“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.”
Joseph Campbell
Village Nectar Retreat to Portugal
This is not just a yoga retreat. It is an invitation to step into community, connection and beauty. Our retreat village in Southern Portugal is epic, walking trails, fruit trees, natural swimming area, and we’re just 30 minutes from some of the most beautiful southern beaches. only two rooms left
August 31st – Sept 6th, 2026
Gioconda has been practicing and teaching yoga for over 25 years, and is still learning something new every day. Her enthusiasm for the practice is contagious and her dedication to yoga comes through in every class. Whether you are flowing in her artfully sequenced vinyasa classes, or moving through the layers in yin, her guidance and support keep you resourced, steady and focused. In addition to decades of yoga training, she holds a Master’s Degree in Transpersonal Psychology and is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner.
Read more about Gia583
Teachers Trained
486
Workshops Given
11080
Classes Taught
48
Retreats Led
"It has been a pleasure to practice and learn from you. Your guidance, adjustments, and wisdom have helped me grow into a yogi. The passion I have cultivated within my practice will continue for a lifetime.”
“I’ve learned so much from you and from the experiences I’ve had these last years. I’m always seeing things through the lens of the sutras and I find again and again that every opportunity and challenge is a wonderful teacher if I can allow it to be. The good and joyful have blossomed in my life as a result of this patient listening and reflection and you taught me how to be still and listen, for which I am so grateful.”
I know we are only just beginning, but you have devoted so much time and energy and I hope you know how much you are appreciated. You are such a smart, inspiring teacher and I feel so grateful to be led on this journey by you.
Thank you for a very good workshop Gia. I really enjoyed the subject, the asana sessions, the sequencing & you as a teacher. I truly hope to attend more of your classes & workshops.
"Thank you for all of the incredible information, support and light you provided. You are truly a blessing and your selflessness is extraordinary. You taught me more than you'll ever know and I am grateful for everything"
Gioconda is a passionate, intelligent and wise teacher. She is a disciplined and gracious student of yoga, and her students receive yoga sutras, asana and philosophy in a beautifully distilled way. Additionally, Gioconda has assembled a strong cohort of teachers, each of whom brings their own expertise and rounds out the brilliant, experienced and wonderful training team students can expect with Gioconda's Teacher Training.
"You were helpful throughout my training--managing to be supportive without holding our hands You have such fire & honesty & I really admire that is a teacher, seeing how this balance with nurturing.”
“My experience with teacher training was above and beyond what I thought it would or could be; in hindsight I had no idea the true investment I was making in myself. Besides learning a plethora about yoga and the inner workings of teaching it, Gia’s training facilitated an inquiry within myself that changed my life path for the better. If you are looking for a safe, authentic, loving and honest place to go through teacher training, this is THE one.”
Gia exudes a joyful wisdom in her teaching and mentorship. Her presence is the embodiment of lightness and grace, and being around her makes me feel a deep trust in the unfolding of life. Gia offers her heart with warmth and inspired action in all that she does. Studying with Gia awakened my path of transformation, and I am deeply grateful for her support encouragement, compassion, and generous spirit.
"I believe you are an incredibly gifted and beautiful person and I count my blessings to be sharing this journey with you and thank you for being so generous with your love and light–it shines mighty bright!"
Taking Gioconda’s 200 hour teacher training program was one of the best decisions I have ever made. In addition to learning history, asana, anatomy and Sanskrit, Gioconda provides the proper environment and activities to dive deeper into yourself. This program connected me to a larger yoga community and individuals who I treasure. I look forward to my next lessons from my dear teacher.”
Gioconda Yoga Teacher Training is a professional, organized, dedicated, insightful, and inspiring program of study. You will learn the basics of how to teach yoga, as well as journey in to who you are and want to be as a yoga teacher. I cannot recommend this program highly enough. Gioconda is a phenomenal senior teacher, and I am so fortunate to have learned to teach in her program.
"Your class has provided me a solid foundation for my practice and has added much needed structure and focus to everything I do. Yoga has mad a huge impact on my life.”
"I want to thank you for helping to guide my yoga practice to the next level. You have helped take it beyond just the physical practice to something deeper. You are such a passionate and joyful teacher and your class has often been a bright point that buoys me through tougher times."
“Gia, I love how naturally you facilitated our classes and how you tailored your comments to fit exactly what the group, and each person in it, wanted to learn. I feel so enormously lucky to have been part of this experience! I am so thrilled to have been a part of this teacher training. Much gratitude to you and every teacher who worked with us, and I hope to be able to share what I learned as eloquently as beautifully as it was taught to me.”
"Thank you for being such an amazing example of love, compassion, light and peace to all of us. You have such an amazing way of communicating your wisdom and I feel so privileged and honored to be able to learn from you."
Gioconda brings an amazing energy to her practice (on and off the mat!) that she generously shares with her students. Her classes are filled with a sense of joy and exploration that encourage you to stay on the path and be patient with yourself (Yoga is a practice!). Her dedication to yoga and to her students is inspiring. I have truly enjoyed getting to know Gioconda and myself through her classes.