Tango & Tantra in Buenos Aires
Inspiration shot March 2024
My month in Argentina was not just about dancing tango in Buenos Aires… I also did a tantra retreat. Many people think that tantra is only about s*x, but I learn essential life lessons every time; more about that later. The result: I feel more ‘alive’ than ever. I am more in my feminine energy, I look better, I experience more connection with others, my business is booming and I have more fun in life! In this Inspiration shot I would like to share my insights, so that you too can live life more lightly.
Tango
When I hired a private tango teacher in Buenos Aires in 2015, I thought the daily lessons would teach me the dance. I could never have imagined that I would also gain profound insights into my own psyche. My teacher, coach and now good friend Adrian Luna helped me to explore my feminine side – literally – step by step. For the first time in my life, I did something I wasn’t good at; I had to learn to follow, to trust my body, to be in the moment. I felt insecure and completely out of my comfort zone. But, when the dancing went well, I felt a connection, happiness and flow that I had never known before. It makes me curious – and when my head takes over again, sometimes also desperate. Ultimately, I discovered that tango is a perfect metaphor for life. Even now, many years later, every tango I dance is a mirror that offers me valuable insights. Read more in my blog Life lessons from tango.
Tantra
The same year I discovered tango, I also did my first tantra retreat. A world opened up for me. Until then I had always lived in my ‘masculine’ energy. I was good at DOING, achieving results and boasted a ‘no nonsense’ mindset. I avoided weakness and vulnerability. I found emotions useless; they were only distracting. Since then I have started an internal journey and my feminine and ‘playful’ energy is gaining more and more space.
The tantra philosophy of balance, openness and connection that is often applied to s*x is actually a philosophy of life. It’s about the balance between your masculine and feminine sides. The increasingly familiar theme to me, ‘out of your head, into your body’ also plays a role. Add ‘being in the moment’ to that, and you have the recipe not only for tantra, but also for tango, and life in general…
If you are curious to know more, you can read about my tantra journey, with insights, tips and links in this blog.
A nice ‘joke’ from the Universe: there was 1 other Dutch participant during the tantra retreat ‘in the middle of nowhere’ in Argentina. Kim sent me a message in advance that she had been following me for a long time; as a kind of ‘alert’ that we would be there together. In the end, it was great fun, AND it turns out she is a co-shareholder in the theatre where I will be holding my Dutch theatre show next year! Small world, right?
Buenos Aires
Imagine a time machine that takes you back to the 1990s. Buenos Aires feels like a mix of Italy, Spain and France in that era. Decades-old cars (meticulously maintained) on the tree-lined streets, no electric cars or other signs of ‘modern’ technology on the cobbled streets, dilapidated -once grandiose- buildings, lots of sidewalk cafes and people strolling leisurely.
Economically and politically, Argentina is bad news. Extreme inflation; 20% per month. Restaurant menus and even supermarket shelves no longer show prices because everything is changing so quickly. You can view prices in an app. Even middle-class Argentinians cannot travel abroad due to the poor exchange rate and many people are forced to live on the streets. Some of my local friends try to see the positive side: “The situation encourages entrepreneurship”, but everyone agrees that the situation is very sad indeed. There is good news for visitors from abroad: everything is extremely cheap: accommodation, food, transport, entertainment, etc. And by visiting you also stimulate the economy, have a great experience and meet special people.
It is already the third time that I have lived in the city for a month, in Palermo, and every time I enjoy it more. I highly recommend it! In this blog, I also share my Google Maps with my favourite restaurants and other tips.
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Inspiration bites
Movie
Yes Man!
On the plane to Miami, I watched this classic again and I seriously laughed out loud at Jim Carey several times.
The message of the film is so true.
Say YES to life and each opportunity that presents itself. Something beautiful may be disguised as something ugly or annoying.
Netflix series
Love is blind
I have a soft spot for reality TV shows because occasionally you still see REAL emotions there. My current favourite is this dating show, where couples – who are not allowed to see each other – decide whether they want to marry each other purely based on connection. It is so interesting to see the love ideals and social norms in practice.
Did you know...?
…that unexpected combinations and bloopers sometimes produce great results? Buenos Aires is becoming increasingly popular among nomads. Because some of the tantra participants as well as my Dynamite Circle tribe (successful location independent entrepreneurs friends) were in town, this occasionally resulted in hilarious situations. Sometimes I made a mistake about the subject and started talking about business in the tantra group, or about s*x in the DC group… That resulted in surprising conversations and great connections. It feels like all my different ‘worlds’ are merging into one.
Where is Esther?
I was in Buenos Aires for almost the entire month of February. It is now my fourth visit and I am loving this city more and more, especially with this mix of tango, tantra and business friends! It took some getting used to switching back to Spanish after learning Italian in recent years. My brain has worked quite a bit, and I found it interesting to witness how it struggled, but now both languages can coexist.
It’s amazing how long it takes to fly from Argentina to Miami, almost as long as from Europe! I spent last week with my father. On the one hand, it’s sad that because of his Alzheimer’s, my dad is just a shell of who he once was. On the other hand, I am grateful that he is still here and that I can hug him, drink coffee with him and laugh with him. Fortunately, we have found sweet caretakers again for the coming months, some are even returning for a 2nd term.
From Miami, I wanted to travel to Curaçao. However, a one-way ticket turned out to be so extravagantly expensive that I decided to fly via Bogota. For the same price, I stayed there for two nights in a luxurious hotel and invited my girlfriend Maanwilla to come to Bogota from Aruba and join me for dinner at Andres Carne de Res – my favourite restaurant in the whole world.
Now I have just arrived in Curaçao, where this month I will see my friends and organise my very last writing retreat on the island; after this only Mallorca (June 4-11th) and Thailand (Nov 11-18th) are planned.
In the spring (April and May) I will be in Puglia, South Italy, where I will be organizing the Workation Village Italy for the 2nd and last time. A group of international entrepreneurs come to live in my village for a full month to experience real Italian life and work on their projects.
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