Jojo Struys

Immersed in the moment when I’m on the bowls…

I love how Asia is such a melting pot of culture. This post goes out to all my Hindu friends and everyone celebrating Diwali right now. May we remember the significance of the Festival of Lights. It is to remind us of the victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. It marks the letting go of dark shadows within us, negativity and doubt from any area of our lives. It is a choice in any given situation on how we respond to whatever comes our way.

In anything you do, if you want to align yourself with the light, just tap into your heart and come from love. And perhaps ask yourself the question, “What would love do?”

This would give you a clear indicator of where you’re truly coming from. Intention and energy in everything. We always have a choice.

I have often visited Indian temples to meditate and simply reflect about situations that could be bothering me. I enjoy the grounding effect of walking barefoot on the tiles. It is a meditation in movement and by the time I leave, I feel a sense of clarity from just having some quiet time to myself.

As I now reflect on both the shadows and light within me, I am gently reminding myself on this auspicious day to always choose love. To always choose compassion and to always forgive those who have ‘hurt’ me and to forgive myself too for all my shortcomings.

I hope you can do the same. Happy Diwali everyone! Lotsa love to all of you 🫶

Awww 🥰 My heart burst wide open when I saw my mother coming down the stairs, totally unsuspecting that I would be right there waiting for her. She had no idea that I got a flight from KL this morning to make it to a surprise Mothers Day lunch 😘 The moment she saw me, she spontaneously broke into tears. She just didn’t see it coming. Awww 🥰 It’s made the whole trip so worthwhile just to catch this priceless look on her face to see me standing there, as though I truly was the best surprise ever.

We’ve not actually seen each other for a long while as I’ve been so busy with the move of OhanaJo into its new space in Plaza Arkadia so I’m thankful I managed to make the time to get away at a time like this.

I am trying to take my own advice that time is so precious and the moment of NOW is all we ever have and this was a moment I really didn’t want to miss. I’m so happy to be here with this incredibly unconditional soul who brought me into this world. I love you so so much Mum. Thank you for being you. Just like that little embroidered pillow I once bought you which said “If mothers were flowers, I would have picked you” Time and time again ♥️♥️♥️

It’s been kinda crazy these last few days and almost surreal to think I was sitting on my meditation cushion teaching Sleep Yoga to a full house class at Sunway SPK just last Wednesday and barely a few nights later, and several lorry 🚛 loads later, all the gongs, crystals bowls, essential oils and the entire shop has been transported into an utterly brand new space. Not everything from our previous two floors could fit here so the excess furniture had to go to OhanaJo’s Retreat Bungalow. But wow, we “survived” this mighty move and it’s all a refreshing change once you get past the stress of moving. So we are here now 🙏 I’m still setting up lol. The first class starts in a matter of hours but we are rushing to the finish line to be ready for you humbled as always, to serve with so much love ❤️

It’s been really very precious to spend some quality time with my family.

This cruise was booked more than two years ago and finally, several lockdowns later, we managed to get on to it!

It was kinda insane to think there were 5000+ passengers on board. Gosh, no idea how they do it but they’ve figured it all out right down to the last detail. It was well organised 👌

And since the ship is so massive, you can barely tell you’re sailing on water. It’s like a floating city.

There’s a beautiful calm that washes over me the moment I connect with my heart and start to meditate.

As I quietly sat there grounding my energy before the Reiki participants arrived, I was reminded about how emotions literally means energy in motion. We are not always in the same state all the time. The more self-aware we become, the more we realise that our feelings, even our fears can literally pass, if we allowed them to. Emotions are constantly in motion. Even a breeze over an ocean will not blow in the exact same way again, in that very moment over the sand.

This reminded me of the passage of time, like the waves breaking on the shore and the emotions that sometimes move through us in waves of peace or pain. You can decide. You can choose how long you would like to “allow” something to disturb the mind.

Learn to watch your own thoughts as though you were an observer looking and witnessing whatever you’re experiencing without becoming so attached to whatever is coming up. Just silently observe. And stay connected to your breath. Sit into any pains that might come up without judging it.

Interestingly, the moment you stop blaming or rejecting how you feel, the more you might understand it. The hand that goes near the fire understands the sensation of heat the closer it gets to the flame. Don’t try to avoid the fires in your life. Don’t need to burn yourself either but get close enough to understand how someone or something makes you feel. And why?

Trace your thoughts from the head to the heart or from the present to the past. Seek to understand your problems from their roots. Observe. Dive into yourself without drowning in the water. Be strong yet flexible. Be still yet flowing with your breath and your emotions. Be beautiful no matter how much ugliness might come up. Just watch and you will start to realise that you’re the only one who will truly understand you, when you spend more time with yourself

I love that saying by Seth Godin, “Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should design a life you don't need to escape from.”

