sacred fire
in ayurveda, vahni is your jatharagni, the metabolic fire that digests not just food, but experience itself, turning what you take in into vitality and wisdom.
Our story
vahni is the next evolution of the shala.
born from the same roots, guided by the same values, and created to carry that lineage forward.
- since1997
- vahni est.2026
Carrying the torch
'i am deeply honoured to carry this work forward, to walk this path not in shadow, but in light. to tend the flame that gingi and ella ignited with the same presence, care, humility, and yes... laughter.
from sangam to the shala to vahni. the story continues. rooted in the past, alive in the present, and forever evolving.'
daniela vanasco
director, vahni
About vahni
keeping the torch alight.
vahni is the next evolution of the shala, born from the same roots, guided by the same values, and created to carry that lineage forward.
for nearly three decades, the shala has been a sanctuary for yoga, healing, and community in south london.
a space gingi and ella created and nurtured with deep care, integrity, and authenticity. shala means 'a place of spiritual practice', and that is exactly what it has been: a place of connection, transformation, and coming home.
not a departure, but a continuation. a new chapter in a story still unfolding. from sangam, the centre's first name in 1997, to the shala, and now to vahni. the torch passed with love and trust.
The meaning of vahni
वह्नि
vah-nee
sacred fire.
vahni means 'sacred fire' in sanskrit, the inner spark that carries us toward truth.
vehicle
from the root vah, 'to carry.' at vahni, the body is the vehicle, and practice is the path home to yourself.
the trinity
vahni represents the number three. the sacred trinity of body, mind, and spirit, integrated and whole.
vahni holds all expressions of transformative fire, from the subtle changes to the intense ones, gentle, bold, or soft and intimate.
vahni also flows with soma, the nectar of the moon, balancing transformative heat with cooling restoration. gentle, bold, soft, fierce, intimate.
The alchemy of practice
you, plus practice.
you+practice=transformation
becomes possible.
we create conditions: skilled teachers, grounded practices, a safe space, witnessed community. you show up, with presence, with readiness, sometimes just by physically arriving. in that meeting, the alchemy begins.
'yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.'
the bhagavad gita
of the self, your authentic nature, what wants to emerge. through the self, the body as vehicle, practice as path. to the self, coming home to wholeness, integration, belonging.
Our pillars
eight words at the heart of vahni.
the principles that shape the practice, the space, and the way we hold it.
the foundation
alchemy
the coming together of all things, you, the practice, the teachers, the community, the energy of the present moment, in that particular way that creates something greater than the sum of its parts. this is where transformation becomes possible.
healing
the purpose and the direction, peace, freedom, love, integration. not a destination but a steady movement toward wholeness that practice makes possible.
embodied
spirit in matter. we don't transcend the body, we come home to it. the body is the vehicle. transformation happens here, on the earth.
the qualities of holding
grace
compassionate holding that makes authenticity safe, for yourself and for others. grace is the quality that allows people to be wholly themselves, peacefully and lovingly.
belonging
witnessed homecoming. you are not alone in the becoming. belonging is both a practice and a birthright.
love
the relational force that unites. not sentiment, it is what we tend, what we practise, and what makes this a community rather than just a studio.
what's required, what protects
courage
the capacity for vulnerability and truth-telling. showing up when it's hard. meeting yourself honestly.
integrity
the ethical foundation. no guru culture. consent honoured. your sovereignty protected. integrity is what makes this a space you can trust.
Our mission
all of who you are is welcome.
we are teachers, guides, and facilitators, not gurus. we don't have the answers. you do.
our mission is to create conditions for transformation, not promises, but invitations. opportunities to meet yourself fully, reveal what's true, and cultivate wholeness.
we don't believe in spiritual bypassing or transcending your humanity. we believe in embodied transformation, feeling it, processing it, integrating it in the body, on the earth.
through embodied and healing practices, sacred rituals, and conscious community, we create conditions for transformation. but the journey is yours.
the practices invite you to take a journey.
the community is here to support you.
all you need to do is show up.
and when you do, when you meet the practices with presence, something real becomes possible.
Founder & director
meet daniela vanasco.
daniela vanasco has been part of the shala community since 2021. when gingi and ella chose her to carry the work forward into vahni, it was a natural continuation of something already in motion.
what drives her is straightforward: she loves witnessing the moment someone comes home to themselves. when the noise settles, the body softens, and something true becomes visible. that moment, however it arrives, is what this space is built around.
originally from the us, daniela brings over a decade of experience across wellness, coaching, and leadership. she holds an emcc global accreditation as a life & leadership coach, is a reiki master and mental health first aider. a trained actor and voice-over artist, she understands perhaps better than most how people communicate, perform, and, when given real permission, finally drop into themselves.
she has mentored emerging leaders, facilitated programmes on mental health and workplace wellbeing, and supported individuals and teams through change.
vahni is an extension of the sanctuary she believes this community deserves, a space built on presence, compassion, integrity, authenticity, and belonging.
Our teachers
the people who hold the practice.
our teachers are extensively trained, deeply skilled, and committed to consent-based practice. they don't have all the answers, they create conditions, offer guidance, and trust your wisdom above all.
every teacher at vahni asks permission before any hands-on adjustment, honours your boundaries without question, believes you are the expert on your own body, and offers options and invitations rather than prescriptions. they walk alongside you, not ahead, not behind, but with you.
Meet the teachersThe shala and vahni
gingi and ella continue their work through the shala school of yoga, offering teacher training, mentorship, and advanced education. vahni is the centre, the practice space, the community, the living flame.
two sister offerings from the same roots, continuing the work together.
across cultures, fire has always marked the threshold of transformation, the passage from the old to the newly awakened. vahni was born from that same sacred flame, the energy that ignites change and, through that change, reveals healing, freedom, and peace.
śānti embodied
is peace made visible.
the quiet strength that arises when we live with presence and compassion.
prema aflame
is love alive.
the radiant fire that inspires connection, healing, and courage.
sukha-ānanda awakened
is joy remembered.
the bliss that unfolds when transformation settles into wholeness.
together, these form the living alchemy of vahni: the dance of fire and grace, the awakening of our true nature, and the path to fully lived, wholehearted being.
Come and practice
the fire is lit.
the door is open. the kettle is on.