Life lessons Archives - Esther Jacobs – the NO EXCUSES LADY: speaker, author, digital nomad

When hunger is older than this lifetime

lydia orth — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 19:30:32 +0000

There has always been a sense of urgency around food in my life. You can explain behavior through your experiences, your childhood, your family, and your choices. And sometimes that explanation still does not touch the core. Some patterns refuse to stay neatly inside this lifetime. They show up as obsessions, impulses, or fears that feel out of proportion. Like my relationship with food. This blog is about hunger, safety, and control. About experiences in this life, inherited memory, and past lives. About the moment I realized that to understand my food obsession, I had to look far beyond my own history.

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Can love exist beyond time and space?

lydia orth — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 18:22:47 +0000

Can love exist beyond time and space? Does love at first sight really exist? Or is it not really the first sight, but a recognition? Recognizing a soul you’ve known for thousands of years, from another life, another dimension. Can love endure through time and space? And if it can, what do you [...]

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No Excuses: Turning my life into a theatre show

Lydia — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 12:30:36 +0000

No Excuses: Turning my life into a theatre show What creating my own show taught me about letting go, creativity, and being yourself On my 55th birthday, I stood on stage at Theater Amsterdam with a one-time-only performance: the No Excuses Theater Show. It was a deeply personal celebration of everything I’ve learned [...]

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Wachuma ceremony: a journey of reflection and renewal

Esther Jacobs — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:40:57 +0000

After a shamanistic tantra retreat in Peru (link to ISTA level 2), I had the opportunity to participate in a Wachuma ceremony, guided by two local shamans and their son. This sacred ritual, rooted in the ancient traditions of the Andean people, involves the use of the San Pedro cactus, known for its ability to connect individuals with God, nature, or their inner selves. While I normally don’t use psychedelics, in a dream during the retreat a few weeks ago, I had gotten the strong ‘message’ that I needed to purge an old relationship. This ceremony took place in the Sacred Valley, just two days after the solstice and just before the new year; a perfect time to reflect, let go and set new intentions for the year ahead.

The intimacy of the group and the setting felt safe and right, making it an experience I couldn’t resist.

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My Transformation: ISTA Level 2 in Peru

Esther Jacobs — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 12:15:43 +0000

“Are you ready to let go of everything you think you know about yourself?”

After my first tantra retreat in 2016 and several experiences with ISTA (International School of Temple Arts), I finally felt ready for ISTA Level 2. After attending Level 1 twice and completing an integration retreat, I knew this was the next step. Nobody tells you exactly what Level 2 entails, only that you will ‘die.’ Your ego dies, and then you are reborn. It’s an intense process, and that’s exactly what I was looking for.

This retreat was held in Peru, a country deeply rooted in shamanism and a special place for me personally. Although the timing was terrible—I was flying from Thailand, with only two days in Amsterdam to adjust to the time difference, pack, and leave again—I knew I had to be there. This was Bruce’s last retreat, one of ISTA’s founders, and everyone spoke of him with awe.

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Embracing the feminine: a deep dive into self-discovery

Esther Jacobs — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 08:51:10 +0000

Polarities have always fascinated me—the opposites that shape our lives. In my search for balance, I discovered that I was often in my masculine energy: focused on doing, control, and results. But deep down, I longed for a softer side, to embrace my feminine energy, which is all about surrender, presence, and connection. This desire led me on a path of self-discovery that led to tantra workshops and eventually to my first MDMA journey under the guidance of a psychologist. I expected this psychedelic experience to bring me closer to my feminine energy, but the journey took an unexpected turn. The harsh and dangerous reality of living as a witch in the Middle Ages gave me new insights into my distance from feminine energy. Being a woman is not always easy, and has often been dangerous. This time, I felt ready to move on and really delve into being a woman. My most recent MDMA journey brought surprising lessons about myself, my family, and the hidden stories that shape my feminine power. I’m excited to share my experiences and lessons with you, in the hopes that they will resonate with you too…

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A journey into the unknown

Esther Jacobs — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 08:48:05 +0000

When a friend from a tantra workshop mentioned he was heading to the Sexibility Festival in Sweden, I was intrigued. The festival promised a unique mix of tantra, spirituality, and personal development, all set in the tranquil, remote surroundings of Ängsbacka - a place I'd only heard whispers about. Without knowing what to expect, I impulsively bought a ticket. Unlike the tantra retreats I was accustomed to, where the experience is carefully curated and shared by a tight-knit group, this festival offered a different approach: the freedom to choose your own path, selecting from a variety of workshops, or stepping back whenever you needed to.

As the day of departure approached, I found myself filled with curiosity but also a touch of anxiety. I was going alone, with only a vague acquaintance to rely on, and I had no idea what awaited me. But everything about this festival was designed to break down those initial barriers, helping people connect quickly and deeply. In this blog, I'll share my impressions of the festival and some of the valuable lessons I learned along the way.

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Life lessons from a Tantra experience

Esther Jacobs — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 12:25:14 +0000

Most people think tantra is about sex, but it is a total re-eduction about life. How to get rid of limiting beliefs & old patterns that don’t serve you anymore, how to balance your masculine and feminine energy, how to deal with & process emotions and also, but not primarily, how to heal or revitalize your healthy sexuality.

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Inner peace

Esther Jacobs — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 09:38:26 +0000

For a few months now I have had the feeling of enormous peace within me. I almost can not believe it. The unrest that has always been there is gone. I was always in 'survival mode', always alert, busy, and productive. Now it feels more like just BEING and enjoying.

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Eyelift

Esther Jacobs — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 08:47:41 +0000

I had been suffering from drooping eyelids for years. It even got so bad that my eyelashes were pressed down. Yet I had never thought about an eyelift, even though many friends (and friends) told me that they had done so and that it was a 'piece of cake'.
However, when I lost a bit of vision in one eye a year ago due to a split retina, I became extra aware of the overhanging eyelids. Maybe an eye lift would give me some vision back? It was worth trying. But I thought it was super scary. Cutting a healthy body is not 'my thing'. Once again friends assured me that it wasn't that big of a deal.

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