Shivagam

Shivagam is a meditation teacher, therapist and trainer of therapists, and a Dharmacharya (Teacher of Wisdom) of the Buddhist Mahajrya tradition. Born in Tenerife, Spain, he trained as an architect and practised for some years before devoting his time to personal and spiritual growth. He describes his way of teaching as flexible and non-dogmatic.

His path began with suffering. He recalls severe bullying at school between the ages of 10 and 12, followed by several deep depressions. At 16 he felt that life could not be only pain and began looking for a solution, first in books and then in therapy and meditation. For a period he withdrew from society, family and work to meditate around 15 hours a day. He came to see that the answer is not isolation but engaging with the chaos of big cities, money, relationships and conflict. In his words, finding peace on holiday or on a retreat is easy, and the challenge is keeping it every day.

In 2016 he founded the Escuela de Integración Emocional, an online school that trains and certifies professional therapists. By his account, more than 6,000 students from over 45 countries have passed through it. He also gives talks, including with TEDx Talks, as well as courses, seminars, retreats and professional trainings in Latin America and Europe, and trains meditation and Buddhism teachers within the Mahajrya.

At the heart of his teaching is the idea that spirituality does not mean belonging to a religion or depending on a teacher, and that a mind kept free is the basis of peace. He teaches that controlling emotions only represses them, and that the way forward is to know yourself, integrate and change. His YouTube channel offers guided meditations and talks on emotional integration, relationships and self-knowledge.