I now see my own beauty and the beauty of the world
A Journey of Light & Dark
Claudia Karolina Hofmaier’s journey is an inspiring story of resilience, transformation, and reinvention, much like the metamorphosis women experience during menopause.
At 27, Claudia made a bold move to Singapore with nothing but a suitcase and three months' worth of savings, driven by her love for Southeast Asia after a backpacking trip through Indonesia and Thailand. She sat in a phone booth calling German companies until she found a job.
Her discovery of Buddhism at 31 added depth to her spiritual path. A book on karma and reincarnation at the age of 11 had sparked an early understanding of life’s challenges, and this awareness became a guiding force. Meeting her guru the late VV Thrangu Rinpoche and yearly retreats to Nepal and India, along with shaving her head twice to become a novice nun, have provided profound insight and spiritual growth. But it wasn’t always smooth sailing.
At 40, after leaving her job, she built a thriving business with a 100,000- network member team, wrote a book, and traveled the world sharing the health benefits of essential oils and entrepreneurial wisdom. However, life’s unpredictability struck at 49—divorce, a health crisis, and the COVID pandemic forced her into a four-year sabbatical, leading her to reimagine her purpose.
However, life’s unpredictability struck at 49— divorce, a health crisis, and the COVID pandemic forced her into a four-year sabbatical, leading her to reimagine her purpose.
This transformative experience mirrored her unexpected
journey through menopause.
While she anticipated some symptoms like weight gain and hot flashes, Claudia was unprepared for the emotional rollercoaster that followed. The calm of her usual meditation practice was replaced with heart-pounding anxiety and insomnia. She couldn’t recognize herself, and doctors offered little help. It wasn’t until a visit to the dentist, who asked about her ability to sleep and pointed out mouth breathing and referred her to an ENT doctor. She then uncovered the underlying issues, a deviated septum, worsened by perimenopause, had contributed to her long-standing mouth breathing, something she hadn’t fully realized until that moment. The wearing of the masks during covid made breathing almost impossible. It took surgery and a deep commitment to healing to rediscover what it truly meant to breathe.
I was not prepared for the abyss I descended into
I knew menopause might bring symptoms like hot flashes, lowered libido and weight gain.
However what I experienced was beyond 'knowing'. One moment I was meditating, the next, my heart was racing, all kinds of emotions flooded over me, and a deep grief would engulf me. I couldn’t sleep and would wake up every two hours worrying about my health. I was in constant fight-or-flight mode with burned-out adrenals. Subsequently I put on 13kg within a year. I could not recognise myself anymore. And when I saw the doctor he'd just tell me to relax. Blood tests came all back normal.
Discovery about my breathing
During my visit to my dentist to get invisalign he noticed my narrow jaw and asked about my sleep quality and referred me to an ENT doctor. He also recommended me to read the book “Breath” from James Nestor, which I absolutely recommend for anyone. I have been unknowingly a mouth breather my whole life. At the ENT I learned that a deviated septum and weakened muscles from perimenopause were making breathing even harder, especially with masks during COVID. I recalled always having trouble breathing face down on a massage table and never being great at high-impact sports my whole life. Swimming, however, came naturally because I could breathe through my mouth when surfacing from the water.
I was convinced that sheer determination and willpower would make everything ok again
Burnout and divorce
I burnt out because I thought a divorce and the life changes which followed were a walk in the park and didn’t need more attention than a flu. I was convinced that with sheer determination and will everything would be ok. I learned the hard way how important it is to slow down, give oneself time to heal and give the body rest when it asks for it. I started acknowledging all the unwanted emotions and became gentler with myself.
A new life and a nervous system reset -
the women I have become
After the deviated septum surgery I learned what it meant to breathe deeply. I was relearning how to breathe properly and it took time. I felt like a new person, e.g. I felt shifts in how I processed emotions and when I felt sad, angry or frustrated I simply kept breathing. I had no idea how much tension I had held in my body for years. I felt like a violin that was so highly strung- it couldn’t play pleasing music. To release pent up emotions and to reset my nervous system I began enjoying regular raindrop massages, spending more time in nature, quantum biofeedback and body talk to heal myself. I completely changed my diet to a non-inflammatory diet.
Babysteps out of the abyss….
After I felt better I realized that I needed a purpose, a reason to wake up in the morning again. I have always been a pioneer and when I started teaching about essential oils not many people knew about the therapeutic effects the oils can have and how to properly use them. So when I started Young Living there was a real need for education. Many years later however people can just google how to use them and I thought I could no longer contribute something unique and valuable to the world.
After the turmoil I found love again
I was looking for something new to channel my energy into - a new passion and something exciting to learn. I love animals, but decided against adopting a cat because I love the freedom to travel on a spur of a moment. I started horse riding (again), learned pottery and since I love fashion and colours, I completed a Diploma in Style coaching, earned a certification in singing bowls, and, after all the turmoil, I also found love again.
It also became clear that with all the various therapies I had learned and my extensive experiences with essential oils in the past 14 years be a guiding hand for women transitioning through peri- and menopause would be my new calling.
I truly believe that menopause is the perfect time to reinvent yourself, to go inwards and to truly find your passion in life. I hope that my story will inspire you.
Emotional and physical healing
Claudia’s story of personal reinvention is deeply tied to her experience of menopause, a time she now sees as a unique opportunity for women to redefine themselves.
She understands firsthand the toll that physical and emotional changes can take, but she also believes in the power of this period to spark transformation. As she sits across from her ideal client, she offers not just her story, but her hand in support.
my message for you
My personal renaissance
Menopause is a special time, your chance to reinvent yourself, slow down, reflect on what brings you joy, and focus on your health—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I know how isolating it can feel, and I wish I’d had someone to guide me through it, someone to help me reduce the symptoms and understand the bigger picture.
So now, I would like to be that guide for you.
Relevant Qualifications
2023 Diploma in Style Coaching, International Association of Style Coaches, Uk
2023 Singing Bowl Sound healing for individual and groups (Level 1,2 and 3), The Singing Bowl Gallery
2016 Certified Practitioner and Instructor - The Aroma Freedom Technique, Dr. Benjamin Perkus, USA
2012 Diploma in Biofeedback Therapist, Asia Pacific College of Natural Medicine, Australia
2011 Certified NLP Coach, NLP Academy, Michael Carrol, Uk
2011 Certified New Code NLP Practitioner, International Trainers Academy of NLP
2010 Indigo Level 1, 2 and 3, The Quantum Centre of Excellence, New Zealand
2010 Raindrop Technique 1 and 2, Applied Vitaflex, Essential Oils Chemistry and Emotional Release with Essential oils, all from Centre for Aromatherapy Research and Education (CARE) with Dr. Stewart
2011 Vibrational Raindrop Technique, Centre for Aromatherapy Research and Education (CARE)
2010 Diploma in Holistic Massage and Anatomy and Physiology, ITEC, UK
1999 Reiki I and II (Usui system), Juliette Munro