Leo Castro & Sami Smidi

Sami Smidi and Leo Castro are the co-leaders of @coletivo.mysore, a Shala located in downtown São Paulo that welcomes and give support to a diverse community of over two hundred Ashtanga Yoga practitioners.
Sami is an Ashtanga Yoga practitioner and Bioenergetic Analyst. She approaches yoga as a holistic integration of the self — working with both the uplifting aspects of the practice as well as with themes such as anxiety, rigidity, and dense emotional states. Her background in Bioenergetic Analysis complements her teaching and personal practice.
Leo Castro has been practicing yoga for over a decade. For many years, he balanced a dedicated yoga practice and study with a demanding professional routine as an airline pilot. This experience made him deeply aware of the challenges modern practitioners face, inspiring an approach that integrates yoga into everyday life — balancing personal, family, and professional commitments. After multiple study trips to Mysore and other Indian cities, he was authorized by Sharath Jois in the Ashtanga Yoga tradition in 2018.
Together, they are committed to the daily study of the Vedas in their living oral tradition, under the guidance of their teacher based in Mysore.