How Taoist Philosophy Can Turn Setbacks into Success Signals

In today's fast-paced world, the key to transforming your life into one filled with peace and abundance may lie in following Taoist philosophy. That's what our guest, Gerard Wouters, has discovered in his work as a Taoist therapist. Show Notes | Transcript "Success is that everything is going your way, that you hardly have any setback. And when you have a setback, you know what to do, you know what action you need to take to turn it around. That's what success is all about." - Gerard Wouters Gerard shares his fascinating journey into Taoist philosophy, including a serendipitous encounter with his teacher that led to years of intensive study. We discuss how this 2,600-year-old life philosophy can be applied to modern challenges, especially for women entrepreneurs seeking balance and fulfillment. In this episode, you'll discover: How to interpret setbacks as valuable messages from the universe The surprising connection between physical and emotional healing Why fear is the biggest obstacle to personal growth and success The power of creating emptiness to manifest your desires Key insights include: The importance of unlearning societal conditioning that no longer serves you How to recognize and decipher signs from the universe Why addressing physical issues is crucial for mental and emotional healing The true meaning of success from a Taoist perspective Gerard also introduces his unique approach to therapy, combining physical techniques with profound psychological insights. He explains how this method has helped countless individuals, including those struggling with depression and long-standing emotional issues, achieve remarkable transformations in just a few sessions. Whether you're grappling with fear, seeking to simplify your life, or simply curious about alternative approaches to personal growth, this conversation offers valuable insights and practical strategies. Tune in to learn how embracing Taoist principles can help you create a life of simplicity, joy, and genuine success. Resources: Join the Soulful Women's Network: https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulfulwomensnetwork Receive daily inspirational email messages: bit.ly/LoveLightNotes Need support? Go to engagewithgloria.com to schedule a call. Connect with Gerard Website: https://gerard-wouters.mykajabi.com/taoist-way-for-leaders-and-teams LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerardwouters/ Connect with Live Love Engage: Send Gloria Grace a message ☕ Support the podcast ❤ Love this episode? Leave us a review and rating LinkedIn: Gloria Grace Rand Facebook: Gloria Grace Rand YouTube: Gloria Grace Rand TRANSCRIPT How Taoist Philosophy Can Turn Setbacks into Success Signals with Gerard Wouters Introduction Gloria Grace: Namaste. Today we're going to be diving into ancient Taoist secrets that can transform your hectic life from... into... well, yeah, transform your life from being one that's hectic into one that's filled with simplicity, joy and success. And our guest today is going to explain how letting go of behaviors that no longer serve us can actually create space for the abundance and peace you've been searching for. But first, if this is your first time here, I would like to welcome you. I am Gloria Grace, founder of Align to Shine Academy. And I empower women over 50 to love themselves and the life they're living and to really be empowered with, to go forward with clarity and confidence. And I am so delighted to have an international guest joining us in just a moment. His name is Gerard Wouters and he is a Taoist therapist from Holland. He's an author, he's written seven books and been interviewed frequently on Dutch national TV. And his mission in life is to help people heal from mental issues and show how they can embrace the Taoist way to be happy and successful. So without further ado, I'm going to bring him up here and welcome you, Gerard, officially to Live Loving Age. Gerard Wouters: Thanks for the invite. Gerard's Journey into Taoism Gloria: Well, I'm glad to have you here because I think this topic is really interesting and I love exploring different spiritual philosophies. And so I'm really curious. I thought we could actually start off by asking, just finding out from you what actually first drew you to Taoist philosophy and maybe even also explain for those who are listening who may not know exactly what that is. I know we'll get into it more, but what drew you to that and how did it change your life before you started sharing it with others? Gerard: Taoism is a life philosophy and it's already 2600 years old. And I met my teacher at a business meeting. He was staring at me, very annoying. And as soon as the business meeting ended, I walked up to him and to my big surprise, he told me who I was, what my problem was, where it came from, etc. etc. That got me flabbergasted and very curious