Diese Woche hatte ich eine ganz besondere Person zu Gast in meinem Podcast … meine Mama. :)

Bei unseren Retreats in diesem Jahr hatten wir den Wunsch, noch mehr Yoga zu integrieren. Und hier ist sie – meine Mama Johanna, zertifizierte Yogalehrerin. 🧘‍♀️

Du kannst bei ihr an einem Yoga-Kurs direkt am Strand teilnehmen oder sogar auf einer der wunderschönen Inseln vor Tolo, während unserer Freediving-Retreats.

Sie ist übrigens auch diejenige, die diesen wunderschönen Ort in Griechenland, auf dem Peloponnes, für uns entdeckt hat – Tolo. Mit perfekten Bedingungen zum Freitauchen: klare Sicht, warmes Wasser, keine Strömung und natürlich das wunderbare griechische Flair und köstliches Essen. 🇬🇷

Vor 10 Jahren hatte sie Krebs und befand sich sowohl körperlich, mental als auch emotional in einer sehr schwierigen Phase.

Im Yoga fand sie den Schlüssel zu ihrer Transformation… und ich muss sagen: Ich habe sie noch nie so stark erlebt – mental und körperlich.

Sie entdeckte Yoga, das ihr Leben für immer verändern sollte.

In dieser Podcast-Folge tauchen wir tief in das Thema Kundalini-Yoga ein und sprechen darüber, wie es helfen kann, festgehaltene Energie im Körper wieder ins Fließen zu bringen.

Wir sprechen darüber, wie Meditation uns dabei helfen kann, unsere Gedanken und Gefühle zu beobachten, anstatt sofort auf sie zu reagieren.

Wir sprechen darüber, was Karma bedeutet und wie wir unseren Weg zu unserem Dharma finden können.

Und vor allem sprechen wir darüber, wie wunderschön dieses eine, kostbare Leben ist. ✨

Ein wirklich spannendes Gespräch – und das Ganze hier in Worms am Bach aufgenommen. Hört ihr das Wasser im Hintergrund? 

Viel Spaß beim Reinhören! 🎙️

⁠Connect with Johanna Ribow-Honhaiser:

⁠https://www.goldenisland.org⁠

https://www.instagram.com/hannigoldenmoon/

⁠Connect with me: ⁠

⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/janna_nadjejda/⁠⁠

⁠⁠www.endlessbluefreediving.com⁠ ⁠

⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/endlessblue_freediving/⁠⁠

This week’s episode, I talked to Bartosz Jakubowiak, whom I met in Kalamata while he was training at depth, diving around -85 meters.

What really caught my attention is that he only started freediving about four or five years ago — and yet he has progressed incredibly quickly in depth.

So I was really curious: How did freediving come into his life? And what helped him progress so quickly?

Bartosz told me that his dives feel effortless, and that one of the main reasons is his pool training.

Pool training is a superpower.

He follows a structured training schedule: pool training several times a week, static training once a week, and gym sessions twice a week.

They also have a lake in Poland where he can train FRC and RV dives to work on EQ and physical adaptation.

He told me something else that I found really interesting: he doesn’t do any mental preparation before his dives.

But he focuses on recovery — sauna, cold plunges, compression boots, and, most importantly, sleep.

He says that during his recovery routine, especially in the sauna and cold plunge, his mind becomes quiet.

And I think this is so interesting because we’re all different. Our minds and bodies work differently, and what works for one diver might not necessarily work for another.

He also shared something that really stayed with me:

“After experiencing overtraining, I learned that less is more.”

That really says a lot about his approach — consistency, quality, and recovery rather than simply doing more.

And his progress in depth is pretty incredible. He went from -46 meters to -80 meters in just two weeks.

He told me he was simply curious about where his limits were. And at around -50 meters, it just felt so good.

For me, one of the biggest takeaways from talking to him was the importance of pool training.

If you can build distance in the pool, depth becomes much less intimidating.

Or, as he likes to say:

“Pool training is a superpower.”

Bartosz also has a full-time job as a software engineer, and he created The Freediver, an app designed for professional athletes.

The app helps you stay calm, focused, and completely relaxed in the starting lane during competitions. It’s also a powerful tool for depth training, with detailed analysis of your dives, as well as a great pool-training tool where you can invite your coach to join and analyze your sessions together.

So today, we’re going to talk about training, depth, pool training, recovery, overtraining, — and what it really takes to progress in freediving.

I found our conversation incredibly inspiring, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Let’s dive in.

