Dr. Yolanda Lidia Valdés is an author and a student of life that integrated Eastern wisdom, modern practices, spirituality and intuitive insights to create the ZENTAO philosophy. In this interview for MysticMag we know more about it, main influences and also what is Dr. Yolanda’s mission and vision.
Check out the interview below!
What is the ZENTAO philosophy? When did you start to create that philosophy?
The ZENTAO philosophy is to live in the flow of life. It’s not being in the “zone” as many describe flow to be, but a state of mind, being, and living. It’s being in the eye of personal evolution. It connects to the subtleties or hunches happening inside and around us. It’s deep listening to life’s journey, an invisible compass constantly guiding us. It’s syncing to the natural cycles of life. This is the flow and practice of disidentifying from all, which is unnatural, and entering a space of self-empowerment through acceptance of inner and outer harmony.
Everything outside of us is also Inside. ZENTAO reminds us of this concept. This is represented by Yin and Yang, the concept of duality forming the whole. One cannot exist without the other, just like the day cannot exist without night. We all need to learn to connect the dots and know that there are no differences. When you become out of balance, it is due to mental conditioning (core beliefs), social conditioning, old patterns, or fears that affect the body and create illness. This prevents your soul from being in a state of peace and is the real reason each person has their own personal search for wellness.
Nature shows us all the time how to live in a state of peaceful balance, but it’s not always clear to us. If we live in the flow without expectations, things become effortless. By accepting what is and knowing you can always choose something different than what you are experiencing or let go of what no longer serves you, you create wellness. This is what brings you into harmony with the Universe, or what I like to call ZENTAO.
When did you start to create that philosophy?
It all started when an opportunity moved me, my son, and my Italian boyfriend from Miami, Florida, to Venice, Italy, in 2008. Cultural adaptation was shocking and very difficult. I experienced discomfort physically, mentally, and emotionally. Life was speaking to me, so I listened and surrendered to a bigger plan to figure out how I would heal myself and why I was there.
If you are open to life, she has a way of giving you exactly what you need when you surrender to her. What began as my healing practice has become my life’s work.
The practice of walking and meditation in Venice, Italy, helped me create the ZENTAO eight core principles. Each core principle showed intuitively as a pathway toward personal and spiritual transformation: Authenticity, Self-Observation, Self-Inquiry, Intention, Presence, Love, Compassion, and Service.
What are the main influences for the ZENTAO philosophy?
Eastern philosophies and disciplines – I Ching (a divination system for harmony and cooperation with the subtle universal law), Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, Qigong, Zen Buddhism, and yoga.
Nature and the evolvement of the seasons, intuitive insights, and deep listening.
Along with the ZENTAO life, you also have an idea for the ZENTAO home? What does that home look like?
ZENTAO Home: The outer world is a reflection of our inner condition.
ZENTAO home is about sustainability, simplicity, and an eye for beauty.
The healthier we are on the inside, the more we tune in with the artistry of living, thus designing whatever we desire. We all vibrate on different levels and send the echo of our particular signature into the world. This signature consists of thoughts, words, emotions, and actions – which represent the foundation of our microcosms.
Humans are natural artisans, life builders, and harmony seekers. We are meant to consciously or unknowingly create spaces imbued with the specific vibrational mark that we hold. All spiritual growth starts with rediscovering the spaciousness within and witnessing its flow in all areas of life.
The key to a harmonious way of living is raising our vibrational imprint, thus bathing each day in the light of awareness. To do that, we must find balance in all the layers of being and all aspects of life. Becoming whole as individuals requires taking care of ourselves and creating a suitable space for inner and outer growth.
As our physical bodies represent extensions of our spirit, our homes symbolize an addendum of ourselves. Our households serve as retreats – places that promote calmness and uplifting experiences. They function as temples that shelter us from becoming drained whenever we experience sudden changes of perspective. Home is the space where we come to rest at last after journeying for an entire day; it represents the space that calls us to finally be with ourselves and enjoy the company of our being. Our home can also be our place of business: a haven that encourages productivity, creativity, and the flow of abundance.
The Five Elements is the system that comes in handy in analyzing how our surroundings impact our reality design. Along with this system, the 8 ZENTAO Core Principles for balanced living assist everyone inspired to live harmoniously and experience personal and spiritual growth.
In your website you point as a purpose for your work to restore and empower you with your feminine virtues. What are those virtues, and why do you believe some people lose touch with them?
