WA:IT WITHIN
is a space dedicated to conversations with thinkers, creators and seekers who explore beauty, wellbeing and the art of living with intention.
Summer changes our rhythm. It takes us elsewhere, but also gives us the space to return to what matters, to the body, to attention, to the small rituals that keep us grounded wherever we are. For this edition of WA:IT Within, we invited Eduardo Martinez-Diaz, a Panamanian-born yoga and meditation teacher, lifestyle engineer, and longtime WA:IT collaborator, to share a personal summer edit.From Malasana after a long flight and Ayurvedic guidance for eating in the heat, to grounding rituals, lighter travel habits, and the WA:IT scents he returns to. Tips to save, carry, and return throughout the summer.
Founder of Form+Space: Awareness®, Eduardo works at the intersection of biomechanics, functional mobility, breathwork, meditation, and the philosophical traditions of yoga. His path began with a degree in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Tech and more than a decade in the chemical industry, before a lifelong fascination with consciousness led him elsewhere. Along the way, he discovered that scientific precision and contemplative practice are not opposing paths, but complementary ways of understanding ourselves.
Perhaps it is no coincidence that both Eduardo Martinez-Diaz and Raffaella Grisa, founder of WA:IT, are engineers. They share an instinct for structure and the belief that, once the ground is understood, intuition is free to unfold. «Healing, to me, is a journey of remembering our innate wholeness»Eduardo says. «Rather than trying to fix something broken, the practice invites us to remember what has always been present». This idea lies at the heart of Form+Space: Awareness®, his new online platform, where movement, breath, meditation, and simple daily rituals become tools for listening more closely. Take notes and carry a little of it with you into summer, wherever the journey leads.
Eduardo Martinez-Diaz
Interview by Olivia Fincato, a New York–based journalist contributing to Vogue Italia, Living Corriere, AD Italia, and La Repubblica, with a focus on design, culture, and meaningful storytelling.
You began your journey as an engineer. When did you first feel called towards a different way of understanding the body and the self?
My journey began long before engineering. As a teenager, I became fascinated with Christian metaphysics and questions about consciousness and the nature of the universe. That curiosity naturally led me toward science and eventually to a degree in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Tech. While building my engineering career, yoga became a quiet practice that grounded me physically. But it wasn’t until I moved to New York City that everything came together. The intensity and unpredictability of the city became a kind of pressure cooker. Through a small yoga class at a YMCA in Brooklyn, the intellectual search I’d been on for years finally became embodied. The body, the mind, and consciousness were no longer separate interests,they became one path. Looking back, New York was the blender that brought all those ingredients together and gave form to the work I do today.
Today, what does healing mean to you and how would you describe the practice you have created through Form+Space: Awareness?
Healing, to me, is a process of self-healing—a journey of remembering our innate wholeness. Through Form+Space:Awareness, I explore the relationship between form—the body and nature—and space–the subtle field of consciousness. Awareness is the realization that they are not separate but expressions of the same reality. My methodology is rooted in the classical system of yoga, using movement, functional mobility, breath, meditation, and simple daily rituals to embody that wisdom. Rather than trying to fix something broken, the practice invites us to remember what has always been present.
What is one ritual that helps you feel grounded during summer?
My favorite summer ritual is simply spending time in nature through contemplation. That might be a slow movement practice on the grass in one of New York City’s parks, a quiet or music infused walk outdoors, or simply sitting in meditation surrounded by natural elements. If I can’t be outside, I try to bring nature into my home and create a space that supports stillness and reflection. These moments of contemplation nourish my creativity and help me stay grounded throughout the season.
Image: Yantra Divination — A personalized visual meditation designed to support the student’s ongoing intuition and personal ritual. Sending samples.
Which asanas help the body open and soften while travelling?
My go-to posture when traveling is Malasana (Garland Pose), often called the yogi squat. It immediately helps me feel grounded after long periods of sitting. It opens the hips and ankles, encourages healthy digestion, and reconnects me with the earth. 30 seconds of Malasana will do wonders. If my knees need a gentler option, I’ll lie on my back and hug both knees into my chest. It’s a simple variation that gently releases the spine while activating the hips after hours of sitting.
What simple sequence can we practise after a long flight?
I always come back to Sun Salutations. They’re a classic for a reason. They awaken the body, restore circulation, and reconnect breath with movement. The forward folds, like Uttanasana and Downward-Facing Dog, gently lengthen the back while helping the nervous system settle after travel.
I usually “sandwich” the sequence between moments of movement meditation, allowing the practice to begin and end with awareness rather than simply exercise.
Which poses best release tension from the neck, back and hips?
A combination of gentle spinal movement, hip-opening postures, and restorative twists tends to be the most effective. I often return to poses such as Cat-Cow, Thread the Needle, Child’s Pose, Supine Twists, and Pigeon variations, always adapting them to the individual body.Rather than forcing flexibility, I practice moving with curiosity and breath, allowing tension to dissolve instead of trying to push it away.
How should we listen to the body differently in hot weather?
During the summer, I encourage people to soften rather than push. Heat naturally increases intensity, so instead of chasing bigger sensations, it’s important to listen for subtler signals: hydration, fatigue, breath quality, and recovery. Yoga teaches us that awareness is more valuable than achievement. Summer invites us to practice with more ease, receptivity, and respect for the body’s natural rhythms.