as to what this little man was. So I took him home and he stayed at my place for about five weeks or so. And of course he tested me like crazy because he wanted to know if I had the thing that he needed to absorb and implement this knowledge. Because like you said, it is very ancient and also very secret knowledge. And after five weeks he asked me, "Well, you know, do you want to learn this?" And I said, "You know what? You better believe it. I've seen so many funny things, strange things that I just cannot grab. And I just want to get to the bottom of this. So, hell yeah, I want to know everything." And so he started to travel up and down to my country, had a big house at that moment, and he had his own room. And he stayed with me for months and then went back again and then gone back for months. And after about four and a half years, five years, I asked him, "You know what? This knowledge is so incredibly valuable. It shouldn't stay in the monastery, it should be out there. So is it okay if I turn this into a professional treatment?" And he says, "Okay, that's good. And I'll check on you and see how you do it, how you implement this. But on one condition. I don't want to be a tourist attraction, so you do it without me and don't ever mention anybody where I am, who I am, because I want my peace." And I said, "Okay, if that's the only condition, there's no problem there." So from that moment, I started treating people this way. And I've been doing it for 28 years now. And this treatment is so incredibly effective that I can help people recover and cure in four two-hour sessions or a two-day workshop, which I would love to do in your country because I found out that 54 million people in your country suffer from depression. And that's incredible. The Power of Reading Body Language and Facial Expressions Gloria: Well, it is. I want to ask because I'm going to follow up with this in a second, but you mentioned something that intrigued me because you said that when you were first having him stay with you, that there were some things that were surprising. Could you maybe share another example? Gerard: Well, like him, I can say I'm specialized in facial expressions and body language and trust me, it goes a lot further than you think. So I had one situation with him. We were in a hotel, in a bar hotel, and at one moment there was an old couple passing by and he addressed her and told her, "I see you have cancer." And I said, "What?" And she immediately confirmed this. And he gave her some suggestions, some food suggestions. And then he said goodbye again. And I almost fell off my chair. I said, "You can't do this. What the hell are you doing out here?" He says, "You know, there's so many things that you don't know yet, but it's visible. Everything is visible in body language, in facial expressions." And he says, "I know you've got it too, but it needs to be fine-tuned." Gloria: Wow. Amazing. Oh my goodness. Gerard: And now when people come into my practice, I put them on the couch, give them a drink, and I immediately tell them what I see. I see you're a warrior, you've been abused, you have relationship issues. Everything is visible. And I surprise everybody with that. Gloria: Wow. Yeah, that's amazing. Gerard: And that's it. I don't have to give them a diagnosis. I just know. I see this, that's that and 99% accurate. Understanding Setbacks as Messages from the Universe Gerard: We all go through all kinds of processes, life processes. But the problem is a lot of people don't learn from it. And there's one very important thing. We all get setbacks. That's part of life. But you know what? A setback is nothing more than a clue or a sign that you are doing something that's not in order with your path. And I deciphered that. I learned people how to decipher setbacks. So it becomes a message that you can work with. You know, for example, when you've had an argument with somebody months ago, and at one moment you think, "You know what, let's have a talk and let's meet." So you call this person up, make an appointment, and a few days afterwards you drive up to him and on your way to him, you get a flat tire. There's your sign. Now there's two things you can do. Either you repair the flat and go to your friend, and I can assure you that you will not have a fine day because there are always new things happening. But what I learned people, is to turn around and walk away. So what you can do, and that's the Taoism philosophy, what you can do is you call your friends and you say, "You know what? I've got a flat tire and an incredible bad mood. So maybe you can understand that I don't want to come anymore, but maybe you can call me coming week and then we make a new appointment." So you leave it at him. You give him the choice and you leave it at him. When he doesn't call you after five weeks, you know that this is not a friend. Call you the next week. And this way, walking,...