My Journey
From Strength to Soul:
My Journey in Fitness and Spiritual Growth
“Awakening is not changing who you are but discarding who you are not.”
Growing up, I faced some unique challenges. I had an older sister who was a high achiever and a twin sister with Down Syndrome and autism who needed constant care. Looking back, I can see how these family dynamics affected my self-esteem and sometimes left me unsure of my own path.
As a result, I made choices in careers and relationships that didn’t always reflect who I truly was. Through it all, however, my love of fitness, art and singing became my anchor. During times when I felt lost or uncertain, these passions gave me strength and purpose. They kept pulling me forward, even when I wasn’t sure where my journey would lead.
I OFTEN FELT LOST
I WASN’T FOLLOWING MY HEART!
My childhood passions for gymnastics, ballet and dance were my happy place. Time seemed to melt away as I immersed myself in the joy of movement. Throughout my childhood, sport became a steady anchor, helping me feel more secure and grounded amid the challenges of growing up.
My yoga journey began in my mid-twenties. At first, I was drawn to the physical intensity of styles such as Ashtanga and Vinyasa Flow. This passion eventually led me to become a Les Mills Bodybalance instructor and a qualified yoga teacher.
Over time, my fitness journey expanded into more demanding disciplines. I trained in Korean Taekwondo with Wild Tigers Martial Arts and explored Animal Flow™, a quadrupedal movement practice that combines animal-inspired movements with elements of yoga and gymnastics. Both challenged me in new ways while developing strength, mobility and body awareness.
MY FITNESS JOURNEY SHIFTED
TO A MORE MINDFUL APPROACH
Over time, I felt a natural shift away from physically demanding disciplines. I became increasingly drawn to practices that nurtured my mind and spirit as well as my body.
Through yoga and meditation, I discovered a deeper connection between mindful movement and inner awareness. Each breath and movement became an opportunity to slow down, become present and journey inward.
As my practice evolved, it brought a greater sense of harmony and balance into my life. I began to understand that wellbeing was not only about strengthening my body, but also about nurturing my mind and spirit.
From an early age, I felt a deep connection to the world around me. My sensitivity, together with my love of movement, art and music, shaped the way I experienced life.
As my journey unfolded, these passions became more than hobbies. They became meaningful forms of expression, self-discovery and transformation. Gradually, I learned to trust my intuition and listen more closely to my inner calling.
Through this deeper connection, I began to understand what it meant to live with greater intention and purpose. Today, I bring the gifts and practices I have discovered along the way into my work, creating space for others to experience greater balance, healing and connection.
As my spiritual journey deepened, I felt increasingly called to share wellbeing practices with others. Yoga had already shown me the power of working with the body, but I wanted to explore practices that could also nurture the mind, emotions and spirit.
Following this calling, I continued my training and became a meditation teacher, sound healer and Jikiden Reiki practitioner. Along the way, sound became an especially meaningful part of my path, allowing me to combine my lifelong connection with music and voice with my passion for holistic wellbeing.
My Sound Healing Training
I became a certified Level 3 Sound Healer with Life Changing Energy. Wanting to deepen my experience with sound, I later completed the triple-accredited Sound Therapy Gong Master Course at The Lake of Frequency in Poland in 2023.
There, I had the privilege of training with Don Conreaux (Baba Don), a pioneer in the therapeutic use of the gong. For more than fifty years, he has shared The Way of the Gong as a practice for cultivating inner peace. During this training, I also studied with his daughter, Yaelle Eloul Shaphir LC, and Joana Bilik of Gong Free.
A Special Moment in Poland
Art has always been another important part of my life, particularly charcoal drawing. While attending my Gong Master training in Poland, I had the opportunity to meet Don Conreaux in person. Inspired by the experience, I created a charcoal portrait of him and was delighted to present it to him as a gift.
It was a very special moment for me, bringing together two seemingly different parts of my journey — my love of art and my growing connection with sound healing.
This week-long Sound Healing and Gong Master course was truly an awakening experience for me. I learned so much, and the connection with nature deeply enhanced every moment. I also had the opportunity to meet and connect with like-minded individuals, many of whom I still stay in touch with today to share our journeys as sound healers and inspire one another.
“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul”
It was my first time playing the gong in a forest. I felt deeply connected with Earth and its natural healing powers! Being in nature can lower stress, elevate the mood, reduce anger and aggression and enhance overall well-being.
As my connection with sound continued to deepen, I continued my studies with Sound Healing with the Voice, training with Ruby Larimar through The College of Sound Healing. This training allowed me to explore the voice more deeply as a healing instrument and brought together two important threads of my life: my love of singing and my work with sound healing.
