My Story: The Journey Behind Dharmanas Retreats
The Meaning of Dharmanas
The name Dharmanas is rooted in the Buddhist understanding of Dharma : the teachings and practices that guide us towards awareness, compassion and freedom from suffering.
Dharma is not a fixed destination, but a living path, an invitation to observe ourselves honestly, release attachment and meet life with greater presence.
For me, Dharmanas represents the inner journey of returning to what is essential. It is where ancient wisdom meets personal experience, and where the discipline of practice creates the freedom to discover our own way.
When Everything Changed
My journey began with an accident that suddenly shattered the familiar rhythm of my life. In the silence and uncertainty that followed, I began to hear a deeper calling.
What initially felt like loss gradually became an invitation to release everything I believed myself to be and step into the unknown, without certainty or a clear point of return.
For three years, I travelled the world as a pilgrim of the heart. My path took me from the Mascarene Islands to Asia and across the vast landscapes of South America.
During these travels, I spent time living and practising in retreat centres. These places introduced me to a different rhythm of life, one shaped by simplicity, community, introspection and conscious practice. I experienced how stepping away from familiar routines could create the space needed for genuine transformation.
Along the way, I met Buddhist teachers, healers and guardians of traditional wisdom. Each encounter became a mirror, revealing forgotten parts of myself and illuminating wounds that were ready to be acknowledged and healed.
Those experiences planted the seed for Dharmanas. Having personally felt the transformative power of retreats, I knew that I wanted to create similar spaces for others—places where people could pause, reconnect with themselves and explore their inner world in a safe and supportive environment.
The Ocean as a Teacher
Water has always played an important role in my life. I have often chosen to live close to the ocean, drawn to its rhythm, openness and constant movement.
As my connection with the sea deepened, surfing became part of my personal journey. At first, it was a way to be in nature and experience the freedom of moving with the waves. Over time, it became much more than a physical practice.
In the ocean, I found peace.
Surfing became a form of deep meditation, a space where there was no choice but to be fully present. The ocean taught me to observe my fears, trust my intuition and understand my reactions more clearly. It showed me when to act, when to wait and when to surrender.
Every wave became an opportunity to know myself better. Through surfing, I learned that balance is never fixed. It is a continuous relationship between strength and softness, effort and release, control and flow.
These lessons now form an essential part of the philosophy behind Dharmanas Retreats. The ocean is not simply the setting for our experiences, it is one of our teachers.
Returning to Presence
Through therapy, sacred practices and life itself, I gradually found my way back to presence.
Yoga, meditation and energy work became gateways to greater inner freedom. They taught me to listen to my body, observe my mind and create space around the stories and patterns that once defined me.
My time in retreat centres showed me how powerful these practices can become when we give them our full attention. Away from everyday distractions, even a few days of conscious movement, silence, nature and reflection can help us hear what is usually hidden beneath the noise.
This understanding guided me naturally towards leading retreats.
Creating Dharmanas Retreats
Since 2020, I have been facilitating retreats in the Canary Islands, surrounded by volcanic landscapes, open skies and the restorative energy of the Atlantic Ocean.
Through Dharmanas Retreats, I create intimate spaces where people can step away from the demands of everyday life, slow down and listen inwardly. Each retreat brings together practices such as yoga, meditation, energy work, mindful movement and connection with nature.
My intention is not to impose a single philosophy or present one path as the answer. Instead, I share the practices that supported my own transformation, allowing each person to explore what freedom, balance and realisation mean for them.
Dharmanas is the result of everything my journey has taught me : the value of pausing, the healing power of conscious practice and the wisdom that can emerge when we reconnect with nature.
It is an invitation to breathe, listen and rediscover what is already present within.
An Invitation to Begin Your Own Journey
Every person arrives with a different story, different needs and a unique relationship with change. A retreat is not simply an escape from life, it is an opportunity to meet life more consciously.
Whether you are seeking rest, clarity, healing or a renewed connection with yourself, Dharmanas Retreats welcomes you exactly as you are.
The journey begins by slowing down and listening.
See you soon,
Nasthasia.