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Hans van Veen>

TLDR - The short version (<30 seconds):

I am: with Ieva, a dad, a Philosophy major (phenomenology & language), a Yogi (Iyengar), an NVC learner-teacher, a Meditator & Mediatior. An Imperfect human discovering his deeper non-faultiness. A plant medicine transformer (aho). Vibing with Nondual Tantra. A Depth Coach.

The long version (>30 seconds):

I’m a cat-dad to Kees and a human dad, to Izzy. A partner to my Ieva (with an i!). I’m a mediTator and a medIAtor. An office dweller, a coffee addict (& chocolate!). Harmony, Dignity, Play, Curiosity-Learning, Space, Acceptance and Peace are my deepest / favorite needs.

I’m truly passionate about contemplating the nature of reality (daily habit), I love cracking up over silly reels, and I love making people laugh (especially Ieva). 

I facilitate mediations since 2022 and NVC trainings since 2020, and I find great meaning in contributing to understanding on this planet, & including myself in this. My academic background is in philosophy.

During my philosophy studies I especially loved ‘phenomenology’, the art of studying conscious experience from within conscious experience. Later, I found out that my hard work in attaining this phenomenological view (I was literally sweating for this in class) made it easier for me to understand the likes of Rupert Spira, and the ‘depth-phenomenology’ of his ‘nondual’ descriptions. And at some point I made the link with nonduality and NVC. Simply put, the ability to hold multiple perspectives simultaneously—beyond ‘right and wrong’—that seem contradictory from an either/or view. In short, the perspective of our plural we/us-ness. But also: multiple things can be true at the same time—it’s a matter of perspective. And at the deepest level, the we-perspective points to the deep boundarilessness of reality itself: not only ‘are we all connected’; there is literally nothing that separates us.

I also spent a few years deliberately encountering my subconscious with the help of Ayahuasca*. that was a whole magical thing. The golden light of divinity, the blackest demons (that secretly carry gifts), Fire teachers, the visions, the purging, holy cow… .

Next, I felt I needed more grounding and so I embraced Iyengar yoga by diving deep into a 3-year teacher training. Yoga proved amazing for my growth, self-remembering and maturation. I even went to magical India for this, and one day I might tell you how I got head-butted by a cow on a beach (true story). Thank you deeply to my Iyengar teachers Delilah (whom I annoyed many a time during TT) and Rembert (best savasanas ever).

I practice daily mediTation. I got involved with zen and did several sesshins and a Vipassana retreat. Since 2021, I follow ‘nondual’ mediTation and Tantra courses with Michael Taft, whose next podcast episode I’m always eagerly awaiting. If you like meditation, I recommend very much his guided ones.

Besides these ‘autodicact’ adventures, I underwent psychotherapy to address patterns and traumas, and this was some of the most insightful and empathic work I’ve done so far.

Since 2023, I have started working with the highly therapeutic ‘Alētheia’ coaching method. Impressed by its power, I am now learning this method for myself as a coach as well. And I realized that my NVC skills translate very well into this extremely transformative method. I have started coaching clients and the feedback I get is incredibly positive.

Please find my coahing page if you’re curious.

Also inspiring me are Thomas Hübl’s insights into intergenerational trauma, ancient wisdom integration, language, and awareness. I love his work, and it too, for me, has connections to NVC. I am hoping to one day join his Timeless Wisdom Training.

I seek all this self-inquiry and healing because I need it. Intergenerational trauma left its marks, in me as in many of us, and I have been on this sort of pilgrimage from my head to my heart (ongoing process).

I’m grateful for the challenges of my life, for my own inner guidance and for the dark parts too. Shame, fear, resentment, anger, hopelessness, bitterness… all of this lives in me as well. I could write whole pages about what I have seen play out in myself from time to time.

The rabbit hole goes deep, and I learn a lot from observing myself, my psychology and behavior, and analyzing its karmic roots and intergenerational (epigenetic) causes. Feedback from others helps a lot as well. I like that ‘everything can be a guru’ (‘dispeller of darkness’).

Since 2020, I have been practicing and spreading nonviolent communication (NVC). My (main) NVC teacher is Yoram Mosenzon, and I’ve also learned with Oriane Boyer, Bonno Lange and others (see below). I’ve completed both the teaching and the mediation year courses (besides very many regular courses and workshops). At present, I am also a candidate for certification with the Center for NVC (CNVC).

Evidenced by the smouldering dumpster fire that is my romantic relationships history, NVC was and is for me what water must be like for thirsty dwellers in the desert.

I am grateful for the honesty of my friend Jon, who pointed me in the direction of this beautiful connecting practice, brought onto this planet by Marshall Rosenberg (hint: Jon didn’t point me here because my communication was super amazing at the time). I have been co-leading an NVC men’s group for about 4 years now with Olivier, and regularly facilitate NVC trainings. Another friend I am super grateful for is Martijn. With great compassion he helped me find my way in my trek towards myself. The appreciation doesn’t stop there, and I could mention many more people and moments. The list is just too long!

I’m so happy that in 2023, I finally got to attend an ‘IIT’, which is the official immersive retreat format of the CNVC. Here, in Montenegro in May 2023, I had the blessing of working with Liv (Larsson), Ian (Peatey), Kathleen (MacFerran) and Dmitriy (Kopina), as well of course as with the other participants.

Lastly, in 2021-2024, I worked a day job for Unilever, which was something completely different, and I enjoyed that in a very different way. I’ve given several of my (previous) employers’ HR departments NVC trainings, and in 2023 I got very inspired by the energy that drove me to reach out to Unilever’s CEO at the time, Alan Jope—a man leading some 150,000 people.

I succesfully introduced NVC and empathy to him, together with my teacher and friend Yoram. His ability to embody empathic presence was the inspiration, together with the empowering sense that ‘I can make things happen’, and the clarity that we are all ‘just’ humans: from janitors to CEOs—we are the current fabric of humanity, and we can all reach out and touch each other. The fact that we were able to connect with Alan and plant a seed of NVC was and is incredibly inspiring.

Ultimately, my path is a path of love, and it’s a recurring question: can I love myself, even now, in my shame and guilt, and anger? Can I love my dark father? Can I understand humans—especially those very close to me—even when they touch so much pain in me?

The answer isn’t always an immediate yes (understatement). But in the end I usually get there, often with the help of dear friends. Friends in the darkness. Friends in the light. And I like how the question tends to keep the door to my heart unlocked.

* The fact I worked with Ayahuasca well does not mean it is the right fit for you. Please always check the local legality and consult with a medical professional if you are considering working with strong medicines such as this. I am not promoting Ayahuasca or other plant medicines, rather this is me telling my story.