Joe van Niekerk

Joe van Niekerk

Birth name	Johann van Niekerk
Date of birth	(1980-05-14) 14 May 1980
Place of birth	Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	108 kg (238 lb)
Occupation(s)	Ex-Rugby Player, Spiritual Guide, CEO Jungle Joe 333
Rugby league career
Position(s) Franker
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker/No.8 Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2008–2014 Toulon 122 120 Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 2004–2007 Western Province () Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 2002–2003 2004–2007 Lions Stormers () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2001–2010 South Africa 54 (50)
Official website
https://junglejoe333.com/

Johann "Joe" van Niekerk (born 14 May 1980 in Port Elizabeth) is a former South African rugby union player, who generally played either as a flanker or number 8.

Formerly known as the BIG JOE - an international rugby player, Joe Van Niekerk is a living embodiment of how spiritual awakening may happen to anyone and at any time, revolutionizing the concepts of self-perception, physical and mental wellness.

The winner of the Tri-nations, European cup, and Top 14 rugby competitions, Joe was officially recognized as the SA player of the year in 2002. He was an ultimate fighter with a massive passion for the game and bright career perspectives.

He scored important tries for the Boks in home wins over the Wallabies in the 2002 Tri Nations Series and the 2004 Tri Nations Series. He has often been used as an "impact player" off the bench, especially in the 2005 Tri Nations Series.

In 2002, he was voted the South African "Player of the Year". In the first match of the 2008 Tri Nations Series against the All Blacks in Wellington, he start at No. 8 In May 2013 he played in Toulon won the 2013 Heineken Cup Final by 16–15 against Clermont Auvergne. After 2014 Heineken Cup Final van Niekerk has officially retired from rugby union.

Now he lives in the promised land of Costa Rica, where he offers his services as a personal trainer, spiritual guide.

2016 opens the retreat center and organic farm "Rama Organica" located in the Tumbas of Barú Perez Zelden, Costa Rica. Instagram: @ramaorganica

2020 opens the Official Website, for his Personal Brand Jungle Joe 333 www.Junglejoe333.com where he offers his services as a personal trainer and spiritual guide.

Official Instagram @Junglejoe333

The firs step

Joe has realized that material wealth, formal recognition, and achievements are not those things that can bring actual happiness and joy. His self-discovery process took over 6 years of intensive learning and cognition and eventually lead to the understanding that all the keys to eternal questions of the purpose of life and happiness lie within. This was a brand new concept for Joe that eventually brought him more joy, love, and wisdom than any training or achievements that have happened in his life before. Being in peace with your thoughts and passions, balancing them with your desires, physical and mental capabilities appeared to be more valuable than multimillion contracts and much more satisfying than recognition from the crowd. Compassion and love have replaced competitiveness and demand, bringing inner peace, physical and mental balance.

What Joe has comprehended was the 5 essences of the soul. And this knowledge has revolutionized each aspect of his life. Starting from taking control of physical demands and weaknesses and ending with the ability to hear the inner voice clearly and follow the lead of the spirit. Not only mental practices are important for this level of spiritual awakening. Joe has discovered the importance of conscious consumption, taking control over physical and mental nutrition for balancing on the tight rope between everyday routine and metaphysical serenity.

Sharing the Wisdom Rama Organica & Jungle Joe 333

After Mr. Van Niekerk has realized the happiness and joy that he achieved with his spiritual awakening and the importance of love and compassion for maintaining the balance, he decided to share his knowledge and let other people experience the ultimate purification and emancipation from the bondage of false concepts and beliefs imposed on people by the commercial culture and hardened animus.

Joe decided to set a healing sanctuary for those who grope in the dark looking for a way to break the destructive vicious circle and find peace and glory of the ultimate spiritual awakening. Nowadays he owns Rama Organica - a retreat center where everyone gets his guidance to physical and mental wellness through practices that Joe has experienced himself.

After having to go along and bumpy path to the inner piece, Joe sees his role as a pioneer who guides those who are looking for happiness and joy. Taking their hand firmly he helps them avoid pits and spikes that once have hurt him, climb the hills that may look impenetrable, and start seeing the path itself not as a means to reach the goal, but as an integral part of the journey.

Understanding the uniqueness of every soul and sacred nature of each spirit, Joe has developed a system of personal retreats. In this manner, he can pay comprehensive attention to everyone`s story, the nature of their sufferings, and guidance to emancipation. This is the way Joe helps people achieve their goals within 15 and 30 days and get their keys and guidance that will help to preserve and develop results achieved in the Rama Organica retreat center.

