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Hello,
My name is Douglas. I am a Bristol based artist and Yogi. Born in Washington D.C, moved to Little Rock, Arkansas at 3, I spent the next 13 years there. Much of my early development was shaped by these years. There is a lot of poverty, racism and hate in that part of the US and I saw and was affected by much of it first hand. I am now, many years later, grateful for growing up in such a tough situation as it has made me more adaptable, appreciative, and flexible than I might have been without so many trials. When 16, we moved to just outside Boston and after a massive culture shock, I graduate from Brookline High School. I went to college at University of New Hampshire and spent summers in New Jersey where my parents moved just after graduation. Throughout all of this, I was heavily into sports (and creativity), mostly Basketball, American Football, and Rugby at UNH. After Uni, I went to New York. I thank New York because I met the love of my life there; my wife Natasha. Yoga, art, music and food were always constant companions and outlets for me from and early age but from age 8 throughout school, the plan was Law School. I studied hard, did well on the LSAT but after a massive and traumatic neck injury from rugby when I was 20, I decided to take a gap year before I fully committed to Law School. In NY, I worked as a waiter/bartender and began experimenting in more depth with creating music, art and poems more intensely. I realized quickly that a primary purpose in my life is to create. I have not looked back nor regretted the decision not to attend law school. For fourteen years, the only work I ever had was in restaurants and the service industry. I began as a dishwasher at 14 and worked my way up and around restaurants doing and learning everything. In 2008 I went to French Culinary School as a Pastry Chef and for 5 years did very well professionally, lastly offered a Pastry Sous Chef position at a two Michelin starred restaurant. This offer I turned down. I left the world of food and restaurants to enter the world of Art and Yoga. At triyoga in London, I found a welcoming and supportive home. They gave me time to focus on my art and I am really excited about the things that have been emerging since with clean time, energy, focus, and awareness. After 18 months abroad, I have returned to my home in the UK. 3 months in India followed by 12 months teaching english in Japan led to 3 more months travel through China, Korea, Australia and America. This time was magical in many respects. Travelling to Japan was a lifelong goal and I learned a lot about myself, about that culture, and how to focus in any place. I thank my parents for their eternal love and support, my brother for his honesty, guidance, and love. Especially thank you to my wife for her humour, organisation, and company. I try to never take for granted how lucky the hand I have been dealt is and make every effort to be worthy of so many gifts by appreciating every moment, always being generous with time and belongings, and sharing with people the path of happiness and contentment whenever possible. Most of all; I thank Tao, God, Buddha, Allah or whatever name you want to give to the vibrational force that unites all things in our Universe. Our consciousness is the chance to be aware of how amazing is creation. |
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