I met Gaia about two years ago. We had crossed paths first on Instagram; she was traveling the world teaching yoga. As soon as she returned, she contacted me, and we arranged to meet. Since then, we haven't parted ways: thanks to her, I rediscovered my love for yoga and the well-being it brings, and together with Gaia, we built the Selvaticum Atelier project.
Hi Gaia! Where and when were you born?
I was born in Piombino on December 11, 1979, at 11:50 PM, under the sign of Sagittarius. It was a Tuesday, and the moon was in its last quarter. 😂
How did you get into yoga?
I turned to Yoga for therapeutic reasons. I was looking for a solution to states of stress and anxiety accompanied by panic attacks during the day and sometimes even at night. My therapist advised me to try a Yoga class to confront the emotional walls that had quickly become real ramparts.
What specifically inspired you to get on the mat before becoming a teacher?
The thing that inspired me most of all was the therapeutic power of conscious breathing. From my first classes as a practitioner, I experienced the strength and benefits of conscious breathing through some simple Pranayama techniques. Even without practicing asanas (poses), breathing gave me energy, presence, and vigor physically, but especially mentally. When you experience panic attacks during sleep, you wake up suddenly with your heart racing and a state of panic that can sometimes be paralyzing. Learning to use breath to calm the mind was a real cure for me during the acute phase of the attack, and over time, also for learning to control one when I felt it coming. Through Pranayama techniques, I learned to reduce their intensity until they disappeared. I learned firsthand what it meant to "control your breath, control your mind, and if you can control your mind, you will be able to control everything else" (fear, anxiety, frustration, terror, etc.).
This feeling was the engine that drove me to the mat every day, again and again.
Pranayama teaches us to breathe with presence; through its techniques, it teaches us to lengthen, hold, and modify our breath to improve our quality of life. Better breathing promotes attention, concentration, mental and physical balance, can even improve vision, and brings serenity and calm.
Why did you decide to become a teacher?
Teaching wasn't in my plans; I just wanted to deepen my theoretical and practical knowledge of this extraordinary ancient discipline. In 2012, I decided to attend a teacher training course in India for this purpose. Those 4 weeks were a shock therapy; there were difficult moments, physical fatigue, language barriers (at the time, I didn't speak fluent English), and having everything that such an experience brings to the surface thrown at me wasn't exactly a vacation, but I wanted to grow, with all my heart, and I persevered even though, at the end of the first week, I told myself: "Gaia, how will you manage to last another 3 weeks like this?" Did that experience transform me in just 4 weeks? Yes, profoundly.
At the end of that month, I hadn't become a Yoga teacher; sure, I could safely teach asanas and Pranayama techniques, but becoming a teacher took years, a lot of training, and even more practical experience. For me, the role of a teacher is constantly evolving because I myself am evolving. Maintaining a beginner's mind, a student's mind, is fundamental.
After those four weeks, the "suffering" part of me was gone. I found myself discovering completely new, creative, and bold sides of myself. I had received such precious teachings and benefits that I decided to start teaching, simply to give back a small part of what I had received.
Never in my life had I received teachings so profound that they could trigger beneficial and radical changes in such a short time. Of course, I was motivated because I wanted solutions, new tools, and a new vision of myself. It took all my willpower and a lot of discipline, but Yoga also taught me where to find that strength without asking "may I?" or "excuse me."
Do you have a yoga "guru" you always follow?
I don't have a Guru I follow. The word Guru, traditionally, can be translated as spiritual guide, religious life master, worthy of disciples' veneration. By nature, I am not a person who venerates; I didn't even have a idol as a child, let alone a Guru. It's not in my nature.
I am a dedicated practitioner and a passionate teacher. Over time and thanks to practice, I have learned to honor and respect my instinct, my inner teacher, and I must say it works wonderfully. As for the rest, I have a long list of teachers who have inspired my training and my creativity in my work. The list becomes very short, however, regarding teachers who have provided me with truly valuable tools for evolution and personal and spiritual growth.
To them goes all my respect and immense gratitude.
What is your unrealized dream?
Well, I have several unrealized dreams. I'm someone who dreams a lot and does everything I can to turn them into lived experiences. I am very fortunate; in my life, I have met fantastic people who have helped me turn dreams into reality.
My next dream to realize? To create spaces where people can return to being human, empathetic, creative, inspired, and free from judgment. Containers where they can forget who they were told they are and give themselves the time and space to remember who they truly are.
There is so much strength in learning to take responsibility for what we feel, for what is ours.
What has Yoga truly done for me, and why do I recommend trying it, even if I sound biased?
It allowed me to enter a new, different space, a space that united because it excluded nothing and valued everything.
Thank you, Gaia.
CURRICULUM
Gaia is a Senior Teacher at Tribe International Yoga Teacher Training Registered School.
She teaches in teacher training courses around the world.
She is one of the teachers at www.nosade.com, with whom she co-organizes Yoga Retreats in Morocco. Since 2015, she has collaborated with them on the Female Empowerment project at Dar Moustqbel: an organization in Marrakech that hosts girls from small rural villages, offering them a home and study and professional training courses, giving them opportunities for growth by combating gender inequality. Every time Gaia is in Morocco, she volunteers at the center, sharing Yoga classes with the girls present, who are always very enthusiastic and participatory. The energy is wonderful.
The therapeutic aspect of Yoga practice is the pillar on which much of Gaia's professional offering is based, from Yoga therapy programs for women within the "Clan della Dea".
Gaia also organizes Pranayama and Yoga Nidra workshops with tailored programs to combat stress and anxiety.
Gaia trained in England for the Yoga4Health protocol.
The Yoga4Health program was commissioned by the NHS (National Health Service in the UK) and designed by experts to help patients improve their health and well-being in a supportive environment. It is particularly aimed at those suffering from mild stress, anxiety, or depression.
The YIHA (Yoga in Healthcare Alliance) Yoga4Health program is accredited by the Personalized Care Institute, the accreditation body established by the Royal College of GPs and NHS Improvement for training courses in the areas of social prescribing and social care, within the framework of universal personalized care.
Gaia is currently completing a specific training called YONI SHAKTHI YOGA THERAPY taught by Uma Dinsmore-Tuli: writer, visionary, radical yogini, advocate of Total Yoga Nidra, eco-feminist activist, and author of the famous book Yoni Shakthi.
Yoni Shakti Yoga Therapy (formerly known as Womb Yoga) is the term for yoga that nourishes every aspect of our lives as women. Practicing Yoni Shakti Yoga Therapy means honoring and embracing the original wisdom of your womb, or the energies of the womb space, as a source of feminine intuition, connection, and creativity.
If you want to get in touch with Gaia, you can write to her at gaia.ceccarelli@yahoo.it
To organize a Yoga lesson with Gaia, a retreat, or a workshop at La Gualda Vecchia, you can contact us here.
