Online Academy · Est. 2014 · Coimbra, Portugal

Live masterclasses for
the whole human.

Mindful parenting. Meditation. Yoga. Ancestral wisdom. Dharma5 Academy turns personal growth into a practice — through live cohorts, world-class instructors and a community that actually shows up.

10+
Years teaching
100K+
Students reached
#1
Portugal · Top 5 Brazil
Humans doing human things
Our belief
Personal growth is not a course you finish. It's a relationship you keep — with your breath, your children, your body, your attention. Dharma5 is the room where that relationship gets practice.
— João Machado · Founder, Dharma5
Signature programs

Six lanes of becoming.

Each program is a 4–8 week live cohort with a dedicated instructor, weekly sessions, a private community, and lifetime access to recordings.

The Secret Language of Parenting 2.0

with Mikaela Övén

A 1-week masterclass (and full 6-week follow-up) on mindful, conscious parenting — for parents of children 0–12.

6 weeks · LiveFrom €197

Stillness in Practice

with Ana Lopes

A meditation foundations program. Daily 15-minute sits, weekly live group sessions, and a private retreat weekend.

8 weeks · LiveFrom €247

Yoga for Real Bodies

with Tiago Resende

A trauma-informed yoga series for adults who think yoga "isn't for them". Modifications, props, and zero ego.

4 weeks · LiveFrom €147

Ancestral Wisdom, Modern Life

with Nuno Fernandes

Six ancient frameworks (Stoicism, Vedanta, Sufism, Taoism, Buddhism, Indigenous knowing) translated into daily urban practice.

6 weeks · LiveFrom €197

Compassion, Happiness & Positive Attitude

with Helena Marques

A research-backed program on self-compassion, gratitude, and the cognitive habits of genuinely happy people.

4 weeks · LiveFrom €167

Nutrition as Practice

with Carla Sousa

An anti-diet approach to food — eating with attention, pleasure and rhythm. Includes a private community kitchen.

4 weeks · LiveFrom €187
The Dharma5 method

Three forces. One practice.

Since 2014, every Dharma5 program has been built on the same three-pillar method — the engine that took us from a kitchen-table project to Portugal's #1 personal development platform.

  • 1
    Founder-led

    Every cohort is hosted by the actual instructor — not a moderator, not a producer. Real humans, on camera, every week.

  • 2
    Product-led

    Each program ships a tangible artifact: a workbook, a ritual, a daily prompt. You'll do something, not just listen.

  • 3
    Community-led

    A private cohort space, weekly live circles, and lifetime access to the alumni network. The room is the real teacher.

What students say

From across Portugal, Brazil & beyond.

The parenting program changed our household in three weeks. My partner and I still use Mikaela's "pause ritual" when things escalate. Worth every euro.
R
Rita & Nuno S.
Parents of two · Lisbon
I joined the meditation cohort skeptical. I left it with a daily practice I actually keep, six months later. The community keeps me honest.
C
Catarina M.
Designer · Porto
Took Ancestral Wisdom three times — once live, twice on recording. Each time I caught something new. That's how you know a course is built for life, not for launch week.
F
Felipe A.
Engineer · São Paulo
Upcoming cohorts

Join the next room.

Live, small, and intentionally limited. Most cohorts cap at 24 seats.

Oct
14

The Secret Language of Parenting 2.0 · with Mikaela Övén

Tue & Thu · 19:00 WET · 6 weeks
€197per seat
Reserve
Nov
04

Stillness in Practice · with Ana Lopes

Mon · 08:00 WET · 8 weeks
€247per seat
Reserve
Nov
18

Yoga for Real Bodies · with Tiago Resende

Wed & Sat · 18:30 WET · 4 weeks
€147per seat
Reserve
Dec
02

Ancestral Wisdom, Modern Life · with Nuno Fernandes

Tue · 20:00 WET · 6 weeks
€197per seat
Reserve
The faculty

Real humans, on camera.

Every Dharma5 instructor teaches live. No ghostwriters. No talking heads. Just people who have done the work and want to share the room.

JM

João Machado

Founder · Host

Founder of Dharma5 (2014). Built Portugal's #1 personal-development platform. Leads the Founder-Led curriculum.

Mikaela Övén

Parenting

Creator of the Secret Language of Parenting 2.0. Mother of three, 15+ years in conscious parenting practice.

NF

Nuno Fernandes

Philosophy

Co-founder of Dharma5. Studied comparative philosophy at Coimbra. Teaches Ancestral Wisdom.

TR

Tiago Resende

Yoga

Trauma-informed yoga teacher (RYT-500). Leads Yoga for Real Bodies and the alumni retreat weekends.

Begin your practice

The next cohort starts soon.
Reserve a seat.

Drop your email and we'll send you the cohort calendar, instructor intros, and a 20% alumni discount code. No spam, ever.

Or write to us directly — we read every message.
Email us joao@dharma5academy.org Visit the studio Coimbra, Portugal