The founders of the school are
Gian Girardi, M.S., M.A., and Viviana Girardi, B.A., CYT.
Gian and Viviana, Santa Monica, 2011
Gian Girardi was born in 1955 to an Italian-Spanish family in Chile. From an early age, he developed a deep interest in science and later in the humanities — especially in spirituality and the Advaita (Non-Duality) teachings.
Although Gian graduated as a civil engineer in the most prestigious University in Chile at that time, ultimately he found the carrer unfulfilling and distant from his true heart desires. At the age of 30, Gian married Viviana, and their spiritual interests brought them to the U.S. After some years Gian completed a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, and obtained the MFT (Marriage, Family Therapist) California State License to practice psychotherapy. Over the course of more than thirty years Gian, has accumulated extensive experience as a psychotherapist, nutritional counselor, wellness coach, spiritual psychology
counselor and teacher.
Although Gian graduated as a civil engineer from the most prestigious university in Chile at the time, he ultimately found the career unfulfilling and distant from his true heart’s desires. At the age of 30, Gian married Viviana, and their shared spiritual interests led them to move to the United States. After some years, Gian completed a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and obtained the California Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) license to practice psychotherapy.
Over the course of more than thirty five years, Gian has accumulated extensive experience as a psychotherapist, nutritional counselor, wellness coach, spiritual psychology counselor, and teacher.
After practicing various forms of yoga for twenty-four years, Gian became deeply interested in Advaita, a form of Jnana Yoga — the Yoga of Wisdom. Two well-known Advaita teachers in the West are Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta Maharaj.
In the West, Advaita is known as Non-Duality, and due to its unparalleled effectiveness in facilitating the Awakened state, it is rapidly gaining popularity.
In some respects, Zen is similar to Non-Duality. In Zen, Awakening is said to occur through a direct transmission between teacher and student. While books, videos, and audio recordings were valuable resources, Gian found that direct interaction with an awakened teacher was crucial to his own Awakening. After finding the right path in Advaita, Awakening unfolded gradually over a period of ten years; toward the end of this process, guidance from an awakened teacher played a decisive role.
Given his long career as a counselor and teacher, it was natural for Gian to begin sharing his insights into the Awakened state with students, friends, and clients. He began teaching Non-Duality in 2007. However Gian’s perception of his role today is as an Awakening and Embodiment Coach. This is consisten with the Advaita path where, particularly in the West, the teacher-student relationship tends to be more informal — free from the rigidity and complexity often associated with the traditional guru-disciple dynamic.
Soon Gian realized that no service could be of greater value than helping others awaken to their True Nature. This realization led him to develop the Awakening Protocol, a process designed to facilitate Awakening in his students.He also began offering one-on-one coaching sessions for those seeking to prepare for Awakening, as well as for those who, once awakened, wish to fully embody their realization.
As a teacher, Gian felt the need to create a language and a set of exercises capable of effectively transmitting the Awakened state to the student. The Awakening Protocol, which requires just one session of about four hours, was the result of this effort. The Protocol does not depend on a mystical or extraordinary spiritual experience — it simply invites one to take a careful look into the human experience, here and now.
To contact Gian directly, please write to him at GianGirardi@iCloud.com
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Viviana was born in 1955 in Southern Chile — one of the most beautiful
places on the planet.
From early childhood, she felt drawn to sports and physical education. She graduated from the prestigious University of Chile with a B.A. in Physical Education.
In her early twenties, she developed a deep interest in spiritual life and yoga and has maintained a personal Hatha Yoga practice for over thirty-five years. She is certified as a Yoga Teacher by Erich Schiffmann, as a Therapeutic Yoga Practitioner by Cherri Clampett, and as a Reiki Master (Level 3) by Helle Pearson.
Viviana is also an accomplished cook, and her students often rave about her food. Her dishes are artistic, colorful, and beautifully presented. She offers classes on raw, vegan, ovo-lacto vegetarian, ethnic, carnivore, and keto cuisines.
Viviana is also an accomplished cook, and her students often rave about her food. Her dishes are artistic, colorful, and beautifully presented. She offers classes on raw, vegan, ovo-lacto vegetarian, ethnic, carnivore, and keto cuisines. Most of her work is conducted in person with groups, though she also offers distance Reiki sessions.
To contact Viviana directly please write to her at VivianaGirardi@Gmail.com
Viviana’s raw food at one of the One Day Workshops