Benedict is a Breathwork Facilitator, Yoga Teacher and founder of the Breathing Space School of Breathwork. He runs transformational workshops and life changing retreats in the South of England, France and Canada. He also trains others who share his vision to do the same.
For many years he was just a participant in things - he went to yoga classes, workshops and even did the occasional training but nothing really stuck.
He was a drifting High School teacher who didn’t know what to do with his life. While on a holiday in Bali in 2014, he was invited to a Conscious Connected Breathwork session. Within a few breaths I went to a deeper and more profound place than he had done in fourteen years on a yoga mat and seven on a meditation cushion. It was like fireworks went off in his head and he knew this was his destiny.
He started Breathing Space in 2018 with his wife Jennifer originally just to run workshops in Devon, UK but Breathing Space quickly expanded into retreats and running training courses. By September 2019 he had run over 20 retreats and was featured in the Guardian Newspaper as one of the best wellness holidays in Europe. The first Breathing Space Facilitator Training began in 2019 and we have since launched four different online courses, four different monthly seminars and a video channel.
He is truly passionate about Breathwork and it has become his life’s work to see it spark change in the lives of others.
https://www.makesomebreathingspace.com
The need for adventure in Gaurav’s life was cultivated by his late grandfather at a very early age in life. It all started with climbing and hiking in Western Ghats of India. Despite a challenging start, Gaurav was introduced to sailing at the Sea Cadet Corps Training Ship Jawahar at a young age and discovered what he was born to do.
The foundations of seamanship were formed as a cadet here and his weekends were spent at this glorious institute, building the essential skills required to excel while at sea (and in life in general).
He found a way to fund his sailing and after winning several offshore sailing championships in India, Gaurav decided to take on the challenge of the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race in 2013-14. He sailed on the Mission Performance team and was part of the team on their highest finishing position in the race.
Gaurav claims he is not like Ranulph Fiennes or Bear Grylls to pursue the worlds biggest adventures, he is just an ordinary man with extraordinary dreams.
To see more visit www.gauravshinde.com or gaurav shinde sailing on facebook.
Scott Hardiman suffered with low confidence and low self-esteem during his teenage years and early adult life. It was a feeling he just carried around, and thought this was the way he was and always would be.
It was at his lowest that I had a realisation, he had to change, and find ways to combat his anxiety. He became fascinated with how he could take himself out of the hole he was in, putting all his energy into it, and worked hard on it everyday. He found the answers and succeeded in overcoming the biggest battle of my life.
In his job, he I worked his way up to general manager, and training as a personal trainer in his spare time. He then decided to take the plunge into self-employed life as a personal trainer, which is when he found that he was helping his clients, not just with their body goals, but in developing an empowering mindset, full of belief and confidence and ways to deal with life and the challenges it brings.
Feeling so passionate about it and fell in love with what he was doing. This passion led him to dive even deeper into the way our minds work. He read tons of books, attended life changing courses, and completed certifications to enable him to use what he knows to help others. He now works as a coach supporting people to take their businesses to the next level by breaking through their layers of self doubt.
Check out www.scotthardimancoaching.com
Zach Feldman has always had drive, and since the age of 16 he has had a passion for media, and has followed his dream of using this to become famous working with WWE and interactions with a number of celebrities across his career so far.
This is despite having ADHD and struggling with some elements of schooling. He found away to channel his creative energy and has developed into an experienced media professional, with extensive hands-on experience within film making, editing, and audio production. He's truly passionate working behind-the-scenes and finding creative ways to achieve results, setting up his own business ZLF Productions.
He also has his own radio station Z Radio live, and his outgoing personality makes working with colleagues and prospective clients a breeze. This has lead to work with major media brands including World Wrestling Entertainment, Howard Stern Show, 106.1 BLI, WPLJ, Vans Warped Tour and many more.
Clinton Young is an Award Winning International Keynote Speaker and World Class Coach for Aspiring Speakers; committed to enabling the Confidence and Courage required to Live Your Dream Life!
