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Playfulmonk

Welcome

Trauma-informed coaching
for when you feel stuck in your
mindfulness or meditation practices.

Rediscover safety
and
ease in stillness.
Start here

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Welcome home!

Trauma-informed coaching
for when you feel stuck in your
mindfulness or meditation practices.

Rediscover safety
and
ease in stillness.
Start here

Sitting in a meditation hall with 50 others in the English countryside, I felt like I was continually being punched in the face.

Despite following every instruction perfectly, observe the breath, notice the sensations, let thoughts dissolve, something felt terribly wrong. My body screamed, but I was told to simply “sit with it.”

I was so determined to “get it right” that I became a Buddhist monk.

Ten years later, still in my robes, I finally understood the truth:

I had PTSD. And traditional meditation wasn’t healing me—it was retraumatizing me.

The Story They Don’t Tell You About Meditation

My psychotherapist said something that changed everything: “Drop the D in PTSD—it’s not a disorder, it’s a response.”

That “punch” I felt wasn’t resistance to overcome. It was trauma trying to get my attention. My body needed care, not more discipline.

For years, I’d been sitting for hours without self-compassion, pushing through pain, ignoring my inner signals. I thought this was “good practice.”

It wasn’t. It was keeping me stuck.

But here’s the gift: This journey made me trauma-sensitive. I studied with leading trauma experts, redesigned meditation retreats through a trauma lens, and discovered how to blend mindfulness with genuine healing.

 

Does This Sound Familiar?

Your meditation practice feels stuck, and you don’t know why:

❌ You’ve lost focus or hit a plateau → Can’t reach that peaceful state anymore

❌ Your mind feels noisier than ever → Intrusive thoughts persist despite hours of practice

❌ Anxiety or depression intensifies → Meditation makes you feel worse, not better

❌ Old patterns keep surfacing → Years of practice, but the same issues remain

❌ You can’t integrate mindfulness → It works on the cushion but not in real life

Here’s what’s really happening:

Your nervous system might be dysregulated. Traditional meditation approaches often miss the trauma piece—and that’s not your fault.

How Trauma-Informed Life Coaching Changes Everything

Instead of pushing through, you’ll learn to:

✅ Recognize when to pause vs. when to continue → Build genuine resilience, not false toughness

✅ Work WITH your nervous system → Honor your body’s wisdom instead of overriding it

✅ Integrate mindfulness safely → Bring practice into work and relationships without triggering

✅ Transform stuck patterns → Address root causes, not just symptoms

✅ Find your authentic path → Discover what genuine peace is for YOU

Ready to Transform Your Stuck Practice?

I’ve created a free online course that shares my complete story and put it in context and designed to help you reflect on your own story.

A pain in the bloody neck: A journey of awakening

In this free course, you’ll discover:

You are curious about the experiences that have shaped you

You have chapters of your life that you are ready to revisit and rewrite

There is a part of your story you’ve been afraid to explore

You wish to use your experiences to create a more authentic life

My complete story and what it reveals about authentic healing

You can view the course here

To access the course for free, complete this form to get a voucher

 

Like a guide for your journey?
It would be an honour to accompany you.


1 to 1 session

Find out more here

Are we a fit here

or
Schedule a free 30 minute discovery call now

Explore

What is blocking you from an optimum life

Play

Learn to be adaptive and relaxed in the way you respond to life

Love what you do, yourself and the people around you

The PlayfulMonk approach
combines awareness of who you are
and
personal development

Explore, Play, Love, Presence And Connection

Amaranatho's developed the PlayfulMonk approach

Explore, Play, Love

Explore

What is blocking you from an optimum life

Play

Learn to be adaptive and relaxed in the way you respond to life

Love

Love what you do, yourself and the people around you

This approach will recognise presence

to be with life as it is and not be restricted by past habits

This will support you in being able to

connect with yourself
and others
and have the life you are looking for.

"Amaranatho facilitates creation of mechanisms whereby we can learn astounding things about ourselves, our childhood, our deep rooted desires. In learning deeply about ourselves, we learn to be more present in the here and now; leading to more happiness all around."

"Amaranatho has a relaxed open friendly style which helps participants be authentic. He has a lot of knowledge about the deeper process of being human, including the difficult parts experienced by many human beings. There aren't many people who openly and joyfully lead you through the territory of feeling, owning feelings that can be painful, scary etc."

Amaranatho is an experienced and accredited coaching supervisor and senior practitioner of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC). He brings a unique blend of life experiences and spiritual insights to his clients, drawing from his background in technical support management and his degree in AI. Having worked with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds around the world, Amaranatho is skilled in connecting with individuals and supporting them in achieving their goals.

As a former Buddhist of 15 years, Amaranatho has a deep understanding of contemplation and has spent long periods alone exploring the deeper questions in life. His unique perspective on spirituality and personal growth allows him to guide his clients As a former Buddhist of 15 years, Amaranatho has a deep understanding of contemplation and has spent long periods alone exploring the deeper questions in life. His unique perspective on spirituality and personal growth allows him to guide his clients to recognise peace and contement in their lives.

Are you seriously looking to transform your life?

Schedule a free 30 minute discovery session now

Amaranatho is a former Buddhist of 15 years who has had a complex and uncertain life, he has learned how to deal with this through presence and clarity. He has run large residential retreats, corporate coaching programs as well as spent long periods alone contemplating the deeper questions in life.

Are you seriously looking to transform your life?

Schedule a free 30 minute discovery session now

"Amaranatho facilitates creation of mechanisms whereby we can learn astounding things about ourselves, our childhood, our deep rooted desires. In learning deeply about ourselves, we learn to be more present in the here and now; leading to more happiness all around."

"Amaranatho has a relaxed open friendly style which helps participants be authentic. He has a lot of knowledge about the deeper process of being human, including the difficult parts experienced by many human beings. There aren't many people who openly and joyfully lead you through the territory of feeling, owning feelings that can be painful, scary etc."

Why choose me?

This approach develops mindfulness, abundance, authenticity and the recognition of freedom.

1

Integrity

I follow an ethical framework and have incorporated and embodied in my own life what I share with others. I will tell you when I have not
2

Integration

I integrate mindfulness with evidence based neuroscience, psychological research as well as energy medicine, nutrition and shadow work.
3

Individuation

I take full responsibility for my life and the choices I make and support others to do the same when they are ready.
4

Transformation

I have worked with 1000's of people to transform their lives, through public talks, workshops, and residential retreats.
5

Listening Ear

I provide a non-judgemental listening space for you. Whilst offering honest and direct feedback when needed

Like a guide for your journey?
It would be an honour to accompany you.


1 to 1 session

Find out more here

Are we a fit here

or
Schedule a free 30 minute discovery call now