Shahir is a restorative justice facilitator, trauma-informed yoga teacher, somatic counselor, interdisciplinary artist and holistic educator. His current life's work is supporting all beings in restoring a loving connection with themselves, communities, and the earth through group dialogue and community-based arts education. He holds a master's degree in Contemplative Pedagogy from Simon Fraser University (2023), a bachelor's degree in Film and Cultural Studies from McGill University (2015), as well as certifications in Community Capacity Building, Integral Facilitation and Clown Performance. Born in Malawi, Africa with ancestry from India (Karnataka, Kerala and Gujarat), Shahir is committed to ‘inner’ and outer structural change informed by anti-oppressive pedagogy, trauma-informed education and intentional cultures of decolonization. He roots his pedagogical approach in Buddhist and animist wisdom, integral theory and developmental psychology. He is a committed Vipassana meditation practitioner and over the last four years has helped organize the first three successful LGBTQ+ Vipassana meditation retreats in Canada.
In his spare time, you can find him tinkering with interior design projects, dancing contact improvisation, singing in choirs, attending film screenings, swimming in the ocean or meditating on the nature of impermanence.