Recognized by as a “Top 12 Speaker to Inspire You”, he has recently spoken to over 45,000 people at premier entrepreneur groups, associations, corporations, & universities across North America and Europe. Clinton has over 20 years of diverse experience as a Top Leader in both Corporate and Entrepreneurial positions.
His life hasn't also been so straightforward and working through his own setbacks has helped him to assist others in sharing their message with the world and making an impact. Clinton’s vision is to eradicate fear and doubt and inspire the next generation to live life to the fullest. He’s currently writing his new book, “Re-Igniting Your Human Spirit: It Takes Courage to Live Your Dream Life NOW”, due out next year.
Clinton and his wife reside in San Diego, California and enjoy traveling the world, and experiencing Philanthropic Adventure Travel with fellow growth seekers.
See Clinton speak at www.ClintonYoung.com
Jeff Marconette Jr, is a transformational speaker, author, coach, youth mentor and a walking miracle. He is the host of “Make Every Second Count” Live Show, hosted weekly from his home in the sleepy town of Piqua, Ohio. He almost never made it passed the age of 17 when he was the victim of a serious car accident..
He was told he would never walk again, but after 17 years of recovery, Jeff is not only walking but determined to run! After his near-death experience, Jeff wants everyone to Make Every Second Count! He now travels the world transforming lives so that others don’t have to hope for a second chance to truly live the life they have always wanted. He has also recently released a book "Make Every Second Count: A 1500 Hour Journal" to assist children and teens in dealing with the world around them.
The power of Jeff’s incredible story of resilience is the ultimate embodiment of what it means to make the impossible possible. Jeff compels others to start living now, stop complaining and take nothing for granted! His fight and courage are admirable and his positive energy is contagious.
Jason, a Washington D.C. native, received his Bachelor of Science in Marketing and his Professional Certificate in Event Planning . After being diagnosed with stage IIA testicular cancer at the young age of 18 years old, Jason has become an active participant in the testicular cancer community.
He has collaborated with different non-profit organizations; been featured in numerous television news stories, newspaper/magazine articles, and radio segments; and became a world record holder after planning an event for the Largest Simultaneous Self-Check for Testicular Cancer at his university.
He has started his own podcast called Testicular Cancer Speaker Series to create additional awareness to this situation and will be interviewing a range of people who have also experienced this situation. Jason regularly attends fundraising events, awareness initiatives, and does speaking engagements to share his cancer story.
Mataora Hotoke-Takirihi is a Health and Medicine Facilitator, who blends ancient traditions with modern knowledge. Mataora has dedicated his life to the art of healing and has qualifications in Traditional Maori, Chinese Medicines and Modern Western Medicine. He provides a unique service, drawing from 20 years of experience inclusive of international models of health delivery.
When his daughter was received head trauma from a serious car accident, resulting in having to spend a sustained about of time in the hospital, it really tested him. He had to find a way to accept the different approach they took to treatment of his daughter, while balancing his desire to do what was best for her, as both a father and a healer.
His mode of delivery encompasses Acupuncture, Massage and Herbology intertwined with traditional philosophies, ancient wisdom and a modern comprehension of science so it meant creating a platform where he could bring the two together. Mataora promotes knowledge as the centre of his work and runs workshops, programs and classes designed to spread awareness and share information. He believes in sharing knowledge with a focus on mass awareness, which on the whole creates deeper harmony and balance within one-self, others and the environment He looks towards beginning the journey of good health with you by providing an open invitation to ensure good options and choices are provided for other's health and well-being.
Andrew Velez has spent more than 10 years in the Hospitality and Culinary Industries, originally from New York he now calls Orlando his home. With his quick wit and an inspiring mind to go with it, he knows how to make any situation interesting. He has also been involved in stand-up comedy and is co-host of The Ghost Hosts’ Horror Podcast with his friend Matt.
Lockdown has had a major effect on his way of life with the area being severely impacted with the loss of travelers to the region which is the basis for the economy there. It has left him without paid work and so he has had to turn his attention to how he can stay positive in unclear waters focusing on further development of himself. This has included recipe development, a new direction for their podcast and exploring new avenues of work, as he can’t just wait for things to improve.
