João Palma | Mindfulness
I came across meditation for the first time in 2004, in a session at the União Budista Portuguesa. It was an unexpected moment, which ended up influencing the course of my life. Thus was born, a love affair with the Dharma of the Buddha and with meditation. His teachings resonated deeply within me, bringing me to a place that was both surprising and familiar.
Participation in courses, workshops and retreats has become a constant, along with daily meditation practice and a permanent desire to learn and deepen my path.
Since 2008 I have been participating in several mindfulness trainings, which have brought me new possibilities. I am a certified MBSR teacher and MBSR mentor, by UCSD Center for Mindfulness, and a certified Breathworks – Mindfulness for Health teacher by Breathworks CIC. I was privileged to learn directly from some of the UK’s top mindfulness trainers, like Vidyamala Burch, Ratnaguna, Taravajra, Karunavira, Alison Evans and from the USA, such as Steven Hickman, Susan Woods, Patricia Rockman and Allan Goldstein. I found a path that responds to the deepest calls of my being and that allows me to reach out to others, with openness, integrity and more clarity. CURRICULUM VITAE.
Through out these years I participated in retreats guided by Sagarapriya, Roshi Amy Hollowel, Zohar Lavie, Nathan Glyde, Jenny Wilks, Bhikkhu Analayo, Ajahn Vajiro, Vipassana as taught by Goenka, among others.
It is my wish that my courses, workshops and retreats are useful to anyone who participates in them. May they promote understanding of who we are and our place in the world. May they be for the benefit of all beings, everywhere.
I hope our paths may cross at some moment, in this wondrous journey.
Francisca Schouten | Yoga
Francisca Adriana Schouten has been practicing Yoga since 2004 and began teaching in 2014 in the Netherlands, being trained with 200h RYT and several continuing Teacher Trainings in Belgium, the Netherlands and Portugal, certified by Yoga Alliance Education (300h +).
“When I started to practice Yoga, it felt like a true home coming. Maybe because of many years dancing and gymnastics from a young age. As if the body said ‘thank you’, for giving me that space and strength again. Physical tensions released and my vision of life changed. It all unfolded through ethical values, awareness and mostly love.
First, I’ve earned my degrees at the University of Applied Sciences, for Social work with Psychology and Haptonomy, specialized in Youth care. With 11 years of work related experience, I became a certified coach by Mind Motion. To deepen my Yoga practice, I had the chance to study and practice with Manju Pattabhi Jois, Sharath jois, Laruga Glaser, Dany Sá, David Swenson, Yoga Moves, AYA, Mirjam Wagner, Beta Lisboa, e.g. Out of interest I got certified in Reiki and started to explore Shiatsu and Thai massage.
In 2015, I began to teach at BudaDharma in Saldanha, Lisbon. Together with my husband João, I am guiding retreats. We went for a spiritual journey in India and Nepal, following the path of Buddha’s life, experiencing how Yoga, Meditation, Hinduism and Buddhism manifest there.
Ashtanga and Yin Yoga make me feel balanced. I find myself refining what I want to share. My intention is to raise positive energy through the practice, by inspiring others to thrive from their own strength with self-compassion. By connecting body and mind, we become more peaceful and present. My work comes from experience and the heart”.
