Real Support. Lasting Change.
PEMS Life began in the early 2000s as the vision of Sensei Richard Gillies, who wanted to help students build better, happier and more fulfilling lives.
With (at the time) over 30 years of martial arts experience, 10 years of teaching, and a professional background in IT, audit and risk management, Richard developed a unique approach to building confidence, overcoming challenges and achieving more than people thought possible.
Richard felt he had found his own version of the perfect life: a loving family, work he enjoyed and a passion for helping others grow. He wanted to make a difference, with a simple ambition: one day when old age finally came to his body, to be able to look back on his life and know that he had helped change the lives of others for the better.
As people increasingly sought his guidance, Richard was encouraged to share his knowledge more widely. In 2017, he published a book on managing anxiety and depression, available through Amazon. Purchasing this book helps support the next stage of the PEMS Life project.
Our Philosophy
PEMS represents four interconnected aspects of wellbeing: Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual.
Drawing on martial arts, yoga, Tai Chi and Qigong, Richard explores how movement, mindset, self-belief and personal development can help us navigate life’s challenges and maintain our wellbeing as we grow older.
At PEMS Life, we believe that doing what everyone else does often leads to the same results. Sometimes, meaningful change requires looking at life differently, challenging conventional thinking and finding approaches and strategies that work for you.
Our Vision for the Future
PEMS Life website is the next step in taking these ideas beyond the dojo and making them accessible to people across the country.
Through this website, we share practical tools, ideas and techniques to help you improve your wellbeing, discover your potential and create a life you genuinely want to live.
We recognise that no single approach works for everyone. Our aim is to offer ideas you can explore, adapt and apply to your own circumstances.
If something you discover here makes a positive difference to your life, we’d love to hear about it.
Welcome to PEMS Life.
Let’s work together to create real, lasting change