Not only the knowledge and practices are so important on the way. Joe has chosen the location consciously. He believes in the power of nature and the ultimate energy of Earth that becomes most in the atmosphere of untouched nature. That is why Joe has places his healing sanctuary here - in the Jungle of Costa Rica, where the force of nature balances with peaceful wisdom.

Self Identification

Even though his spiritual awakening came consciously, Joe remembers how he was struggling with the question "Who am I?" He sees the loss of identity as the hardest and the most challenging process, which takes even more commitment and determination than walking away from formal and material bonds. Throughout his journey, Joe has discovered tools that helped him overcome this loss of identity and stand in the face of adversity. Not only he felt more consistent and self-aware now, but Joe has also discovered his ultimate passions - service.

That was the ultimate step towards understanding the purpose of life. He understood that his mission is to share the wisdom he has obtained and help those who are aiming for the same destination to reach their goals naturally and safely. On his way, he has met people who shared and supported his beliefs. Together they have formed the team the Rama Organica Retreat center. With their various experiences and approaches nowadays they manage to wor-out an exclusive personal program for every guest.

With the support of qualified professionals in mental health, physical wellness, and nutrition, the managed to create a unique guess-free method of approaching every guest personally, stimulating the exacts aspects of their lives that lead to inner piece naturally without any forceful invasion into physical or mental peculiarities of every guest.

Those programs are easy-to-follow step-by-step patterns, so everyone can follow them naturally. But with his previous experience, Joe understands the importance of guidance and consult, therefore though each path is deeply personal and individual, no one is ever left alone with his experience in the Rama Organica Retreat Centre.

By combining the leadership qualities and determination that he has inherited from his sports career with conscious and compassion that developed throughout the spiritual awakening, Joe builds the whole process as a team challenge where every participant sees the success and achievement of every member as an integral part of his personal positive experience.

Being located in the promised land of Costa Rica, Rama Organica Retreat center is the ultimate embodiment of how learning to see the joy of simple things and seeing the beauty of the world naturally leads to healing. With the breathtaking sites of Nauyaca Waterfall, the untouched nature of the jungle inhabited with rare fauna, and the best surfing locations in the world, here you learn to respect yourself through respecting nature, that allows you to be its integral part.

RECOGNITION & AWARDS

Player for the South African Schools team.

1997 – 1998

Captain for the u19 and u21 South African teams in both Junior Rugby World Cups

1999 – 2001

Adidas sponsorship

2001 – 2008

Captain & Player of the tournament at the u 21 Junior Rugby World Cup

2001

South African Springboks selection.

2001

Award for brilliance given by the South African rugby union.

2001

Adidas world athlete sponsorship.

2002 – 2005

Nominated for best player in the World

2002

Springbok Player of the year

2002

Played for the Springboks at the Rugby World Cup - quarter finalists

2003

Nominated for the South African player of the year.

2003

Played in the TRINATIONS with the Springboks - WINNER

2004

Played 50 test caps for the springboks scoring two tries on his 50th match .

2008

Voted best foreign player of the top 14 league.

2010

Captained & played in the European league challenge cup - runner up

2010

Captained & played for Toulon in the top 14 French league final - runner up.

2012

Captained & played for Toulon in the Champions Cup final - WINNER.

2013

Part of the squad for Toulon in the Champions cup final = WINNER.

2014

Part of the squad for Toulon in the top 14 final = WINNER.

2014

Moved to Costa Rica.

2016

Bought an Organic farm

2016

Created a healing Sanctuary Rama Organica.

2017 – 2019

Teams

• South African Schools 1997–1998
• South Africa Under-19 1998
• South Africa Under-21 2000/2001
• South African Sevens 2001
• Gauteng Lions U21 1998–2001
• Gauteng Lions 2001–2003
• Lions Super 12 Team 2002–2003
• Stormers Super Rugby Team 2004–2007
• Western Province 2004–2007
• Springboks 2001–2012
• Northampton Saints (contract was terminated before arrival)
• Toulon (France) 2008 – 2014

Honours

Toulon

• Heineken Cup European Champions: 2013, 2014
• Top 14 French League : 2014
• Trinations 2004

References

• SA Sports Illustrated. "Showdown at ... Quiz Creek: AJ Venter vs Stefan Terblanche." October 2008: 32.

External links

• "SA Rugby Player Profile – Joe van Niekerk". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
• Joe van Niekerk on Twitter