A personal synthesis of timeless wisdom for navigating the complexities of modern life.
The search for happiness often begins with the assumption that it’s something to be acquired—a destination reached through the accumulation of achievements, possessions, or experiences. But the wisdom traditions I’ve explored—from yoga and meditation to Shin Buddhism, Aikido, Tai Chi, and shiatsu—suggest a different possibility: that happiness is not something we get, but something we uncover. It’s the natural state that emerges when we stop fighting ourselves and the world around us.
My journey through martial arts in Toronto began not with a desire to fight, but with a curiosity about movement and the ways different disciplines frame the problem of conflict. From the solitary, meditative forms of Tai Chi to the cooperative dynamics of Aikido, and finally to the demanding physicality of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, each art offered a distinct language for the body and the mind. This is a record of that education.
A practice of movement and stillness, learned in a studio that no longer exists.
My journey with yoga began at the Octopus Garden Yoga studio in Toronto’s Annex neighborhood, located at 440 Bloor Street West, 2nd Floor, Toronto, ON M5S 1X5. The studio operated for 18 years as a vibrant yoga studio & wellness clinic before closing its doors on July 20th, 2023, but remains vivid in my memory. It was there that I first encountered the disciplined practice of Ashtanga yoga, a system that demands both physical rigor and mental clarity. The studio had an atmosphere of focused dedication that I found both challenging and comforting—a place where the outside world could be temporarily set aside in favor of inner work. I had the privilege of practicing with teachers Pat and JP during my time there.