The Real Love Movement

By teaching and encouraging the practice of Real Love, we aim to radically increase the quality of love and belonging in our world.

What is Real Love?

What are the Elements based on?

The 10 Elements came to James after a period of intense stress and struggle and became the framework he used to transform his own relationships and rebuild his life into something that was stronger and more love-filled than ever.

The concept of Real Love has its theoretical underpinnings in the work of world-renowned psychologists Abraham Maslow and William Glasser, as well as the ancient philosophical wisdom at the root of classical Hatha yoga.

The teaching methodology and transformational tools you’ll be offered come straight from cutting edge relationship coaching and leadership theory so you’ll be inspired and well-supported in the changes you make.

There’s no doubt ‘love’ is an overused word. It’s been diluted and distorted and its meanings are many. But we still believe in love and its power to transform relationships. When we say ‘Real Love’ we’re talking about a specific kind of love; one that is action-based and has real impact on our own and others’ lives.

That sounds good! How does it work?

Transformation happens when we dedicate ourselves to a practice over time. To make the transition to a life of Real Love easier, we’ve broken Real Love down into 10 Elements. By learning about and practicing each Element one-by-one, you can begin to embody these qualities and live out of the fullness of Real Love. We’ll give you practical tools and reflective exercises along the way to support, encourage and bring you back on track when old ways of doing things pop up.

Where should I start?

  • Discover which Element to focus on first and use our free guide book to start living into it. This is the best place to start if you’re curious about the Elements and want to find out if this is the right pathway for you.

  • Sign up to our newsletter for monthly guidance and tips on each Element. You’ll also be the first to know about discounts on our guidance offerings and new resource releases.

  • Work through the Elements with one-on-one support for your specific situation and receive tailored advice and tools as well as full accountability for your practice. Or join a monthly webinar for a group connection and support.

There are currently three levels of engagement in the Real Love Movement. Click on the right to find out more.

In the future, we’ll be adding specific courses for applying the 10 Elements to different areas of your life such as parenting, the teenage years, yoga practice and leadership.

Why would I practice the Elements?

The 10 Elements is an action-based spiritual pathway to a love-filled life. Putting the Elements into practice will impact on all your relationships, including your relationship with yourself.

Real Love is based on experiential learning. Through putting the Elements into practice regularly, new ways of being become embodied as part of who we are.

Each Element’s behaviour is self-reinforcing. By regularly applying the Elements, the payoffs are massive and you’ll just want to apply them even more.

If you’re ready to experience giving and receiving Real Love in your friendships, romantic relationships, family and work life, we’ll give you the tools and put the potential for transformation in your hands.

Use the Elements to:

  • Repair your relationships quickly.

  • Guide and equip yourself and your family or loved ones to relate better. 

  • Feel resilient in challenging life situations. 

  • Use a clear approach to get better results next time you encounter a similar situation.

  • Transform professional, family or romantic relationships as well as your relationship with yourself

Meet the founder

James Holden is the parent of two young children and a teenager. He is a qualified Master Practitioner and Trainer of Neuro-semantics, qualified Relationship Capital coach and leadership trainer. He is also a yoga teacher in the Satyananda tradition, as well as being a former paratrooper, and has led many wilderness therapy expeditions with troubled youth.

James founded Real Love and developed the 10 Elements after having a series of life-changing spiritual experiences in the midst of profound personal struggle.

“I’m looking forward to sharing the 10 Elements with you, to help you transform your relationships, just as they have helped me to transform my own.” - James

  • I’m a Certified Teacher and Trainer of Neuro-Semantics & NLP to Master Practitioner level, through ISNS with Dr Michael Hall.

    Neurosemantics is the study of how we create meaning and how we see the world through a filter of our past experiences and beliefs. It evolved out of the field of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and has been developed since 1998 by Drs Michael Hall and Bobby Bodenhamer.

  • A comprehensive, two-year, ashram-based training in all aspects of yoga in the Satyananda tradition, including asana (posture), pranayama (breathwork), bhakti (love and devotion to the divine), karma (giving back to the world) and yogic philosophy.

  • I created and owned a leadership company where I coached executives, taught leadership in elite private schools and to emerging leaders within Surf Life Saving. I was also a senior management consultant helping corporate giants develop and execute strategy.

    I’ve led overland expeditions in Africa, managed and led small group adventures in Vietnam, led corporate groups up Mt Kilimanjaro and troubled teenagers on the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea and in the remote Kimberleys desert region of northern Western Australia. I also ran six-week wilderness therapy programs with youth at risk over a ten year period.

    • Bachelor of Laws with Honours, Brunel University (UK) Dissertation: Change criminal law to extradite paedophiles who commit child sex crimes overseas.

    • Business & Finance Diploma, Northampton College (UK).

    • Certified 'Play of Life' Psychodrama Coaching Practitioner, Active Learning International - Dr Carlos Raimundo

    • Certified iWAM (Workplace Attitudes & Motivators) Profiling Consultant, EQ at Work - Dr Marilyn Powell

    • Language and Behaviour (LAB) Profiling Consultant, Beyond Coaching - Anneli Blundell

    • Certificate IV Workplace Trainer and Assessor, Equals International Pty Ltd

    • Certified in ‘Building Relationship Versatility’ - Wilson Learning

    • Certified in ‘Counsellor as Sales Person’ - Wilson Learning

    • ‘Light on Kundalini’ advanced yoga teacher training - Big Shakti

Qualifications and experience

  • The results were more than I could ever have hoped for. The program was highly innovative and creative, it was loads of fun and it produced the outcome of having our entire team working together and laughing together.

    Miles S. - Former Corporate Coaching Client

  • James gets the balance between challenge and positive feedback just right. I made significant progress in improving skills and behaviours that had been impacting negatively on my professional performance for years.

    James B. - Coaching Client

  • An amazing leadership experience for my team in Africa, in particular, the coaching and team building activities. It realized all of our expectations and more. James's attention to detail was amazing.

    Creel P. - Leadership Training, Coaching and Team Building client

  • James Holden's method is less conventional...but in essence it's about the same thing: recognising that something human lies beneath.

    Fenella Souter, Sydney Morning Herald