From Student to Teacher: Luís Sanchez
53 years old, he swapped Lisbon for the countryside near Santarém. How Yoga entered his life ten years ago and the BeYoga training transformed him: he became a teacher and an organiser of journeys that change people.
I’m Luís Sanchez, I’m fifty-three, and although I was born and lived in Lisbon for over fifty years, almost two years ago I moved to the countryside and now live in the Santarém area — close enough and, at the same time, far enough from the big city.
Luís Sanchez, Yoga teacher and organiser of transformative journeys.
The beginning: from gymnastics to Yoga
As a teenager I practised acrobatic gymnastics and later swimming, but as I never had a very competitive spirit, I ended up giving these up as they took on a more serious character.
My interest in Yoga began ten years ago, perhaps because it’s an individual practice, very turned towards ourselves, and because I was curious about its physical component, but above all its mental and spiritual one.
In some phases more regularly, in others less, but always with a certain wish to deepen my knowledge of the world of Yoga.
The BeYoga training: an unexpected transformation
BeYoga Teacher Training, intensive weekends in Lisbon.
In the first class of the BeYoga Teacher Training, I remember saying that my goal was to learn and develop my personal knowledge, but that I had no intention of teaching. The truth is that this intention shifted over the months.
What changed during the training
The history and philosophy of Yoga: a real journey through time
Applied anatomy: vital information for anyone who wants to teach
A methodology centred on the student and the functional body
The feeling of community and belonging to the group
The methodology taught at BeYoga, in the person of Carla Gonçalves, was something I identified with immediately because, in my opinion, it has a real balance between the physical, mental and spiritual components.
Right now, I teach in 3 different places, four times a week.
Yoga and travel: a natural combination
One of the journeys organised by Luís Sanchez: Morocco.
So I decided to weave Yoga, with all its potential, into the travel experiences I organise.
The truth is that no one comes back the same. One person took up painting, a long-held wish — and another wrote a book about the inner journey she made during one of these experiences.
I can safely say that Yoga and the BeYoga Teacher Training were, and continue to be, the main forces behind this inspiration and transformation in my life.
The BeYoga Experience Bali 2025
In November 2025, Luís led the BeYoga group on an immersive journey to Bali: 12 days between the cliffs of Uluwatu, the sacred jungle of Ubud and the car-free beaches of the Gili Islands. Yoga practices with world-renowned teachers, the purification ceremony at the sacred Tirta Empul temple, the sunrise at 5:40am in Gili Air. A group that set off as strangers and returned as a community.
Read the full account of the journey: BeYoga Experience Bali 2025 →
About the BeYoga training and journeys
Did Luís Sanchez join the training intending to teach?
No. He joined the BeYoga training only to deepen his personal knowledge. The wish to teach emerged over the months. Today he teaches four times a week in three different places.
What sets the BeYoga training apart from other Yoga schools in Portugal?
BeYoga School stands out for its student-centred methodology, the balance between theory and practice, and the guidance of teacher Carla Gonçalves. Certified by Yoga Alliance (RYS 200), DGERT and IPDJ.
Does the BeYoga training run on a weekend basis?
Yes. The BeYoga 200h YTT Training runs mostly in intensive weekends over 8 months, with an online option. It’s compatible with a professional life: you don’t need to quit your job to complete it.
Can you weave Yoga into retreats or journeys after the training?
Absolutely. The BeYoga training prepares teachers to adapt the practice to different contexts: retreats, journeys, corporate programmes. Luís Sanchez’s path illustrates this well: he wove Yoga into the trips he already organised and created truly transformative experiences.
Train with intention
The most complete Yoga teacher training in Portugal. Certified by Yoga Alliance, DGERT and IPDJ. Cohorts in Lisbon, Porto and Online.