Continuing to learn is an important part of my practice, and I regularly attend sound healing workshops and events to deepen my knowledge and experience. Most recently, in August 2026, I attended Githa Ben-David’s The Note from Heaven workshop, further exploring the healing potential of the human voice and sound.
I first learned the powerful healing technique of Usui Reiki Ryoho, completing levels 1, 2, and 3 with Dorothea Pritchett at Life Changing Energy. Soon after, I discovered Jikiden Reiki and certified with Rika Tanaka, Chair at Jikiden Reiki UK Association in Jikiden Reiki level 1 (Shoden) and Level 2 (Okuden).
While Western Reiki is more adaptable and spiritually focused, Jikiden Reiki stays true to its Japanese roots, emphasizing physical healing through traditional techniques. The simplicity and authenticity of Jikiden Reiki resonated deeply with me, and it’s the Reiki I practice today.
On 7 and 8 June 2025, we came together in Woking to honour the 5th anniversary of JRUKA. The weekend was filled with rich experiences, including Japanese cultural activities, inspiring talks, Reiju, Reiki practice, and a special video lecture with a live connection to Tadao Yamaguchi Sensei, head of the Jikiden Reiki Institute in Kyoto.
Above all, it was a joyful gathering of community, connection, and shared practice—a true celebration of Jikiden Reiki in the UK.
One of the highlights for me was the traditional Japanese dance workshop with Kayoko Kimura, known by her stage name Kayono. She is a highly accomplished performer and instructor of Nihon Buyo, a graceful and refined form of classical Japanese dance. With more than 20 years of experience, she leads Kayonono-kai, her own dance school in Highgate, London, and continues to perform regularly both in the UK and in Japan.
Music and singing have always been among my greatest passions. I loved singing along to my favourite songs and, as a teenager, started writing my own songs on the guitar. I also cherished my time singing with Coro de St. Amaro de Oeiras, one of Portugal’s most renowned choirs, and later joined a pop music group within the same choir.
MY JOURNEY AS A SINGER
DIFFERENT STAGES, SAME PASSION!
Although my heart was always guiding me toward a career in singing, I chose other fields that, while creative, didn’t truly allow me to follow my passion. My first degree was in Fashion Design, but still feeling lost, I went on to study Communication Sciences, Journalism, Marketing and Advertising.
After moving to London in 2002 to pursue a Master of Arts in Electronic Communication and Publishing at UCL, I found it challenging to find fulfilment in the jobs I took after completing my studies. Despite this, I continued singing and writing songs, and then I met Nils Hagner, a Swedish singer/songwriter and producer. Together, we formed a pop-rock band in 2003 and performed at various venues around London for several years.
During this time, Nils and I became a couple, settled in Southwest London, and started a family. With these new responsibilities, we put our band on hold, as we no longer had the time or energy to devote to it. When my children started primary school, I began to feel that the universe was guiding me toward a more holistic approach to life.
I FELT A CALLING TO CREATE
SPIRITUAL AND HEALING MUSIC!
As I embraced a more holistic way of life, I felt a deep calling to create and perform mantra songs, along with profoundly spiritual and meditative music, using my crystal singing bowls. In our home studio, we began crafting deeply transformative music for the mind and soul.
Most of our songs originate as spontaneous, heart-driven melodies, guided by the soothing tones of the crystal singing bowls. When I sing, I feel like a conduit for a higher source, channeling healing energy into the world.
Finally, I feel truly aligned with my soul’s purpose, and it fills me with deep joy to know that I am here to serve others. Embracing the gifts I was born with, I welcome this life journey with an open heart and unwavering dedication.
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
My certifications so far…
- Sound Healing with the Voice with The College of Sound Healing.
- Jikiden Reiki practitioner (Shoden, Okuden) with Rika Tanaka
- Usui Reiki Ryoho practitioner with Life Changing Energy
- Sound Therapy and Gong Master with Grand Master Don Conreaux
- Sound Healer certification with Life Changing Energy
- RYT® 200 MAI Meditation Alliance International® meditation teacher
- E-RYT® 500, Yoga Alliance registered teacher
- Korean Taekwondo Black Belt Dan 1 with Wild Tiger Martial Arts
- Movement Flow™ Level 1
- Animal Flow™ Level 2
- Les Mills Bodybalance™ Advanced instructor
- Gravity Yoga® certified with Yoga Body by Lucas Rockwood
- MA Electronic Communications & Publishing, UCL, London 2002
- University Degree in Communication Sciences, Uni, Lisbon 2000
- Fashion Design Degree I.A.D.E, Lisbon 1994
