I am the founder of Soft Sacred Self, Ashley .
I want to briefly take you back to where spirituality started for me, so that you get to know me and my story a little better, and thus also better understand the origins of Soft Sacred Self.
For as long as I can remember, I have been someone who is very sensitive to energy (or 'presences'). When I spoke about this with my mom, I was naturally told that it was fantasy or imagination, because, well—children often have a lot of imagination (as an aside: children often have more imagination because they are still so well connected to the Divine. Only after a few years does a child lose touch with this; this is encouraged by the fact that they are taught at school that this is just imagination. The younger a child is, the closer they still are to the incarnation, hence an even better connection).
I have always been a real feeler. I quickly sensed other people's intentions; I sensed how they felt. I always paid attention to the details of a conversation, such as body language, and whether that body language matched what was actually being said. I often felt other people's emotions.
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About Ashley | Tarot Reader & Spiritual Guide | Soft Sacred Self
I grew up while my parents were in the midst of a bitter divorce. At school, I always felt too different to belong anywhere. This wasn't just a feeling; it was simply the reality. From the first year of secondary school, I experienced what it was like to be bullied. Even after changing schools twice, the bullying didn't stop. The divorce, puberty, being so deeply in touch with myself, and the bullying were the perfect ingredients to make me no longer want to be on this earth. As a result, when I was 14 years old, I was admitted to a psychiatric hospital due to self-harm and suicidal thoughts.​
After staying there for a few weeks, I went back to school. The bullies were suspended or expelled. I met new people and started going to parties (or 'raves'). I convinced myself at the time that this was a group I belonged to. I was still desperately searching for myself, for who I was. In the nightlife scene, I soon stumbled into an environment where people were experimenting with drugs. The self-love I lacked at the time made me an easy target for this. It felt like I was experiencing the entire nightlife scene at high speed, causing me to completely outgrow going out and the people associated with it after 3 or 4 years.​​
The connection with the supernatural and energy was slightly rekindled by this experience. The belief (which is actually more of a knowing) was always there, but was suppressed or held back by myself and others, and therefore had no chance to develop further.
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I started getting better grades at school, and as I got older, I also saw the point of studying more. I even started to enjoy it (who would have ever thought!).
When I obtained my secondary education diploma, I had to decide whether to continue studying or start working. According to my teachers at the time, I had the potential to continue my studies. They advised me to choose an HBO5 program, since—due to the aforementioned circumstances—I had ended up in vocational education. HBO5 therefore seemed to them the most logical and feasible next step following my BSO diploma.
When I visited the open day at VIVES University of Applied Sciences, I couldn't find a single HBO5 program that interested me. So I decided to take a look at all the Bachelor's programs available. The last stand I came across was for a Bachelor's program called 'Wellbeing and Vitality Management'. I felt immediately, ' This is it !'. I was convinced that this was the program I was going to study. On my mom's advice, I slept on it for another night, but as soon as it was the next day, I enrolled as quickly as possible.
This 3-year program was the greatest revelation I have ever experienced. The schedule included subjects such as mindfulness, movement science, sauna science, aromatherapy, nutrition, classes on body & mind, and many classes with a spiritual perspective. Thanks to the many self-reflection assignments, I confronted the traumatized Ashley. This is where my path of awakening began. Since then, everything has accelerated. I can proudly say that I graduated without resits and with distinction.
I really got a taste for studying and have since completed a Healing course, 4 Reiki initiations, a 2-year Aura Reading - Chakra Healing training, and a Hand Reflexology course. At the end of April 2026, I will start a new training program: Ayurvedic Nutrition Coach, as healthy nutrition has also been an important part of my life for quite some time and is currently coming prominently to the forefront.
With Aries as my sun sign, I am a true leader, an entrepreneur, and an adventurer. So, it was actually inevitable that I would eventually take the leap into self-employment.
And how grateful I am that my soul has chosen this path for me.
rebranding
As you may (or may not) have already noticed, my company is undergoing a rebranding.
After nearly 6 years, I changed my business name from Practice Soul Lumina to Soft Sacred Self. A lot has changed within me during those years, so in a way, it is inevitable that my business evolves along with it.
External circumstances in my life caused me to (unconsciously) start distancing myself from my own business in 2025, solely (I realize this now) to be able to deepen the relationship with my business in 2026.
The dreams I have for my future have led me to want to revise my services, and I have therefore decided to gradually phase out the massages and energy healing. This is to free up more space and time for the (online) card readings.
I want to be able to run my freelance business without being tied to a specific location, and therefore want to focus a bit more on remote work. So, currently you can come to me for online card readings and, for the women among us: also for feminine photography ( find me on Instagram at: @softsacredstudios).
