Dakini (Maris) has led Dances of Universal Peace since 1995. Born in Estonia, she lived in Findhorn, Scotland for 10 years, where she led spiritual journeys to Nepal, India and Tibet, co-founded a Buddhist retreat centre and gave birth to two daughters.

She initiated the Estonian Dance Camp (2001) and Dervish Days Family Sufi camp in Scotland (in 2012) and organises a yearly Sufi retreat in Scotland with Sir Shabda and Murshid Saadi. Dakini serves on the current DUP International Board of Directors and leads dances and Sufi retreats at various events across Europe.

She is a Mentor of Dances of Universal Peace, a Sheikha in the Sufi Ruhaniat International and a Budhhist practitioner in Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.