At this time, many people are suffering the effects from lockdown, but despite the lack of physical contact we still have the ability to connect with people and hopefully bring a smile to their faces along the way and people like Drew are just the sort of people to do this.
Some people are unfortunate to experience some traumatic event during their lifetimes but Slade has already experienced two large scale and considers himself lucky to still be here.
After losing the ability to walk just before turning 7, he has maintained an outlook of focusing on what he could do and not dwelling on the past. With the support of his family he built a life for him based on what he had to offer the world. This has allowed him to continue a normal life with has his own place, a job, and maintaining his independence. He has even represented New Zealand in basketball.
Several years ago, he was in a collision with a truck that left him with a number of injuries and put him back in hospital for a sustained period. His mindset has helped him to deal with this, now fully recovered, he is focused on working towards returning to playing basketball at a senior level.
For anyone who has had setbacks (big or small), there is value in listening to Slade's story.
Callum Schofield spent the first 18 years of his life not speaking out, due to having a stammer.
While he would be vocal with his close friends and family, he avoided situations where he would need to communicate with others, hiding away in fear of rejection and people’s reactions. He was seen as a quiet, shy type and his self-esteem was greatly diminished.
At the age of 18 he decided to do something about it and started to learn practices that could help him speak more freely, and in having success here. decided to build a platform where he could also assist others. He set up a podcast (The Schofield Stories), initially dedicated to hosting guests which also had stammers, and has developed it to cover people, who have the courage to share their story and struggle.
In this episode he speaks about his own story and struggle.
We all know the challenges of adolescence and working out exactly where we fit in the world,but consider compiling anxiety and depression while trying to work this out. For Sammi Reyes, this was her reality, from about the age of 14 she realised that she suffered from these and had to try an navigate her way through this,with the support of those around her.
While there is no question the teenage years have been difficult, she has grown so much more as a person, and is now using her learnings as a platform to help other youth who are struggling by getting the word out (through public talks, her own podcast and the early stages of a book).
This is her story as she progresses on her life mission to help young women transform their own lives by curating healthy habits and finding their passion.
Ben has always had an interest and passion with human movement, from football to cricket, surfing to spearfishing. His journey led him into Personal Training, before travelling around the world for nine years. Throughout this he has deepened his understanding on humans, especially around health, well-being and movement. Coming into new environments he learnt the importance of forming bonds with those around him, and the nature having a strong tribe.
Unfortunately at one point in his life he found himself without this close by; coinciding in a time when he really needed it. Today's podcast talks around this, and what had to take place in order for him to connect with both himself and those people that truly mattered to him.
This experience in part has helped shape the ReDefined Universal Well-being philosophy, where well-being is simply not about moving more, eating better or less, but assessing an individual’s sense of purpose to rise in the morning, to creating awareness about how you would like to leave this planet for future generations. Ben is a family man with loving wife, Mel and is ReDefined’s Director of Community, Education, and Training.
Kay Thomas has spent the last 30 years working in the education field, having taught in multicultural schools, including four years at Kelston Girls and 11 years as Deputy Principal of Mount Roskill Grammar. She has enjoyed teaching at multicultural schools because of the rewarding relationships she developed with young people and their families.
In 2004, while studying post graduate qualifications, she found out her son had committed suicide. After working with him for many years, through his depression and alcoholism, and receiving counselling, she had to deal with the consequences of this.
She used her own personal circumstance to work with young people who were suffering from suicide ideation, and learnt a lot around how different cultures deal with the loss of loved ones, and the pros and cons of each.
Currently she is involved in voluntary work in New Lynn, and is exploring local politics.
Isaac Rudoplh has working been in the health and well-being space for the last 10 years. Starting out as a strength and conditioning coach, training both individuals and athletes (including AFL team the Melbourne Demons). After spending years looking after his health through proper training and nutrition, he still couldn’t shake the feeling of anxiety that was so prevalent in his life.
