We carry inside us
the wonders we seek outside us.
— Rumi
Josephine Vittoria
E-RYT® 500, Founder of Institut Yoga Essentiel
My interest in yoga was ignited in 2009, the year of many travels and the practice of Svadhyaya: Self Study. Following the teachings of the Iyengar tradition, I studied under the guidance of various senior Iyengar teachers and influencers. I completed my first training in 2012 at École Satyam in Montreal. This initial training challenged me to immerse myself more fully in the practice and resulted in a lifelong process of self-discovery. As a result, I have become more aware of every aspect of my life: how I carry myself and how my actions reflect my values and affect my surroundings in the long term.
The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious.
— Albert Einstein
"My work as a yoga practitioner bestows me with discoveries about the human body and spirit. These experiences have influenced the way I understand myself and the world as well as the way I express myself creatively."
In 2015, I completed a second extensive training program with my mentor François Raoult, director of Open Sky Yoga Center in Rochester, New York, and student of Sri B.K.S. Iyengar. I am very grateful for his contribution, as it has enabled a journey of teachings and practices that are strengthened by dedication, integrity, and compassion.
I continue pursuing my yoga studies through a dedicated practice and various trainings with senior Iyengar teachers including Judith Lasater (Restorative Yoga, Relax and Renew®), Elise Miller (Yoga for Scoliosis), and Bobby Clennell (author of The Woman’s Yoga Book); amongst other trainings including Back Care Therapy and Essential Pranayama with Francois Raoult; Yoga Kurunta (Iyengar Yoga Ropes) with Hervé Blondon, and Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga with Lidija Segon.
Creating space, discovering self-awareness, and learning to let go are the fundamentals of my teachings rooted in the tradition of classical Hatha Yoga.