Remember that life is short and time is really precious. You can never live the same moment again. Each moment in time is unique. Enjoy your life because no one can do it for you.

If life was a blank canvas, it can be as colourful or dull as you choose. We are all creative beings and we can create our own reality. In fact, every thought you’re thinking in this very present moment is already creating your future. The finished ‘artwork’ is always a reflection of the artist. We are all architects of our own destiny.

Dream big and live by your own rules so you only have your SELF to answer to, if you break any of these rules. And live honestly. Love hard. Dance like no one’s watching. And whatever you do, make sure you don’t intentionally hurt anyone because actions have reactions and karma is real.

It’s up to you. Whatever effort you put into something is also the result of what you draw out from it. If you constantly judge, you will always feel like a victim of circumstance. If you are always in a state of gratitude, you will attract even more blessings. It’s simply the law of attraction.

I used to know someone who lived in a contracted world of fear and mistrust so he was unable to access the beauty of truth. If you come from love and openness, you will attract even more expansiveness and love.

It’s all up to you. Remember that the paint brush is always in your hands.

Sound baths can be emotional though they’re more often than not, deeply therapeutic and relaxing.

We feel what is meant to come up for you in the moment will surface if it’s ready to be seen or released.

I was very touched by the sight of this couple after my class the other night. The sound bath made her access some sadness within her and her partner simply held her for the longest time after all the students left. When I was packing up, I realised what he was doing was really helping her healing process. Just wordlessly holding space for someone without words or judgment is such a beautiful gift you can give to another. Awww *melt* What a sweet pair they were!

Sound waves can trigger off theta brainwave states that can bring the body into an optimal space for healing to occur.

However, they can also trigger off emotional releases and it’s not uncommon to suddenly feel like crying because if you’re ready to let something go from your energy field whether it’s a person, toxic situation, a past memory or emotional pain, give yourself permission to do so.

This is why people feel so much lighter once they’ve released the emotions they’ve been carrying. Sometimes, people cry with joy too remembering those who have left us and celebrating their memories with gratitude.

Sound baths are magical and we can really journey within or tap into altered states of consciousness. So beautiful! I feel grateful to be a part of these amazing experiences

See you at OhanaJo this weekend! And if you want to do any Tarot/Akashic or Rune Stone readings, please book early. First come first serve all weekend. Pls WhatsApp 017 696 8895 to RSVP 🙏🌈♥️🤗

When we are surrounded by the noise of our thoughts and city streets, it becomes harder to connect with ourselves and our true nature.

In the silence of a forest or a bed of flowers, it doesn’t judge our imperfections. It simply is. Just nature.

In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect…it teaches us how each and every flower or branch of a tree is unique and individual in its own way. Like us.

When you’re feeling out of sync, come back home to yourself. Come back to your original essence. Come back to nature.

The Earth doesn’t belong to us. We belong to the Earth ~ Unknown

Never look back in anger. The past is there to teach you a lesson.

Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die ~ Buddha

You have the power within you to break the cycle.

This pose goes out to any of you having a really rough time right now. May you be able to stay balanced despite all the challenges you might be facing. May you be able to stay focused on your path even if the odds seem stacked against you. May you continue to persevere even when you feel like giving up.

Close your eyes for a moment and focus on something that makes you feel grateful. It could be a person, it could be a place in nature or a situation unfolding for you. It could even be the very thing that’s worrying you.

Don’t despair if things aren’t looking the way you’d like them to. Instead ask yourself, what is the lesson I’m meant to learn here? What’s the gift behind all this adversity? Seek and you shall find 💜

The toughest lessons we have been through are like the pressures a diamond faces before it becomes a diamond. It takes all that fire and heat before it sparkles with its dazzling beauty.

Allow the fires in your life to transform you. Rise above them. You will start to realise you’re probably stronger than you think. Amidst the chaos,
there will come this beautiful point where you will find the peace that your souls could be searching for. Like finding stillness in the eye of a storm.

May you always stay focused even if your world is falling apart. You got this 💪 Send love to yourself the moment you open your eyes. Send love to your “enemies” too so you can free yourself from any unhealthy bonds or ties you could be carrying. Let go. Surrender. Trust.

Stay true to yourself and know that even the greatest storms will pass. Keep your head up and your faith firm. You will get through this! Remember nothing is actually happening to you, but FOR YOU in order to grow.

In a quiet, meditative space, practice saying this to yourself

I accept myself
I forgive myself
I respect myself
I am safe
I am strong
I am protected 🙏

Ever since leaving my retreat and settling back into life in KL, I couldn’t help but miss the ocean breeze and waking up to the sounds of being on an island where the pace of life was so much slower, so much calmer.

But then I remembered my meditations and the peace you can find within yourself almost anywhere. If you can slow down the pace of your thoughts, everything slows down with it. It starts with our breath and awareness.

It can happen on a crowded city street. The whole point of going within is to bring your awareness from the outside world INTO your inner world.

