Find Your Flow: Morning Rituals at Hotel Savoy

Tell us about your journey into yoga. What first drew you to the practice, and how has your approach evolved over the years?

I first came to yoga in London with an Ashtanga practice when I was pregnant as I wanted to understand my body and my breath more during all the changes my body was experiencing. I continued with my practice for a number of years. It was when I came to live in Italy in 2009 that I met a Kundalini yoga teacher and decided to host a group of friends at my house for weekly classes. I became so inspired that I eventually began teaching in my own right and went to the source of yoga – Rishikesh, India – to obtain my teaching training qualifications. My practice moved from being primarily physical in nature to that of a deeper connection with my interior world, where the mind, the breath, the emotions, the body, and a more spiritual conversation began to form. For me, Kundalini yoga is a practice where growth and evolution are a continuous journey towards a higher sense of potential and fulfilment in life. Yoga has made me happier and calmer.

What makes your teaching style unique, and what kind of atmosphere do you create in your classes at Hotel Savoy?

As every Kundalini yoga class has a different theme, I devote focused time to plan each class to complement the energy I explore collectively and internally. Through the movements, the accompanying music, the specific use of breath techniques and mantra, I guide my students in a very present and organic way, creating an experience where everything is real, nothing is contrived.

How would you describe your sessions to someone who feels a little nervous about trying yoga for the first time?

There is no room for competition and judgment on the yoga mat. There is no room for perfection. As Kundalini yoga is so personal, all postures and movements are taken at the participant’s own pace and in their own time. They are designed to open the body to stretching, cardio, breathing, chanting – all to bring about a sense of release, a greater awareness of themselves and a wonderful relaxation at the end.

Your classes have become popular with both hotel guests and the local community. What do you think people respond to most?

Practicing yoga in the pristine yoga room at Hotel Savoy feels safe and almost womb-like. Then afterwards, to emerge upstairs in the gorgeous setting of Irene, is like going from one form of beauty to an outer aesthetic one. Hotel Savoy could not be more accommodating or kind and the service is five-star. Florentine locals feel a deep sense of gratitude to have this experience. New friendships have formed in the process, and the community has strengthened. For hotel guests, joining my yoga class is such an important aspect of enjoying their entire stay as they can release stress and become fully present, feel more open and more aware of their travel experience. I would say that it should be mandatory for them to really let go of their baggage!

Are there any new practices or approaches in yoga and wellness that you’re excited to bring into your classes at Hotel Savoy?

My practice continually grows as I learn, study and research each week. Every month, I bring a new breathing technique, anatomical knowledge, posture or neurological research to my students about how yoga affects our well-being.

What do you hope participants carry with them after a session—physically, mentally, or emotionally?

My aim is to bring participants home to something more profound within themselves and to explore these inner conversations. The experience is like a therapy session for the mind, body and spirit. Participants sweat, they laugh, they dance, they shake, and they strengthen. Their emotions are unblocked with the breath and movements. Sometimes there are tears. Every class includes meditation and people walk away feeling somehow transformed with a greater state of awareness, more sensitised, relaxed and conscious.

Begin your Kundalini Yoga journey by booking a class with concierge.savoy@roccofortehotels.com.