The fundamental differences between men and women should be recognized and redefined. It is an inadequacy that modern society tries to eliminate rather than respect. Individual needs, strengths, and weaknesses differ between men and women. This is why there has been and will always be a need for collaboration between the two. Men must learn to put their aggressive nature aside and allow women to guide the world with devotion, purity, and the feminine principle in order to turn individuals away from their old destructive habits.
The impulsive aggression of the masculine, as seen in past wars, has not brought the human race harmony or unification. The spiritual aspect of the masculine principle is not suitable for putting the world back together. We must embrace the feminine principle, which creates hope and positive unification.
Restoring and empowering the feminine virtues of kindness, receptivity, reflection, nurturing, and cooperation can serve the whole world without racial superiority.
Why do you believe some people lose touch with them?
This is a man’s world! It’s not about women emulating masculinity, which can increase hostility and competition, but bringing balance through feminine virtues and helping men learn about the feminine principle.
Even though both men and women were created equal, we are both responsible for the disharmony of our world. This is where society has chosen men, and this favoritism has led to an imbalance.
Yin and yang (feminine and masculine principles) are closely intertwined, and one cannot exist without the other. This eternal wisdom holds true in all aspects of life, including social administration and management, politics, and government.
A great life starts with a balance of these principles and recognizing the value of truth in our lives. Therefore, it is time for men to assist women and for both men and women with balanced personalities to become the world’s new spiritual leaders.
Your vision is a society in which every person lives in a state of harmonious flow. How can anyone start that process and be a part of that interconnectedness?
By having the desire to be part of the interconnectedness.
The process starts with working through the ZENTAO 8 core principles.
We have all been gifted with the possibility of self-realization. Attuning to our higher selves is a constant choice and consciously choosing this way of life shows mastery in the art of living. Being in harmony represents more than a momentary privilege; it is our divine birthright and soul purpose.
You wrote a book named The Art of Flow during the pandemic. How did that truly challenging and difficult moment inspire you to create?
During the lockdown, instead of staying home, I spent lots of time walking in nature at a nearby park and its surroundings in silence, the trees, the Presence, and the intuitive messages received as downloads. I listened. I did not forget the most crucial aspect of my existence on this Earth: the eternal stream of co-creative energy that flows through us all. The Universe’s abundance is limitless: there is absolutely no outer obstacle that could keep me away from designing my world. The limits I perceive were born in the unconscious mind, and I gained access to the opportunity once cleared and integrated.
How can you protect your “harmony with the now” when you are experiencing difficult times with work, family, relationships, etc?
There will always be difficult times in the area of your life that you need to work through for your highest evolution. The moment you plant the seed of doubt, you become part of the resistance and not in harmony with the now. Difficulty can be an opportunity, and opportunity lies in thought. Find opportunities to manifest what you desire instead of focusing on the difficulty. Opportunity is the by-product of our higher mind; it represents our inner openness towards intention. Your life is happening in the now. Notice your mind’s drama. Practice centeredness and allow things to unfold around you. Don’t give in to worrying. Try not to embrace expectations too much. Both worrying and expectation are the appanages of control. Manifestation is not about controlling situations but about letting go and entering harmony with the now.
Do a cleansing process: detoxify your mind, body, and emotional body. Be mindful of what you ingest, the words that come out of your mouth, and the thoughts that crawl back into your mind and disturb your tranquil state. This restoration of pure health will raise your vibration; thus, you will be able to surpass the perceived blockages that kept you in an aspect of less than. As you tune in with your true self, with your highest good, your actions will consciously become divinely inspired. Your eyes will open up toward harmony with the now all around.
Practice detachment from whatever takes place in your life. Witness the experiences you are going through, the crumbling of your expectations, the astonishing synchronicities, and the painful mirroring followed by great insights and soul-healing events. Look at yourself with kindness. As you disconnect from your individuality, you’ll notice a greater force that breathes life into all things. Focus on that force and allow its sacredness to flow through you.
Do uplifting activities that make your heart sing and burst with joy. Meditate, sing, incorporate crystals, draw with colored pens, spend time with compassionate people, and visit places that have an elevated vibration. Follow your happiness, yet keep things simple. There is bliss in simplicity and sacredness in all that is.
You are not separated from life’s harmony, like a bird’s feather is not separated from the flying process. Within and beyond, you are holy and precious. ZENTAO is to live in the flow of life, which overflows everywhere, and you are its ongoing source and manifestation.
