Meet the founder of Samatva | Yoga & Holistic Wellbeing

Hi, I'm Mathilde. Nice to meet you! I'm the owner here at Samatva | Yoga & Holistic Wellbeing. Born in a quiet town in the south-west of France, my journey has been anything but conventional. At 22, when most people around me were pursuing degrees and stable careers, I trusted my intuition and took a bold leap: I moved to Tokyo, Japan—alone, with minimal language skills and no roadmap for living abroad. That year was full of experiences & challenges, but it shaped me profoundly, igniting a curiosity for the unconventional and a deep drive for self-discovery.​What followed was a life defined by exploration and transformation. I transitioned to a hands-on career in beauty, wellness, and massage therapy, where I discovered the powerful connection between emotions, subtle energy, and physical wellbeing. This passion led me across continents — living in London, Australia, and finally, Scotland.

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In Scotland, amidst the vibrant community of Edinburgh, I fell in love with yoga. It started in the coziest studio and deepened during the pandemic, where self-practice became my refuge. I immersed myself in yoga philosophy, anatomy, and meditation, finding peace and a sense of alignment I had long sought. But the demands of life—studying psychology and counseling at university while working full time—brought me to the edge of burnout. In 2022, on the verge of burning-out, I took another leap, trusting my gut once more. I traveled to Bali for yoga teacher training, stepping outside my comfort zone yet again. That experience was transformative. It also revealed the importance of rest—a lesson that would later become the cornerstone of my teachings.

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By the end of 2023, a chance encounter with a local community reignited my purpose. I realized I was ready to create something meaningful: a space where others could find the rest and connection I had long sought. With that, Samatva Therapies was born and for the past year I have offered Yoga classes, Massage & Reiki therapy in a wee cozy place on the west coast of Scotland. It has been the most amazing year, my business grew and I cannot thank my clients enough as without them, my business wouldn't have grown to what it is today.

 

Earlier this year, we found out that we were pregnant - we were so tremendously happy. However, little did I know what the next 20 weeks would look like..Whilst I’m so so grateful to carry & grow this little life inside of me, the first half of my pregnancy hit me hard..I wasn’t sleeping (waking up 10-14 times a night whereas I usually am an excellent sleeper). I felt lethargic, nauseaous, apathetic, and I even questioned if I was depressed. I knew I needed something powerful to help me rest and not go nuts — here comes Yoga Nidra. I was so poorly, I wasn’t moving (those who know me know I’m fairly active so being still for this long was agony). I didn’t know what to do, I was so desperate to feel better. So I started practicing Yoga Nidra almost every single day for the next 16 weeks or so, for 30 minutes.And even on the nights when sleep did not come, Yoga Nidra allowed me a moment of TRUE rest during the day, it offered me a space to reconnect with my mind that I thought I was losing, it gave me the chance to cultivate resilience, acceptance & patience with my aches and pains and a changing body.

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As a result, I am passionate about helping women release tension, find true rest, and reconnect with themselves. Yoga Nidra, often called “yogic sleep,” is now at the heart of my offerings. Its profound ability to guide people into deep relaxation and mental clarity is why I believe it’s the ultimate tool for modern women navigating stress and overwhelm.

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Through online wellness programs, Yoga Nidra audios, and holistic workshops, my vision is to empower women to trust their intuition, prioritize self-care, and embrace a life of balance and calm. My mission is simple: to help you soothe stress and physical tensions, to get a better sleep & find true rest and balance.