Roberto Milletti & Francesca Cassia (ITL)
Co-Founders Odaka Yoga
Acclaimed International Yoga Teachers, Chief Editor of Yoga Alliance International Journal (Francesca), Platinum Yoga Master (Roberto)
Roberto Milletti world’s renowned leader and co-founder of Odaka Yoga®, one of the 14th Yoga Alliance International Australia: Master Yoga Platinum, the highest recognition in the industry by a Yoga Organisation. He has been featured in “Om Yoga Magazine UK” as one of the three world leaders in new, contemporary forms of yoga. Roberto teaches at studios and yoga festivals worldwide. Roberto has created an innovative form of yoga that incorporates martial arts, Zen and traditional yoga postures. Based on the dynamics of ocean motion and body rhythms that connect us, this beautiful flowing yoga style lead us to melt into the liquid form of the body making you free from all constraint and giving the ability to transform and discover new shapes in ourselves. He is a Master of how to embrace flow and move Ki (the inner power) to open students up to endless possibilities, living by the mantra “We are not here to do yoga, we are here to become yoga.”
Francesca Cassia is an acclaimed International Yoga teacher. World’s renowned leader and co-founder of Odaka Yoga®, one of the 14th Yoga Alliance International Australia: Master Yoga Platinum, the highest recognition in the industry by a Yoga Organisation. With yoga it has been love at first posture, and since then her life has been dedicated to the empowering and transformative process of placing the body and mind in a dynamic interplay to reach the perfect alignment. Students call her the “Queen of Psoas”. She collaborates with the medical team of Mater Dei and Paideia (private clinics for pregnancy) to prepare the body and mind to labor, birth and motherhood. She has been teaching yoga and running teacher trainings for over 20 years in Europe, USA (United Nations New York City), Australia, Japan. She is Member of the board of European movement for yoga and Ayurveda and she is specialized in Women Self defense training courses. Yoga Alliance International, Australia and Italy has been recognized her as Master Yoga Platinum.
What's your definition of a SoulJour?
It's a journey from human doing to human being. it's a road to embodiment through interception and interaction. Interoception (a pillar in Odaka Yoga) is the possibility of asking to yourself, what do you want to do with the sensation you are experiencing? it's the ability to choose and act as a free choice.
What mantra/quote/belief do you life by?
Roberto: We are not here to do yoga, we are yoga!
Francesca: Liquify your limits. Flowing like water in its multiple forms, allows for the understanding of how to be in the “flow.” A state in which one becomes Aligned with his/her most genuine self, our intentions And the environment that surrounds us. In doing so it is possible to experience a sense of freedom that transforms every obstacle and limitation to discover new “forms” within ourselves.
What’s been your biggest life challenge?
Roberto: Everything in life has an innate flow so there is no need to resist. We have come to accept as true that life is a struggle, a battlefield, and this makes things hard for us. We struggle against obstacles in life. If we could stop resisting and go with the flow of life, everything would be so much easier. Yoga does something special, It gives you the consciousness of your true essence. Awareness is the first step to making any change in our lives.
Francesca: When a was 19 I was affected by anorexia in a strong form. Through Yoga and Therapy I could overcome my fears and breakdown. I am now a better and integrated person thanks to that difficult journey. In fact, with Odaka we have a project: yoga for eating disorder to support all the human being that are navigating in the same muddy waters, to find their true Self again.
How did you heal?
We discovered that yoga looked us to live in the moment, here and now. When you embrace the moment, there in no space for trauma. You find your wholeness again and you regain your empowerment.
How did you turn this challenge into opportunity?
Without the struggling process, we probably wouldn't be aware of our inner power. We are survivors and even better we are conscious warriors.
What's your daily practice?
We step on the mat. Open ourselves to the body awareness. From this state of listening we let the practice happen, without expectations and dogma.
What’s #1 on your bucket list at the moment?
Go back to traveling, inside and outside.