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.
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.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
2008 – Breathworks Teacher Training – Breathworks CIC, with Vidyamala Burch, Sona and Ratnaguna.
2014 – Specialist Teacher Training in MBCT – CMRP Bangor University, with Sarah Silverton and Eluned Gold.
2014 – Dot B Training – Mindfulness in Schools Project, with James Gibbs and Dominic Morris.
2014 – Somatic Experiencing Training (Beginning 1 and 2) with Liana Netto
2015 – Somatic Experiencing Training (Intermediate 1) with Liana Netto
2015 – Mindfulness Based Approaches Teacher Training – CMRP Bangor University, with Karunavira, Taravajra and Sarah Silverton.
2016 – Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Teacher Training Intensive – UCSD Center for Mindfulness, with Steven Hickman and Susan Woods (João was invited as assistant teacher).
2017 – Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Teacher Training Intensive – UCSD Center for Mindfulness, with Steven Hickman and Susan Woods (João was invited as assistant teacher).
2017 – 3 Day Supervision Training – CMRP Bangor University, with Alison Evans.
2018 – Advanced Teachers Training for MBSR and MBCT Teachers – UCSD Center for Mindfulness, with Susan Woods and Patricia Rockman.
2018 – Started mentoring new MBSR teachers through UCSD Center for Mindfulness.
2021 – Inquiry and Reflection in Meditation Practice, with Oren Jay Sofer
2022 – Teaching Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness – Breathworks CIC, with Tim Duerden
2024 – (Ongoing) Emptiness: A Yearlong Study, with Brian Lesage and Tuere Sala