⁠Connect with Bartosz:

https://www.instagram.com/bartosz__j/

Download the App: Freediver

https://freediver.club

⁠Connect with me: ⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/janna_nadjejda/⁠

⁠www.endlessbluefreediving.com ⁠

⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/endlessblue_freediving/⁠⁠

Diese Woche hatte ich Katharina Bötsch bei mir zu Gast. 🤿

Katharina ist Freediving Instructor und diplomierte Pflegefachfrau HF. Sie lebt in der Schweiz und bringt langjährige Erfahrung aus der Psychiatrie und in der Begleitung von Menschen in unterschiedlichsten Lebenssituationen mit. Über viele Jahre hat sie sich intensiv mit Trauma und dem Nervensystem beschäftigt. Heute verbindet sie dieses Wissen mit ihrer eigenen Arbeit in körperzentrierter, traumasensibler Energiearbeit, Nervensystemarbeit, Sound Healing und der Kraft des Wassers.

Durch die Verbindung dieser unterschiedlichen Welten hat sie einen ganz besonderen Blick auf den Menschen entwickelt und darauf, was wir brauchen, um uns wirklich sicher zu fühlen und wieder mit uns selbst in Verbindung zu kommen.

Katharina hat dazu eine wunderbare Arbeit geschrieben:

„Freediving as a Path to Reconnection – A Trauma-Sensitive Perspective“

Und genau das kann auch beim Freediving eine wichtige Rolle spielen.

Beim Druckausgleich kann es plötzlich blockieren, beim Tieftauchen kann Überforderung entstehen oder ein Schüler kommt an einen Punkt, an dem einfach nichts mehr geht.

Und anstatt dann zu pushen, um weiterzukommen, ist hier vor allem für uns als Instructor ein sensibler Approach wichtig.

Eine warme, ruhige und präsente Haltung.

Eine Präsenz, die es ermöglicht, einen Schüler in die Tiefe zu begleiten – ohne Druck.

Katharina hat mir dafür unter anderem den Begriff Co-Regulation nähergebracht: Vereinfacht gesagt, können wir durch ein reguliertes Nervensystem unserem Gegenüber dabei helfen, ebenfalls wieder in einen regulierteren Zustand zu kommen.

Besonders spannend fand ich unseren Ausflug in das autonome Nervensystem und den Vagus Nerv.

Fight or Flight kennt man mittlerweile ganz gut. Aber gerade der Freeze-Modus war für mich ein Bereich, mit dem ich mich bisher noch nicht so intensiv beschäftigt hatte – und der gerade im Wasser eine ganz besondere Bedeutung bekommen kann.

Wir haben darüber gesprochen, wie Wasser manchmal wie ein Spiegel sein kann.

Das Meer ist ehrlich.

Bist du entspannt und fühlst du dich sicher, öffnet sich der Weg in die Tiefe.

Bist du verängstigt, gestresst oder überfordert, kann das Wasser dir das unmittelbar zeigen.

Sanftheit. Vertrauen. Kontrolle loslassen.

Wunderbare Lektionen, die wir gerade gemeinsam üben durften.

Denn ich kenne Katharina nicht nur aus diesem Gespräch. Sie war gerade drei Wochen bei mir in Tolo zum 1:1 Coaching und Ocean Soul Retreat und ist dabei – wieder einmal – ein Stück tiefer in sich selbst eingetaucht.

Und genau deshalb hat sich unser Gespräch für mich so besonders angefühlt.

Es geht beim Freediving eben nicht immer darum, tiefer, länger, weiter zu kommen.

Manchmal geht es darum, sich sicher genug zu fühlen, um überhaupt loslassen zu können.

Und ich finde, genau diese Perspektive ist nicht nur unter Wasser wertvoll, sondern kann uns auch an Land unglaublich viel mitgeben.

🎧 Hört unbedingt rein – ich finde, es ist eine wirklich wunderbare Arbeit und ein Gespräch, das sowohl für Freediver als auch für Menschen außerhalb des Wassers spannend sein kann.

Katharina wird übrigens bald auch in der Schweiz eigene Angebote entwickeln, die Menschen auf unterschiedliche Weise dabei begleiten, mehr Sicherheit, Wohlbefinden und Verbindung mit sich selbst und ihrem Körper zu erfahren – im Wasser und darüber hinaus.

Ich wünsche euch ganz viel Spaß beim Zuhören. 🤍

Hier könnt ihr euch mit Katharina verbinden:
https://www.instagram.com/katharina.souldive/

⁠Connect with me: ⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/janna_nadjejda/⁠

⁠www.endlessbluefreediving.com ⁠

⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/endlessblue_freediving/⁠⁠

Diese Woche teile ich mit Alex in meinem Podcast eine ganz besondere Erfahrung mit euch: unser erstes Ocean Soul Retreat, das Alex und ich gemeinsam veranstaltet haben. 🌊🤍

Ein Ocean Escape für Frauen, die sich selbst und dem Ozean wieder ein Stück näherkommen wollten.

