Yogis Uncovered | Meet Michelle
In this edition of Yogis Uncovered, we sit down with Michelle – a free-spirited yogi, personal trainer, and nude yoga enthusiast. Join us as we learn about her growing up in Italy to being a successful model and yoga teacher in Miami. Michelle opens up about her deep-rooted passion for yoga, the life-changing lessons it has imparted, and her refreshingly candid take on embracing one’s natural self through the transformative practice of nude yoga. Get ready to be inspired.
“I feel like we’re all the only living creatures on this planet that dress up. There’s nothing bad about being naked. It’s just society that brought us up to think that it’s bad or taboo.
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Hi everyone, my name is Michelle. I’m a yoga teacher and a personal trainer and I live in Miami.
How long have you been doing yoga?
I’ve been doing yoga for over eight years and I’ve been teaching for four or five years. I’ve also been working as a personal trainer since 2017.
Where are you from originally?
I’m Italian. I was born in Florence. I lived my last 10 years in Italy in Milan before I decided to move to New York and then Miami.
What brought you to Miami?
Mostly the weather. I really love New York but I didn’t see myself building a future there in the long term, so I felt that Miami was a good compromise between business opportunities and amazing weather.
How long have you been doing yoga and how do you get into it?
I got my certification in 2019 but I did start practicing earlier. I started doing yoga once in a while and I just felt great after but I didn’t really get the point of it. And then in New York I bought an unlimited yoga pass and I was doing it every day, twice a day, and after a couple of months I started to really feel the benefits of yoga and I wanted to understand more. So that’s why I went to India and I did my first yoga teacher training. Mostly for myself to be honest. I didn’t even think about teaching or anything but I just wanted to know more about it. Like why are we doing these poses? I feel great stretching and getting more flexibility but what’s behind all this?
What’s your favorite yoga pose?
I do like Pigeon Pose because it gives a good stretch but at the same time it’s very relaxing.
Why do you practice yoga and other forms of self-care?
I feel like mental health is very important, not only physical, so yoga is definitely a good combination of both.
What has yoga taught you?
To have more patience and how to deal with people outside of the class, outside of the practice. When I was in India, it was obviously easier to be a certain way. But then when you go out there in the city and actually deal with people, yoga teaches you really how to stay more calm and to react to things in a better way.
How did you become so comfortable with being naked?
It was little by little actually. I feel like we’re all the only living creatures on this planet that dress up. There’s nothing bad about being naked. It’s just society that brought us up to think that it’s bad or taboo.
What’s your favorite food?
I would say sushi and ice cream.
*this interview has been edited for brevity and clarity