I began exploration of Eastern philosophy and internal martial arts after completing China language and literature studies at Belgrade University of Philology. As war in Yugoslavia began to crumble once united country, I moved to China and began the quest for wisdom of holistic health and healing through movement and meditation. My teacher at the time directed me toward competitive Taichi and after winning bronze and silver medals in international competitions, I gained insight how stress and performance impact mental and physical health. Despite all dedication to train hard and learn how to navigate life challenges I didn’t find peace until I met by greatest teacher: depression. Bouncing back from it, I opened a small martial arts club in my home in Beijing eager to share principles of Qigong and Traditional Chinese Medicine for holistic lifestyles. In 2015, I opened the Beijing Mindfulness Centre (BMC) to support the community with applied mindfulness practice for mental health and professional resiliency.

Following the needs of the community, in 2022 I founded the BMC Academy to train mindfulness practitioners how to bring trauma-informed mindfulness and holistic coaching to their practice. Coaching From Within, Cultivating Mindfulness Practice is accredited by International Coaching Federation (ICF). After thirty years of living in China I now live in Thailand with my wife Julia and pets Joy, Nying Je and Freeda.

I am a Professional Certified Coach, certified Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher, trained Hakomi practitioner and follow principles of applied mindfulness in Plum Village tradition.

All I ever needed to know I learned through my practice:

Waking up early to practice is healthier than partying all night.

Doubt, fear, boredom and pain are companions of the practice. Treat them with respect, never let them convince you to stop.

Meditation without compassion strengthens ego. 

Boasting about achievements means there is no achievement.

The way out is in.

Some teachers can talk about the practice, some can do it, some can do both. 

Teachers are humans. They too have doubt, fear, boredom and pain.

Never stop searching and looking for the approach that is the right fit. 

What works today might not work tomorrow. Be ready to adjust.

What didn’t work yesterday might work today. Be ready to endure.

Strengthen the body with movement and invite your mind to be present.

Strengthen the mind with stillness and invite your body to savor.

The secret of the practice is to practice.

There is no ‘one-fits-all’ practice.

I might heal myself but I might never be able heal my family. This is the most difficult practice.

The answer is in the future.