Meet the team

Chris Hemsworth

Getting in shape is part of the job description when you’re playing one of the world’s favorite superheroes – Marvel’s God of Thunder, Thor. But for actor Chris Hemsworth, health and fitness is not just a job, it’s a passion. He created Centr to share that passion with everyone.

Over the years, Chris has worked alongside leading international trainers, nutritionists, chefs and mindfulness experts to transform his body for movie roles as diverse as an F1 driver in Rush, a mercenary in Extraction and a secret agent in Men in Black: International. Along the way, he has learned lessons, done his research and built a team of experts – all of which are now at your fingertips in Centr. You just have to get up and press play.

“I’ve had to train my body for certain roles – bulking up or slimming down – and I was forced to educate myself on how best to do that safely and efficiently,” Chris says. “I spent a lot of time trying to figure it out on my own, searching the internet… but there’s just so much information out there. Centr is my answer to that. We’ve built a community of people I trust and respect in the various fields of training, nutrition and mental wellness and it’s all available in one place.”

When not preparing for a specific role, Chris focuses on functional training. He wants his body to be able to move freely, without aches and pains, so he can ride horses with his wife Elsa, surf with his friends, play with his kids, and even take first place in the Dads Race at his daughter’s school sports day.

Above all else, he believes keeping active and staying centered doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s about figuring out what will make you happy, setting goals to get there, and surrounding yourself with a community that will support you along your journey.

Instagram: @chrishemsworth
Twitter: @chrishemsworth

Elsa Pataky

Spanish actor, film producer, author and model Elsa Pataky has learned from experience that building health and happiness takes a step-by-step commitment and a holistic approach in which body, mind and nutrition are equally important. “You have to train your inside, the same as your outside,” she says. With Centr, Elsa is committed to helping you find health and happiness, too.

Renowned as one of the toughest women in movies – and with the kickboxing skills to back it up – Elsa is also a nature lover, reveling in the great outdoors of her adopted home of Australia, where you’ll find her riding horses or hitting the beach with husband Chris Hemsworth and their three children.

Elsa grew up in Madrid admiring strong women – athletes and Olympians – who train their bodies and minds to be the best possible version of themselves. In her own active life, her competitive side comes out in hardcore pursuits such as Muay Thai and snowboarding, while the gentler art of yoga has taught her to “be in the moment and be patient.”

Elsa made the leap to Hollywood with Snakes on a Plane and held her own against the buff guys of the Fast and Furious franchise. While those movies were introducing Elsa to a huge international audience, LA was opening her eyes to new workout challenges – knowledge she shared with the world in her two books on fitness and nutrition (Intensidad/Intensity Max and Desafio/Challenge Max) written with personal trainer Fernando Sartorius. Centr is her next step in inspiring others “to be healthier, happier and more comfortable and confident in their bodies.”

Instagram: @elsapataky
Twitter: @elsapataky

Luke Zocchi

HIIT, HIRT, Strength
Luke Zocchi is here to get you where you want and need to be. He has designed a program that will have you training efficiently so you don’t have to work out for hours on end. Luke has mastered the art of body transformation – be it bulking up and building muscle for Thor or shedding weight and leaning out for In the Heart of the Sea.

Luke has worked other A-list clients including Cate Blanchett, Liam Hemsworth and Taika Waititi into super-shape on movie sets and, as author of book The A-List Diet and Fitness Plan, creator of his own lifestyle and fitness program Twenty40 and now Centr’s resident trainer, is whipping the rest of us into shape, too.A great believer in quality over quantity and maximum results in minimum time, Luke champions shorter, more efficient training sessions – from 90-second flash reps to 30-minute between-scenes workouts – and knows the food you eat can be just as important as the training you do.

Instagram: @zocobodypro
Facebook: Zoco Body Pro

Alexz Parvi

HILIT
Alexz Parvi is a pocket rocket coming to put a fire under your fitness. “I will be your best friend, your trainer, and your fiercest motivator. I will be real with you, challenge you, push you and support you all the way to your goals.”

Alexz (it’s pronounced “Ah-lex-see”) first stepped foot into a gym in Canada at age 16 to start her very first job. And she’s never looked back. This “very loud and bouncy little human” bounced all the way to Australia, where she founded the cult fitness studio Hustl in Byron Bay and on the Gold Coast.

With her bodyweight and dumbbell HILIT (high-intensity low-impact training) circuits – inspired by Pilates, barre and functional training – she has earned a reputation as the queen of supersets, targeting muscles from every direction to create maximum burn and to shape, define and tone.

