RELEASE ~ REMEMBER ~ RECONNECT

We are Joanne & Marco Merlini, English & Dutch/Italian, we moved to Portugal during the UK lock down of 2020 & opened our beautiful light filled studio nestled in the gardens of the Quinta do Mar da Luz between the fisherman's village of Burgau & Luz (meaning Light)

Surrounded by Palm trees, tropical plants, the sound of the birds & within metres of the ocean, our space is a beautiful haven of bliss, peace & light. 

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I am Joanne Merlini (Given Yogi name Jitendra Mayee by my teacher Swamiji).  
I am a Yogi, an energy worker, deeply connected to the moon, a free spirit &  a nature lover.

 Yoga started gently whispering to me in my early 20's & has been a part of my life since.
Sometimes it was the physical calling, sometimes the need for some quiet 'me time' & it was in my mid 30's that Yoga became more of a shout than a whisper.
I was self employed having built a Fashion brand from the roots up, I was travelling from Fashion weeks across Europe, to Trade shows, to Catwalks. Supplying celebrities & the Royals, but I was unsatisfied & lost in the brand I had created, stressed from self employment & not recognising myself.
My health was being compromised & I wasn't sure what direction to turn.  I had started to explore energy work with Reiki, which was encouraging some huge shifts  & it was around then I read a quote (Rebecca Campbell who I was fortunate to meet in Glastonbury in 2020) which said

'Follow what lights you up'

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I knew my light was Yoga so I started following..and the more I followed, the more I was lighting up.

Yoga became my grounding, my strength & the way back to myself. 

So my Yoga journey deepened & I knew I had found my calling & the source of my light.

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My initial 200hr training was in Athens under the guidance of Michelle Kaminski (The Director of Yoga Alliance Europe) in the beautiful style of Transformational Yoga (which had drew me to it with its influence of Hatha, Kundalini & Raja Yoga).
 

A year later & I knew I wanted to deepen my teaching & train direct with the source & creator of this beautiful style & so began my love affair with India & my connection with my teacher - Sri Swami Vidyanand

I trained directly under his guidance in the South of India, Auroville, first as a 'Master' of Transformational Yoga & Meditation & later as 'Grand Master' - Yoga Alliance International.

Swamiji is the creator of this beautiful unique style which has its roots in Auroville, to Sri Aurobindo & The Mother.
A system of Yoga, a therapy that works in 4 steps..

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1 / Releasing & Purification (Body/Mind/Emotions)

to..

2 / Make space

to..

3 / awaken Dormant energy (Kundalini)

&..

4 / A deeper connection to Self, to your centre, to the Divine Connection & to Bliss!

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The 'Transform to Bliss' is the releasing of the layers, the conditions, the labels we may have taken on as our own through our life, so we can return or 'transform' to that beautiful state of bliss we arrived into this world with ~ knowing we have all we need within.

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Travelling & further training in India 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2023 has deepened my Spiritual practice & consequently my teaching. 
I have deep gratitude for the lineage of Sri Aurobindo, The Mother, Mother Ganga & the teachings of the birthplace of Yoga ~ Rishikesh & having experienced life in the Ramana Ashram of Tiruvanamalai  during Maha Shivratri - Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi & the Holy Mountain of Arunachala. 

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My Energy work has deepened as I have gone deeper into my own shadows, Past Life Regression, Family Constellation, Akashic Records, Ancestral Healing & I now incorporate my Light worker training of 2020, Reiki & EFT in to my offerings. Recognising the need to bring light to the shadow to really release, to rise.  
Bringing Ritual & Ceremony to my offerings has deepened my connection even more with my centre, to Mother Earth, Spirit & the Universal Energy which connects us all.

My path is dedicated to deepening the connection to the Divine, knowing we are Divinity expressing itself in human form & encouraging this awareness in others as I hold space.

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My formal qualifications are - 

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Grand Master of Transformational Meditation 300hrs

Transformational Yoga Master - 500hr

Transformational Hatha Yoga Teacher 200hr

Classical Hatha - Vinyasa Yoga & Meditation - 100hr

Anatomy CPD - 27.5hr

Transformational Meditation 100hr

Reiki 1st & 2nd Degree (as a reiki practioner I can't help but spread the love & healing during my teachings)
EFT (Tapping) ~ Level 1 & 2

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I have been teaching a variety of studio, university & private Classes, Workshops, Meditations, Retreats & Ceremonies since 2015 & have accumulated over 3000 teaching hours for a variety of abilities, ages, & energies. 
 

To offer a deeper practice of this beautiful style, we also offer retreats in the UK & The Algarve, Portugal

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Yoga is my way to connect deeply with myself, the stillness within, with others &  the beautiful world around me.

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The pandemic took us to the beautiful area of the Algarve in Southern Portugal in 2020 where we opened the
Transform to Bliss Studio.
Positioned by the ocean between Burgau & Praia da Luz, this is an area of sacred paradise (Luz meaning Light)

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We teach & hold space from here, in classes, online & on retreats. 

I hope we can journey together!

Click to see how you can connect with me this month

Much love, Jo xx