Alex ist TCM-Therapeutin, Ocean Guide, Yogalehrerin und Freediving Instructor. Ich bin Unterwasserfotografin und Freediving Instructor und arbeite mit Meditation und verschiedenen Atemtechniken.

Gemeinsam wollten wir einen Raum schaffen, in dem all das zusammenkommen darf: Ozean, Bewegung, Atem, Stille, Wissen, Abenteuer – und ganz viel Verbindung.

Unsere Tage begannen mit dem ersten Licht des Morgens. Bei Sonnenaufgang ging es mit dem Boot hinaus zum Tauchspot. Wir sind ins Wasser eingetaucht, haben Schildkröten gesehen und immer wieder erlebt, wie unglaublich kraftvoll es sein kann, einfach nur im Moment zu sein. 

Abends saßen wir bei Vollmond am Strand und haben uns mit Themen wie TCM, Stillness, Fear und Mental Control beschäftigt.

Und genau diese Mischung hat das Retreat für mich so besonders gemacht: Leichtigkeit und Tiefe. Abenteuer und Ruhe. Lernen und Loslassen.

Wir haben auf dem Boot getanzt, Yoga auf einer unbewohnten Insel gemacht, unter dem Vollmond getanzt – und natürlich ganz viel Zeit im und am Ozean verbracht.

Und vielleicht das Schönste: Aus Fremden wurden Freunde. 🤍

Es war eine dieser Erfahrungen, die noch lange nachwirken. Und weil es sich so besonders angefühlt hat, haben Alex und ich beschlossen:

Ocean Soul Retreat geht 2027 in die nächste Runde. 🌊

Die ganze Geschichte und was wir gemeinsam erlebt haben, gibt es diese Woche in meinem Podcast. 🎙️

Wer von euch wäre 2027 gerne dabei? ✨

Hier die 5 Fragen der TCM:

Die fünf Elemente in uns selbst entdecken

Anleitung

Was beschäftigt dich?

Wo kommst du nicht weiter?

1. Finde eine Situation oder ein Problem, dass dich gerade in deinem Leben beschäftigt.

2. Beantworte alle Fragen in der vorgegebenen Reihenfolge.

3. Bleib bei deinem Thema! Spring nicht zwischen verschiedenen Themen hin und her. Jede Situation kann neu befragt werden.

4. ⁠Beantworte die Fragen spontan.

Wasser

Fragen zur

Selbstbeobachtung

1. Was macht dir Angst?

2. Wie viel Stille gibt es in deinem Leben?

3. Wie fühlst du dich, wenn du nicht weißt, was als nächstes kommt?

Holz

Fragen zur

Selbstbeobachtung

1. Wie planst du, mit deinem Problem / dieser Situation umzugehen?

2. Welche Entscheidung triffst du?

3. Wo verlierst du den Überblick?

Feuer

Fragen zur

Selbstbeobachtung

1. Was bereitet dir Freude?

2. Wie kommunizierst du mit dir und anderen?

3. Was gibt dir im Leben das Gefühl, lebendig zu sein?

Erde

Fragen zur

Selbstbeobachtung

1. Was bereitet dir Sorgen?

2. Wer oder was unterstützt dich?

3. Wie findest du Erdung?

Metall

Fragen zur

Selbstbeobachtung

1. Was brauchst du und was kannst du loslassen?

2. Beachtest du deinen eigenen Rhythmus?

3. Respektierst du deine Grenzen?

Connect with Alex:

⁠https://www.instagram.com/oceanbreathfreediving/⁠

⁠Connect with me: ⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/janna_nadjejda/⁠

⁠www.endlessbluefreediving.com ⁠

⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/endlessblue_freediving/⁠⁠

Often in life, we think we have a plan.
We think we know where we want to go and how we want to get there.

But this summer, I had a very different experience.

I came to Greece with the idea of opening my own freediving center — a place where I could share the benefits of diving into the ocean and, at the same time, diving deeper into yourself through freediving, breathwork and meditation.

And you know what?

I failed.

I couldn’t open the center this year… simply because of paperwork.

At first, it felt like a disappointment. Like my plan wasn’t working.

But then something beautiful happened.

