Course Leaders

Simon Allen

Simon has travelled extensively, sharing his practice of Tai chi and Qigong with people from all walks of life. He has taught in various community centres, holistic festivals, spiritual communities, drug rehabilitation centres and retreats.

Leah Barnett
Leah teaches weekly yoga classes, private sessions, and retreats, specializing in working with people with chronic conditions, including fatigue (ME/CFS/LC), cancer, MS, arthritis, as well as those with anxiety disorders, PTSD, and complex trauma. Leah also trains yoga teachers for Yoga Campus.

Leah has been teaching yoga for almost 20 years, having trained with the Inner Yoga Trust in 2001. At that time, she was working as a human rights and refugee lawyer. After giving up a legal career, Leah trained in the ‘Yoga for the Special Child’ program in 2004. In 2011, she undertook further training in the Krishnamacharia tradition in the UK and India and qualified as an advanced teacher with the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY). In 2014, Leah completed the BWY ‘Yoga for Cancer’ training with Julia Friederberg. Over the years, Leah has also studied with Donna Farhi, Mathew Sanford, Angela Farmer, and Fiona Agombar, with whom Leah has trained and co-taught retreats and training programs.

Leah recently contributed to the book ‘Yoga Therapy for Stress, Burn-out and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome’ by Fiona Agombar, which is available from all major outlets.

Leah’s website is unwindwithleah.com

Anna Bartholomew
Anna and her sister, Jane, are reflexologists and founder members and developers of Equilibrio Retreats, running retreats since 2016. They are delighted to be bringing two very special Equilibrio Reflexology Retreats to the beautiful Almeji retreat centre in 2026.

equilibrioretreats.com

richard Brennan

Richard has taught the Alexander Technique since 1989 and has written more than 8 books on the subject, translated into eleven languages.

Kecia Chin

Kecia is an Alexander teacher who assists Richard on his courses. She is also an experienced yoga teacher and looks at how a variety of forms of exercise can improve efficiency in movement.

Rachel Caine
Rachel has created communities of life, love and laughter in projects throughout Europe for 30 years, including many sessions at Cortijo Romero and Skyros.  She is an award-winning Sacred Clown activist, Laughter Yoga Leader and Shamanka healer in the Andean tradition.  […click arrow to read more…]

After running a healing Spa in Ibiza for a decade, she now conducts ceremonies and funerals and writes poetry as “Doris Eagle Feather Duster”, Holy Fool and Celebrant, who sits in a pine tree contemplating the funny side of life. 

She is currently writing a memoir “Red Nose Blessings” about the transition from business woman to Sacred Clown and her life clowning in the Mediterranean.  A big animal lover, since the Pandemic she has been ambushed by a colony of street cats !  

Facebook: Rachel Caine (Doris Eagle Feather Duster)

Mhairi Clutson
Mhairi originally trained as an Interior Designer at the Glasgow College of Building and Printing, however after 15 years, she decided that she much preferred designing exterior spaces and working with plants so re-trained as a Garden Designer.  Both a designer and teacher of design, she has now been designing commercial & residential projects for nearly 30 years.  […click arrow to read more…]

Mhairi moved to Andalucia in the summer of 2016 after spending the 20 years running a garden design company with her husband in London. They specialised in designing and building drought-tolerant Mediterranean gardens for clients in the UK and are now enjoying designing for clients here in the region. 

Whilst running her design practice in London Mhairi was also a garden design tutor at City Lit adult education college in Covent Garden for several years.  She loved teaching, and many students enrolled on multiple courses and used what they had learned to design their own gardens.

Mhairi says, “The chance to teach small groups at Hotel Almeji in such a beautiful, relaxed environment provides an exciting new opportunity to pass on skills, tips & experiences and to demonstrate that even the most uninspiring spaces can be transformed into beautiful garden sanctuaries that enhance our well-being.”

Enrique, Gaucin
Walking in the countryside has always been one of Enrique’s passions.  He has lived in Gaucin, in the Serrania de Ronda, since 2003 and works as a trail guide all over Spain.   […click arrow to read more…]

Enrique has had a wide and varied career:  Born in Madrid, he studied Forestry Engineering at University, and lived in the UK for 13 years, training dogs for The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

Since 2014 he has worked as a St James’ Way guide, where he founded and directs a walking holidays agency, decaminoasantiago.com.

He possesses a deep knowledge and love of his adopted home in the Serrania de Ronda, and offers walking holidays and guided tours of the region.

