Bio

My name is Ella, but I received Maya Gandaia (pronounced My-a Gan-dye-A) as my Earth: a present from Mother Earth on a magical journey of meditation and plant medicine in early 2017, and so this concept was born!

I have always loved Maya Angelou and so the name Maya holds even more power and truth in my heart. It has brought me pure joy on this path as a seeker of truth moving from the illusion of my huge imposter syndrome belief into living a true life of  joy and creating this wonderful life: a life I LOVE!

I am of mixed heritage (white British & Black Nigerian), and was born in Kent, but grew up in Bristol. I am now based between Leeds, where I studied politics , and recently found lots of long lost family, and Lisbon, where I have set up my beautiful home. 

I am the published author of Journal to Joy and offer a year long coaching platform for creatives and professionals under the Goddxx Path.

I co-host PowerUp! a podcast which focuses on wellbeing, unlearning and empowerment and am also  the founder of award winning company Business Yoga (Prestige award 2020).

I began my dance career dancing salsa in clubs (partly because, as an often white assumed person of mixed heritage, here I found a place where I felt I fitted in). That journey led to some incredible tours, which led to a pretty epic dance career including parading in carnivals worldwide, a career in breaking (breakdance) and contemporary (including getting my MA from LSCD), which took me all over the world performing (including Russell Maliphant Company, Lea Anderson (The Chomondeleys) and the Olympics Opening Ceremony) and finally setting up my own company: Ella Mesma Company, with whom have choreographed for Little Amal, Sadler’s Wells, NSCD, The Place, PDSW, Artists4Artists and events worldwide.

I have been practising yoga since 2004, and been teaching since 2011. I originally trained in yoga with Embodied Dancer Yoga Teacher Training then discovered Ashtanga in 2015 and later Kundalini, training with the Karam Kriya School in 2018 & the Yoga Teachers College® in 2020. I practise Kundalini, Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow & Yoga Trapeze. I have also trained in Sekhem, Chakra healing, TRE, The Wheel of Consent and Holistic Pelvic Care.

In 2014, I followed an invitation after a break up that led to a break down, that led me to find alchemy in the form of a course run by ‘Natural Success’, and a director called William Whitecloud. William was confronting in many ways, but my intuition told me to stay, and I am so glad I did because this is not my life’s work. Since discovering alchemy, I had a lot of intuition on what I needed to create and how I could be of service to the world. I studied William’s teachings for 7 years before creating a more divine feminine approach to the works.

I am an accredited ILM coach and Natural Success Coach. I am also trained in trauma informed practises, and am qualified to teach Enneagrams, the Wheel Of Consent, Holistic Pelvic Care, Sekhem, TRE as well as many forms of yoga.

As we move into the age of Aquarius and the divine feminine awakens in us all, there has never been a better time to transform your life and realign with your heart, your intuition and your creative potential.

The first offer I created was Embodied Alchemy; a course for professionals and creatives which involves group movement sessions and 121 and group coaching to get their business in flow.

Next I created a 9 day programme called  ‘The PathFor Joy’ which used the chakras and all my alchemical wisdom to support superheros in coming back home to themselves, their bodies, and their intuition,

My next, and biggest creation was The Goddxx Path; A 9 month Programme which encompasses all of these elements in one.