by Deanna Byck and Martien Bakens
images by Martien Bakens
To Martien Bakens,
The most important thing is to share beauty, light and consciousness on this journey we call life.
Born and raised in the Netherlands, Martien has a childlike sense of wonder and playfulness and has a natural gift of seeing the big picture and dreaming new ideas. Photographer, alchemist, aroma therapist, healer and shaman, author, teacher and world traveler, for Martien being the full expression of himself is multi-faceted. Like many people, Martien’s journey has not been a straight path but rather one that has weaved in and out of experiences in distant lands dotted by periods of intense teachings along the way. As Martien explained, “If we are open and receptive, every journey becomes an opportunity to explore crevices of the soul through experiences in nature and connections to people we meet along the way.”
Martien is often found capturing the essence of beauty and the joy of life through his photographs.
Life has taken him to many places, and according to Martien, “The outer journey opens pathways for the inner journey. Letting go of old ideas of myself has allowed me to pursue what I’m really passionate about.” It was on one such transformational journey in 1997 that Martien realized his perspective had shifted and opened towards new horizons. Taking a full year to complete, he circumnavigated the globe beginning in the Netherlands and ending in China with stops in Canada and Australia along the way. It was this exposure that opened his own lens and refocused his views towards native and indigenous peoples and pointed his photography towards portraiture.
Travel and photography are the soul of Martien’s life and for the last 17 years, he and his wife have been facilitating group journeys to the Mayan lands to share his views and knowledge with others. As Martien explained, “In visiting ancient sites, you have the opportunity to see how ‘Maya’, the illusion, holds you or whether you have the ability to step outside its boundaries and see within like ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’.” The opportunity is a “gift” for any travel photographer because of the spiritual nature of the journey.
Martien’s earliest experiences in travel were also instrumental in piquing his interest in herbalism, shamanism, and his connection with nature and the Earth Mother. Exposed to the elements in nature—wind and water through sailing, light, earth, fire and air through photography; alchemy became an integral part of his being and is inherent in what he does now. But it was through courses and teachings that his “ancestral gift of healing” was awakened. Martien comes from a familial lineage of healers. His grandfather was a healer as were two of his aunts. “It’s hard to explain, but you can feel it in your hands. There is a knowing that comes from a higher guidance. I become the vessel for the healing to occur,” explained Martien. “I have taken courses and studies that have offered new insight and techniques, yet what comes through goes beyond any knowledge that can be taught. It is in my blood, in my bones, in my spirit and in my consciousness.”
Through intensive study he learned about the metaphysical aspects of essential oils. After several years working as an accredited Aroma Therapist, Martien applied his knowledge of the medicinal and metaphysical properties of the oils and his wisdom as an alchemist, to create a line of products called Essential Harmonics. As Martien explains, “Each blend is a “microcosm of cosmic vibration and attunement, the alchemy in each drop contains the music of the spheres, creating harmony and wholeness in our energy field.” The product line includes proprietary blends, creams and single oils.
Some of which he distills himself. The magic created by the alchemy of these blends raises vibration. He created a set of oils aligned with the archetypical energy of the Major Arcana cards in The Fifth Tarot. Individual oils enhance connection with the archetypical energy. When the oils are used with the cards, the frequency of the information is enhanced.
Created with his wife/partner, Teressena, The Fifth Tarot, which is getting ready to go into its second publication, is an evolutionary tarot deck attuned to today’s energies that incorporates the five elements: earth, water, fire, air and ether. Martien penned the text as it came to him in guided writing. Teressena’s illustrations for the images on the cards came from her own dreams and visions. “The Fifth Tarot is a project of co-creation,” says Martien. “It is a dance of the sacred masculine and feminine, like the in-breath and out-breath of creation, birthing a wonderful gift for the soul’s journey. It is a powerful divination tool that offers insight and opportunities for transformation and expansion.” In the first year after it was published, Martien and Teressena traveled to 29 states and 4 countries, sharing the wisdom of The Fifth Tarot presenting at numerous international events.
“Whether I’m doing healing work, blending oils or creating photographs, I am a hollow flute for the light of the divine to shine through. It is an honor to use the gifts I’ve received to be of service and create and share beauty in the world. I am grateful for all the journeys, inner and outer that allow me to expand my awareness and continue to see each day as a new adventure.”
“Whether I’m doing healing work, blending oils or making photographs, I am a hollow flute
for the light of the divine to shine through. It is an honor to use the gifts I’ve received to be of
service and create and share beauty in the world.”
Learn more about Martien by visiting his websites
gurushots.com/Martien.Bakens/photos
beaconsoflove.com
thefifthtarot.com
belight.photography