Rebecca Faro
Rebecca is a dancer, poet, performer & movement/embodiment facilitator.  She has run workshops and retreats in the UK and in Spain for many years, combining her skills of creative dance, authentic movement and drama. […click arrow to read more…] 

Rebecca has had a wide range of training & skills which includes: Creative Dance, Authentic Movement, Creative Writing, Improvisation, Drama, Breathwork, Grief counselling, Death doula, and hosts regular death cafes in her local area.

She combines all of these aspects together to create her own unique eclectic blend of the embodied, somatic experience infused into her courses. 

She has recently published her first poetry book, Catching the Fall.

Rafael Anderson
Rafael (BA Hons, Arch Dip Arch RIBA) is an architect, writer and historian. He has written and lectured widely on Spanish history, architecture and the Islamic legacy of al–Andalus. He has worked as a guide lecturer, leading tours of the cities of Andalucia, including Ronda. […click arrow to read more…]

As a guide lecturer for the UK-based company ‘Specialist Tours’, Rafael has lead tours of Ronda, Seville, Cordoba and Granada. He also guides in the Albayzin with the writer Chris Stewart, and other cultural and historical groups such as the Arts Society.

Siu Ling Jamieson

“I am a Level 3 Pilates instructor who’s been teaching for nine and a half years having come into it at the age of 54. After a lifetime of trying to find something I feel passionate about, I have finally found it in Pilates. I only run small classes, up to 10 in a class so that I can always give as much individual attention as possible. I am passionate about improving people’s lives through Pilates, encouraging a healthy lifestyle and caring about every person I teach.”

Ignacio Lalanne
As a young man, Ignacio left his native Argentina to pursue his artistic and theological interests. He travelled widely across the vibrant landscapes of India, Japan, and Southeast Asia – a journey that inspired his visual exploration of what he believes resides inside all of us: a sacred, loving presence. Along the way, his art-making expanded into a way of meditating and a deeper exploration of spirituality. […click arrow to read more…]

Over the years, he settled in London, gained a degree in Fine Arts from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, later working at The Heatherley School of Fine Art, Chelsea.  He intensified his mindfulness practice, went on various retreats, and volunteered at the West London Buddhist Centre. Later he studied at Breathworks Mindfulness Centre, becoming a registered Mindfulness Teacher and continuing his career as a professional Artist.

Ignacio now lives in Andalusia, Spain, where he teaches workshops and courses at his charming little country house and centres and retreats throughout Europe.

Judi Ledward
Judi Ledward is a qualified Integrative Psychotherapist with more than 45 years experience working with people to help them empower themselves. She has worked with individuals, couples and groups and has supervised other therapists. She has spent many years working in Retreat centres in Spain, Greece and the UK, offering groups and courses for self awareness and personal development. […click arrow to read more…]

She is mostly retired, supervises other therapists and runs occasional groups for the pleasure of seeing people shed unhelpful habits and find joy in who they are and in their lives.

Caroline Cross
Caroline Cross is a highly qualified multi-disciplinary practitioner and quantum energy healer with over a decade of experience guiding individuals and groups towards optimal health and well-being. Her practice integrates clinical and holistic therapeutic approaches which enable her to delve deeply into the root causes of ill health and imbalances to facilitate profound healing.

She is devoted to helping people understand, harness and celebrate their unique health journeys, fostering a holistic transformation that addresses physical and energetic imbalances.

Penny Little

Penny is a Pilates teacher, Pilates Therapist and Nutritional Therapist with over 20 years’ experience. She teaches regularly from her home in Winchester as well as teaching retreats in the UK, Spain and Italy. 

Ingela Palmquist & Lali Devi

Ingela is the founder of a Sound healing academy and is trained in Grief processing and Yoga therapy. Lali is specialized in Wellbeing, with training in Yoga, Meditation, and Tantra traditions. Together, they host the podcast Awakening Waves.

Javier Rodriguez

Javier Rodriguez has an M.A. in Psychology and in-depth training and experience in Body-Mind Psychotherapy (Somatic Experience and Narm Practitioner) , Process-Oriented Psychology and Gestalt . He has worked for over 25 years as an international workshop leader, therapist, mentor as well as supported the Findhorn Educational Center and ecovillage with their educational programmes. javierlife.com

Maggie (Star) Whiteley

Maggie is a powerful coach and educator with a passion for lifelong  learning. She has experience of a wide range of group methods. Maggie is also qualified as a Spiritual Companion.