YOGA: THE LIFELONG PATH OF TRANSFORMATION
A healing journey anchored in yoga.
By Laura Montesanti
In the year 2000, London was my world - a city of ceaseless motion, ambition and opportunity. I juggled university while working multiple jobs — at times holding up to five jobs simultaneously, barely pausing between classes and shifts. London’s rhythm was relentless, and if you stumbled, the city kept on moving. It wasn’t until I discovered meditation, that I took my first breath of stillness.
On campus, free or discounted wellness classes were available to students. I dabbled in yoga, but at first, only meditation resonated. The postures felt boring, awkward and I really didn’t see the point! Still, I knew I was seeking something, and London as a hub, offered access to the world. Whenever possible, I seized the opportunity to travel and explore new places. Travel itself felt healing, it was my way to disconnect in order to reconnect.
My curiosity led me to Thailand, where an unexpected encounter changed my life. In a small fishing village on Koh Phangan, I met a couple whose presence radiated peace and beauty. “Who are you?” I wondered. I asked about their secret and discovered they ran a yoga centre.
“I tasted yoga’s power in every part of me, not just physically but as an age-old philosophy of being. It was an absolute revelation, and I was hungry for more.”
Back in London, I returned to my mat, this time with a non-judgemental mind and an open heart. It clicked I was no longer forcing my body into postures - I was simply present. I was touching the pure essence of BEING. After yoga, I felt amazing, relieved, and unburdened. “Wow, was that me? Did I just do that?”
From then on, every trip I took became an exploration of healing practices: Ayurveda in India, sound healing in Italy, Watsu therapy in Turkey, dynamic meditation at the Osho Center in Nepal, Capoeira in Brazil, the list goes on... Each experience added another layer to my understanding of wellness. Each place, country, and continent with its own unique energy. I saw how ancient traditions carried profound knowledge, cloaked in mystery yet miraculous in its simplicity.
But healing wasn’t just an intellectual journey — it was deeply personal. In 2007, after a painful breakup, I fell into a depression that took a toll on my body. I lost weight, overexercised, and neglected my overall well-being.
This time, my pursuit of learning came with a deeper intention: to heal myself first, and then share what I had discovered to support others on their own healing journeys. That shift in purpose became a powerful catalyst, unlocking a series of events that brought me closer to my path.
Driven by a thirst for knowledge, I returned to Thailand and enrolled in a reflexology course in Bangkok, training under a Japanese teacher and his Thai wife. Their practice was rooted in both discipline and compassion. Before beginning any treatment, they insisted, "Check in with yourself first. You cannot help others until you are okay."
I stayed with my cousin in an apartment in the heart of Bangkok. My cousin was much older than me and I’d always looked at him as a surrogate father and an inspiration.
Life in Bangkok was simple. Each day I took the overland metro, then walked a few blocks through a grittier part of town, turning into a narrow alley to my teacher's double-story house.
Between practical class and application, I’d pour over textbooks. At lunch, I’d buy street food in the narrow alley. As time passed, something as simple as sipping noodle soup became a ritual of presence. I found clarity and began writing poetry, capturing my thoughts and emotions. Healing wasn’t just about learning or slowing down; it was about creating space for self.
When I returned to London, something had shifted. The city no longer felt like home — my travels had once again opened my eyes to a deeper connection with myself and my true calling. So, after 10 years living there, I made the decision to leave London and continue my healing journey through travel.
In 2007, while training to become a yoga teacher in India, my guru assigned each of us a spiritual name. In Hindu culture, this is a significant rite of passage, often bestowed by a teacher / guru during a symbolic ceremony. It marks a spiritual rebirth, a deeper commitment to one’s path and serves as a guiding light, embodying the virtues and qualities that the name represents.
During a puja my teacher handed me a beautiful card. On it, he had written the name that he felt was me: Anjali. In Sanskrit, Anjali (अञ्जलि) means “divine offering,” “salutation,” or “benediction.”
The moment I read it, something inside me shifted. My heart felt full. This name was not just a title; it was a reflection of who I had always been.
Since I was thirteen, I had sought ways to give back, volunteering in every place I lived. Giving has always been an essential part of my life — something that has shaped me just as much as the experiences I have had. I’ve always believed that when you give, you receive so much in return. This name, Anjali, felt like an affirmation of that belief, a reminder of the path I had already been walking.
But the most profound moment came with the memory of a story from my childhood. When I was born, my mother had wanted to give me a second name — to honour my grandmother — but due to circumstances, she never managed to register it. My grandmother’s name was Angelica.
In that instant, everything aligned. It felt as though this name had been waiting for me all along, only to be given at the right moment, in the right way. My spiritual name became more than a title; it became a connection to my roots, a symbol of purpose, and a reminder that some things are simply meant to be.
From that day forward, I embraced Anjali as part of who I am. It is a reflection of my journey, my values, and the ever - present energy of giving - an offering not just to others but to life itself.
I moved to Cape Town, embracing a new life as a yoga teacher, but my journey wasn’t linear. Over the next few years, I navigated stress and change, from the challenging environment of a corporate job in Montenegro to the extravagance of Monaco. In each transition, yoga was my anchor - my lifelong path of personal transformation and healing.
I deepened my practice returning to my master’s ashram in Rishikesh to complete 500 hours of teacher training. Here I allowed my body to release and I underwent a total purge, a healing crisis of fevers and bad skin. I emerged cleansed, invigorated and open, with a deep knowing that something important was about to happen…Soon after, I met my husband.
Alex worked for a super-yacht brokerage firm, and together we moved to Monaco where I started my consultancy company and began curating high-end wellness experiences on yachts and at luxury resorts. However, I remained curious about the sensation that something was missing. Wellness travel existed, but something was missing — there was a disconnect. Why weren’t more hospitality spaces and destinations being intentionally used for healing? Why wasn’t the luxury of time, or our precious time off, devoted to becoming the best version of ourselves?
Then, tragedy struck. My cousin in Bangkok, my ‘godfather’, my ‘rock’, took his own life. He had every material luxury at his disposal, yet something was missing for him—something that no five-star hotel or lavish spa had been able to provide. This loss ignited a mission within me, to infuse the two worlds which had given me so much in life!
In 2020, this vision came to life with the launch of Synergy - a community-oriented trade show that brings together the worlds of wellness and travel. I set out to create a space where business could be done differently: grounded in the principles of wellness and deeply connected to nature, culture and each other. My goal was to unite wellness practitioners and travel industry leaders, allowing us to go deeper as a collective - to truly walk our talk and co-create transformational travel experiences rooted in healing. Four events later... and here we are!
My healing journey ultimately led me to create Synergy, and yoga has been the practice that supported me every step of the way. But yoga, for me, is far more than a practice, it’s a way of life. It’s an essence that can be infused into our daily actions, gently shaping our mindset and guiding our choices. And it’s perfectly okay if you don’t meditate or practice asanas every day. What truly matters is living with the principles of yoga in your heart. When you do, its positive impact will naturally unfold in your life.
The path to healing is continuous; we are always navigating the daily effects of life on our minds and bodies. But by finding the right tools to support us, we can enrich the journey, not just to live longer, but to live better.
“In many ways, Synergy is a living expression of my daily yoga practice, and Synergy itself is healing. ”