Alexz has “no interest in portraying perfection”. She has been open about her struggles with body dysmorphia, anxiety and self-doubt, but believes that being honest and transparent only makes her stronger. “It’s a mental game, to physically challenge yourself and believe that you can. I am here to show you all your goals are possible.”

Instagram: @alexz.xo

Angie Asche

Nutrition
Sports dietitian Angie Asche is here to power your plate and help you build a more positive relationship with food. Whether you need to hit reset or you’re aiming to achieve peak performance, her nutrition expertise will guide you to make the right choices for your goals.

Angie is the Founder of Eleat Sports Nutrition and works with endurance, college and professional athletes from the MLB, NFL and NHL to get the best from their bodies. Her approach is “nourishment over numbers” – shifting the focus off solely counting calories or macros, and putting it back on nutrient-rich foods that taste great and nourish the body and mind. “Food is so important, but when thinking about it begins to take over every aspect of our lives, it can truly suck all the joy out of eating. You can be hitting specific calorie or macro numbers and still not be getting everything you need,” she says.

Angie holds a Masters of Science in Nutrition & Physical Performance (MS), and is a Registered Dietitian as well as a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. And just in case that’s not enough for you, she’s also certified as both an exercise physiologist and a personal trainer by the American College of Sports Medicine.

www.eleatnutrition.com
Instagram: @eleatnutrition
Twitter: @eleatnutrition
Facebook: Eleat Sports Nutrition

Dan Churchill

Named one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in the Class of 2019, Dan Churchill is taking the simple, healthy, colorful and fresh Aussie approach to food to the world via social media and his ‘spread bar’ Charley St in New York neighbourhood Nolita.

Dan believes fresh food and good eating are the foundations for a healthy lifestyle and, with a Masters in Exercise Science, was already working as a health and fitness coach to athletes before catching the nation’s attention as a contestant on MasterChef Australia. At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, he served as skier Lindsey Vonn’s personal chef, fueling the veteran champ to a bronze medal in what may have been her last Games.

Also spreading the word through TV appearances (including his series Surfing the Menu) and cookbooks such as The Healthy Cook and DudeFood, Dan is using food as a tool to bring people together and enrich their daily lives.

www.danchurchill.com
Instagram: @dan_churchill

Maricris Lapaix

Beginner cardio & strength
Take your first steps into fitness with Maricris Lapaix, the cardio, strength and mobility expert who will train you to be strong in life. “I know that starting a fitness journey can be hard. I’ll show you it’s not about perfection, it’s about progression. We’ll find the fun and celebrate the wins!”

Maricris (pronounced Merry-cris) is a Californian with proud Haitian and Filipino roots. This world traveler has been moving all her life, from setting track and field records in high school to spiking and blocking her way to college volleyball MVP. Her athleticism made for a natural transition to fitness modeling (for iconic brands including Adidas, Reebok and Nike), then personal training. Whether it’s one-on-one training or coaching hundreds of people through major events in LA, her low-equipment workouts make fitness engaging and inclusive for all. “What can you expect when you train with me? A lot of smiles and some really bad jokes!”

As a certified trainer, nutrition coach, corrective exercise and women’s fitness specialist, Maricris knows what it takes to build a healthy lifestyle and feel empowered. “We all start as beginners, it just takes time to find your flow. Together, we’ll unlock your potential and push to be 1 percent better every time.”

Instagram: @maricrislapaix
Facebook: Maricris Lapaix

Jess Kilts

Strength & conditioning
“Start where you are.” That’s the motto that drives trainer Jess Kilts. Whether you’re a complete beginner or a competitive powerlifter, pick up a set of weights and she’ll take you from where you are to your absolute limits.

“Strength training with me is not just about muscular strength and pumping iron, but instilling confidence and translating how you feel in the gym out into the world.”Jess’s journey to personal training started in the emergency room. As an EMT, she saw patients struggling with preventable diseases – deciding then and there that she could help.

Today, she’s known as a trainer’s trainer, a strength and conditioning specialist who works with elite athletes, wins gold medals as a powerlifter and serves as Athletic Director at LA’s famed Pharos Athletic Club. As if that’s not enough, she’s also a certified massage therapist.

