The girls always leave their “mindfulness class” with smiles on their faces and
hearts aglow.
I have seen them both encounter challenges with more grace and
courage since beginning Aura’s classes.
Maybe even more importantly, they have more compassion and empathy for each other!
- Coco & Ettienne's mom, LA
We had the pleasure of meeting Aura through the family she worked with as their nanny, music teacher and more for quite a few years. Our son Tijmen got to know her when he would go play at the families' house. During those times she was a special guide for him. Before he was actually diagnosed with ADHD, she already hinted in that direction. She did yoga and played games with him to help him relax the 'business in his head'. She showed him that there are several different ways to enjoy the 'pleasure of calm'. We have always seen her highly dedicated towards the well-being of all children under her guidance. She adds that special something, that makes it worthwhile for both parents and children to work with her. But what was most special to us, was how quickly she was able to help him feel comfortable and close to her through her gentle approach. It showed us that there are different paths to walk when it comes to raising children.
Mirjam & Jan Rijk; Tijmen's parents from the Netherlands
Aura has been in our daughter’s life for a few years now, first as a guest speaker in her afterschool “Girl Empowerment Group,” and meeting through zoom weekly with my daughter and her best friend. They talk about life, make art, discuss feelings and coping mechanisms and dance and laugh and work anything out that has come up for them. She leads and is led by the girls. She always sends us, the parents, the most detailed and loving “recap” which seem to both honor and respect the girls’ privacy while letting us in.
My daughter holds this hour a week with Aura as I would imagine a Hebrew school, or a religious school, if we were religious. To me her work with Aura is about being a good friend to herself first and foremost, to others, and to the planet. We treasure Aura and know without a doubt she is contributing to the due north of our daughter’s moral compass, and also just a great time. She looks forward to this time set aside once a week to just let go.
Thank you Aura!
Mae's Parents - Kathryn and Ethan
I have known and worked with Aura in the context of children and adolescents over a number of years. I have always been in awe of her ability to get to the very nub of what each child needs. She is a talented educator but more than that she sees and feels beyond what is apparently the case and brings a wisdom and sensitivity to young people and their parents that I haven't witnessed in anyone else.
Aura's calm, professional approach is balanced by her compassion and humour. I wish she was my teacher!!
Karin Abram, Mother & Counseler, UK
Aura is a beautiful soul. She is deeply intuitive. She is a healer. She is filled with joy and warmth and strength and a deep knowingness. Her work effortlessly weaves the energetic, the emotional, the spiritual, and the body. Her work with our daughter over the past 3 years has been transformative. She has an intuitive ability to lead her right where she needs to go, and and to help her connect to the deep, beautiful parts of her heart and mind.
Sofia's mama - Abby
When I was 5 years old, a friend of mine had fallen down the stairs. Aura took
a piece of paper and tore it into many tiny little pieces. She then put them on her hand and said: "this is your pain, blow it all away!" The coolest part was that it worked!
Carlijn Keetell, 12 , NL
A Story About Love
This is a conversation between a 5-year-old, Isabel, and her adult friend Aura Bakker
Aura: What do you really like?
Isabel: Sweets and opening presents.
Aura: Do those things make you happy?
Isabel: Yes.
Aura: Well, if you could only have sweets, bags of sweets, nothing else – no family, no friends, no teddy bears, nothing else – would you still be happy then?
Isabel: Oh, no, I would not like that at all.
Aura: What if you had mountains of presents, so many that you could open a present a day for the rest of your life but you had no one to play with, would that make you happy?
Isabel: No, that would definitely not make me happy, playing with the presents together with friends is the fun part!
Aura: OK, what if you could only chose one thing – something that made you so happy that you did not need anything else – what would that be?
Isabel: I don't know.
Aura: Well, take your time, try and think – one thing that would make you totally happy without ever wanting or needing anything else!
Isabel thought and thought and tried a few different options, but kept coming to the same conclusion as before. Suddenly she lit up.
Isabel: Flowers! When I get flowers!
Aura: Why do people give each other flowers?
Isabel: Love! People give each other flowers because they love each other!
Aura: Yes! So what is the answer to my original question?
Isabel: Love makes me completely happy. If I only had that, and nothing else, I would still be totally happy.
Aura: Yes! And where is love?
Isabel: Here [pointing to her heart].
Aura: OK, so what if you were all alone and you felt unhappy, would you need something like sweets to make you feel happy again?
Isabel: No, because it is always in my heart.