About Paul

I was that kid, yes that kid who could never sit still. Back when I was in school, it was still common to ask overly active students to go stand in the hall. I think it was supposed to be some kind of punitive measure but as I recall when I was asked to go stand in the hall, my answer was “gladly” -at least I can move a little bit. I was always in motion or at least thinking about it. I can still remember my mother pleading with me to walk up the stairs instead of bounding up them 3 at a time and would I please slow down. And this was when I was in my 30’s. (Thanks mom for putting up with me) More than 3 decades later it is still the same. I spend a lot of my time exploring movement in our body both practically and through study. How do we inhabit this body of ours and how does movement or lack of movement affect our health, fitness, and wellness? Good questions to ponder. My insatiable curiosity has turned to exploring ways to help others move better and feel better in their bodies. To live healthy, active, and pain-free lives.

Next to movement or I guess truth be told right up there with it is my love of learning -I have an insatiable curiosity. Reading, asking questions, trying things out for myself and rarely doubting that I couldn’t learn whatever I set my mind to has afforded me many opportunities in my life. I have worked as a carpenter and cabinet maker’s apprentice, an English as a Second Language teacher and curriculum developer. I pursued the study of Linguistics and obtained a BA (Spec. Honours) degree. I have worked in IT and its implementation in schools throughout the Northwest Territories Nunavut, and the Yukon. I had the live changing opportunity to live in Yellowknife, Inuvik as well as Whitehorse in Canada’s far north.

 From here I finally met my match. It’s amazing to me how one event can change a person’s life. While visiting my parents in Ontario, I went for a massage and was given a Thai massage. Well, I was hooked from that first treatment and next thing I knew (think movement and curiosity) I was off to Thailand to study Thai massage. These initial 2 months set me on a new path of learning that continues to occupy me to this day. Along with studying massage, I was introduced to meditation and yoga and a completely different perspective on health and wellness. And this is where we are getting to the good stuff -the intersection of how our brain, mind, and emotions all inhabit this physical body of ours. So much to explore and learn. I have been so invested in this, I also went to India to study yoga and the practice of teaching yoga. It was here that I met my wife, Elise. We live in Edmonton, Alberta and have 2 amazing children -Kailash and Grace who not surprisingly, like to move a lot. (Mom, I’m sure you find this funny!)

 Now finally we get to sharing and teaching. No matter what I’ve done in my life I’ve always ended up teaching it.

I have taught skiing, sailing, running, English, courses in computers, Thai massage, yoga as well as movement and meditation classes. For me this is where I’m truly at my best. When I learn something I want to be able to share what I’ve learned and the heart of teaching is finding ways of conveying the subject that makes sense to the learner. How to help a learner experience and grow in their ability from their own centre is at the core of my love of teaching. Putting it all together, my affinity and interest in movement and wellness, my enthusiasm for learning as well as my passion for teaching have all integrated together. I am now pursuing developing courses and programs to share what I’ve been studying and learning. My goals for these are to provide resources for therapists, practitioners and those in the wellness environment as well as individuals who just want to learn more. Ultimately I’d like to see these resources shared as widely and as far as possible so that we all benefit.

One of the best ways of integrating something that we’re learning and practicing is through sharing it. Somehow when we teach others it activates all our learning capacity. At the core of the programs will be sharing this with others.
Learn ~ Practice ~ Integrate ~ Share