People we Adore: Introducing Ana Valente Yoga teacher, Ukulele teacher and Pet Reiki Master

Ana: I am a Yoga teacher certified by Yoga Alliance in Rishikesh in India. I have been teaching for 5 years and I had my first experience with Yoga when I was 15 years old and it was the love at first sight!

I am also a Life Coach and Holistic Therapist using my knowledge of Ayurveda and Reiki to help my clients find balance in their body, mind and soul.

My aim is to share with my students and clients the knowledge of Yoga, Ayurveda and Reiki to increase their consciousness about who they truly are, finding happiness and inner light within themselves through these practices helping them to live better and longer with balance and clarity in body, mind and soul. You can find me on instagram at @anavalenteyoga.

Ana: I live in the countryside of Rio de Janeiro about 1 hour from Rio, in a small city called Maricá surrounded by nature, waterfalls, mountains, lagoons and beaches which is perfect when I need to take a moment to recharge myself.

Ana: I am Portuguese and I was born in 1985 in Porto (Portugal) and I grew up in a small town near Porto called São João da Madeira. I went to the Business Administration University in Porto when I was 17 and I lived there for 10 years. Then, me and my Brazilian boyfriend Erick (now my husband) decided to move to London where we lived for 5 years. After traveling around Asia for an almost 3 month honeymoon we moved to Brazil.

Ana: As I mentioned before, my passion started when I dropped into a Yoga class for the first time when I was 15 years old. I kept practicing but not regularly. When I had a hormonal imbalance due to PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) I changed my lifestyle to a plant-based vegan diet, using non chemical hygiene or cleaning products, practicing yoga and meditation on a daily basis. I finally could naturally heal my symptoms and have my menstrual cycle balanced.

After having that amazing result I got inspired to ask for one month off and travel to Rishikesh in India also known as The Yoga Capital of the World and become a Yoga Teacher I chose Rishikesh because I was willing to inspire my students and share the knowledge from the source, I was blessed to have chosen one of the best Yoga Schools and also have met experienced and enlightened teachers (gurus) from whom I learned so much and still keep contact with them whenever I need to.

I am very grateful for experiencing this amazing journey of being a Yoga Teacher. It's been an endless self learning experience with so many teachers, students and friends I have been in contact with from all around the world, all of them with the same purpose of living in happiness and inner peace.

Ana: When I was in India doing my Yoga Teacher Training my class had more than 20 students who came from all around the world: Canada, Brazil, Columbia, Chile, USA, Norway, Greece, United Kingdom, India, Italy, Japan, Germany, Russia and New Zealand most of them solo travelers.

My Canadian colleague was traveling around the world with her ukulele, a small fun and sweet instrument, easy to play and perfectly suitable in a backpack while solo traveling because it's a great companion - once played it warms your heart and you don't feel alone.

She used to bring it in our free time and we had lots of fun playing, singing and it brought me back to my childhood. I got inspired to buy my ukulele, and as soon as I got back home I learned how to play my first easy song "You Are my Sunshine".

When I was traveling with Erick around Asia for almost 3 months I had plenty of time to chill with my ukulele so I could improve my performance and I could increase my song list!

I got inspired to be a ukulele teacher because I would like to inspire more students to free themselves and express their truth, inner light and beauty with no judgement by singing mantras helping them to reach a meditation state or even play songs which set them free. You can check me out on Instagram @ukulelecomana.

Ana: Since I was a kid I asked my parents for a dog but they never accepted having one as we were traveling very often so they thought it would be better not to have one.

When we moved to Brazil the previous resident had 3 cute dogs and as he was moving to a smaller place he couldn't bring them with him.

So we decided to keep them with us: Brigadeiro (which means a traditional brazilian dessert), Luna (which means moon) and Raposella (name created by us with 2 words mixed raposa (fox) and donzela (maiden)).

My dogs used to join me while I teach yoga or do my self practice in the garden. I realized they get very relaxed and felt calm during the practice as they are very sensitive to the energy around them.

As a yoga teacher I am very keen to bring well-being and balance to my life, my home and relationships.

Having that in mind, I wanted to offer them a holistic therapy which actually could work in their vital energy (ki or prana).

I finally found Animal Reiki which Universal Energy works on their chakras (vital energy) balancing their body, mind and soul.

Thanks to my blessed puppies today I am a certified Human and Animal Reiki practitioner Level 3A about to become a Reiki Master! Check out my Reiki page on instagram.

As I started doing Reiki sessions with my pets I experienced lots of benefits in their behavior and well-being.

In my Human and Animal Reiki sessions I use chromotherapy, aromatherapy, music therapy and crystal therapy.

Ana: Happy, joyful, motivated and excited about life. Creative, funny, and angry when I am hungry, calm when I need to take a moment to recharge myself,

Ana: Living content and healthy surrounded by love, nature, great traveling.