Jess won’t just challenge your strength and endurance, she’ll help you understand the why and the how of achieving peak performance. Ready to get strong?

www.coachkiltstraining.com
Instagram: @coachkiltstraining

Ingrid Clay

HIIT HIRT Strength
Some trainers are triple threats. Ingrid Clay is off the charts. She’s an entrepreneurial powerhouse, a HIIT HIRT Strength training machine and a plant-based chef sculpting strong bodies and even stronger minds.

Step onto Ingrid’s workout mat and you’ll be combining bodyweight and dumbbells in a high-intensity blast. “I love heavy lifting, but I can also burn anyone out in a bodyweight challenge! I won’t let you take it easy, but you won’t hear me tearing anybody down. I believe in lifting people up.”

Author of Science of HIIT, Ingrid’s holistic approach to achieving health and fitness goals is informed by her degrees in physics and engineering. Step one is a positive mindset. “A healthy lifestyle starts with how you think about yourself. The stronger you are up here,” she says, tapping her head, “the stronger your body will be.”

From commanding the boombox while her mother led step aerobics classes to taking on the competitive bodybuilding circuit, Ingrid has forged a unique path in fitness. Now she’s determined to help you carve out your own. “I want you to find that thing that ignites you and helps you take control of your own journey. I'll be by your side, cheering you along the way.”

www.ingridsclay.com
Instagram: @ingridsclay

Bobby Holland Hanton

Becoming one of Hollywood’s leading stuntmen takes a lot more than just donning the Batsuit and jumping off a 100-foot ledge on a wing and a prayer.

After graduating from teenage gymnastics star (representing Great Britain and winning national gold) to semi-pro footballer (Fareham Town FC), Bobby Holland Hanton had to train for years to master everything from scuba diving to kickboxing, trampolining to the 25m high dive, parkour to acrobatics.

And whether it’s high diving through the open doors of a Ford family van, being set on fire or tumbling down a mountainside, Bobby knows that fitness, preparation and safety are essential.

As Chris Hemsworth’s stunt double for the past eight years, Bobby has swung into action on Thor: The Dark World, Avengers: Age of Ultron, In the Heart of the Sea, The Huntsman: Winter’s War, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Bad Times at the El Royale and Extraction.

Hemsworth isn’t the only hero Bobby has made super – he’s doubled for Christian Bale’s Batman, Chris Evans’ Captain America, Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern and Daniel Craig’s James Bond – meaning he knows a thing or two about changing your body size fast, too.

www.bobbyhollandhanton.com
Instagram: @bobbydazzler84
Twitter: @BobbyHanton

Joseph Sakoda AKA ‘Da Rulk’

Joseph Sakoda, better known as Da Rulk, trains superheroes. We’re not talking Iron Man and Captain America; we’re talking Navy SEALs, fire fighters, law enforcement, Ocean Safety, search and rescue, Special Forces.A certified strength and conditioning expert with a degree in kinesiology and a focus on biomechanics, Rulk is the creator of Raw Functional Training (RFT) – a revolutionary approach to movement designed to improve mobility, increase functional strength and ensure all of the body’s systems are operating at the highest level of efficiency. It’s an approach Chris Hemsworth praises for being just as useful and relevant to him as it is to an 80-year-old looking to shake off the rust and get moving again. Along with military and first responders, Hawaii-bred Rulk has trained Olympic gold medalists, elite MMA fighters and a myriad of professional athletes and teams.

Rulk lives by the motto “Always Can” and believes we can achieve more than we think is possible by giving 120% and training with purpose. And quite frankly, we’re not about to argue with him.

www.darulk.com
Instagram: @da_rulk

Ashley Joi

Cardio & strength
Ashley Joi has been an athlete all her life. “I know how it feels doing burpees, I know that feeling when fatigue kicks in – I know all of that, I’ve been there, so I can push you to keep going because I know what you’re feeling inside.”

After attending the University of Rhode Island on a track and field scholarship, and graduating with a degree in psychology and communications, Ashley pursued the active life: first as a fitness model, working with leading US trainers, then striking out as a trainer in her own right.

Petite, yet powerful (friends nicknamed her "Baby Hulk"), Ashley is on a mission to motivate and empower people to dig deeper, push harder and be the best version of themselves through her combination of cardio and strength training.

Certified by the International Sports Sciences Association, this Californian has led training events for Nike and trained high-profile Hollywood clients including Ashley Blaine. When not leading the charge at boot camps and fitness festivals, she can be found running marathons and inspiring her followers on Instagram.

