{"id":149,"date":"2024-09-23T19:18:50","date_gmt":"2024-09-23T22:18:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yogatherapyleonor.com\/?page_id=149"},"modified":"2026-01-08T12:52:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T15:52:13","slug":"about-me","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/yogatherapyleonor.com\/en\/about-me\/","title":{"rendered":"About me"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\"1_Pe<\/figure><\/div>
\"1_P\u00e9<\/figure><\/div>
\"1_Pe<\/figure><\/div>
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Why Passion Fruit Tree (P\u00e9 de Maracuj\u00e1)?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The passion fruit plant, from the Passiflora genus, is a vigorous vine that requires external support for its rapid growth\u2014just like us humans, who need a solid foundation to grow in life. Introduced to the Azores in the 18th century, the plant grows spontaneously on S\u00e3o Miguel island due to the subtropical climate and fertile, humid soil, similar to how we need favourable conditions for our personal growth.<\/p>

The passion flower is a true work of art, with a layer of white petals, a violet central crown, and reproductive elements that rise dramatically from the center, resembling an intricate mandala. Aromatic and attractive to pollinators, the flower has calming, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, and is widely used in naturopathy. Complex and full of vitality, the flower lasts only one day before giving way to fruit.<\/p>

The passion fruit species found in the Azores produces purple fruits with smooth, shiny skin, juicy golden-yellow pulp, and an intense aroma. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins A, B, and C, as well as potassium, magnesium, iron, and fiber, these fruits are nutritious, low in calories, and easy to digest. Tasting a passion fruit is an exquisite and vibrant experience that engages all the senses.<\/p>

The analogy between the renewal of the passion fruit vine and yoga therapy is striking. It draws on symbols of self-awareness, vitality, and mental and emotional control\u2014the very benefits yoga therapy provides. The vine’s rapid growth mirrors the movement of yoga, the breath, and the circulation of life energy (prana). The various dimensions of human life are reflected in the complexity and beauty of the ephemeral passion flowers. Discipline and grounding lead to the blossoming and fruition of life, nourishing us with rich experiences and the expression of our full potential.<\/p>

The harmony of the passion fruit vine reflects a divine order that yoga therapy integrates beautifully with health and personal development. It symbolizes inner well-being, serenity, and love\u2014the nourishment our lives need. Each of us is part of a unique, natural, and beautiful system.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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My Life Journey<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I am Leonor Galhardo. I was born in 1966 on the volcanic island of S\u00e3o Miguel, Azores\u2014two centuries after the passion fruit vine was introduced to the island. A green land surrounded by a vibrant blue sea, S\u00e3o Miguel is as fertile for passion fruit as it was for me.<\/p>

From an early age, I developed a deep connection with animals, nature, and the sea. These elements have always been my support and source of inspiration, connection, and well-being. I studied biology and, unsurprisingly, animal welfare. I became a teacher early in life, and still enjoy the satisfaction of sharing knowledge and experiences with higher education students. Well-being has always been a priority for me, and working in this field, especially with animals, guided my professional life for decades.<\/p>

Yoga entered my life in the 1990s. It was love at first sight\u2014a feeling of returning home. Time passed, I became involved in various professional projects related to animal welfare, my relationship with yoga was inconsistent. My greatest adventure was becoming a mother to two children, who brought light into my life beyond what words can describe.<\/p>

However, difficult times shifted my focus and motivations. Though I was worked with well-being-related concepts, I found myself lacking it. I reconnected with yoga, this time with more consistency and depth. The practice helped me gain strength, flexibility, posture, and energy. I rooted my body, opened my chest, and learned to move gracefully and peacefully through my own obstacles. I experienced how yoga could revitalize all areas of life in such a simple and profound way.<\/p>

In the meantime, I realized that I wasn’t alone. Many people around me were living without well-being, often without realizing it or knowing how to address it. Well-being and sharing became my mission once again, this time through therapeutic yoga.<\/p>

Today, I am a certified yoga therapist, eager to reach as many people as possible through this practice, serving those who seek calm, satisfaction, competence, and simplicity in their relationship with life\u2014regardless of the circumstances or difficulties they face.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"3_O<\/figure><\/div>
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What is Well-being?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Well-being is a broad concept that goes beyond the mere absence of illness, encompassing physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual balance. My work with animal welfare and now with yoga therapy has shown me that there is a continuity of needs among all species, from sensitive animals to humans.<\/p>

For animals, well-being means understanding their unique characteristics and ensuring that their environments meet both their physical and social-emotional needs. For example, a goldfish cannot thrive in isolation in a small aquarium; it needs space, companionship, and stimuli to explore. Parrots in captivity often exhibit stereotyped behaviors, such as plucking their feathers, due to boredom and anxiety. Cows relax and produce more milk when exposed to classical music. These examples highlight how stress affects animals and how, when captivity is unavoidable, their quality of life can be improved.<\/p>

This understanding of animal welfare has shaped my perception of human well-being. The World Health Organization defines health as a complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being. Yoga therapy applies this integrative approach to humans, aiming to harmonize body, mind, and spirit. Just as animals need environments and treatment that promote their well-being, humans require practices that address the different dimensions of their being\u2014often compensating for the inadequacies and stresses of modern life. In essence, well-being flourishes when the needs of sensitive beings are integrated and respected, creating a continuous cycle of health, satisfaction, and contentment.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Education<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2024 - Yoga Therapist \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t850 hrs, The Yoga Therapy Institute, Netherlands\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2021 \u2013 Yoga Teacher, RYT300\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t Kashish Yoga, India\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2019 \u2013 Yoga Teacher, RYT200 \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tYoga Spirit, Portugal\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Other Training<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2023 \u2013 Multi-style Yoga Training \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t100 hrs, Kashish Yoga, India\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2021 \u2013 Yin Yoga and Meditation Training \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t100 hrs, Kashish Yoga, India\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2013 \u2013 Mindfulness Training \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u2018Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction,\u2019 8 weeks, Brussels Mindfulness, Belgium\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Academic Qualifications<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2010 \u2013 PhD in Animal Science\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tUniversity of Porto, Portugal\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1993 \u2013 MSc in Animal Behavior and Welfare \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tUniversity of Edinburgh, Scotland\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1989 \u2013 BSc in Biology\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tUniversity of the Azores, Portugal\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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I am grateful for my journey and those who are part of it<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Why Passion Fruit Tree (P\u00e9 de Maracuj\u00e1)? The passion fruit plant, from the Passiflora genus, is a vigorous vine that requires external support for its rapid growth\u2014just like us humans, who need a solid foundation to grow in life. Introduced to the Azores in the 18th century, the plant grows spontaneously on S\u00e3o Miguel island […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-149","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogatherapyleonor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogatherapyleonor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogatherapyleonor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogatherapyleonor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogatherapyleonor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=149"}],"version-history":[{"count":266,"href":"https:\/\/yogatherapyleonor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/149\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2690,"href":"https:\/\/yogatherapyleonor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/149\/revisions\/2690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogatherapyleonor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}