hamid ebadi
Born in Tehran, Iran in 1957, Hamid left his native land at an early age to become a nomad of the world. Not something he had planned. Exposing himself to different countries, cultures, languages, and traditions, he settled into Paris in 1985 to study philosophy and at one point had Jacques Derrida, the French philosopher, as teacher.
These early beginnings ignited a philosophical and spiritual journey that he still pursues today.
Drawn to Buddhist meditation and philosophy in the early 1990’s Hamid encountered Japanese Zen Master Ryotan Tokuda in 1997, was ordained as a monk at Ei Tai-Ji Monastery in the South of France in 2000 and, in 2011, was given permission by his master to pass on the teachings he had received. While doing this for over fifteen years now, Hamid sees himself as a retreat facilitator not a teacher or guide.
Hamid studied at École des Praticiens de la Psychothérapie in Nice, France, and after finishing his training in 2005 became a counsellor, an activity he still pursues today.
Realising that acquiring knowledge and understanding was only part of the equation, Hamid has continued his personal studies and practice while sharing his experience by conducting lectures, meditation retreats, and personal therapy sessions.
Hamid’s lectures draw not only from personal experience but his combined interest in Eastern and Western meditative traditions but also from poetry. He considers writing poems as his life's work.
helen briggs
Originally from the UK, Helen has been facilitating yoga and meditation retreats in the Algarve since 2016.
Helen been practicing yoga and meditation for over 35 years now, exploring the physical and the spiritual aspects of yoga and experiencing many different “styles” of yoga and meditation around the world. She took her first Yoga Teacher Training Course in 2003 with the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, going on to take further certifications in Yin, Restorative, Vinyasa Yoga and Yoga for Pregnancy and Children.
Helen has been teaching full time since 2003, drawing on her extensive experience of the different yoga traditions. She aims to provide clients with a safe and supportive environment in which to explore, heal and transform their inner world, allowing them to fully experience their outer world with love, joy and gratitude.
sarah loveband
Sarah is a yoga teacher and physiotherapist from Sydney, Australia.
Sarah was first introduced to yoga and meditation during her childhood as both her parents explored transcendental meditation and Ayurveda. It took two decades before Sarah would follow suit and began exploring yoga classes on her own. Sarah found the yoga class to be a magical place in which she could access a sense of safety, peace, and freedom.
In 2012 Sarah attended a yoga teacher training course and it was during this course that she was introduced to Hamid Ebadi. It has now been 10 years since that time and the experience, insights, and wisdom gained through Hamid's mentorship moved through Sarah’s world view, yoga teachings, and into her physiotherapy practice. Sarah intention as a yoga teacher is to facilitate your exploration of present moment awareness through felt experience in the body.
Sarah has experience working on retreats in Sydney and Bali, and has taught in large class situations however prefers to work one-on-one with clients or in small groups.
Training:
2012: Level 1 Teacher Training - (200hr) - (in the lineage of Sri, T. Krishnamacharya) with Santosha Yoga Institute, Canggu Bali.
2013: Diploma of Yoga Studies (500hr) under Michael De-Manincor (student of Desikachar) - The Yoga Institute, Sydney (in the lineage of Sri, T. Krishnamacharya)
2013 – 2015: Vedic Chanting & Yoga Sutra study with Pamela Tyson, The Yoga Institute, Sydney.
2014 & 2015: Svastha Yoga Therapy Program with Ganesh Mohan (son of AG & Indra Mohan, direct students of Krishnamacharya).
2015: Pre & Post Natal Yoga Training Santosha Yoga, Canggu Bali.
2018: Yoga Synergy Teacher Training - (200hr) with Simon Borg Olivier, Goa India.
2020: Bachelor of Physiotherapy at Charles Sturt University.
annetje jikai brunner
Jikai (1961) is a zen teacher from the Netherlands. She began her zen practice over 30 years ago. Jikai received Dharma Transmission from Irène Kaigetsu Bakker Roshi in the White Plum Lineage of Maezumi Roshi. She teaches in the Zen Spirit Sangha, in zen retreats and on online platforms mainly in the Netherlands. Jikai lives the life of a lay person and is a monk at heart. She divides her time and energy between the contemplative field of silence and social action. She works as a psychologist, mindfulness and compassion trainer and coach.
Jikai is her second Dharma name, meaning 'compassion ocean'. Her first teacher gave her the Dharma name Mokudo which means 'silent way'. Both names she considers a huge gift and also continuous practice. Jikai is known to provide a safe and compassionate space for all meditation practitioners. She is married to Paul, and together they are blessed with three wonderful daughters, who are in their twenties.
www.dewerkschuur.nl (website in Dutch)
ben mackinnon
Ben was exposed to Zen style meditation in 2006 while travelling the world in his 20's.
