Instructors

Lead Mindfulness Instructor and co-founder

Helene Emma Wisser

Emma holds a Master of Sociology Degree from the University of Munich. She also earned a postgraduate certificate as a Rhythmic Instructor from the Institute Rhythmikon directed by the renowned Professor Amelie Hoellering in Munich. She worked in this field for over a decade with grade school aged children, providing great academic and therapeutic value to the program through music and movement.

Emma started her meditation practice over 25 years ago, she is a certified MBSR trainer (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) and a trained teacher for Mindful Self compassion (MSC).

For the past 19 years she has taught mindfulness and self-compassion courses, coached individuals and run workshops in her own practice in Munich/ Germany (Practice for Mindful Living) and at various public Organizations and private Corporations.

“The meaning of Mindful living for me is, living in the present, opening up to allowing the moment to moment experiences no matter how simple or memorable they are, good or bad, and to hold them in an open minded, kind, compassionate and accepting way.”

(Helene Emma Wisser).

Instructor, Business Manager, and co-founder

Carlos Ponte

Carlos comes from many places. With Italian genes, born in Argentina, Canadian by choice, and now living in Europe, no matter where he has lived, nature has always been a pivotal part of his life. Growing up in a vineyard, part of his family farming business in Argentina, he always spent most of his free time outdoors among, and often on, trees.
Forests have always been his passion, and fortunately, he’s had the chance to “mingle” with a very diverse range of trees, like ancient eucalyptus specimens during his childhood in Argentina; maple, birch, oak, and an extensive selection of conifers during his 30 year life in Canada; and now, the European families of beech, chestnut, linden, together with spruce and fir, in his new life in Bavaria and now Italy. His intuitive attraction to trees was then strengthened by learning about the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, or Forest Bathing.
He studied Shinrin-Yoku techniques in England, Germany, and Japan. He developed a Forest Therapy program influenced by his mentor, Dr. Yoshifumi Miyazaki, and his 30-plus years of research showing overwhelming evidence of the body and mental health benefits of forest bathing. He co-founded Universe Mindfulness with his wife Emma, with the idea of offering holistic wellness escapes throughout Europe with the main theme of Mindfulness in Nature, guiding participants to become reacquainted with nature and to reconnect with it in a deeper and more meaningful manner.

The Team

Different Instructors join us depending on the location and main focus of the vacation-retreat

The regular team is made of five instructors, each team member has several years of experience in their field and strong credentials, as well as years of friendship among them.

Additional information will be submitted based on the package of your choice.