Instagram: @ashleyjoi

Tiffiny Hall

Tiffiny Hall is a one-woman fitness business, with over 20 years’ experience as a personal trainer and coach. Expert in HIIT and HIRT, she rose to prominence on TV as a Gladiator and a trainer on

and is now transforming devotees – from athletes to new mothers – via her health and fitness app TXO Life. She is a mother, mentor and magnate.

One of the most qualified martial artists in the world for her age, she’s a 6th Dan Taekwondo black belt and has MMA workout plans that will kick your butt in the best possible way.

In publishing nine health and fitness books, Tiffiny has helped thousands of Aussies change not just their bodies, but their lives.

Instagram: @tiffhall_xo

Michael Olajide Jr.

“There isn’t a muscle group that boxing doesn’t work.” So says Michael Olajide Jr, the man who made boxing for fitness a worldwide phenomenon.

Born in England and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Michael began boxing at age 15. Known for his silky moves, he was at one time the No.1 contender for middleweight world champion until a serious eye injury (that patch isn’t just for show) put an end to his boxing career – all while he was up 28-4, 20 knockouts and four championship titles. Making good on his mantra of “adapt or die,” Michael switched to fitness training, pioneering a workout that melded shadow boxing and jumping rope. This blend of high cardio and body toning quickly won fans in Adriana Lima, Doutzen Kroes and Karolina Kerkova. Now he runs a “Supermodel Training Camp” to get the ladies in peak condition for the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

More than just the go-to man for models looking to get runway-ready, Michael is the co-founder, director of programs and chief instructor at New York’s boutique AEROSPACE High Performance Center and has put the skills he learned as a boxer to use as a consultant on films including Michael Mann’s Ali and training stars including Hugh Jackman, Eva Mendes, Jake Gyllenhaal and Will Smith.

michaelsilkolajide.com
Instagram: @elcuerpodepapi

Torre Washington

Some call it getting "shredded". IFBB Pro Torre Washington calls it getting "sliced and diced". Torre is a natural and professional bodybuilder with over 10 years of competition under his belt. He’s got a shelf full of first-place trophies, including his IFBB Pro win in 2018.

Torre has made it to the top by breaking the norms. The dreads that make him stand out on the bodybuilding stage reveal his Rastafarian roots; so does the food on his plate. Torre has been vegan for 20 years, not out of fashion, but through embracing the Rasta Ital philosophy of eating naturally from the land. He approached bodybuilding from an unusual angle, not from the common admiration of stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Wolverine (though he did study their physiques). Instead, Torre dug into bodybuilding as a trained engineer fascinated by the challenge of designing and building his own great physique with a focus on symmetry and aesthetics. It wasn't – and still isn't – common for a vegan to be a competitive bodybuilder, but this only drove Torre to do better.

The Alabama-born, Florida-based Torre is also a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified coach in physique, competition prep and nutrition. Torre turns athletes pro with his coaching programs and posing prep for both men and women.

www.torrewashington.com
Instagram: @torre.washington
Twitter: @torrewofficial
Facebook: Torre Washington Official

Tahl Rinsky

Tahl Rinsky lives and breathes yoga – she calls the discipline her “home.” And she’s taken it with her from her birthplace, New York, to her upbringing in Israel and now to Byron Bay on the east coast of Australia, where she is co-owner and teacher, and trains the next generation of yoga teachers, at Creature Yoga Studio.

Introduced to ashtanga yoga as a child by her mother, these days Tahl teaches a dynamic, accessible, safe and fun blend of vinyasa – classical yoga with a modern twist that Elsa Pataky has fallen in love with. "Tahl has all the basics of yoga but then in the middle she'll just start doing some abs," Elsa says. "That combination I love about her. As a woman, you want to work out your bum and your abs and get stronger, as well as lay down and breathe and be in the moment.”

Tahl has also introduced Yin Yoga to Centr, leading slow flows to release tired muscles and relieve a busy mind.

tahlrinsky.co
Instagram: @trinskyyoga

Sylvia Roberts

Pilates and dancing have always gone hand in hand for Sylvia Roberts, a professional ballet dancer turned acclaimed Pilates instructor. While dancing with the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the Singapore Dance Theatre, Sylvia relied on Pilates to maintain her body during periods of intense training as well as in her down time.Now, as an accredited Pilates teacher, Sylvia runs the innovative Vie Pilates studio on the Gold Coast with her husband Breaker Roberts. Her unique level of body awareness, honed over 20 years of training and performance, allows her to help everyone reach their fitness goals – from professional footballers and dancers to models, new mothers and absolute beginners.