No matter where you are, if the world was getting you down, just try closing your eyes and listening to the sound of your own breath. Bring your attention to that space in front of your nose. Become aware of the passage of the breath, even the temperature of the breath as it moves in and out of your nostrils. Can you feel the air passing in and out? This is already a form of mindfulness meditation.

Now, start to lengthen your exhale. What this does is sends a message from the brain to the body to slow down. It totally calms the nervous system. Sometimes we have to slow down in order to speed up in life.

Try this if you’re needing to slow down. Breathe in for 3 counts from your nose (allow your stomach to gently expand as your inhale) then breathe out for 6 counts from the nose (allow the belly to soften and relax) and you’ll notice the stomach drawing in toward the navel as though it’s emptying the toxins out. Repeat this for several cycles. If your lungs have more capacity, you could do 5-10 as a ratio. Breathe in for 5 counts. Exhale for 10. Find a pace that works for you.

As you start to breathe in this deeply relaxing way, your heart rate and blood pressure drops. This is amazing if you’re ever feeling anxious. And it’s so simple to do this. You don’t need any equipment. Just you, your breath and you 💚

The more present we are, the more alive we feel. We start to come into a state of flow…

Namaste 🙏 Have you ever wondered how to play a crystal bowl? Or where we journey to in sound baths? Why do we bliss out? Or why do your joints feel less stiff? We’ll come join us!

Level 1 Certified Sound Training is a solid foundation on the theory and science behind sound across multi instruments.

This is a weekend immersion where students get direct hands-on experience on how to play the crystal bowls, the meditative gongs, Himalayan bowls inclusive of conducting private Himalayan bowl treatments and scanning the body’s chakras and energy fields. We will also be covering the power of using your own voice and how toning can be utilised as a healing tool when doing sound baths.

Sound therapy can be applied in a variety of settings, whether it’s for individuals or groups and you can join this course as a complete beginner.

Sound therapy has long been used for stress relief, deep relaxation, anxiety, pain, stiff joints, bad backs, poor quality sleep and even beneficial for calming the nervous system of children with special needs.

Sound vibrations help ease the mind into a more relaxed, optimal state of consciousness for self-healing to take place. Sound waves can trigger alpha and theta brainwave states which can trigger the release of endorphins and what some refer to as states of ‘bliss’.

Sound is a form of energy that helps bring people into meditative states. Jojo is also an accredited Reiki Master and very familiar with working with energy as a form of healing. As Albert Einstein said, “All of life is vibration” so everything IS energy. So working with Sound is also working with the power of intentions, vibrations & energy. So this multi-instrument course is really jam packed with knowledge, theory and practical exercises.

This weekend comprises of two full days of training, including OhanaJo’s Level 1 certification (OhanaJo has been rated No 1 in Malaysia by Ministry of Tourism and 3rd in Asia by Best Fitness Asia).

We also provide a comprehensive training manual you can bring home with you and some delicious home cooked vegetarian meals. We can’t wait to see you all here! 🌈💙

Pls WhatsApp us at +6017 696 8895 to book your spots 🙏

OMGGG! It’s been one heck of a long journey to get here 😱 I’ve travelled by road, air, bus, ferry and tuk-tuk. Three PCR tests later and a quarantine in Phuket, I’ve finally arrived on this beautiful and charmingly remote island of Koh Phangan!Goshhhh.

How travelling anywhere in the world has changed. The staff in the airport looked right out of a sci-fi flick with their space suits for covid testing and my poor nostrils have been invaded way too many times BUT I’m choosing to focus on the positives. For one, I finally got here! Yayyy! 🌈 And the sight of Mother Nature and seeing the ocean again has made this all truly worthwhile. Why all this effort you might wonder?

Well, I’ve come here to do some deep inner work. We often spend a lot of time leaking out our precious energy by focusing too much on our external environment and usual distractions but when we journey inward, the answers that you seek from all your burning questions are already within you.

But, accessing what’s really in your heart is easier said than done. You need to get out of your mind or ego. You need a certain sense of stillness & silence. And the discipline to want to DO the work.

I’ve signed myself up for an international retreat to move toward becoming a better person, better healer, better friend, better soul.

I’ll be doing a deep dive into my own ‘baggage’. We all have it and it’s not packed into a shiny suitcase. We carry the wounds of the past in our physical, emotional and energy bodies. We all have ‘stuff’ to work on. I’m hoping to clear out my past and really let it go. 2020 has been an immense year of incredible change. There were some beautiful moments but so many painful ones as well in many areas of my life but I bless it all. I’m ready to release it all so I can truly embrace 2022 with wide open arms.

Healing is not an overnight process. I’ll remind myself to be patient and kind with all my flaws. Take a deep inhale, I tell myself. I hear it’s gonna be intense.

Wish me luck!