Image: Movement Sequence — One of my hand-drawn sequencing studies exploring the relationship between biomechanics, breath, and the sun's energetic flow.
What does Ayurveda teach us about eating during summer?
Ayurveda (The Science of Living!) reminds us that summer is governed by heat, so our food should help restore balance rather than create more intensity. I naturally gravitate toward lighter, seasonal meals, fresh fruits and vegetables, adequate hydration, and cooling herbs and flavors.It’s less about following rigid rules and more about developing the awareness to notice what leaves you feeling nourished, clear, and energized.
Are there foods or habits you prefer to avoid on a journey?
When I travel, I try to keep things simple. Heavy meals, excessive alcohol/coffee, and overeating tend to make the body feel sluggish, especially after long flights.I prefer foods that are easy to digest, stay well hydrated, and move whenever I can. Even a short walk or a few conscious breaths can make a significant difference in how I arrive at my destination.
How do you structure your classes, and what do you hope people carry with them afterwards?
Over nearly two decades of teaching, my classes have continued to evolve, but one principle remains constant: every sequence is intentional. I design each practice using biomechanical alignment principles alongside the energetic principles of the classical yoga tradition, creating sequences that support both body and mind. Sometimes a class focuses on a specific area—hips, shoulders, or core—and other times it’s a “potpourri” practice that brings the whole body into balance. Rhythm is another essential element, whether it’s generated through breath and movement or supported by music. More than anything, I hope people leave feeling more connected to themselves, trusting their own experience and carrying that sense of ease and awareness into everyday life.
Image: WA:IT Totem — A symbolic artwork created for AKA/WA:IT immersive event, inspired by the integration of movement, ritual, scent, and contemplative practice.
What changes in a private session, when the practice is shaped around one person?
The essence of the yoga practice doesn’t change. My approach to sequencing remains the same, whether I’m teaching one person or a group. What changes is the depth of the conversation.In a private session, I can attune more closely to the student’s physical body, energetic body, mind, and spiritual intentions. Yoga recognizes that we are more than our physical form, and working one-on-one allows me to respond to the whole person rather than the practice alone.The sequence itself isn’t reinvented, but it becomes more finely tuned to how the student arrives that day: their goals, challenges, and the season of life they’re experiencing. We often spend more time with myofascial release and restorative work using props, creating opportunities for students to connect more deeply with both their physical and energetic bodies. I may also incorporate guided visualizations, meditation, or breath practices that are tailored specifically to their intentions and what is emerging in the session.
At times, the work becomes more artistic as well. I may create a personalized Yantra or sketch inspired by what I observe during their practice. They leave with something tangible, not as a prescription, but as an invitation to continue exploring through their own intuition. The image becomes part of their personal ritual, allowing the practice to continue unfolding beyond our session and supporting their own unique healing journey. Ultimately, my intention is the same as in every class: to help people develop trust in their own body, mind, and spirit.
How did your collaboration with WA:IT begin, and how does scent enter your work with movement, breath, and awareness?
My collaboration with WA:IT began through one of those beautiful moments of serendipity. A mutual friend and student who knew both of us recognized a shared foundation and introduced us. Both Raffaella, WA:IT’s founder, and I began our careers as engineers before following paths devoted to consciousness, nature, and self-realization. That common perspective made our collaboration feel very natural. Over the years, we’ve created experiences that weave together movement, breath, ritual, and scent to deepen participants’ awareness. My relationship with scent actually began nearly two decades ago through my work with essential oils, but WA:IT elevated my understanding of how fragrance can become part of a contemplative practice. To me, WA:IT fragrances feel like nature’s wisdom in a bottle. They’ve become an important part of my evolution as a yoga teacher and of the way I create immersive experiences for my students.
Which WA:IT fragrance would you choose for summer, and what chakra, emotion, or energy does it awaken?
Last summer, I found myself drawn to HITO. Its vibrant green character immediately evokes the Heart Chakra for me. I associate that freshness with openness, compassion, and spaciousness. Wearing it feels like standing at the edge of a cliff surrounded by nature, where everything invites you to soften into love. This summer, I’ve been exploring HARU. Although its name means “spring,” it evokes moss, earth, water, and quiet adventure. I associate it with the Sacral Chakra—the center of creativity, flow, pleasure, and our relationship with ourselves. It feels deeply grounded yet fluid. And on a simpler note…it’s just a sexy scent.
Looking ahead, which new projects are taking shape, and how is your Ball & Restore practice evolving?
I’m very excited to be launching the Form+Space:Awareness online platform. My hope is to build a rich library of the sequences and practices I’ve developed over the years, giving students the opportunity to practice from anywhere in the world. Online learning has been an important part of my own journey with many teachers, and I’m grateful to now offer that same accessibility to others.The platform will include movement practices, functional mobility, breathwork, and meditation, which I believe sits at the very heart of yoga. Roll + Restore, which is an integral part of the Form+Space:Awareness methodology, will continue to evolve through these online offerings as well as new collaborations with musicians, sound practitioners, and visual artists. I’m increasingly interested in creating immersive environments where movement, sound, scent, art, and space come together to support deep restoration, self-discovery, and a more meaningful connection to ourselves.
I hope this work becomes part of my legacy as a teacher: creating practices and experiences that people can return to throughout their lives.
Images courtesy of Eduardo Martinez-Diaz and WA:IT
