Thank you.

00:21:17 Carlijn Krijger: Bye bye bye.