Chapter 1: The Introduction to Bastiaan
Bastiaan sat in his study, a room filled with the artifacts of a life that no longer satisfied him. Books on finance and trading were neatly lined up on the shelves, reminders of a successful career that had lost its luster. The walls, adorned with maps of distant lands and pictures from his travels, whispered of adventures past, of a time when the world seemed full of possibilities. Yet, here he was, 49 years old, a divorced father of three, feeling like a man adrift.
The house was quiet. His children—ages 9, 12, and 13—were spending the weekend with their mother. The silence, once a welcome reprieve, now felt oppressive. It was during these moments of solitude that Bastiaan’s thoughts would wander, inevitably returning to the questions that had begun to dominate his life: Is this all there is? What am I really looking for?
Bastiaan had always been different. Even as a child, he had sensed that there was something more to life than what he saw on the surface. While his friends seemed content with the ordinary, Bastiaan was drawn to the extraordinary. He devoured books on ancient civilizations, mysticism, and the unexplained mysteries of the world. This thirst for knowledge stayed with him as he grew older, even as he tried to fit into the mold that society had set for him.
At 25, he had settled into a relationship with Vanessa, a woman who, at the time, seemed to represent stability and normalcy. They built a life together—one that looked perfect from the outside. He became a stock arbitrage trader, a job that offered financial security but little in the way of spiritual or emotional fulfillment. The years passed, and while his career flourished, something was always missing. Bastiaan found himself increasingly drawn to books on meditation, Buddhism, Taoism, and ancient knowledge from the Mayans and Egyptians. He started practicing energy work, exploring the power of the mind and body, and gradually becoming more in tune with his inner self.
But his marriage with Vanessa began to unravel. Bastiaan’s growing desire for a deeper connection, both physically and spiritually, clashed with the life they had built. Vanessa couldn’t understand the changes in him, the way he seemed to be drifting away from the life they had once shared. After 20 years of marriage, she left, taking their children with her half of the time. Bastiaan was left alone to pick up the pieces, to care for his children while trying to figure out who he was and what he truly wanted from life.
In the immediate aftermath of the divorce, Bastiaan found himself thrust back into the world of dating—a world that had drastically changed since he had last been in it. Online dating apps, casual encounters, and the promise of no-strings-attached fun were all new territory for him. Despite his initial hesitations, he decided to dive in, eager to explore this new chapter of his life.
What followed was a whirlwind of experiences that were both exhilarating and enlightening. Bastiaan quickly discovered that he was still attractive and desirable, something that boosted his confidence after the painful end of his marriage. He dated a lot—sometimes two or three different women in the same week. Each encounter was exciting in its own way, filled with the thrill of newness, the rush of desire, and the rediscovery of his sexual vitality.
There were women who were adventurous, introducing him to aspects of sexuality that he had never explored during his marriage. He had nights of passionate, unbridled sex that left him breathless and wanting more. These experiences awakened something in Bastiaan, opening his eyes to the vast possibilities of physical connection. For a while, it felt liberating to be free from the constraints of a long-term relationship, to indulge in the pleasures of the flesh without any expectations or commitments.
However, as time went on, Bastiaan began to notice a pattern. While the sex was often incredible—wild, intense, and deeply satisfying in the moment—something was missing. He would wake up the next morning, sometimes alone and sometimes next to a woman he had no real connection with, and feel a profound emptiness. The thrill of the night before would quickly fade, leaving him with a sense of disillusionment. Despite the physical closeness, there was a glaring absence of emotional intimacy, of a true heart connection.
Bastiaan realized that, while these encounters were enjoyable, they weren’t fulfilling on a deeper level. The women he met were beautiful, interesting, and fun, but none of them touched his soul. None of them shared his passion for exploring the hidden depths of life, the mysteries of the universe, or the spiritual journey he had embarked on. What he craved wasn’t just a physical connection, but a meeting of minds and hearts—a relationship where he could be fully himself, where his desires, both spiritual and sexual, could be explored and understood.
It was this realization that began to change the way Bastiaan approached dating. He became more selective, less interested in casual flings and more focused on finding a partner who could connect with him on all levels. He continued to date, but his heart wasn’t in it the same way. The excitement of new experiences was tempered by the knowledge that they were ultimately hollow without a deeper connection.
Now, four years after his divorce, Bastiaan found himself at a crossroads. His parents had recently retired, and he had taken over their market vendor business, selling nuts and dried fruits at local markets. It was a far cry from his days as a trader, but it provided a decent income and allowed him to be there for his children. Yet, even this new venture felt hollow. Bastiaan knew he was capable of more, but what? He needed a new purpose, a new challenge—something that would combine his passion for spiritual growth with his desire to make a difference in the world.
As he sat there, staring at the maps on the wall, Bastiaan felt a familiar stirring in his chest—the same feeling he’d had as a child, when he would lie awake at night, dreaming of far-off lands and ancient mysteries. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, allowing the feeling to wash over him. There was something out there, something just beyond his reach, waiting to be discovered. And this time, he wasn’t going to ignore it.
With renewed determination, Bastiaan opened his eyes and reached for a notebook. He started to write, letting his thoughts flow freely onto the page. Ideas for a new venture, a new life, began to take shape. He didn’t know exactly what it would look like yet, but he knew one thing for certain: it would be a journey of self-discovery, of uncovering the hidden depths within himself and helping others do the same.
And maybe, just maybe, it would lead him to the partner he had been searching for all along—someone who could walk beside him on this journey, sharing in the wonders and miracles
that life had to offer.
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