Founded by Victoria and Sébastien in 2017, I Am That – Yoga is an inclusive Yoga brand that makes Yoga more accessible for EVERYone.
Based on the premise that Yoga is a way of life rather than just a practice, we believe that everyone’s Yoga is different. Anything that allows you to exist a little more mindfully and find some equanimity and peace is Yoga. That is why, rather than telling you what Yoga is, we believe in providing you with the tools and the space to find your own. In our Studio as well as with our products and our Online Yoga community.
In February 2018 we opened a Yoga studio that is the embodiment of our ethos: inclusiveness, accessibility and community. Set in the midst of vibey and warm Collingwood, this space aims at creating an atmosphere where everybody feels welcome.
A warehouse aesthetic in a quiet cul de sac just off Smith Street, combined with an experienced, fun and welcoming team, a large variety of classes, luxury studios amd amenities, an all-weather Open Air studio and inclusive pricing, we want to make Yoga more accessible for EVERYone. I Am That – Yoga is a place where anyone can find their Yoga.
With 1 hot, infrared-heated studio, (the healthiest, most eco-friendly heaters), 2 beautiful unheated studios and a weather-proof outdoor studio, you will find a variety of classes and timeslots that will suit you.
An abundance of natural light and plants purify the space and we offer all kinds of luxury-level amenities. Visiting I Am That – Yoga is both grounding and energising without (hopefully) feeling the least bit intimidating.
Yoga is an attitude, not a practice. It is in how you breathe, how you feel, how you process, how you move, how you exist. Everybody has their own way of experiencing Yoga – the union of body and mind and the space they occupy.
Yoga is merely the process of finding detachment from dualities such as good and bad; a balance that ultimately leads to the fundamental acceptance of, and happiness with, who you are: I Am That (in Sanskrit, Soham सो ऽहम्) is a mantra that embodies your identification with this ultimate reality (read more about this).
Yoga teachers, studios, classes and products are merely guides that facilitate this. And these should be accessible and available for absolutely everyone.
What matters most to us is that EVERY single person that walks through our doors feels safe, supported, welcomed and above all, like Yoga is for them. All the glitz, glam and fabulosity attributed to Yoga is great and all but it’s just not what care about.
This little community? Is pretty special. Both the lovely peeps that practise here and the legends that teach here: are a bunch of kind-hearted, warm, tolerant, caring and diverse human beings. The beauty of an inclusive space is that it welcomes people from all walks of life. All identities, all backgrounds and all abilities.
Victoria and Sébastien have had very very different journeys that have brought them to this exact place and time. They lived and loved together in South Africa for 6 years and moved to Melbourne (Sébastien’s home town) in May 2017. Victoria’s whole life is and has, for a long time, been Yoga (and her dogs) and both her and Sébastien believe that Yoga is the answer to PRETTY MUCH anything!
Having done weights and exercise intensively throughout my adult life, Yoga was always a way for me to give back to my body. Coming from the fast-paced corporate world, it was always nice to slow things down a little and find space and time for myself. We spend so much time going places and doing things, that eventually we forget to stop and smell the roses.
Yoga was always my reminder that it is OK to stand still for a moment and just breathe. Having spent 13 years in Cape Town, South Africa it was clear that Yoga, like so many other great things, has become a privilege only accessible to a select few. Maybe we can change that?!
I am so excited to think how many more people might be able to enjoy the sheer energy of a room filled with people breathing, moving and meditating together.
From the moment I experienced my first Yoga class 6 years ago, until today; Yoga became my life. I had resisted trying it for years and years because I felt like I did not belong in a Yoga studio. “I am not flexible enough”, “I cannot do all those fancy poses”, “I don’t look like a “yogi””, were some of the doubts that were buzzing in my mind.
I decided to dip my toes in by booking a private yoga class. The rest is history. Since that day I have made it my mission to make Yoga less intimidating and unattainable and more accessible. I did it in Cape Town with The Om Revolution – Mobile Yoga, offering convenient and affordable yoga to 100s of people that would have NEVER practiced Yoga otherwise and I know we can do it here in Melbourne!