Sylvia is a huge proponent of the versatility of Pilates and sees it as far more than just an ‘accessory’ or complementary exercise. With Sylvia, Pilates can be mindful rehabilitation, a hardcore workout or a pathway to strength and mobility.

Sylvia’s incredible poses, beautiful images and cool music choices have made her an aspirational must-follow for international health and fitness tastemakers.

www.viebysylviaroberts.com
Instagram: @sylviaroberts_pilates
Facebook: Vie Pilates Goldcoast

Jorge ‘The Spaniard’ Blanco

He may be a Spanish National Kickboxing Champion and a former member of the national boxing team, but Jorge Blanco, AKA the Spaniard, is not here to teach you how to fight. Whether coaching UFC legend Georges St-Pierre to a victorious comeback, the dozens of NHL ice hockey players that flood his way every off-season or a corporate suit, the Spaniard’s approach is to impart new methods, start feeling instead of over-thinking and turn pressure into power. “I try to inspire people to be the best they can be,” says Jorge.

Raised in Zaragoza, where he took up judo as a junior before segueing into kickboxing and boxing in his teens, Jorge then worked as a lawyer. He now lives in Canada, where he teaches his tailored Spaniard training system. He’s an in-demand coach and sparring partner for elite athletes – among them UFC Light Heavyweight champ Rashad Evans and Team Canada captain and Olympic gold medallist Sidney Crosby – and movie stars alike.

www.spaniard.ca
Instagram: @82spaniard

Dr. Eric Goodman

Chronic pain has met its match in Dr Eric Goodman. Whether you got it slouching over the keyboard or binge watching on the couch, Eric – a chiropractor with degrees in physiology and nutrition – has proven chronic pain doesn’t have to be an unavoidable symptom of modern life. As a student dogged by lower back pain, the young Eric was told spinal surgery was his only option. He vowed to find a better way. Foundation Training was born.

Simplicity is key to Eric’s exercise system – no specialist equipment or tricky moves required. The online program is all about strengthening your core – the posterior chain muscles that take in your shoulders, back, butt and legs – and retraining your body to take the strain off your spine and joints by making your muscles do the work.

Chris Hemsworth has incorporated Foundation Training into his everyday workouts and provided the foreword for Eric’s popular book True to Form: How to Use Foundation Training for Sustained Pain Relief and Everyday Fitness. Eric has also helped the likes of pro surfers Lakey Peterson and Kelly Slater perform at their best and enjoy the everyday activities that injury can all too often disrupt.

www.foundationtraining.com
Instagram: @docgoodman

Alexis Naim

With more than 15 years of experience working with individuals, couples and families, psychotherapist Alexis Naim knows that when it comes to well-being, the body is just as important as the mind and that every individual does better with support from a community.

Alexis was trained at the University of California, Berkeley, before becoming a founding clinician in the family therapy program at University of California, San Francisco. She’s now based in Los Angeles where, with her husband Omid Naim, Alexis co-founded the La Maida Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rewriting the story of mental health and well-being.

Alexis takes an integrative approach to therapy, incorporating attachment, mindfulness and somatic (or body) based methods to achieve holistic, lasting results. Her particular clinical interest is nurturing authentic connections in relationships and family life.

www.lamaidaproject.org
Instagram: @lamaidaproject
Facebook: La Maida Project

Darren Robertson

Local, seasonal, sustainable, organic, honest and easy. That’s the Darren Robertson ethos. The expat Brit trained in Michelin-starred restaurants before spreading his wings Down Under, where the farm-to-table, paddock-to-plate proponent has become one of the most recognisable chefs in a country obsessed with food.

Darren is co-owner of several much loved venues: Byron Bay bar Locura puts a Latin American spin on fresh seafood; Rocker in Bondi is a local haunt offering modern Euro-style comfort food; stalwart restaurant Three Blue Ducks, with laidback locations in Sydney, Byron and Brisbane, is about ‘real food’ straight from the kitchen garden. Darren and the crew are now hitting the road around Australia to discover new recipes in the TV series Three Blue Ducks.

As part of Centr, he’s helping us make restaurant-worthy meals at home.

www.threeblueducks.com
Instagram: @darrenrobertsonfood

Palisa Anderson

How do you ensure only the best Thai basil, apple eggplant and purple wombok hits the hot plates of your big city restaurants? By growing it yourself.