He began his own personal practise during this time and later met Hamid in 2016 during his Yoga teacher training in Bali. Ben instantly felt a connection to Hamid and his straight forward presentation of meditation practise. He later gained influence from Dzogchen and Namkhai Norbu as well the practise of Dream Yoga in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
Ben currently lives in Byron bay, Australia and works as a full time Yoga Teacher. A Massage and Physical Therapist as well as a Lucid Dream and Sleep coach. He has previous work experience as a Nurse specialising Mental Health and PTSD as well as work experience in the Emergeny services field as a Fire Fighter.
He is an author and his published works include "Conscious Dreaming: A Guide to Reawakening Magic in a Modern World," and "Diary of a Lucid Dreamer".
Conscious Dreaming - Mackinnon, Benjamin, Reid, Shannon, Zahara, Zena | 9798284985069 | Amazon.com.au | Books
carl zimmerling
I was born in 1949 in Berlin, which at this time still was heavily destroyed from the war. I completed my schooling at a humanistic secondary school, graduating in 1969.
Study at the Berlin University of Arts in the department of Visual Communication, which I completed in 1983. In 1981, I had met Zen master Taisen Deshimaru in Berlin during a retreat and was deeply impressed by his personality and by the practice of zazen. Practicing regularly. Turning my back on family and homeland connections I set out for Portugal in a motorhome. In Paris, where Master Deshimaru’s sangha had its center, I stayed for five years. In 1987, together with Betty Pujol, a long-time disciple of Master Deshimaru, I moved to Portugal. There we founded a dojo, a Zen dojo called Tai Ku An, “Hermitage of Great Emptiness.” The dojo still exists. In 1993, after reading his books, I established contact with Master Sheng Yen, a Chinese Chan master in New York and visited him annually for retreats. As a result of this connection, Betty and me received invitations to participate in monastic seminars in Taiwan. Establishing those contacts profoundly shaped and greatly enriched my spiritual development. I met Lama Yeshe Losal, the abbot of Samye Ling, the Kagyu temple in Scotland. With Lama Yeshe, I undertook a pilgrimage through India in 1998. At his invitation, I completed a one-month solitary retreat at Samye Ling in 1999. Around this time, I had found another life partner and, at the age of 51, became the father of a daughter.
After separating from the family in 2020, once again I devoted myself intensely Zen practice and, during a retreat in Portugal, met Hamid Ebadi, with whom I have practiced regularly since then. Towards the Tibetan Center Karuna in Monchique, southern Portugal I have a long lasting connection. The founder Bal Krishna was a good friend, I had done sereral retreats with him and orgasnised Zen Sesshins at Karuna myself and with other Zenmonks..
In 1983, I had been ordained as a Bodhisattva in Master Deshimaru’s sangha at the Zen temple La Gendronnière. In 1991, I received the Monks ordination. Living in Portugal I practice zazen in Lagos with a group in a yoga center. I would also like to mention my practice of Tai Ji Quan, which I have pursued since 1990 and which I also teach. My thanks go to my teacher Vlady Stevanowitch. So far, so good.
ben mackinnon
Ben was exposed to Zen style meditation in 2006 while travelling the world in his 20's.
He began his own personal practise during this time and later met Hamid in 2016 during his Yoga teacher training in Bali. Ben instantly felt a connection to Hamid and his straight forward presentation of meditation practise. He later gained influence from Dzogchen and Namkhai Norbu as well the practise of Dream Yoga in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
Ben currently lives in Byron bay, Australia and works as a full time Yoga Teacher. A Massage and Physical Therapist as well as a Lucid Dream and Sleep coach. He has previous work experience as a Nurse specialising Mental Health and PTSD as well as work experience in the Emergeny services field as a Fire Fighter.
He is an author and his published works include "Conscious Dreaming: A Guide to Reawakening Magic in a Modern World," and "Diary of a Lucid Dreamer".
Conscious Dreaming - Mackinnon, Benjamin, Reid, Shannon, Zahara, Zena | 9798284985069 | Amazon.com.au | Books
ratna ( nana)
Nana is from West Bali. She began her journey with yoga in 2014 and has been deeply dedicated to the practice ever since.
Nana has:
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Successfully completed a 200-hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training certified by the International Yoga Alliance in Ubud.
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Completed 50 hours of Meditation and Sound Healing training.
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Completed a 200-hour Yin and Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training at Blooming Lotus Yoga in Ubud.
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She has been teaching yoga for over 10 years now.
What Nana loves the most about this path is the deep sense of joy and fulfillment she feels when sharing this beautiful practice with others. It’s an immense privilege for her to offer these tools that have transformed her life in so many ways. She truly loves everything about it — yoga is not just her passion, it’s her calling.
jen stretton
Jen is a mountain guide based in the french alps. She first met Hamid at the start of her spiritual journey at a yoga teacher training in Bali in 2012.
They stayed in touch over the years that followed and Jen has continued to explore buddhist teachings under Hamid's guidance. Jen assists in the organisation of the retreats in Europe and helps manage the website and facilitate our online meditation sessions.