I found a wonderful new collaboration with a Diving School with people who are kind, inspiring, fun and open-hearted — and through this cooperation, I can still continue doing what I love most. 🤍

I just finished my first 1:1 Holistic Freediving Coaching, and I’m preparing for our first beautiful Ocean Soul Retreat.

And honestly?

It’s going even better than I could have planned.

I come from a social and artistic background, and sometimes I felt like I was trying to create a “touristic project” rather than something that truly felt like me.

But now I realise:

I am a Holistic Freediving Coach.

And somehow, that makes me shine from the inside out.

I can feel my spirit shining again. ✨

Maybe the ocean knew the way before I did.

Maybe what I thought was failure was actually a redirection.

So this week, I want to share with you more about how to prepare for your dives — and for your life.

Because everything influences your dive.

Your rest.
Your food.
Your breath.
Your community.
Your social environment.
Your inner state.

Freediving teaches us to listen, to slow down, to trust and to let go.

And sometimes, when we stop trying to control every step, we discover that the Universe / God has a much more beautiful plan for us than the one we had in mind. 🌊

Trust the process.
Trust your breath.
Trust the ocean.
And trust where life is guiding you. 🤍

Success & Failure 🌊

Cris Santos - Fundadora da Ocyano | Conectando pessoas através do oceano 🌊

Ontem entrevistei a minha querida amiga Cris.

Ela é fundadora da Ocyano, um estúdio criativo dedicado ao oceano e à sustentabilidade.

Para mim, esta conversa foi muito especial. Conheci a Cris quando ela acabava de viver uma experiência mágica e transformadora em apneia, ao atravessar um arco subaquático - uma experiência que, de alguma forma, a reconectou com a sua própria essência.

Esse momento acabou por ser um ponto de viragem na sua vida.

Desde então, mudou-se do Porto para Sesimbra, onde aprofundou os seus conhecimentos e a prática de freediving, chegando também a acompanhar pessoas e grupos nos seus primeiros contactos com o mar e a apneia.

O seu mundo foi ficando cada vez mais imerso no oceano e, desde 2019, tem estado envolvida em vários projetos incríveis ligados ao mar.

Um deles foi o Programa Atlantis, do qual eu também fiz parte na equipa audiovisual. O mar transformava-se numa sala de aula, onde os jovens aprendiam a mergulhar em apneia e a descobrir o mundo marinho. A Cris, uma das criadoras do projeto, acompanhava as experiências e trabalhava na produção, design e comunicação, em conjunto com uma equipa multidisciplinar e vários parceiros ligados ao oceano.

Juntos, criaram uma experiência que permitia às crianças explorar o mundo subaquático, conhecer melhor a vida marinha e, sobretudo, desenvolver uma relação mais próxima, consciente e responsável com o oceano.

Outro projeto maravilhoso em que está envolvida é o Norte Surf Fest, um evento que tive oportunidade de conhecer no ano passado e onde conheci uma das minhas grandes inspirações - Bethany Hamilton. O evento cresce a cada ano e cruza o surf com a cultura, a música e a comunidade. A Ocyano assina o design e a comunicação do evento.

Mas o oceano também a levou a proteger a terra.

Juntamente com um grupo de pessoas, que inclui a sua parceira Marta, do Boleias da Marta, criou um movimento cívico para lutar pela proteção das áreas naturais de Sesimbra e pela preservação deste lugar tão especial.

Através do design, da comunicação e da criação de experiências, a Cris tem conseguido fazer algo que vai muito além do seu trabalho.

Ela conecta pessoas.Conecta comunidades.

Conecta pessoas à natureza e, sobretudo, ao oceano.

O seu trabalho já tocou e inspirou muitas pessoas, não apenas através do design, mas também através da criação de experiências reais que nos convidam a entrar no oceano, senti-lo e compreendê-lo.

Para mim, a Cris é uma verdadeira inspiração.

Ela mostra-nos o que pode acontecer quando pessoas com os mesmos interesses, paixões e vontade de proteger o nosso maravilhoso planeta azul se encontram e decidem fazer algo juntas.

Desde que a conheci, vejo-a constantemente a criar pontes entre mundos, entre pessoas e, acima de tudo, entre as pessoas e o oceano. 🌊💙

Connect with Cris Santos:

Website:⁠

https://www.ocyano.pt/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/cristiesantos/

https://www.instagram.com/ocyanoo/

Connect with me:

Website:

⁠https://www.endlessbluefreediving.com/⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/endlessblue_freediving/⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/janna_nadjejda/

This week on the podcast, I spoke with a very special person: António Pedro Sá Leal.