Being a witness to domestic violence from a young age, he found himself experiencing episodes of anxiety across his life and it was only once he started meditating he realised meditation was the key to understanding his mind, at its most fundamental level. This lead him on a journey to the Himalayan town of Rishikesh, the birthplace of Yoga, where he studied meditation.
This lead to the study of Ayurveda under Dr David Frawley and Yogi Dr Amrit Raj where he became a certified Ayurvedic practitioner. Together with his wife, a BSC qualified nutritionist they have created a fully integrated system, using science based techniques from his years as a S&C Coach and the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, Yoga and meditation.
Through this he came to understand the mind is the most important aspect to fundamental change. He is now focused on helping those who struggle with anxiety, addiction, digestion and deeper health issues relating to weight loss, and anyone looking to transform their health and well-being. With clients in both Melbourne and abroad, their company authentic 3 represents the 3 pillars of health. Mind, Body and Energy.
Last year Amanda Loftus lost her husband Mike to a rare cancer, this is her story and some of the things she has been through on the journey to becoming a widow, with her 14 year old daughter.
While she had her ups and downs, it was important that she took time to grieve and she couldn’t have done it without the support of her family, friends and her community. One of the biggest things she has learnt during this experience is that life is very short, and she is looking to make the most of the time she has on this earth.
Based in Wellington she has been specialising in Business Architecture, Change Management and Organisational Design. This situation has been a motivating factor for her moving forward and finding a new life purpose.
From a young age Loan thought she had her life figured out. She decided to pursue a career in Marketing, having a love of creativity, visuals, understanding people and finding insights. And was able to study across Vietnam, Japan, the USA and New Zealand as part of that. None of this really prepared her for her first role.
She entered an environment where she was struggling to find her self esteem and confidence, making her question whether she had really made the right choice. During the course of working through this, she learnt about herself and the importance of having people around her who could support her and help her to grow and transform, taking her on a journey of rebuilding her self confidence and trust so that she could set some clear plans for her future.
She now has a plan to create freedom for herself and make an impact, and has built a group of people around her in order to achieve this. It's not just about who we are now, but who we are to become and If we want more, we have to become more.
Leo Murray begin his working life in the middle of the GFC, so turned to his love of music, and took it as an opportunity to travel the world, and understand life further. A decade later, he returned to New Zealand to put down roots within the Bay of Plenty.
Growing up sailing across oceans and traversing overland, he has seen the world through the lens of many different cultures. A degree in Political Science and International Relations revealed the multi-faceted range of problems we face on earth, however this formal education presented few solutions.
Fighting the uphill battle of social and political activism, Leo's frustration with our species, paired with a deep appreciation for the natural world, revealed a more fulfilling form of advocacy; Permaculture.
Based in Mount Maunganui and driving his socio-ecological enterprise Why Waste, there is significant momentum toward creating a kind of world worth saving. By acting out of love rather than fear of what he stands to lose, the social tapestry of Leo’s network features the greatest hearts and minds of his generation. Pollinating and nurturing this diverse web of interconnected and active future leaders for over a decade, a new story for humanity is beginning to emerge - and fuck it’s fun!
Prototyping a new way of being in the world, it’s sexy and badass and it’s abundant and nourishing all at once.
With everything going on in the world at this time, it is easy to get caught up with it all, and feel like not being able to take meaningful action. Being able to connect with nature and "our nature" brings us to our purpose, and allows us to lead a life in balance with the world around us; en mass this can make a real impact in the world.
Together, it is our duty to leave the world better than we found it.
After a relationship of 7 years ended, Ravi found himself in an identity crisis. In absence of direction in his life, followed by a growing struggle with alcohol and cigarettes, he found his life on a downwards spiral.
It was only after one heavy night of alcohol, that he awoke with only the one memory, of his friend advising him he needed to look at going to the gym. Together with the help of his friends, he spent months redefining his values, and working on his physique.
As he lost his kilos he shred his insecurities, his fears and created a mental fortitude to evolve from his dark past.