Palisa Anderson grew up in the kitchens of Sydney’s Thai food institution Chat Thai, a clutch of much-loved restaurants founded by her mother, Amy Chanta. Since returning from a decade living and working in Hong Kong, London, New York and Tokyo, Palisa has extended the family business to include the popular Boon Café, with its connected Jarern Chai Asian Grocers, and hawker-style eatery Samosorn.

Keeping all these kitchens and shelves stocked is Boon Luck Farm in Byron Bay, on which Palisa and her husband Matt grow organic vegetables, fruit and herbs and raise little humans and chickens.

The burgeoning family business is testament to Palisa’s passion for finding and sharing food as enjoyable as it is nutritious. And there’s no one better to call on for tips for your home veggie garden – be it a big patch or a balcony oasis.

Instagram: @palisaanderson

Sergio Perera

Approachable, affordable, personal. For a man who has cooked alongside some of the biggest names in the culinary world, including the team from Spain’s celebrated elBulli, chef and innovator Sergio Perera is refreshingly unpretentious about food.

Raised on Spanish home cooking and trained in kaiseki in Japan, he’s now focused on researching food culture and sustainability on a global level through his think-tank Arrel, learning about traditional, local and artisanal growing and cooking methods, modern science, good produce, health and well-being, on a quest to redefine the entire farm-to-table experience.

Having served as Chris Hemsworth's on-set chef and nutrition consultant, Sergio is the man we turn to for no-fuss advice on food for fueling up, recovering and reaching transformational body goals.

www.arrellab.com
Instagram: @sergio.perera

Simon Hill

In past movie outings as Thor, Chris Hemsworth and trainer Luke Zocchi conducted an experiment – testing whether the star could maintain muscle when switching his diet to vegan. It worked.

It’s an approach that Australian fitness junkie and 100% vegan Simon Hill has been advocating for years. The qualified physiotherapist and nutritionist, blogger and world-leading health and wellness podcaster shares evidence-based, easy-to-apply information on switching to a plant-based diet on his website. Everything he eats – and advocates – is widely available. Simon’s weekly podcast, in which he discusses mental and physical health and living more consciously with globally renowned doctors, dietitians, athletes and other inspirational guests, attracts hundreds of thousands of listeners each episode and regularly tops worldwide charts. In 2021, Simon published his first book, The Proof is in the Plants.

Currently undertaking a postgraduate degree in nutrition, he also advises professional athletes on how to fuel their bodies and gain weight and muscle through plant-based foods.

theproof.com
Instagram: @simonhill

Ally Bogard

A unique voice in yoga and meditation, Ally Bogard has been helping people reap the physiological, emotional and spiritual benefits of her disciplines for the past 15 years.

Introduced to the practices by her mother as a teenager growing up in Canada, Ally is now based in New York, where she leads yoga and meditation classes, retreats and immersions, provides counsel and also trains yoga teachers.

With Jessica Caplain, Ally is the co-creator of SoundMind, a program combining sound therapy with meditation, breathing and visualization to help users attain optimal health, wellbeing and connection. SoundMind meditations are shaped for specific intentions such as focus, manifesting, letting go, appreciation and sleep.

Through teaching and practice, Ally has learned that meditation and self-reflection are tools with endless practical applications in life – preparing you to react healthily and work creatively with whatever curveballs it throws at you.

www.allybogard.com
Instagram: @allybogard

Fabrice Midal

For a clue to Fabrice Midal’s approach to meditation, just take a look at the titles of some of his 30-plus books: C’est La Vie. The Pure Joy of Being. The French Art of Not Giving a Sh*t.

With a PhD in philosophy from the University of Paris, Fabrice is founder of the Western School of Meditation and has been one of France’s leading meditation teachers for 20 years. Along with providing practical methods to face everyday challenges, the message he imparts through meditation is simple: Stop trying to be perfect. Say no to what makes you unhappy. Open yourself up to what makes you happy. Live in the here and now.

To Fabrice, meditation is not a ‘management tool’ for our stresses or anxieties, but a way to be fully present in everyday life, reconciled with self and with others, in a relationship of kindness. To that end, his meditations integrate three aspects: mindfulness (or being fully present), confidence in life and benevolence.

Whether it’s society’s expectations, keeping up with our peers or our own drive to succeed, Fabrice believes we’d be better off if we all just gave ourselves a break.

www.fabricemidal.com
Instagram: @fabricemidal
Facebook: Fabrice Midal