About

soisci porchetta

Bio snack

Soisci is a movement and mediation teacher who synthesises her passions in anthropology, cooking, spiritual practices, play, longevity, creativity and living with nature’s seasons into her work, helping people move towards their higher Self.

My journey

I am a movement and meditation teacher. I guide students through inner and outer work to upgrade their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual states. I have been practicing since 2002, and teaching since 2011.

As a child, I was intimidated by exercise (and the world at large), and assumed that I was naturally weak, stiff, slow and uncoordinated.

This all changed when, one day, I reluctantly joined a schoolmate in gymnastics class, and discovered a love for physical practices. Within six months I was selected to train at the national level in Italy. However, my family moved countries often and unfortunately I wasn’t able to continue developing in the sport. My interest in physical practices then went dormant until my mid-teens, when I discovered Wushu and began my journey into martial arts.

In 2006, I began training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu before it became the popular sport it is today. I competed internationally for three years, however, I eventually left the sport, since there were very few female BJJ competitors at the time. Looking for more opportunities to compete, I took up Muay Thai and fought professionally for five years. In 2011, I won the WPMF Muay Thai world title belt in Thailand. 

Throughout my martial arts career, I competed internationally in Hong Kong, Thailand, Philippines, Italy, China and Japan.

Searching

Although physical practices helped me to enjoy much success–it didn’t last. I kept pushing for more physical goals by obsessively up-skilling. Not only was this ineffective for reaching fulfilment, the more I pushed myself, the more miserable and unmotivated I felt. As I lost many students and developed a distaste for physical practice–a crucial, but painful truth became clear–I was trying to escape life through physical training.

This caused an identity crisis that lasted for around four years. I was completely disenchanted by physical practice and the material world. Though this period was full of suffering and confusion, it lead me to the realisation that contentment comes from within, not by chasing external goals. 

This was when I started my path with inner practices, and invited creativity back into my life–something I had neglected since retiring from fighting. I officially began learning from my meditation teacher Rajivji Kapur, and movement teacher Jozef Frucek; remarkable teachers I continue to study with today.

As I practiced martial arts, I was also studying at university. I received a Bachelor degree in Anthropology, which helped shape my worldview and still informs my teachings to this day.

Whilst competing professionally, I saw the value of training from a generalist perspective to improve athletic performance, and reduce injuries. I began a dedicated period of intense practice personally studying with Ido Portal and Odelia Goldschmidt, who were pioneers of generalist movement practices, and began teaching Ido’s method. During this period I retired from fighting and dedicated my energy to my newly found passion teaching, and sharing the benefits of generalist movement practices.

The start of this new chapter was painful. I had to undo and reverse many patterns in my life that weren’t serving me. But the freedom, joy and transformation that working from the inside out brought was sweeter than my little human mind could have possibly imagined! I finally developed the courage to embrace the vulnerability needed to embody my authentic self, and the hunger to ‘move higher’.

When I started my inner journey, I maintained my distaste for physical practices, and focused all of my attention on the inner path. However, over time my body felt weak and I didn’t feel solid or grounded in my life. The real value and place of physical practice became clear to me. I re-integrated more physically demanding movements along with my inner work, and quickly felt more balanced and empowered.

Moving higher

I no longer see division between inner and outer practices, and I teach the importance of integrating all actions, inner and outer, towards an integrated ‘life practice.’ 

Inner and outer need each other to form a balanced person, though how they integrate depends on each individual’s temperament and context. I see everything as an opportunity for personal evolution. Only from this space can one serve others, from an integrated, evolved space of embodied wisdom.

I also believe in seeking guidance from a teacher(s), because not only is it easy to get lost when searching alone, it’s also easy to develop subtle arrogance. We all need teachers to keep us accountable and to keep our ego in check.

I’m particularly passionate about working with older people (65+), exploring physicality through play, cooking, sculpting, bushcraft, being with community, enjoying time in nature, and daydreaming.

Influences

Rajivji Kapur, Leandro Soto, Grisel Pujala, Jozef Frucek, Linda Kapetanea, Joe Fairleigh, Ido Portal, Odelia Goldsmidt, Kiatphontip, Versus Performance, Kowloon BJJ, Tribe Jiu Jitsu, Simon Thakur, Joseph Bartz, Jake Cassar, Nic Laidlaw, David Grey, Craig Mallett, Rafe Kelley, Laurie Booth, Coach Ken, Dave Wardman, Shai Faran, Mario Porchetta, Devika KHP, Paramahansa Yogananda, George Ivanovich Gurdjieff

Work With Me