Growing up and spreading my wings

I was born in the countryside of France and spent the first 20 years of my life there. I grew up in a small town of four thousand people, in the center of the country, slightly to the south. This region is volcanic, so I was actually born on the slopes of a volcano that is part of the oldest and largest chain in Europe! I grew up surrounded by nature with grasslands, wilderness, and mountains. It was a bit rough in some aspects but a beautiful place.

When I finished my studies, I moved to Paris. The big city was quite a contrast for me, especially as I started working in the music industry, first at Virgin Records and later at Jive Records as a product manager for a few years. I mean, people were speaking verlan (reversing the syllables in a word, a typical Parisian slang), and I felt like a total foreigner in my own country, understanding only every second word! I was wondering where I had landed, everything seemed so new and, at the same time, incredibly exciting to me.

Work hard and play hard

I was only 23 when my boss gave me the responsibility to manage the releases of some of the biggest global artists at that time. We are talking George Michael, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Backstreet Boys, Nsync, Robyn, and many more. Apart from the fact that I was mesmerised by this new world (not to say the least the artists) and was learning and experiencing so much professionally, I felt that after a few years of very intense work it got to a point where it was too much.

It took me years to land from this experience. Back then, I didn’t have the proper tools or a daily practice to help my mind deal with so much pressure, stress and responsibility.

Do you remember Charlie Chaplin in “Modern Times” screwing parts on the assembly line? Well, that’s exactly how I felt - alienated by the work I loved so much with no space or time to appreciate the great teamwork, creativity and heartfelt effort we put into everything we were creating. It took me years to land from this experience. Back then, I didn’t have the proper tools or a daily practice to help my mind deal with so much pressure, stress and responsibility. Even though I was successful at what I did, I knew it couldn’t continue like this. I was essentially on the verge of burning out.

A new country and a fresh start

So, I moved to Stockholm with my Swedish girlfriend hoping to start a new, more balanced life. Like many others, I moved for love but I stayed for the love that I have for Sweden. And my appreciation for this country has only deepened over time. I always felt I could be more myself here; people respect each other's boundaries, and when someone dares to think differently, there’s less judgement and more encouragement than what I had previously experienced. On top of this, I’m a big fan of how Swedes keep traditions alive and how close to nature people are. Now that you’ve got me started, I can also add that I particularly appreciate the greater gender equality, gentleness and awareness, as well as less corruption and more transparency than in any other place I’ve visited. And I liked the idea that hierarchy in companies is pretty flat, that innovation is encouraged at all levels, and it seemed easier to start a business.

So, I was now in Stockholm learning Swedish, just as the crisis in the music industry was beginning. I started thinking about my other passions. What do I love most after music? Traveling was definitely at the top of the list. Soon after, I began working at Air France, which was in the midst of merging with KLM at the time.

Becoming an entrepreneur

While working with the e-commerce and social media team at Air France KLM, I realized I was something of an "intrapreneur." I was constantly coming up with new ideas, campaigns, and initiatives. 
I had been working at Air France KLM for 11 years now and I was feeling the need and desire to strike out on my own and have the full freedom to create and hopefully benefit more people. But I really had to shift my mindset. Transitioning from being an employee for 15 years with a stable situation to starting my own tech startup was a huge leap for me. I hardly knew anything about software development and I had no money at hand. Still, I somehow felt I had to fly on my own.

Years later, after many obstacles, ups and downs, and a roller coaster of emotions, I can say I’ve experienced and learned more than I ever could have imagined, professionally speaking. Working with a team of fantastic individuals has also made the biggest difference. Despite all these hardships, I've always felt that I was on the right path for what was to come.

Finding my way and the yogi life

I’ve been interested in yogis and mystics since a young age. I remember my mom telling me about a yoga practice in our little village that was held in a former chapel. I was thirteen and decided to try it out. It’s worth mentioning that yoga was not at all mainstream in 1989, and I still wonder how and why this teacher ended up in our small village in France. I was completely hooked and started going every week! Yoga helped me deal with the stress I experienced at school, in my studies, and in other parts of life. I also felt my posture improving as well as my overall well-being. Wherever I moved afterwards, yoga followed me, and I searched for a studio to practice in every place I ended up.

Around the age of eighteen, I started reading books by Alexandra David-Néel, a French explorer from the 19th century. Her writings about her travels in the mystical, then-forbidden regions of Tibet, India, and the Himalayas, and her accounts of the life of yogis there, completely fascinated me.

Then, during a trip to Bali, I nearly lost my leg to a tropical infection. This was the wake-up call that made me realize that my aimless wandering needed a meaningful direction.

A wake up call, practice and meditation

A couple of years later I had the chance to be invited, along with my mom and brother, to a Tibetan Buddhist monastery two hours away from where I lived in France. Here, I was properly introduced to meditation for the first time. The week after, a traditional 3-year, 3-month, and 3-day retreat was about to start. So, I got talking to some people at the monastery, asking them about it, and was very intrigued by it all. I began learning more about Buddhism, mainly through reading books and asking questions to the few Buddhist practitioners I met in the years that followed. Nothing much more happened until I turned thirty, the year I became a dad and my son was born.