António is the founder of the Surf Social Wave Project, a unique initiative that uses surfing as a tool to help young people and adults discover new professional opportunities — whether by finding a job, entering the surf industry, or creating their own path as entrepreneurs.

For António, surfing is much more than a sport — it is a way of being.

Through the project, participants learn the values of surfing while developing skills, confidence, and a realistic vision for their future. 

But António’s journey goes far beyond this project. He is someone driven by curiosity and a desire to give back — from organizing surf competitions, creating surf magazines and books, writing novels, studying philosophy, marketing, neuroscience, and much more, to creating an initiative that empowers people through surfing.

Today, the Surf Social Wave Project has already reached its 30th edition, continuing to open doors and change lives.

For me, this story is especially personal because I was part of the 4th edition of the project.

Coming from an Art University background, I had no idea how to turn my passion into a profession or how to create a future connected to the ocean. Through this experience, I learned how to turn my dream into a realistic plan — and since then, I have never left my ocean journey. I will always be grateful for the doors this project opened and the direction it gave me.

In this episode, we dive into António’s journey and the story behind the Surf Social Wave Project — a project that shows how the ocean can be a powerful teacher. We talk about the skills we learn through surfing, how those lessons can be transferred into our professional lives, and the importance of our connection with nature and the positive impact it can have on our well-being, mindset, and future.

Tune in — António’s story is truly worth listening to. 🌊

Connect with António Pedro Sá Leal:

Website:

https://www.antoniopedrosaleal.com/

https://www.surfsocialwave.org/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/apedrosaleal/

https://www.instagram.com/lifedreamer_podcast/

Connect with me:

Website:

https://www.endlessbluefreediving.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/endlessblue_freediving/

https://www.instagram.com/janna_nadjejda/

A lot of times we think rest is a waste of time…

I felt overwhelmed and uninspired from socials… so I went yesterday off.

And already today my brain gets new ideas about what to share… Ain't that crazy? When you think you have to create, the brain stops creating. And as soon as you give it space, it starts to create…

And what does that have to do with the benefits of the ocean?

Sometimes we forget that the body often grows the most when we rest.

As freedivers, we have a mammalian dive response, like whales and dolphins, which helps us use oxygen more efficiently.

This response is quite weak in humans, but if we trigger it, it gets stronger and stronger. As we immerse our face and body into the water, it gets activated. (There are several triggers, like immersing the face into water, exposing the body to increasing pressure, rising CO₂, and so on…)

This is all information for the body that it has to integrate. If you don't give your body the time, you'll get less out of this so magical, yet very natural adaptation.

And of course you can use it in so many areas of your life… like surfing, of course. ;)

But even just writing a social media post. :)

Sometimes the growth doesn't happen while we're doing… it happens while we're resting.

So friends, this is it for today…

Sea you next week. 🌊

⁠1:1 Coaching

Connect with me on Instagram:

@janna_nadjejda

Connect with our School:

@endlessblue_freediving

I have told this story many times… I didn’t do what I love for almost two decades just because I was scared…

I was so scared that I would panic just seeing sharks in the newspaper. Years later, after reconnecting with the ocean, becoming an underwater photographer and a freediving instructor, I finally went diving with them.

Fear is here to protect you—but you can also grow through it.

Last week, there might have been a shark in Kalamata, and a few girls came to me worried. I calmed them down and explained what to do if a shark came close.

It made me think it was worth talking about fear: how to deal with it, how to ask for support, and how you can overcome it.

Because if I could overcome it, you can too.

Life is short, and it’s worth living!

1:1 Coaching for overcoming fear

Connect with me on Instagram:

@janna_nadjejda

Connect with our School:

@endlessblue_freediving

This week's episode is all about visualization—a powerful tool to train your mind.

I spent countless hours visualizing myself reaching a certain depth. It helped me build confidence and mentally prepare, but looking back, I overlooked something essential: a genuine sense of safety in my body. Because of that, I made big jumps in depth before I truly felt ready for them.

Visualization is an incredibly powerful tool for rewiring the brain and preparing for challenging situations—whether that's giving a presentation, having a difficult conversation, or even diving with sharks.

But when it comes to deep freediving, I don't believe visualization alone can create the deep sense of safety your body needs in the water.

Where visualization really shines is in preparing specific skills—rehearsing repetitive movements, refining technique, and mentally stepping through challenging scenarios before they happen.

In this episode, I explore why visualization is such a valuable practice, where its limits are, and why I believe it works best when it's combined with embodied experience in freediving.

I also included a short guided visualization so you can experience it for yourself.

Connect with me on Instagram:

@janna_nadjejda

Connect with our School:

@endlessblue_freediving