What really happened is that I was traveling all over, a great perk of working at an airline company. In many places, I connected with and was reminded of Buddhist traditions and the practices I had begun learning about years earlier. But I hadn’t really taken any of it too seriously or done anything with it. Then, during a trip to Bali, I nearly lost my leg to a tropical infection. This was the wake-up call that made me realize that my aimless wandering needed a meaningful direction. With the opportunity to travel easily, I decided to start exploring ancient local practices from the communities I visited. At the same time, I was dealing with a difficult relationship, especially managing emotions, and felt I needed guidance.

I decided to go to the source of these practices and follow a qualified teacher. My search led me to Nepal, through a recommendation from a good friend. As I sat down and listened to who would become my new teacher, it felt like love at first sight. I was hearing the wisdom I had longed for all my life.

Building a community and sacred space

In 2010, I began attending many meditation and Buddhist philosophy retreats to apply what I was learning. Around this time, I was invited to join the volunteer group that created Tara’s Triple Excellence study and practice - an online program covering the entire Buddhist path. The idea was to develop a curriculum that anyone could follow and practice in the comfort of their home, with a few physical meetings during the year for group practices. Today, this program is followed by thousands of students all over the world.

A few years later, my teacher was looking to establish a retreat center in France. We started searching for a remote location and eventually found a beautiful and ideal place in the Pyrenees mountains. We acquired the land and property, and we began the renovation work that would allow us to organize seminars and retreats and invite people from all around the globe. I was entrusted with leading the development of this international retreat center, an honor I gladly accepted. One of our main objectives was to prepare this place to host the traditional 3-year retreat in the coming years. We fulfilled this goal in 2023 when we started the first 3-year retreat cycle, with 15 participants from diverse backgrounds. The center continues to offer seminars for up to 200 people and retreats spanning from a few days to several months each year.

However, it wasn’t always straightforward and simple to promote or share information about the lectures, seminars, and meditation retreats held at the center. Although a website was created, it only helped to some extent. I felt that a dedicated platform for these kinds of events would be helpful to reach those who might be interested in attending. This is part of the inspiration and reason behind the idea of Soulcircus.

Why Soulcircus and for whom?‍

I believe we are all on a quest to discover our true selves, to heal, and to connect more deeply within ourselves. As I've mentioned previously, there are ancient tools and traditions that offer profound access to our inner selves, often unknown to many.

For instance, just two decades ago, yoga was almost unheard of in Sweden. Now, yoga studios can be found in every major city. Similarly, meditation was an intimidating concept for many just five years ago. And today it is embraced worldwide, from individual practices to any kind of organizations, companies, and schools.

The concept of Soulcircus was born from a desire to make discovering both ancient and modern wellness practices more accessible. Our aim is to connect individuals with teachers and practitioners who want to share their wisdom and experience. Soulcircus is also meant to become a community where practitioners can come together, exchange ideas, and support one another. It serves as an online platform for holistic healing and conscious development, where anyone can find, promote, and share practices—all in one place. Whether you're already familiar with certain methods or keen on exploring new ones, we envision Soulcircus as a space for exploration and connection.

We've observed that people pursue personal growth through various transformative avenues. By offering a diverse range of practices tailored to individual needs, we believe that Soulcircus can facilitate this journey of growth and self-discovery.

Work-life balance and avoiding burnout

You might agree that life can at times be very challenging in our busy societies. Many of us have witnessed friends, family, or colleagues grapple with anxiety, severe stress, burnout, or depression—I've personally navigated through all of these at some point. However, I've come to believe that with the right methods and tools, it is possible to navigate these difficult situations with greater ease.

This belief has inspired us to develop a new feature we call Soulcircus @work. Our goal is to make it easier for companies and organizations who want to integrate wellness practices into the workplace, to find and engage qualified teachers and practitioners.

Our aim is to empower individuals to become the best versions of themselves while also making a positive impact on the world around them.

Connecting people and contributing to society

Soulcircus isn't just about discovering practices that resonate with you; it's also about fostering connections within a supportive community. Our aim is to empower individuals to become the best versions of themselves while also making a positive impact on the world around them.

I've noticed a growing awareness among people of our interconnectedness in this world. Our actions, words, and thoughts can ripple across the globe, influencing outcomes far beyond our immediate surroundings. It's a realization of our collective power—one that I believe we're only beginning to grasp on a larger scale.

Envisioning the future

I hope that more people can discover practices that resonate with them, helping them to heal, finding balance, and growing into better versions of themselves. We all have unique needs and connecting with various practices can serve as a catalyst for our own growth.

Moreover, I hope that Soulcircus will enable more people to share their skills and experiences, benefiting others. Recognizing the impermanent nature of everything and our continual evolution, I see Soulcircus as a “smorgasbord" that will allow individuals to select whatever aligns with their journey at any given moment.

Above all, my most sincere wish is for everyone to find the tools they need to progress on their path toward wellness and fulfillment. Together, we can create a more interconnected and compassionate world.

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